"The sky really doesnt look promising," muttered Ash Ketchum, standing outside the ballroom, alone in his thoughts. His good old powerful buddy, Pikachu, was by his side, shaking nervously and sending out tiny sparks of electricity around him.
"Piii....Pika...Pii.." Pikachu looked distressed and uncomfortable.
"What is it, Pikachu?" Ash looked down at his best friend. "Hehe, I'm not making you where that black suit for the dance tonight, but what's troubling you?"
Pikachu met Ash's gaze with worried eyes. "Pika..Pii!" Pikachu waved its small arms slowly, as if trying to warn him.
Ash raised his eyebrows. Then he looked up at the dark gray clouds as the sky rumbled deeply. A chilly air blew over them. "Is it the weather?"
"Pika!" Pikachu gasped out a sneeze of electricity and panted.
"Pikachu, you've been acting strange all day. If there's lightning later on, there shouldnt be a problem." Ash kneeled down and tried to comfort his buddy with a reassuring pat on the head. "It's gonna be fun. Trust me!" He tried to sound reassuring, though the weather was starting to trouble him as well. "Everyone's gonna be here tonight, and we're all going to spend a week at the Yuen Hotel. We're all going to have so much fun! You'll see Misty, Brock, May, Dawn-"
"Ash? Are you coming in? I need help setting up the chairs." Ash turned to see Misty coming over with plastic gloves on her hands. Her face looked dirty and tired, as if she had been working too hard, for she and Gary had both been helping Ash set up the ballroom for the dance reunion.
Ash stood up and met Misty's gaze. "Oh, yeah. I was just checking out what's wrong with Pikachu. Something's been bothering him lately and he's been pretty quiet since the rain last night. Now he's acting like he's sick or something."
"Pii..." Pikachu nodded in agreement with an uncomfortable expression.
"Hmm," Misty gave Pikachu a concerned look. "You should ask Professor Oak."
Ash laughed. "He's all the way back in Pallet Town! Hello, dont you remember how he said he was going to be late for the reunion tonight? He's so busy studying the ancient fossils we found."
"Oh that's right!" Misty huffed, rolling her eyes. "I'm so busy today I dont remember my own name. Of course I know now! Wipe that grin off your face!"
Ash was purposely giving Misty a teasing smile. Misty apparently wasnt smiling back. Ash sighed and kept his smile. "You werent that busy." He crossed his arms and looked away proudly. "I was the one who set up the whole room myself, and put everything where i planned it should be. You and Gary just helped clean a few things up around the room."
"We did more than that! We set up the whole darn room ourselves while you just stood there and TOLD us where you expected to set things up. You apparently did the least amount of work out of all of us!"
Ash met her gaze. A feeling deep down inside him reminded him of how cute Misty can look when she was annoyed. Even with an unwashed face, she looked beautiful to him. "Well, I guess we all worked hard in some way. But come on. It will be a fun night." He gave her a reassuring smile.
Misty had to smile back. "Well, it better be. I'm working my hands off here, and i just cut myself recycling trash in the back! I better have a relaxing time tonight, or else I'm sure to ruin the whole thing for everyone!"
She was just kidding, Ash knew, though he knew Misty well that she wasnt someone to easily calm down. Ash laughed. "Can I see? I bet it's just a small mark."
Misty gave him a look and handed out her left hand. "Yep. But it hurts enough for me to leave the recycling to Gary."
Ash saw a small bleeding cut on her ring finger. "Yeah, it's just a cut."
Misty laughed softly. "Whatever. I'm going back in to set up the curtains."
"Hey wait!" Ash called as she turned her back away. She looked back to face him. "Uh..." Ash gave Pikachu a worried glance, for he had something in mind to say to Misty, and had only discussed it privately with Pikachu.
"Pika!" Pikachu gave him an encouraging nod, and Ash turned to meet Misty's gaze.
"Yeah, um, Misty...I've had something on my mind this whole time, and I was wondering if you would...um...well....you know."
"Yes?" Misty's gaze was soft and she looked like she could make him feel better from the worst sickness he could feel. She and Ash took a walk side by side down the peaceful river with Pikachu quietly following behind. The calm trickle of water and gray sky made Ash feel like something was about to happen, though by Misty's side, he felt strangely safe.
"Well....if you dont have anyone else in mind, you wouldnt mind being my dance partner when it's time for everyone to dance, would you?" Ash hoped he didnt look red.
Misty's eyebrows slowly raised and she seemed to look happily surprised. "Oh, Ash, I'd love to. Well.....if there's an odd number of us, someone's going to have to share."
"Yeah but, I was looking forward to having this night just be for the two of us." He looked into her eyes with intent. "Besides all the other people I invited, you were the one I was looking forward to having a good time with. It's a few days passed New Year's, and Pikachu and I have decided to start off with plans for a new life...with you."
Misty's expression was warm and intent as well, and Ash could tell her heart was beating just as fast as his. "Ash....oh, of course I'd love to stick with you. But...you're still...well, you've accomplished your dreams. You've beaten all the regions in the world, and have made yourself well-known enough to be a pokemon master."
"Hey, dreams like that never end," said Ash. "There's still more to accomplish as a pokemon master. Like, we're still studying the history of prehistoric pokemon with Professor Oak, and not to mention the strange new pokemon that have suddenly appeared around these parts."
"That's exactly what I'm talking about," said Misty quietly. "If you're still striving for your dream, I'm stuck being a gym leader in Cerulean. I dont want to be the spouse that forced you to end your dreams just for me."
Ash stopped walking and looked into her eyes again. "Misty, you dont have to quit being a gym leader either." He took her hands and cupped his own around her's. She had taken off the dirty plastic gloves. "As long as we know we will always have each other, and that deep down we are together, we can both live on our dreams."
Misty said nothing, and she stared down at her hands in his. She smiled. "Yes, you're right. I'm glad you feel this way, Ash. I've felt the same way, too, for years."
"I understand that," said Ash, smiling back. "I couldnt help my feelings for you over the years I had left you, and then every time I got to see you, I guess my feelings grew a little stronger. I was falling in love."
Misty gave him a thankful, understanding smile. "But I dont want to leave you again. If we never get to see each other, what's the point of being together?"
"We'll stick together," promised Ash. "I'm not going anywhere at the moment, unless it's for something totally inportant. But it's got to be more important than being there for you, though."
"Oh, Ash," breathed Misty and gave him a warm hug.
Ash felt lost for a moment, and then smiled and hugged her back.
"Pika pii!" Pikachu cheered for them and let out an electric thunderbolt in the sky.
"Haha, Pikachu!" Ash glanced at his buddy.
"Piii...."Pikachu smiled nervously and looked ashamed.
Misty chuckled and she and Ash met eyes again. They both had their arms wrapped around each other's shoulders.
Ash knew something was coming. He felt the need to kiss her--right here, right now. He braced himself, and Misty was looking prepared as well.
"Hey, you lovers! There's no way you're leaving all the work to me!" Yelled a voice. "I dont care how almost done we are!"
Misty gasped and let go of Ash's shoulders. "Gary."
"We should finish up. People will be coming in less than an hour." Said Ash, picking Pikachu up.
Gary appeared from the trees. He had that grumpy look from working hard when he didnt feel like it. "What the heck were you two doing?" His expression changed to a wily, humored gaze.
Misty and Ash said nothing.
"Hah! I bet you guys were sneaking out a kiss? Come on! Do it again, I wanna see." Gary crossed his arms, giving a narrowed smile.
"Gary--!" Ash was about to snap back a reply, but Misty stepped forward, putting her plastic gloves back on.
"It's okay," she said. She flashed Gary a look. "We werent kissing, Gary! We would've saved it for the dance."
"Yeah right," he nodded, walking by her side as they headed back to the building. "I wanna catch you guys doing it in private again." He looked over his shoulder. "Hey, come on, Ash!"
Ash blinked and then walked on after them. "Shoot," he muttered. His mind felt like it was spinning.
"Pii...." Pikachu gave him a reassuring look.
Ash followed quietly behind, alone in his thoughts as Misty and Gary chattered on endlessly.

"There she is!" Called Ash, pointing over at the small boat arriving in the distance.
May had finally arrived, and had been the last one to have shown up at the dance reunion.
Drew stood in the back of the crowd, just behind Dawn, Lucas, and Barry. He kept an intent look on his face as he made his way through the crowd. He wasn't looking forwards to speaking to her just yet. The last time he had seen May was at the top of Mt. Chimney when he had told her she had a whole life ahead of her own to fulfill, and that she could do a lot better without him interfering with relationships for her.
He kept in the middle of the crowd, unseen by May as she was greeted by everyone else.
Misty and Dawn were the first to come up and greet her.
Ash gave her a hug. "May! It's been a while."
"Yeah, I thought I would never see you again," said Misty, giving her a happy smile. "You're so caught up in those contests, I thought I would never get to meet you like this."
May laughed. "Yeah, the contests have been pretty challenging, but I found my way through! I'm currently studying at the far north of the Hoenn region."
Drew narrowed his eyes.
Dawn joined her side. "So how have you been? I did hear about you traveling all the way in the northern islands….I never knew there were even pokemon out there. What have you been up to?"
May chuckled. "Oh….business stuff. Im trying to study something…top secret." she gave them a wink.
Drew kept his eyes fixed on her. Only he knew what she was up to. She was stuying the possible existence of the mysterious pokemon called Xenox.
Ash laughed. "Well I hope you're doing fine on it." He was looking at May with a content daze, as if he couldn't believe how grown up May looked.
Iris came over to Ash's side. She gave May a friendly smile. "Hello, May! I've heard a thing or two about you. I'm Iris."
May smiled back and nodded. "Hello. You're from the Isshu region, right?"
"Isshu region!" called Brendan's voice.
He appeared from the deck of the small boat, and hopped out to join May's side. He was carrying a strange rectangle device in his hand that looked somewhat like a pokedex. "Ah, so you're Iris." Brendan eyed her intently. "You look like you'd be from Isshu."
Iris winced. "What? What does that mean?"
May gave Brendan a sharp nudge. "He doesn't mean anything. Brendan, go get our last suitase! We both need it for communicating with the other scientists."
Ash blinked. "Well, you two get settled. We're already in the ballroom right now."



The ballroom was lighted with pretty colors of white and blue light, and music played throughout. Everyone was enjoying themselves, and people here and there were standing in groups, happily chatting.
Drew stood in the corner by the bar, deep in his thoughts. He wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, especially after May had arrived. She was with Harley and Brendan now, but she noticed Drew standing alone.
Drew said nothing as May made her way over to him from behind. He stood watching the cute dance Buneary and Pikachu were putting on, pretending not to notice May.
"Drew…..?" Said May meekly. "I…havent seen you in a while…its ben almost a year, hasn't it?" She stood by his side, leaning on the table behind, trying to force a small smile.
Drew blinked slowly and turned to meet her gaze. "Hmm, you seem to be doing fine. How's that pokemon project going?"
May blinked. "Pokemon project? It's no project. Brendan and I are just studying the evidence to uncover possible existence of the ice dragon, Xenox."
Drew chuckled. "Well, it's a project to you. I hope it's going well."
May winced. "Well, what's been going on with you? How are the gym battles?"
Drew felt a sudden urge of regret at the question. He didn't want to answer that just yet. "Well, nothing personal, but it's cool." He felt May's stare narrow, but before she could say anything, the crowd in the ballroom started chattering with excitement as the next song came on.
"It's that song!" Someone cried. "We should all dance to this together!"
As soon as people started dancing in pairs to the romantic tune, Drew narrowed his eyes and winced. He looked over at all the couples, and then met May's eyes.
She gave him another shy smile and he couldn't help smiling back.
"Hey, I don't wanna be the only one out here not dancing," said May.
Drew chuckled and held out his hand for her. "Me neither. Especially for tonight."
May took his hand and for a moment, the both of them started by taking simple steps to their sides and not meeting each other's gazes.
Drew listened closely to the music. It was romantic, yet catchy. It had a loud, toning beat to it, and it was starting to entrance him to make this moment worth it. He looked at May. "I bet you noticed I sent you that letter instead of Ash, even though he set up this whole dance reunion."
May looked at him and nodded. She winced. "Yeah, I bet it's because you were the only to have known where I was?"
Drew smiled. "Not really. Ash really had no idea where you were at the moment. He tried asking everyone he knew in Hoenn if they knew anything of you. But no one knew, and your family wouldn't tell. So I told Ash that I knew, and that I would gladly send the letter myself for you. I didn't tell him where you were, but I did tell him that I knew, and I can send an invitation inviting you here."
May gave him a playful look. "Well, why sound so flat in the letter? You could've been a little friendlier, and greeted me with more tone. You just sounded like you were forced to invite me or something."
"I kinda was," said Drew. "I couldn't keep myself from wanting to invite you, so I did anyway."
May winced and gave him a nudge. "Whatever," she chuckled. "Thanks for inviting me."
"No problem. And you won't believe what's happened while you were isolated away in those islands. Champion Wallace has gone missing, and there's no trace of him or his pokemon."
May gasped. "Wallace?! When?"
"Just a few days ago. He was out in the Sinnoh region, visiting Snowpoint, and then he just disappeared." Drew looked away and narrowed his eyes. "Strange place to go missing. It's gonna be hard to look for him there. But they've found to evidence whatsoever. It's like the earth just swallowed him up or something."
May suddenly gasped and let go of Drew's hand. She pulled out a vibrating device from her pocket. "Oh no," she muttered.
Drew looked at her intently. "What's that?"
May closed the device. She had a look of horror on her face. "The laboratory has been attacked."
"What laboratory?"
"Mine! The one Brendan and I were spending with Mr. Griney! Someone……or something has broken in and destroyed the whole place. There's no sign of Mr. Griney, and everything's……destroyed."
Drew could tell May's heart was pounding hard with extreme terror. She must be thinking of all the graphs, all the work she had been doing in the lab, everything she's worked with in the lab had been destroyed. "Oh no…." he said. "Well, who sent you that message?"
May clutched the device and narrowed her eyes at it. "It's from one of the island locals. There are very few people in that island, but there are certain locals who don't live too far from us. I guess they must've found Griney's phone and have let me know what's happened."
"You should really go back," said Drew urgently. "You're probably needed."
May looked him with disbelief. "You really want me to go back?"
"I don't want you to go!" Drew snapped. "I'm just saying! Are there any other scientists for you to call?"
May huffed. "They've all gone on an expedition to the surroundings of the Barren Islands. I can try to contact them, but they won't be any help since they are stuck there right now. I have to find Brendan!" She whipped her head to where the back door was behind her, and saw that Brendan had escaped in the distance.
"Brendan!" She hissed. She rushed after him to the exit.
Drew watched her go, and then took off after her. He saw her outside under a tall tree under the full moon, with Brendan in front of her.
"I just got the same message!" Brendan said with shock. "We have to tell everyone right now! We should go back!"
May huffed. "Well, our ship will take a day or two to arrive back."
Drew joined them. "Hey, May? If you really should go back, I promise I will pay you another visit on your island sometime. You really should do whatever will save Mr. Griney's life."
May met his gaze with a clouded look. Even though Drew tried his best to stop taking interest in her again, he had felt almost dazed as he danced with her and he knew he couldn't let their moment never finish.
May sighed. "Well….."
"Hey, check this out!" Brendan suddenly took May's device. "It's from Griney!"
May looked at the device with intent. "Oh! He says he's been kidnapped and he's on the island of Nuvel. It's north of the Barren Island, and he's got an address right here." She pointed on the screen that read, "409, Crescent Circle."
Drew narrowed his eyes. "Well, what's happened to him? He didn't even tell you what exactly happened, or how he's doing?"
May typed up something on the device and huffed. "No signal. These devices never work well when it comes to long distances. I don't know why we were even required to take these with us."
Brendan shrugged. "Well, I think we should let everyone know what's happened. We should get to this island as quickly as possible."
A chilly breeze suddenly wafted over them. May shivered. "It's getting awfully cold out here….."
Drew looked around. "Hey! It's snowing!"
May winced. "Huh?" she looked around, and saw that snow was beginning to fall through the tree they stood under. "Hey…..wait a second! The snow's only coming from this tree!"
Brendan stepped from underneath. "Yeah! What in the world--"
Drew chuckled and nudged May. "Perhaps has something to do with that ice pokemon, Xenox?"
He expected a joking smile from May, but instead, her gaze turned distant and shocked. "Xenox……" she muttered and dropped her device.
Drew raised his eyebrows. "May?"
Suddenly, a breeze came from the top of the tree branches--- from the tree branches. A rapid blow of snow sucked Brendan in back under the tree with them, and a snowstorm suddenly occurred around the three of them.
Drew could barely see, and he felt May's grip on his arm. "Ahh! No! It can't be!" She screamed.
"What's happening?!" Drew yelled through the sudden storm, but a second later, the snow knocked him over and he lost May's grip, his vision going black.

Brendan woke up, finding himself falling through the cold, chilly air. He flashed his eyes open and before he could yell or think about what had just happened to him, he suddenly fell in a pool of cold, icy water that chilled him to the bone.
"Ahh! Help! HEEELP!" The current was taking him downstream, and he suddenly hit a log that bridged across the river. As he clung to the log that blocked him from going anywhere downstream, he shivered and felt like his mind was going to explode with such coldness.
Suddenly, he felt something swimming underneath him. There was a creature-- a pokemon approaching him. And from the way it swam, it didn't seem very friendly. But Brendan was freezing, and was too cold to notice how much danger he could be in. a rapid wind blew over him to make it worse. He might as well die right here-- woken up unexpectedly without time to even think what had happened a few moments before, and then left to die just minutes later.
"Brendan!" May's voice suddenly called from above. "Grab this!" A branch suddenly appeared in front of Brendan.
For a moment, Brendan didn't respond or do anything. He stared at it with a blank expression. Then suddenly, as if regaining his senses, he reached out a frozen stiff arm, and grabbed the end of the branch.
May, who appeared to be riding Drew's Flygon with Drew in front of her, pulled Brendan up as Flygon heaved him out of the water.
As soon as Brendan was lifted from the water, a monstrous creature suddenly shot up from the water, splashing Brendan forwards so roughly that he almost lost his grip. He swung on the branch like a swing as the monster behind him roared with anger and splashed back in the water, sending a large wave over Brendan again. If his hands weren't so cold, they wouldn't have been stuck on the branch to keep him from falling back in.
"Holy crap!" Drew's surprised voice yelled in awe. He stared after the disappearing pokemon with a shocked expression. "Was that just--"
"A LAPRAS?!" May shouted, with the same surprise to her tone. "Oh my….."
Flygon growled and slightly trembled with agitation as Brendan climbed up slowly behind May. "Ugh……a Lapras…? Man, I wanna see…"
"Forget it! We gotta get outta here!" May suddenly gasped. "Watch out, it's coming--!"
Suddenly a blast of water shot out, revealing the largest Lapras Brendan had ever seen. Lapras were pretty huge, but this one seemed so much more fierce and deadly. It's eyes were an icy blue piercing, looking as sharp as ice dagger slits. It glared down at the Flygon, who looked so small and meek compared to it. It was like a dragon, with even sharp, needle-like teeth. Did Lapras even have teeth?
"Flygon! Fly away!" Drew yelled.
Before Flygon could reply, the Lapras suddenly let out a loud, thundering cry. It dived towards the Flygon, but the Flygon was fast. It dodged the attacking Lapras and flew away, crying at the chilly soaking wave that washed over them all as the Lapras fell back in the water from behind with a might splash.
Brendan felt frozen an unable to talk or think. He just watched on blankly as the Flygon flew on.
Flygon landed in a nearby cave to the left of the rushing river. May and Drew hopped off, talking about something Brendan couldn't even here. Every part of him was frozen, and his ears were too cold to hear.
May turned to him and helped him off. "Brendan? You okay?" She waved a hand in front of his zoned-out expression.
Brendan blinked rapidly and regained his senses. He felt Flygon warm him with a small Dragonbreath from behind. "Ah, that feels sooooo good." He let his weak legs tremble and fall down as he sat with a contented, sleepy look.
May laughed. "You look so childish. Do you want me to give you a blanket and tuck you in?"
Brendan suddenly opened his eyes with a wince. "WHAT did you just say? No thanks, I'd rather stay in that icy water."
May huffed and kicked a pile of snow at him. She raised her eyebrows. "Hey! There's small amounts of snow here and there. Where are we? We must be somewhere in the north……whatever region we may be in."
Drew joined her side with a sideways look. "What? You don't know? I thought you were Miss Traveler. You should know these places by now." He gave her a playful nudge.
"Hah! I havent been north for too long. But it looks like we might just be in the northern islands, perhaps not too far from….Barren Island of Xenox."
"How in the heck did we end up here, anyway?" Drew looked around, narrowing his eyes. "This place gives me more chills than the weather here. Just the looks and the feeling of being here. It's already starting to get dark, and I can just feel that there are pokemon out there who are more deadly and mysterious than we've ever seen……like that Lapras."
Brendan shrugged and stood up. "The biggest question is-- HOW did we get here? We were just standing under a random tree until it started snowing on us, whipping us our own blizzard, and then we wake up here. We must be dreaming or something."
"No….." said May, her eyes looking out at the stars that were starting to fill the dark blue sky. "No, it must be Xenox. Remember how we figured it may be possible that it can summon snowstorms and control blizzards from all around the world? Perhaps…..that has something to do with the blizzard that started from under the tree. Maybe it summoned a blizzard to occur from that tree so that it brought us here somehow."
Drew raised his eyebrows hopefully, but Brendan shook his head. "Nah. We never figured out the psychic part of Xenox. How could a snowstorm just teleport us from Yuen City in Kanto, all the way to here? I bet the blizzard knocked us out, and someone's taken us to another place not too far away, playing a trick on us. HARLEY?! IS THAT YOU AGAIN?" Brendan turned around and started calling his name.
Drew chuckled. "Well, I wouldn't be surprised."
May rolled her eyes. "It's NOT Harley. Brendan, shut up and listen."
"GARY?! IF YOU WANT TO PRANK US, IT'S OVER! YOU'VE SCARED THE CRAP OUTTA US WITH THE…..ROBOTIC LAPRAS!"
"That Lapras wasn't robotic!" May snapped.
Brendan turned to her. "Team Rocket used to make stuff like that. Maybe Team Rocket's playing tricks on us again!"
Drew sighed. "They would've taken our pokemon if it were them."
Flygon growled and raised a tail.
Brendan sighed. "Well, wherever we are, the place is freezing my ass off. Let's get in that cave!"
Brendan rushed inside and May, Drew, and Flygon followed him in. Flygon lighted some firewood they found in the cave, and they sat around their own campfire. Outside, a strange wind blew over the trees, making them sway one way to another. There were traces of snowflakes blowing with the wind, but not enough to create a blanket of snow on the ground. The stars had already filled the sky.
May sighed. "I havent studied much astronomy yet…..but I know that if we see the constellation of Kyogre with a snowflake in front of its nose, then we must be in the northern islands somewhere. I see it every time it's midnight on Griney's island."
Brendan saw the constellation as well. "Hey, Griney went missing…..possibly by something that attacked his lab. Whoever attacked it must've kidnapped him, and right when May tried contacting Mr. Griney for anymore help, that storm just blew in. Doesnt really sum up, but it may be possible that our disappearance has to do with Mr. Griney's disappearance."
Drew turned to May. "Well, this sucks. Not only am i stuck out here in the middle of nowhere with you, but with you AND Brendan." He spoke with a sly tone.
May narrowed her eyes. "Oh? You'd rather be stuck in this frozen wasteland all by yourself?"
Drew laughed. "Just as long as I'm not with him," he shot Brendan a raised look.
Brendan looked at him blankly. "Whatever. I'm going to sleep. The first thing i do when i wake up is fly outta here and find Mr. Griney. We're most likely in one of the northern islands close by the island of his lab, so I'll be out looking for him. You two do what you want." Brendan took off his sweater and laid it on the cold ground to sleep.
May sighed. "Well.....I did learn that the remains of Xenox revealed that it was a pokemon that controlled the snowstorms. We probably arent as too close to its island since the closer you get, the worse the snowstorms become. But we really should fly out of here tomorrow just to see where we are."
Drew nodded. "There's absolutely no signal. I was surprised you even got my letter all the way across the sea."
Brendan opened his eyes. "I can tell I wasnt exactly invited. I barely know Ash Ketchum."
"I bet that tree had something to do with Xenox," said May. "The tree we were under just suddenly whipped up a storm, so Xenox must have some connections with that tree. Maybe it wanted something from us....maybe it wanted us to see it since we've been secretly examining its possible existence?"
Drew shrugged. "I dunno. I wouldnt know why it let me come with you guys. I have nothing to do with the pokemon."
"Well, whatever we do, we should try and get back to Griney's lab. We'll think about what to do next once we've escaped."
"Heh, I dont think we could be let out real easily," said Drew with concern, gazing out at the windy storm, which seemed to have gotten stronger. "If Xenox really has called you over here, then I dont think it's gonna let you escape just like that."
brendan had fallen asleep before he could hear anything else.
It wasnt about an hour later when Brendan awoke from shivering in his sleep, and feeling nothing but extreme bitter cold.
He sat up, wrapping his arms tightly around himself. Outside, a snowstorm had occurred. the ground was covered with a blanket of snow now. He narrowed his eyes as he noticed May and Drew sleeping together, sharing a sweater wrapped around the both of them as they slept against the warm body of Flygon.
Brendan stood up. "Can't even sleep," he muttered. He looked around and walked towards a rock that jutted out behind Flygon.
Suddenly, a small shape moved from behind the rock, making a small squeak. Curiously, Brendan peered over, and raised his eyebrows as he looked into the tiny eyes of a Snorunt. the little pokemon trembled, and it chattered a small, meek cry.
"Snoooo.....snorrrrrr.....snoo...runttt...."
"Hey, so there are some normal-looking pokemon out here," said Brendan. "You're not going to turn into a giant Glalie, are you?" He feared the gigantic monstrous Lapras.
Snorunt gave a strange expression, an expression that looked somewhat like a grin, showing its strange shape of its mouth and teeth. Then it hopped away deeper into the cave, chattering, "SNO! Sno! Snorr!"
Brendan watched it go, then found himself following it. He made his way deeper into the cave, and as he looked around, he started to notice strange patterns carved on the walls. Pretty soon, the patterns revealed pictures, shapes of stick people and poorly drawn pokemon.
"SNOO!" The Snorunt suddenly stopped and bounced up and down.
"Whoa!" Brendan gasped with shock as he realized where he was standing. The cave around him expanded like a huge mining structure, with a big space around him and rocky bridges leading off the cliff he stood on. Down below was a pool of water. "What the-- where ARE we?"
"SNO!" Snorunt hopped down and Brendan watched it fall with a splash in the water.
Brendan was just about to go back, but as he raised a foot, the ground crumbled from underneath him and he fell down the slope, landing just a few feet away from the water.
"Sno!" Snorunt was suddenly in front of him.
Brendan narrowed his eyes at it. "You know what? You're a frisky little guy. I'm gonna catch you, and make sure you get me back at the front of this cave. Go, Swampert!"
He summoned his Swampert out, and the large pokemon stood in front of him and growled challengingly at the tiny Snorunt.
But suddenly, the Snorunt blew a powerful Icy Wind at it, and sent the Swampert flying towards the left, hitting a pile of rocks. "SWAAAAAMperttt!" Groaned the pokemon.
Brendan gasped. "No.....that does it," he reached in for a pokeball, but as soon as his hand touched the pokeball of his Camerupt, the Snorunt suddenly screamed with an eerie shock, and suddenly sent out an ice spear from its mouth.
Right when Brendan looked up, an ice spear stabbed him in the chest, piercing his heart. His Swampert suddenly let out a terrified cry, its eyes widened with shock at its trainer. Brendan's surpirsed expression didnt get anymore shocked as the ice spear sunk in deeper, until he felt his entire body freeze, and his eyes rolled back.

May was walking through a vivid pathway in the mountains. The sky was a dark, gloomy dawn and the air was chilled with cold wind. Around her, flowers surrounded the pathway, and as the cold wind blew over them, she watched with sadness as the flowers froze into icy statues of plants.
She sighed. “What is this place? Where am I? Xenox…..are you there?” She felt the presence of something watching her in the air.
She gasped as she stepped on something in her way. it was a dead piece of twig. But it left a small wound in her foot. “Ugh, that’s gonna leave a mark.” She pulled the twig out and ignored the slight bleeding at her heel, and walked on.
Suddenly, she spotted something shining in the grass in the distance. She hurried up towards it, and kneeled down behind a bush of dark purple flowers. Something was shining in the bushes. She reached out and jerked her hand back as she felt something hard, warm, and slippery. The object shined again, and May realized it was something red and glowing. She carefully reached out towards it, and felt the warm, smooth object……that felt like an egg. She took the object in both hands and pulled it out. It was an egg. It shone in her hands, and seemed to warm up with life. May felt her hands ease with the heat from holding the egg, and she felt comfortable in the cold atmosphere of the mountains.
The egg was glowing with a bright reddish glow. It was almost translucent to see an even darker red shape inside. May suddenly felt the urge that the egg needed her, and despite the warmth and heat that it already had, the egg was isolated from where it really belonged, and needed someone to look after it.
May gave a small smile. “I will take care of you.” The feeling of passion and love welled up inside, and she felt the same feeling for this strange egg, just like she had with another pokemon she had cared for as an egg long ago. The egg glowed with a brighter red as she held it closer to her. she felt its warmth heat her up, and she felt her own warmth warm up the hatchling inside. Around her, the wind blew a lonely chill. An egg like this did not belong up here at all. This was Xenox’s mountain, just behind the cave in which Xenox slept in. an egg like this did not belong here. not one living soul belonged here. May gazed up at the heavens in the dark gray sky as the clouds opened up to a bright flash of white light, blazing down at her and the egg. She felt her body stiffen with coldness, and clutched the egg tightly to her chest. She felt her life ebbing away with the egg.
May suddenly blinked her eyes open to a freezing breezy wind. She was back in the cave, laying on her side, hugging something that kept her warm.
Drew was sitting up at her side. “May?” He was gazing at her with a concerned look. “Are you all right?”
May slowly sat up, and then widened her eyes with shock as she realized what she was holding. “I….I had a dream…..”
“So did I,” said Drew. “I saw myself falling through a hole in this cave, just through complete nothingness. What’s that you’re holding?”
“This….was in my dream,” she breathed. The egg glowed in the shadowy cave, its bright red color slightly revealing a shape in the middle of the egg that stood still. “I swear I saw this in my dream. I was walking along a path on a mountain—Xenox’s mountain—and then I just found this egg. It WAS a dream. You didn’t see me sleepwalking or anything, did you?”
Drew chuckled nervously, giving the egg a raised look. “No, I didn’t. But you couldn’t have been sleepwalking. Xenox’s mountain is miles from here. And didn’t you say that any living thing could die from the blizzards that surrounded Xenox’s mountain?”
“Yeah but in my dream, I swear the place was Xenox’s mountain. I just know it. and then I found this egg, still alive as an egg can be. It was heating up in that cold wasteland, and for some reason, it needed me. So I took it in my hands, and then I just woke up back here again.”
Then she winced at a sudden pain in her foot. She realized the mark was still there from the twig she had stepped on.
“That’s really weird,” said Drew, wincing. He turned to his left. “Did Brendan have any….hey….where’s Brendan?” Drew suddenly stood up, looking around. Flygon was already in his pokeball since he had woken up, but there was no sign of Brendan. “Brendan! Hey, where are you?”
May stood, feeling a sense of dread run through her. “He did say he was going to leave the first moment he woke up. was he serious?”
“He can’t be,” Drew kneeled down over to where his communicating device was. “His device is here. he’s not that foolish enough to forget about this before he just ditches us. Something must’ve happened to him.”
“Oh no, something weird probably. Like, I just woke up from a dream that took place in Xenox’s mountain, where I came back with a REAL egg from my dream. Who knows what could’ve happened to Brendan?”
“Well, don’t think he’s stuck in his dream. I was awake a while before you, and I know you hadn’t disappeared. Wherever Brendan is, he must’ve gone deeper into the cave, or escaped outside. We should go look for him.”
“Well, I hope you have your pokemon! I only brought half my party. Only Glaceon’s strong enough against the cold!”
Drew and May headed deeper into the cave. May looked worriedly around her. her mind still felt dreary from her dream, but this place starting to give her creepy feelings. There were strange drawings on the wall. Some looked like they had been drawn by unfriendly people.
“Whoa!” Gasped Drew, suddenly stopping.
“What--? AHH!” May let out a shocked scream as they came to an open space of dead, rotten skeletons. About a dozen or so human skeletons laid against the floor, as well as about three or four pokemon next to some. From the looks of it, these skeletons seemed to have lasted for over a hundred years or so, for they were starting to stick to the floor, some even becoming part of it like a fossil.
“Oh my….” May breathed. She suddenly turned to Drew. “Drew, this is a dangerous place. I can feel it. look at those drawings! Look at our dreams! I think this cave is haunted.”
Drew met her gaze steadily. “Calm down, lots of caves are like this. People and pokemon always die and rot away in caves, especially one in the middle of nowhere. And these drawings are just probably natives from early times.” He scratched at a poorly drawn Mamoswine.
“Drew! I want to get out of here!” May gasped, clutching the egg tightly against her.
suddenly, the cave gave a slight jolt. May flinched and grabbed Drew’s arm.
A Snorunt suddenly appeared from behind one of the skeletons, tilting its head to one side as it gave them a curious look. “Sno…?”
“Ahh….! A Snorunt?” May suddenly let go of Drew’s arm, feeling embarrassed. Drew laughed. “Hah! Don’t worry, I’m here to protect you,” he said warmly, though he had a teasing glint in his eyes.
May narrowed her eyes and then turned to face the Snorunt that was hopping towards them.
“Sno! Sno!”
Drew chuckled. “Maybe it can tell us the way out of this place where Brendan could’ve gone. “
Suddenly, the cave shook again, and the Snorunt stopped in its tracks, looking scared. “Sno! Snorrrunt!!!” It jumped with fear, keeping its eyes on May.
“Huh? Ahh! What’s going on?” May cried.
The Snorunt suddenly shot out an Ice Shard attack towards May, and instantly, Drew pulled her arm and ran towards an opening in the distance. “Up there! It could be the way out!”
May followed him through the falling rocks in the shaking cave, not looking back. She felt shards of ice fly over her head, but she kept her eye on the bright opening in the distance as she held Drew’s hand, and carried the egg in the other.
Finally, they made it out as the cave continued to shake inside. They ran a distance away from it, towards the trees and into the woods. Drew stopped at the edge of a stream. “Whoa….that was close. You okay?” He looked at May.
“I’m fine....I guess,” panted May, her eyes full of shock. She looked back. “What’s with that cave? Brendan could still be in there!”
“Huh! We can go back in if you want! I thought you wanted to leave so badly.”
May huffed in frustration and kneeled down, staring into the icy cold water. “There’s no hope,” she complained. “We’ll never find him now. he’s just disappeared without any evidence. Just like Mr. Griney!”
“And Wallace,” said Drew intently. “Wallace disappeared when he was travelling up north in Snowpoint as well. That might have to do with Griney and Brendan’s disappearances. Perhaps…..something with Xenox? These people have gone missing in the middle of cold, snowy wastelands. Maybe Xenox has something to do with it.”
May suddenly widened her eyes, remembering something dazed and vivid. “Xenox……in my dream, its presence was watching me wherever the cold breeze blew. I was following it up north, and I could feel its presence….its spirit with the cold wind watching over me.”
May suddenly felt the cold chilly air blow over her, and she held the egg tightly. “When it wakes,” she started to speak again, gazing out into the cloudy white sky, “the earth shall suffer in a frozen storm of snowy blizzards. It will have complete control over the world, and it can freeze the earth with its terrible snowstorms.” She turned to meet Drew’s gaze. “We must save Xenox somehow. Somehow, it’s been disturbed from its resting place, and although it may not be fully awake yet, something’s bothering it to create unnatural snowstorms…..like the one under that tree. And also the one that’s possibly taken Wallace away from Snowpoint.”
“But…..” Drew was looking at her with a quizzical expression. “…how could Xenox do anything if it isnt awake? It only does small things at the moment, like cause the snowstorms in only places like the north, because it’s asleep. But how could it do anymore than it already is doing?”
“Well, it may be disturbed….in its sleep,” said May, thinking carefully. “My dream somehow came true….partly,” she gazed down at the egg. “But whatever’s disturbing Xenox must be what’s making that pokemon cause all these strange snowstorms. It can get worse. Next time, it may not only just start a random snowstorm under a tree, but maybe a sudden storm over a whole city. Even a hot city like Lavaridge! I bet Xenox was calling me in my dream. That’s why I was climbing up that path.”
“Hmm,” Drew nodded, narrowing his eyes. “But I’m still wondering about that egg. And I wonder why Wallace would disappear? He doesn’t have anything to do with Xenox……supposedly.”
“SNOOOO!”
Out of nowhere, a snowball suddenly hit May on the back of her head, and she flinched and stumbled forwards, nearly dropping the egg. “Argh! What the--!” She shipped around, meeting eye contact with the Snorunt again, glaring at her up in the trees. It’s eyes were red as bloody cuts.
“Hey! the same one from the cave!” Drew yelled, taking out his pokeball. “Whatever it wants from us, it’s gonna get it! go, Flygon!”
May turned towards him as his Flygon popped out of its pokeball, showing a look of determination and anger. “Drew, wait!” Something about this Snorunt wasn’t right. Snorunts never had red eyes….and eyes the size of slits.
As soon as the Flygon gave a mighty cry, the Snorunt looked up to the sky and summoned an icy cold wind around it, creating its own little blizzard that circled its body.
Flygon gave a questioning cry and shifted its feet, glaring at the Snorunt.
“Huh?” Drew stepped forward. “It’s creating its own snowstorm around it!”
The Snorunt started to grow and rise into a taller shape.
“Is it evolving?” May gasped.
But the form the Snorunt was becoming wasn’t the round shape of a Glalie. Instead it grew taller, but taller than a Froslass as well. Finally, the snowstorm stopped around it, revealing the figure of a human—a tall, pale white lady with a cold stare on her glaring face. She wore a white, thing dress, and an icy crown on her head. Her hair was as dark and shiny as the midnight sky, and she glared straight towards May with a look of evil in her gleaming red eyes.
May and Drew stared in awe at the lady. She was dangerously beautiful, though one look at her face betrayed the evil that possessed inside of her. she raised her arms and the stream behind them rose with powerful splashing waves.
May and Drew dodged away from the trembling currents that rose ten times their height, and Flygon circled behind Drew, ready to defend whatever came to attack them.
The lady muttered something in a strange language, and a huge, monstrous Lapras popped out from the water, glaring down at May and Drew with the same evil red eyes.

"Stop!" The lady's commanding voice was hard and edgy as she raised her arm toward the ferocious Lapras. The pokemon stopped the waves from rising behind May and Drew, and the two of them stood side by side in front of Flygon, staring up at the Lapras with awe.
Drew gave May a nudge. "She's staring at your egg," he muttered.
The lady was glaring at the glowing red object in May's arms. She started walking towards them, her eyes piercing as daggers. She was asian, with skin almost as white as her dress.
"That egg...." She hissed in her sharp tone, not taking her eyes off the red egg that seemed to glow brighter every few seconds.
May held the lady's gaze with shocked eyes. Drew felt the need to just command his Flygon to attack this lady as soon as he can, though he feared the strong power that she probably withheld. This lady looked almost inhumane and fake, like a witch or a statue that came to life. She was extremely tall, probably almost 7 feet at the least. She was very thin and beautiful, with a wicked glint that seemed to never leave her eyes.
"That egg...." she said again. She suddenly spoke in a calm, but intent voice. "WHERE did you find it?"
May swallowed. "Um....I dont know. i really dont. I-- I dreamt it up, and then it just suddenly appeared with me when i woke up."
The Lapras let out a whiny cry and splashed the water violently with impatience, as if wanting to attack something already.
The lady hissed and whipped her head to face it. "Quiet, you obstinate!" She flashed a shard of ice towards the Lapras, and the pokemon silenced immediately, looking ashamed.
Drew widened his eyes. Did the LADY just throw an ice shard from her hand?
"If you please....." said May as bravely as she can. "....we are nothing but lost inhabitants. We were......stranded here, and we really have no idea where we are. Please excuse us if we've done anything wrong."
Drew twitched a smile at the corner of his lip. It probably wasnt a good idea to give away that they were possibly whipped away by "magic" and just woke up on a random island like this.
May continued to speak. "If this is your egg, you're welcome to have it back."
The lady suddenly smiled a sly, wicked smirk. "Hmm, hmm. My dear, that is NO egg of mine. That egg contains the pokemon of fire, a pokemon that has powers of an unstoppable fire type. I am the bringer of ice. I look forward to no such pokemon as the one in that egg. I am Prima Dona, Empress of Ice, and the Bringer of Snow." She raised a hand and shot out another ice shard in the sky. Her Lapras gave a humored cry and bobbed up and down with a sassy look on its face.
Drew stared at the lady. "Bringer of snow? What....."
"Yes, I am the bringer of snow." She glared at him with piering blue eyes. Drew bit his lip. He was sure her eyes were red just a moment ago. "I was born in a world you.....may not understand. But now I live here, in an island that has been isolated and frozen from any connection with the other regions. This island has been taken over by the winter weather of Xenox, who has summoned an eternal winter over this island to hide it from the rest of the world. No one out there has discovered this island. If you really have come from the outlands beyond, the only way you couldve come is by....magic." She narrowed her eyes. "Or by psychics."
Drew raised his eyebrows. "Well...I guess that's just how we got here. We--"
"Before you explain!" Interupted Prima Dona roughly. "I must tell you....you are in a place undiscovered by man. There ARE humans out here, but they aren't the same. The only humans out here are the primitives, the natives that have literally ADAPTED to this island, and have become like ice type pokemon themselves."
May widened her eyes. "Became like pokemon?"
Prima Dona turned to meet her gaze and smiled evilly again. "You two lost souls look so cold. Why are we standing out here in the snow? I'm so sorry I had my Lapras scare you like that, I thought you guys were-- someone else. But come on. Let's find somewhere comfortable to talk."
Drew winced and gave May a concerned look. She returned it back with the same uncertainty in her eyes.
Prima Dona chuckled. "I won't bite.....yet. I promise, I'm probably the only one out here in this island who can help you."
Drew still didnt trust her. But they really had no choice. She knew the place like she was part of it herself. He took out his pokeball. "Flygon, return." He said carefully, returning Flygon back in its pokeball.
He and May followed Prima Dona and her Larpas farther into the woods.
Prima Dona spoke as they trudged hrough the frosty forest. "This island is almost a quarter size of the Hoenn Region. No one's ever sailed or gone beyond what's known as the Veil Sea, for the icy temperatures and deadly storms that Xenox has created keep people and pokemon from entering this sacred place. I must remind you, the two of you must be very special to Xenox somehow, for it must have some reason to just 'teleport' you from nowhere to come here."
Drew met her gaze. "But why did Xenox isolate this island from everywhere else? This isnt even its island, and the island that Xenox rests upon is less dangerous to sail to than this one."
"Well, Xenox has its reasons," said Prima Dona tartly. "I can't answer everything, but i am a lady of ice, and i can tell the histiry of any snowy environment, and the pokemon that have to do with it.....from within."
"Who exactly ARE you?" May questioned carefully. "Do you live here? Do you have your own native family here?"
Prima Dona smiled and let her gaze fall onto May. "My dear, I live here, yes. I was one of the first to have survived this island, to ADAPT here and partially become like the environment. See? My skin is almost as pale as the snow. I've thrived with ice type pokemon, trained them under my will, and became part of this place. My job at the moment......is to protect this island from anything dangerous." She suddenly gave a sharp eye towards May.
Drew blinked slowly, studying this lady intently. "Something dangerous......like what?"
Prima Dona lifted her chin towards May. "You, my dear, may have something that can anger Xenox, disturb the pokemon from its sleep."
"I do?" May gasped and gazed down at the red egg in her arms. "Oh....."
Drew remembered what Prima Dona had said about not being interested in an egg that bears a fire type pokemon. "It's a fire type hatchling, isnt it?" He said.
"Right you are," said Prima Dona testily. "And not just any fire type. What is contained inside that egg is a pokemon that can grow to be almost as powerful as Xenox itself. A pokemon that can defeat Xenox because it is the exact opposite-- fire."
May's eyes were inent as she gazed back into Prima Dona's piercing gaze. "Well.....I met it in my dream....on Xenox's mountain."
"Was that before you were teleported here, or after you arrived here?"
"After."
Prima Dona narrowed her eyes. "Hmm, yes....that was why I was so concerned. When I first saw you two, I thought you were.....thieves of the egg. This isnt the first time I've seen that egg. But then when I got a better look at you two, I decided to question you more carefully. Turns out you arent thieves, but just accidental caretakers of it."
"You mean May found that egg in her dream by accident?" Drew questioned.
"Yes, she isnt supposed to have it. It belongs to someone else, and somehow, thieves have stolen it, leaving it in a place it wasnt supposed to be...."
"which was in my dream," said May, looking at her egg with daze. "Oh no.....I'm sorry. If this is going to disturb Xenox in any way, I'll be more than welcome to put it back where it should be."
"Dont worry my dear," Prima Dona stopped walking and put a hand on May's shoulder. Drew gave a raised look, wondering how cold her hand must have felt. "That egg.....is meant to destroy Xenox."
"Destroy it?"
"Once it grows to become the strong powerful legendary it's meant to be, it will become as powerful as Xenox, except even wrose since it is the bringer of fire, not ice. It can defeat it, and end all cold, chilly weathers.....and instead, replace the earth in a suffering state of heat and sunlight. Droughts will occur, and pokemon and people can die. This will only happen if it defeats Xenox, and we can't let that happen. That was why i was after the certain thief who had stolen this egg. I wanted to track him down and keep this egg from getting anywhere near Xenox. Unfortunatelty, it was close enough to show up in your dream....and you've found it. It's in your hands now. It's up to you what happens to it."
"I'm going to have to destroy it, dont I?" Said May with a downhearted tone as she gazed down at her egg.
"Well, either that....or you could raise it to be....mmm....less powerful so that it wouldnt have such an urge to destroy Xenox." Prima Dona smiled her creepy smile again. "You'd rather do that than leave it out to get destroyed, wouldnt you?"
May suddenly looked hopeful. "Yeah....I guess I couldtrain it myself, and teach it to be......well, a little softhearted than it will turn out to be. Do you think I can do that?"
Drew narrowed his eyes. May seemed to be taking in her trust with this lady easier than it was to get annoyed by a fly.
Prima Dona chuckled. "You have good spirit, my dear. I wasnt planning on destroying such an egg either....it really would break my heart."
"As cold as it is," said Drew in his thoughts. he wasnt liking this lady one bit. Just being around her made him feel cold and chilly.
May suddenly gave a determined look. "I will look after this egg. I shall raise it to be a loyal pokemon, not one that's meant to destroy Xenox."
"Well done," Prima Dona gave May a pat on the head. May seemed to have twitched a smile at the corner of her lip, looking like she was almost lost in Prima Dona's gaze.
Drew huffed. "Hmph. Well, what are we to do? Apparently Xenox wants us to be here for some reason. But now that May has that egg, it might have second thoughts about letting us live."
Prima Dona's expression turned back into a glare as she looked at Drew. It was obvious she was interested in the one who had the powerful pokemon in her hands, not him. "Well, we shall visit Xenox since it wants you around. We'll make sure the pokemon of the egg behaves itself."
"Try telling that to Xenox, it probably doesnt know that," said Drew, holding her stabbing gaze as hard as he can.
May suddenly spoke clearly. "Prima Dona, whatever we do, we really need to find our friend, Brendan. He came here with us, and he went missing not too long ago. Before we leave or go anywhere, we need to find him first."
Prima Dona suddenly stiffened. Her expression narrowed. "Another one......" she whipped her ehad over to face May again. "Was he white-haired with a green bandana over his forehead?"
May nodded. "Green like mine."
Prima Dona muttered something. "I saw him last night, traveling up a mountain."
Drew widened his eyes. "You saw him?"
Prima Dona didnt answer. "There was something strange about him. Unfortunately, he's been stabbed by an Ice Spear."
May gasped."He's been stabbed?!" Her eyes were full of shock and regret.
"I sensed the power of auma within him. He was stabbed, but the spear didnt kill him. I could sense Xenox within him. The Ice Spear had belonged to Xenox before, had been part of its own body once. Now that it's seared into his heart, he's become.....transfixed and connected to Xenox somehow. His insticnt will tell him nothing more than to keep going on to seek the pokemon he's connected to."
"He can get killed if he gets anywhere near Xenox though," said May, her eyes clouded with worry.
"Nonsense," said Prima Dona dangerously. "The auma of the ice has entered his heart, freezing its real aura within and has entered the auma of Xenox. He is almost like another copy of Xenox, in the form of a human. He can withstand even the storms of Xenox."
May met Drew's gaze with shock. "Drew, we must find him!"
Before Drew could say anything, Prima Dona clenched her fists, crackling a shard of ice that suddenly appeared in her hands. "We must.....before he reaches Xenox. I could sense power in that boy, but I ignored it since I was focused on something else-- that egg of yours. But we must go. You two must find your friend before its too late."
May looked up hopefully at Prima Dona. "You'll come with us, won't you? We really dont know this place. We could really use your help."
"Dear, of course I'll come with you," Prima Dona smiled innocently.
Lapras suddenly gave an angry thrashing, glaring at May, looking ready to reach out and easily eat her up.
Prima Dona flashed a snappish glare at the pokemon. "Ugh, please excuse my Lapras. It totally hates humans of a different aura."
Drew winced, but didnt bother questioning her. He didnt like the idea of traveling with this lady. There was something more than just a cold heart within her. Something about her just didnt seem.....real. And the island seemed to be chilling him even more, as if giving him warning signs. He looked nervously around, aware of anything watching them.
suddenly, he caught two glinting eyes. He stopped and snuck away from May and the strange lady. He suddenly stopped just a few feet away from them, realizing what was peering at them through the tall, tippy tree. His eyes widened with shock and he kept his surprised hiss as quiet as he can. "Wallace!"

Life as a model. One who learns to portray all the different fashion designs to be advertised from all around. One who learns to look deeply within oneself, and see the real looks inside besides just the outside. It was a pretty rigorous job, one that always kept Misty on her feet and thinking about what should happen next.
It was the second day of the dance reunion. 4:40 am, terribly early for even Misty to get up and get ready for her part-time career-- as a water model. She was sitting at the side of her bed, lost in thought. It had been exactly one month ago since one of her sisters had decided to take over the gym again since she was fired from her modeling agency. Unfortunately, Daisy had been caught taking drugs and even drunk driving, so her modeling agency fired her. She came back to Cerulean to beg Misty for her gym back so she can have something to keep her and her pokemon up and famous, so that she didnt retire only at the age of 26. Misty didnt want to give her sister a second chance, for she had been shocked and extremely disapointed to hear that her own sister had gotten addicted to something like drugs, but she also knew that if she didnt give Daisy the gym, she would only feel more humiliated and out of life that she might become even in a worse state than she had been at her modeling career.
So Misty gave Daisy back the gym, and Daisy was gym leader....for part time. Daisy promised Misty she will look for other jobs that she and her pokemon can attend, so that she can give Misty back the gym. In the meantime, Misty took Daisy's place as a model, applying to the agency of "Sea Princess Modeling Agency." The agency required a water type trainer and their most well-trained pokemon, and both were required to advertise fashion designs for underwater clothing and fashionable outfits fit for people and water type pokemon. Misty had been a little concerned at first, for she didnt want to get too caught up in her career and get involved with drugs.....she didnt want to become as frustrated and overwhelmed like her sister and start using ways like drinking to help calm her down. She had promised herself and her pokemon she would be a great model, and stay focused and determined as she possibly can. She knew she was tough when she wanted to be.
Misty stared at the clock. 4:57. She had been sitting for almost 45 minutes. She could not sleep at all. She barely even got any sleep. The other night, she had been having such a good time at the dance reunion with all her old friends and meeting the new people Ash had met, both recently and from long ago. And Ash....he had been so dreamy to her. Just before the dance was over, Ash and her had danced to the most dreamy song, "Catch Me By the Heart." She had never had a more romantic time with him than that moment. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, and it wasnt until 11 at night that the dance ended and everyone left the ballroom. They all arrived upstairs of the Yuen Plaza, where they had their own lobby rooms to sleep in, and spend the night. The reunion wasnt over, Ash had planned it to be a whole week before everyone departed. So here she was, sitting in her own lobby room with the lights off, and dawn just barely peeking through the windows. She shared a room with Ash....and Gary Oak. She turned to cast a sideways glance at him as he slept in the bed at the corner by the window. Surprisingly enough, Gary had become the photographer of the Sea Princess Modeling Agency. Daisy had been a fangirl herself, and he had found her quite attracting, so when she offered him the job of a photographer needed for their agency, he gladly took the job. Now here he was with Misty, being her own photographer. Misty never felt comfortable around Gary.....especially when it came to taking constant pictures of her. But eventually, she began to see the better side of him and how much he really has changed since so long ago when he used to be Ash's top rival. The only reason he shared a room with her now was because every Tuesday at 5:30, no matter what the day, Misty had to arrive at the top floor of the Yuen Plaza, and try out the new designs that arrived every week. Gary had to be there also. And because she had been having so much on her mind from the dance...and Ash Ketchum......she couldnt fall asleep at 12:30 when she and Ash finally said good night to each other. She couldnt believe how Ash had fallen into such a deep sleep so quickly. She barely got 4 hours herself up to now....and that wasnt going to be good for her career.
And something else was on her mind also. Not long before the final dance of the night, May, Drew, and Brendan had suddenly disappeared. There wasnt a trace of where they couldve gone. all their packages and belongings had been left behind, and they just suddenly disappeared. It was as if the three of them had decided to run away together......or something had happened to all thre of them. Everyone had been concerned, but Professor Oak reassued everyone that unless they come back soon by tomorrow, they were probably just off to do something private. Misty sighed. Whatever May was up to on that strange faraway island of Mr. Griney's, Brendan was part of it......and Drew was the only one to know about it. Perhaps they've gone somewhere to discuss it inprivate, or deal with something they couldnt tell the others. Misty frowned and found that frustrating. What could be so secretive about May's discovery? Surely most of the people at the dance night could be trusted to keep a secret for her. Misty had been having so much fun with May right when she arrived, she forgot what it was like to have been friends with somebody like her. She almost felt like she had just met May for the first time and had already developed a close bond.
Misty yawned. She was getting tired-- finally. Not bothering to look at the clock, she dropped back in her bed, laying awkwardly on her back, sideways on her bed.
The noisy alarm clock suddenly rang. Misty didnt entirely hear it, until someone roughly prodded her side. "Hey, wake up. I'm not gonna carry you all the way to the top floor."
Misty slowly blinked her eyes open. She sat up and met the gaze of Gary. He was staring at her with the same tired expression that she felt. He looked flushed from last night as well. "Urgh....." Misty frowned and blinked a couple times to get her vision straight. "Seriously...? Even on our special week?" She groaned through a dreary voice.
Gary sighed and headed towards the door. "Yeah, even on our special week. We'll put up with this crap whether it's the holdidays or a funeral day. Come on, I'm not gonna do it by myself, though."
Misty stood up, wincing at how tired she felt. She probably hadnt even been asleep for even an hour yet, and she could tell by the sound of Gary's tone that he wasnt in a good mood like she was. "Ugh..." she muttered and followed Gary out of the room. They both got ready and dressed up to meet the agency.
Misty herself had to wear something formal and fashionable just to start her day. She took a quick shower and brushed her teeth. She wore an orange tank top with long skinny jeans that portrayed a sparkling pattern on the sides of her thighs. She washed her face until it was bright and smooth. She put on a little masquer over her eyes, and wore her high heels with anklets around her ankles, and bracelets around her left wrist. She brushed her hair and put it up in her everyday side ponytail, using a red, sparkly band. She put lip gloss on, and she was finished within twenty minutes, looking like a person who had spent hours looking like a princess. But this was only her formal type of outfit around her modeling agencies. When she performed, she would have to look more valuable than this.
She met Gary by the back door of their room in the hallway. He was leaning on his back by the door, looking half awake. But despite his groggy expression, he looked just as styled up as Misty. Even as the agency's advertising photographer, he had to wear a black suit that made him look like a groom. He lifted his head and met Misty's gaze. He raised his eyebrows. "A little slow arent we?" He had a teasing tone to his voice.
Misty wouldve frowned, but she was still too tired. "What are you talking about? I always take twenty to fifteen minutes to get ready."
Gary chuckled. "It's still too long. You almost took as long as Daisy did this morning."
"Really?" Misty walked passed him, holding her head up. "I guess i must look extra special this morning then."
Gary caught up took her side. "Eh....." He fumbled with his gloves. "Sheesh, why they make us perform on New Year's Day? seriously, they needto give us a vacation."
Misty raised her eyebrows. "Modeling agencies are too busy for that." She sighed blinked slowly. "I'll have to tell Ash to meet me at the parlor around 7:00. I have to tell him something." An anxious feeling suddenly welled up inside of her. Her heart suddenly throbbed, and she started to feel a little more awake.
Gary stared at her with a glint in his eyes. "Wonder what that could be." He said with an expressionless tone.
She nudged him. "Oh you wouldnt be interested," she gave him a sideways smile. "Ash has always been on my mind...especially since he had left me so long ago."
Gary rolled his eyes and changed the subject. "Gee, I'm so tired..... really shouldnt have made that bet with Dawn. I'll never drink a margarita that tall again."
Misty widened her eyes. "WHAT?! WHAT DID YOU BET DAWN TO DO?!"
Gary laughed. "You arent paying attention! I said I made a bet with Dawn to make ME drink that.....stuff."
"What STUFF?" Misty was shocked. Hadnt Professor Oak banned the usage of any drinking or crude teen partying? What had Gary done while she had spent more than half her time with Ash?!
Gary chuckled. "Nothing, nothing. Just waking you up, that's all." He walked faster and entered the door to the breakfast cafe.
Misty followed him immediately. "Hey!" She grabbed his arm tightly, making him stop. "WHAT did you do last night? I saw you disciussing SOMETHING in private with Red, Leaf, and Dawn. What the hell were you doing?"
"Nothing!" He snapped. his gaze suddenly calmed down. "Honestly, I did nothing. Just ask Dawn. Or Leaf." He whipped his arm away from her and strutted away to the men's bathroom.
Misty winced as she watched him go. "Oh yeah, right, you truly did nothing." She muttered angrily. "I bet you need to throw it all up right now. No wonder you looked extra wasted this morning." She stomped up to the bar to order her breakfast. She got a bagel with cream cheese and orange juice and headed over to sit with Leaf, who was sitting alone by the window, staring out into the cloudy gray morning.
"Hi, Leaf," Misty greeted as friendly as she could. Now she was both tired, cranky, and upset. After breakfast, she was supposed to meet with her modeling agency at the top floor of the plaza lobby, and they would start their morning exercises. As a model, she and the other fashioin designers had to warm up and stay in shape for their modeling career, and keep themselves awake by starting their days with brealfast and morning aerobics. Misty hoped she would feel more awake when they warmed up. She didnt want to feel so gloomy when she performed later on. Not to mention....all her friends at the dance reunion were looking forward to watching her this afternoon. She had to look her best for today.
Leaf met Misty's gaze with a distant look in her eyes. "Hey," she didnt smile or change her expression. She looked distracted and a little upset.
Misty felt a twinge of anger. "Hey, did Gary do anything with you last night? Anything....against the circumstances Professor Oak told him not to do?"
Leaf frowned and shook her head. "No. But he did make a bet with me that if Dawn and Paul would end up dancing together to the song of Catch Me By the Heart, and I told him that they would. He disagreed, though."
"They did dance, didnt they?"
"Yeah." Leaf still looked mad. "But it wasnt much of a dance. sadly, Paul barely looked at Dawn or met her gaze, and he actually looked ashamed and stiff when he was with her. He didnt say much after that."
"Hey, Misty!" Ash suddenly appeared in the cafe, and ran towards Misty. He was dressed in formal black and blue pokemon shirt and jeans, and his hair looked undone. He obviously had rushed here to see her.
Misty felt delighted. "Ash," she smiled and they both hugged. "What are you doing here so early?" She said happily. You've erally wasted your time waking up this early."
Ash let her go and laughed. "Aha! No way. It's never a waste of time to find you. I was just wondering if we could both spend a little more time together before you leave for the rest of the day to do all your....modeling business." He gave her a teasing sideways look as if he thought she busied herself too much.
Misty laughed. "Oh yeah, last night wasnt enough?"
"Nope," said Ash. "Not enough to last like getting--"
"Ahem! You two!" Leaf's irritated voice interupted them and they both turned to meet her angry gaze. "I'm in the middel of explaining something, i wasnt DONE yet, Misty. You're the one who came to me!"
Misty flasd Ash a raised look and then turned to Leaf. "What, was there something else that happened?"
"What happened?" Qeustioned Ash.
Leaf gave him a rude look. "After he lost the bet, he owed me a pokemon battle with my strongest Venusaur and his weakest Krabby. He told Dawn about our bet, and then she wanted to see if he would get to dance with ME for the rest of the song, and if he did, she would give him fifteen dollars. Well, that's when he tried convincing me to dance with him. And it was humilaiting." Leaf's frowned turned into a more disgusted look, and she looked down at her feet.
Misty raised her eyebrows.
Ash winced. "He tried to dance with you?"
"So he didnt drink or anything," said Misty with relief.
"What?! No!" Leaf looked at her with a look of horror and disgust. "But he tried to convince me to dance with him! It was embarrssing, and Dawn, Barry......and RED were watching us. Ugh..."
Misty nodded, frowning. "Well, I'm sorry about that. I'm sure you didnt dance with him though, didnt you?"
Ash let out a quick, nervous laugh. "Wow, I wish I couldve seen you guys, though."
Leaf stood up to her full height, leaning forwards to glare at Ash. "OH NO YOU WOULDNT! IF THAT EVER HAPPENED, I'D DESTROY HIM!"
Ash had a look of surprise on his face at her sudden outburst, and Misty stpped in front of her. "Hold on! He didnt do anything rash to convince you, did he?"
Leaf calmed down, still keeping the sour look on her face. "No," she said tartly. "But he did tell me WHY we were going to dance. Seriously, he's like, 'hey wanna dance with me so I can earn the fifteen dollars i owe you?' he practically said that.....and not to mention the obnoxious flirting he started doing with me. I dont want to talk about it, okay?" Leaf turned away to glare out at the window.
Misty was just about to say something hopeful, but then stopped. She understood Leaf's feelings for Gary. Once, they had been a couple. But unfortunately, their relationship had not been more than just a mere child's play. Funny enough, the two of them were only about nine when it happened, and it was only a few weeks until Leaf had taken interested in Red, who had been a new trainer back then. And now that the years passed, every time she saw Gary, he would tease her about her feelings for Red, exposing what she truly thought about him and making fun of it. Even though Gary had grown out of his arrogant, selfish temper, he was still a little edgy on her, and still portrayed something close to a teasing glint whenever she was around him. Misty believed that he must still have feelings for her to still be like that towards her. Obviously, Leaf had no more interest in him.
"Well, if he does anything as close to TALKING about getting drunk," said Misty, narrowing her eyes, "feel free to tell Professor Oak."
Ash nudged her. "Where is Gary anyway? Isn't he supposed to be here with you?"
Misty faced him. "He disappeared in the bathroom a moment ago. But hey....Ash please try to meet me at the parlor around 7:00am. That's usually the time we stop warming up and get ready."
Ash raised his eyebrows hopeully. "Really? Are you sure you'll have time? I dont want to be a distraction against your job or anything--"
"Hey, it's nothing," said Misty intently, looking him in the eye. "We wake up at 5:00. get ready, and then by the time it's 6:00, we have an hour of warming up and aerobic exercises. Then at 7:00, we dress up and get ready until practice. Sometimes it takes half an hour to a whole hour for some models and their pokemon to get ready. So I can have time."
Ash smiled, still looking a little uncertain, but excited. "Okay then," he shrugged. "Hopefully I'll--"
"Can you two PLEASE find somewhere else to get all lovey-dovey with each other?" Leaf snapped irratedly, keeping her gaze out at the window.
Misty gave her a look, but she had to excuse her frustrated temper. "I'll be leaving soon," she said with a slight tone. "Give us a minute."
Ash turned to Leaf. "Hey, where's Red? You two had an obviously awesome time together, I saw you two dancing.......before that little dare from Dawn."
Misty gave Ash a warning nudge as Leaf turned to glare at Ash again. But her tone wasnt as edgy this time. "He's sleeping." Was all she said. She turned away again.
"Okay then," said Ash, shrugging.
"I'm probably gonna have to get going," said Misty softly, smiling at Ash.
He nodded. "I promise I'll see you later. Everyone else is still going to hang out around this huge Plaza, there's so much to do here. It even has your own modeling agency. And dont forget that we're all gonna be watching you later!"
Misty huffed. "Of course I won't forget." She and Ash gazed into each other's eyes for a moment. The urge to just kiss him already was burning inside her again. They had been so close the other night-- before the dance night-- before they had been.....unfortunately interupted.
Gary suddenly appeared from the bathroom, a narrowed look of frustration on his face. He spotted Ash and Misty. "Hey! Misty!" He made his way up to her.
Misty suddenly snapped out of her focus, and turned to see Gary make his way up to her. He met Ash's gaze. "Oh, hey there, Ash. You know, we could use another photographer around here. But you'd have to apply with the--"
"It's alright," Ash interupted him quickly. "I have no inerest in having to do with a model. Misty knows the only model I want to be is a role model of--"
"A pokemon master!" Mity said forhim, giving him a playful grimace. "Ash, you conceited jerk." She said with a laugh.
"Hey! Who's conceited around here?" Ash shot back with a teasing smile. "I'm not the one showing off all my clothes and posing with my pokemon for two thousand magazines out there! I'm using my own pokemon for their inner beauty of battling!"
Misty gasped and grimaced back. "Hey! We're more than just showing off our looks! You've seen my shows! We actually give the beauty power of pokemon more MEANING and EMPHASIS."
Gary rolled his eyes and gave a sideways look. "Hmph. And we also dont pose for two thousand copies anyway. We arent even THAT famous." He turned and suddenly noticed Leaf.
"Hey, look! It's Leaf!" He said, raising his expression. He came up in front of her table, leaning over towards her. "What are YOU doing up so early? I dont see anyone special out here to look forward to seeing at this very moment."
Leaf whipped over and gave him a narrowed look. "Shut up. I'm no where CLOSE to being here for the sake of seeing YOU."
Misty raised an eyebrow at the intent tone in her voice.
Gary just held his gaze. He chuckled and leaned away, walking pass her. "Well, whatever you're up to, you'll be seeing me later on anyway. Remember, I still own you that pokemon battle, and if you lose to a 'weak' pokemon like my Krabby, you'd have to owe me back your fifteen dollars." He turned to glance back at her. "You dont want THAT happening, do you? I'm sure you wouldnt want to be even more humiliated."
Leaf banged the table and whipped around to face him. "The only thing I'll ever be humiliated by from YOU is to have any slight relationship with you!"
"You're kinda yelling," said Misty carefully, giving a worried smile. She walked up to Gary's side. "We'll be going now. See you guys later."
"See ya," Ash called after them, staying by Leaf's side.
Misty exited the bar with relief. "Sheesh! Can you NOT be your jerky self around Leaf? ESPECIALLY around Leaf?!"
Gary didnt meet her gaze. "Who was being the jerk? Come on, I'm late for my attendance." He pressed a button on the elevator that would take them to the top.
Misty sighed and rolled her eyes. If only she had her energy right now. She would be making sure Gary wasnt just pushing off the things he had done the other night and just recently.
Only the thoughts of seeing Ash later made her want to speed up and get her morning routine over with.

Misty was beautiful. It used to be that her three older sisters, Daisy, Lily, and Violet were the pretty ones of the Cerulean Gym while Misty was just the average girl, considered the “runt.” But now that she had taken Daisy’s place as a model, Gary had gotten a better look at her, and actually thought she was pretty attractive. Her skin seemed to always be clean and smooth, her body slender and elegant as a Barbie doll. Gary had been feeling prouder every day that he was photographer of the agency to take the best pictures of Misty in her advertising outfits and poses.
He sat in his room of the top floor, organizing the different pictures of all the models of the agency, rearranging them in their own categories. There were about 1100 pictures he had taken himself the past week, and he was to organize them for a magazine that was to be created by the end of this week. Their boss, Whitney of Johto, had become fashion designer of the whole agency while Maria took over her gym. Whitney had become quite demanding, and even though she still had her hyped up spirit, she had become more controlling and observant since she had taken over the agency.
Gary was too distracted. His thoughts about the dance night were running through his mind. He sat at his desk with a messy layout of pictures in front of him, zoning out in front of the gloomy window. The bet between him and Leaf was completely worthless. It hadn’t changed Leaf’s feelings about him or anything. And the dare Dawn had given him had made it worse. He felt a pang of regret at the thought of how much Leaf probably hated him now. during the dance, Gary had tried to keep his distance from Red. Red was even worse. If he made the slightest comment about him and Leaf, Red would’ve wiped him out with his own Pikachu, which was even stronger than Ash’s.
Gary huffed and looked through his photos, trying to find the pictures of Misty. There she was—he caught one with her posing in a hot pink flowing dress around her waist and a hot pink bikini over top, trying to resemble a Gorebyss. He cracked a smile. She was very attractive, and Ash was lucky to have someone like her fall for him. He bit his lip, knowing that his relationship with Misty would never get that far. He hadn’t even showed his feelings for her, and throughout their times together in the modeling agency, they hadn’t gone much further than really good friends, even becoming a more rowdy pair at times. Misty liked to mess around and tease sometimes too, just like he did. And it was always funny whenever they got into awkward arguments over things just for the heck of it, just for the sake of laughing about their fight five minutes after. But it was nothing like when she used to argue with Ash. Those arguments were more serious and deep at times, and had gotten the both of them to see into each other. Gary didn’t think the idea of him having to act like Ash just for the sake of Misty wasn’t going to be worth it at all. He wished she would notice him for his real self.
Gary’s door suddenly popped open and Whitney showed up, panting. “Ah! Gary! Huh! I’ve--- I’ve gotten the mail from this morning. Huh!” She panted and made her way up to him, looking as if she had run all the way around the region.
Gary raised his eyebrows tiredly, giving a sideways look. “What? Is it more bills we have to pay for our performances?”
“No! you won’t believe it!” Whitney squealed through her panting, excited voice. She hurried over and immediately started spreading the photos lying on Gary’s desk, searching intently.
“Hey! I just sorted half of those!” Gary winced at her as she grabbed one of the larger photos.
“Aha! Here!” She held a picture of Misty lying on her side in a black bikini with graceful white fur coat behind her shoulders. “This hit the jackpot. Misty’s just cost us a ticket to stardom…….in Saffron City!”
She looked at Gary, waiting for a response, but he was staring up at the attracting picture of Misty. Her expression on her face was calm and raised as she leaned on her hand on her side.
“Hey!” Whitney put the picture down on the desk and snapped her fingers at his face. “Did you just hear what I said?”
“Huh?” Gary snapped into focus. “Yeah, something about Saffron?”
“Yes! Misty’s just opened the eyes of many awesome, contributing fans! People are going wild for her….and now we’ve been called to perform in Saffron City’s Silph Company district!” Whitney squealed with delight. “Oooh, it’s going to be so fantastic!”
Gary widened his eyes. “Wait, so you’re saying we’ve been invited to model for Saffron?”
“Yes! Isnt it great? Apparently, the city’s gym leader, Sabrina, she’s actually interested in Misty herself. She wants to have Misty model for the psychic type pokemon, and advertise some exquisite looking outfits to show off the beauty of her psychic type pokemon.”
“Hah! You sure that idea was from Sabrina?” Said Gary, giving Whitney a look. Sabrina was creepy, though at the same time, she had always interested him. she was a real psychic, like a gypsy, and had always kept to the dark side of things, rarely exposing her gym and her pokemon to challengers. But now….she had asked the modeling agency to advertise her pokemon? It sounded a little off.
Whitney shrugged. “She’s the one who mailed us. And I can tell from the fancy writing and strange use of words that it really was from Sabrina. It’s gonna be awesome! Most of Misty’s fans come from Saffron, so I guess Sabrina’s been hearing lots about Misty, and even witnessed the pictures and magazines we’ve published. Finally we’re about to become famous! We can thank Misty for this!”
Gary raised his eyebrows, giving a hopeful look. “Huh! Looks like we’ll be busy this week. We still have our performance tonight. When are we leaving for Saffron?”
“Oh, she said as soon as possible!” Said Whitney, opening up her purse and pulling out a magazine. “Sabrina told us she wants as to come as soon as we can, and of course, that would be right after our performance! Here, this is a magazine that’s just got Misty all over it. She’s only got three of her own magazines, but I guess since people are opening their eyes to how fabulous she really is, then I guess we’re going to have to make more!” Whitney let out a huge sigh and looked into Gary’s eyes. “I just came here to ask you a favor. I want you to take more pictures of Misty, and find ways to sell them online. We can make even MORE money…but of course, it’s not about the money! It’s about the enjoyment you get out of expressing someone’s beauty! So what do you think?”
Gary answered quickly and excitedly. “Ha! Sure, I wouldn’t mind having to take extra pictures of Misty and posting them online—wait….you really should be asking Misty about this.”
“I have! She doesn’t mind! She practically wants to get discovered, you know! She’s very expressive and outgoing, and she doesn’t want to just be some average old model, not finding use of stardom and getting fans of her own. She wants to be KNOWN, and she was just as delighted as I was when she heard about this! Huh! Anyways, look at the time! The girls need to start getting their clothes on before the performance in an hour! Gary, I’ll see ya later, kay?” She gave him a wink and hurried to the door.
Gary gave a sideways look. “I guess I’ll start my little paparazzi with Misty now, huh?” He called.
“Oh yes! Yes, start getting your pictures of Misty as soon as you can! Try to find websites online to share those pictures. She’s in the yoga room right now, trying to ease out her mind since she’s been terribly tired the whole day.”
Gary nodded and snatched his camera, walking towards the door. “I’ll find her.”
Gary entered the large, empty yoga room. No one was here, but he found Misty sitting on a chair at the far corner. She was by the window, on her phone.
Gary rolled his eyes and made a face. “Sheesh, I wonder who SHE’S texting,” he muttered. He quickly made his way up to her, giving her a surprised flick on the back.
Misty flinched and turned to glare at him. “What--?! You scared me!”
Gary chuckled. “Did I? Hey, guess what? Whitney suggests that I start taking more photos of you so I can sell them online. We’ve got over an hour before our performance, so I can warm you up by taking snaps of your poses to get you ready for the real performance.”
Misty was staring up at him with a raised look. “Huh! Well, I supposed I should be getting ready.” She stood up and closed her phone. Gary caught a glance at who she had just been texting, and it read “Leaf” instead of Ash. “I’ve gotta get some of my outfits first. If you want to take pictures of me, go get ‘em in my room yourself. I’m too lazy right now.” She stretched in her tight lavender yoga outfit, and Gary laughed.
“Hey, that’s perfect!” He snapped a phot of her as she bent slightly backwards and raised her arms up over her head, her eyes tightly closed.
Misty suddenly jerked up into full position. “Hey!” She snapped, her eyes full of fury. “You moron, I didn’t want a picture of THAT! DELETE IT!”
Gary chuckled with a raised look. “Hey, come on, that was just the perfect scene! You looked like you were a witch, trying to summon something from the sky.”
Misty snatched his camera, glaring at him. “Delete it!”
“Hey, give that back!” Gary tried to take it back, but Misty turned and dodged. “Misty, I’m serious, give it. Whitney’s gonna kill both of us f that’s broken!”
Misty beamed. “Ahaha! Whitney’s got no reason to kill me now! and you really think I’m stupid enough to BREAK this? I’m way smarter than you.”
Gary met her gaze, and she was grimacing playfully at him. he returned her expression. “Oh yeah? I’d like to see you take your own photos then.”
Misty rolled her eyes and laughed. “Mmm, no thanks.” She handed him back the camera.
Gary didn’t take it. he had something else on his mind. “No seriously! If I were allowed to model around here, I would! I have my own fangirls to impress out there.”
Misty raised her eyebrows and said, “No thanks. I’m not taking pictures of YOU.” She dropped the camera, and Gary quickly caught it before it hit the floor.
He narrowed his eyes disappointedly. “Huh! And my fans arent just from Saffron!” He gave her a challenging look.
Misty narrowed her eyes and turned away. “Just hurry up and take your stupid pictures. We’re wasting time.”
“So you’re staying in your yoga suit?”
“Ugh! Sure, why not?! Just get it over with, dammit!” Misty threw her arms up in the air with frustration and faced Gary with a hand up in the air, and the other arm sticking straight down, her body turned sideways with a narrowed determined looking expression.
Gary met her gaze, and then widened his eyes with intent as he raised his camera and flashed a photo of her.
Gary felt himself feeling so lost in taking his snapshots of Misty that he forgot to talk much as he took his photos of her. She was beautiful….she was sexy to him. he felt he could take pictures like this forever.
Finally, Misty let out a huff. “Ten to seven,” she read the clock. “I should get going now.” She took her sweater lying on the floor and put it on.
“Hey, wait! Just one more? In that sweater!” Gary urged, feeling the need to keep his eyes on her.
Misty turned to him with a frown. “No!” She said intently. “I’m tiring myself out with all these poses, I’ll be worn out before the performance!”
“Aw, come on, just pose like you’re tired and have your hands on your knees, like you’re panting from a long run,” said Gary as casually as he could sound.
Misty gave him a wince. “You really enjoy this, don’t you?” Her tone was tart and haughty.
Gary met her eyes as simply as he could. “You do too. You’ve said nothing throughout the whole time for almost twenty minutes.”
Misty raised her eyebrows, and opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it and frowned again. “You’re a pervert, Gary.”
Gary winced. He wasn’t really expecting a comment like that. “I am, huh? I’m just doing what Whitney suggested me to do, and so are you.”
Misty rolled her eyes and grabbed his arm, pulling him with her towards the exit. “Come on, just hurry up and get to the show.”
Gary laughed. “Ash will be there. You should look your best for him…..and everyone else. you’re still coming to the dance again tonight, are you?” Every night until the end of this week, Ash had planned a dance night from 9:00 to 10:00 at night, just a short time to chill and hang out in the ballroom. Not as special as the first night, but just a sweet time to hang out and chat with everyone.
Misty squeezed her eyes shut with frustration. “I don’t know, okay?” She snapped. “I’ll come if I’m not so bushed from tonight’s performance.”

Ash watched with wonder as the models of the Sea Princess Agency strutted out one by one, two by two, and three by three. They all looked fabulous and stunning in all their outfits, which went from fancy to wildly stylish, from gorgeous to drop dead gorgeous. Some of the models were amazing. But there was one model he was looking forward to falling for. None of them were as enhancing as Misty, who showed up about three times in a pair with another model, or in a trio at the same time, wearing identical outfits. Ash always felt the same at every show Misty put on.
Ash stood in the front with Pikachu on his shoulder. Dawn and Iris were on his left side, and Red and Leaf were on his right. Brock and Jimmy were just a few feet in front of them.
Ash and Pikachu laughed and watched with amusement as Brock whistled and yelled his loudest at all the models.
“OH BOY! YOU MODELS ARE UNCONTROLLABLY BEAUTIFUL! EACH AN EVERY ONE OF YOU!” He was yelling over the screaming crowd around them all.
“Oh wow, some things never change, do they, Pikachu?” said Ash with a smile.
“Pika!”
“Hey, Ash?” Dawn was looking at him with concern. “Whatever happened to May and Drew? They haven’t shown up all day. Brendan also. They’ve all disappeared without saying anything at all.”
“May, Drew and Brendan?” Ash widened his eyes as he realized how different it had been without any of them. he hadn’t seen them anywhere around the lobby.
Iris spoke up. “Yeah! We should start looking for them! it’s pretty obvious something wrong has happened to them. they couldn’t just disappeared without even letting us know a thing.”
“Not unless they totally lost interest in all you guys,” said a slightly teasing voice.
“Gary, what are you doing here?” Red suddenly looked over to the right, his eyes narrowed into a serious expression as Gary suddenly showed up in front of Leaf with his camera in front of his face, taking pictures of the models. He was obviously blocking Leaf’s view on purpose. She frowned and arched her neck around, trying to look passed his shoulder.

Gary snapped a photo and turned to Red. “I’m doing my job? What else does it look like? I’m hired to take photos of people who arent even my fangirls.”
Ash turned to him. “Hey, Gary? You haven’t seen any sign of May or Drew by any chance, have you?”
Gary winced. “No, why would I? I don’t know much about them.”
Dawn stepped up. “Yeah, well………. Maybe we should try to look carefully for them. they haven’t turned up all day, and I just have the feeling that something could be wrong.”
Iris nodded. “You know, come to think of it….I spotted them sneak outta the back door before I ever saw them again last night--”
“Hey! HELLOOO?! I’m trying to watch the show! Get your big head outta my face, you idiot!” Leaf finally snapped angrily.
Gary turned to meet her gaze with a blank expression in his eyes. “Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you weren’t interested in other people’s looks unless they looked like yourself.”
“Oh, shut up,” Leaf rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. “I like to see other people who look prettier than YOU at least.”
“You callin’ me pretty?” Gary gave her a wry smile.
Dawn’s Buneary was at her feet, and it gave out a little giggle.
Leaf narrowed her eyes and puckered her lips with anger, looking ready to smack Gary in the face.
“Hey, wait a minute,” Red interrupted them. “Iris, what’s that you said about seeing May sneak away during the dance night?”
Everyone turned to face Iris. She raised her eyebrows. “Oh, well, I thought I caught Brendan, May and Drew headed towards the back door where no one else was hanging out by.” She spoke in a low voice, though loud enough for her to be heard over the screaming audience around them. “I don’t know…I wasn’t really paying attention to them. Dent and Misty were laughing too hard about my stupid joke. But yeah, we should check that place out over there, around the outside of the ballroom.”
Ash suddenly raised his eyebrows. “Wait a minute…..the outside of the ballroom? I think I’ve already been there. This morning, I saw some snow under the nearest tree, believe it or not. Underneath that tree looked like it dropped its own snow from the branches or something….and I found what looked like Brendan’s black wristband.”
Red was staring at Ash intently. “Whatever’s happened to them HAS to do with that pokemon they’re studying in the north. It may sound a little off, but they’ve probably done something with snow and possibly teleported themselves….somewhere else by accident.”
“What do you mean?” Leaf frowned.
“Well, it’s pretty obvious that they’re studying some kind of ice type out there in the north where there’s lots of snow and endless cold weather,” explained Red. Everyone listened intently, and even Ash lost his focus on the new models that had strutted up to the stage. “It may be winter right now at the moment, but you know it never knows here in the west of the region in Yuen City. That snow ought to have come from them, or an ice type pokemon like Snover. And this isnt the right place for a Snover to be, whether it’s trained or wild.”
“Pika…..” Pikachu listened intently to Red, nodding.
Ash found this pretty logical. “So you’re saying that they could’ve escaped here by summoning something to teleport them away by accident?”
“I hope it’s by accident,” shrugged Red, showing a humored smile on his face. “May’s still a little weak in the head at times, so it’s most likely some kind of accident.”
“Hey, what about Brendan?” Dawn defended her. “He’s just as foolish as May can be naïve. I bet it’s his fault the three of them have gone missing.”
“Huh! Red, you ought to be the next professor Oak sometime soon,” Gary teased.
Red winced. “Nah, Oak may be getting old, but he’s a long way from dying off.”
“You know, we should tell Professor Oak about this,” said Leaf, crossing her arms. “Whatever May and the others have done to themselves, we gotta rescue them. They can’t just teleport themselves and never come back without telling us anything.”
Ash nodded, facing up at the stage. The models were clearing up. He had missed the part when Misty had come up by herself, and he felt disappointed. But he had to see her right away anyway. He had to tell her about Drew, May, and Brendan.
Ash was rushing through the hallways of the lobby with Pikachu at his feet. “Come on, Pikachu. I’ve got to tell Misty about what I’ll be up to, before I tell Professor Oak all about it.”
“Pika!”
It was just a few moments before the dance night again. but Ash couldn’t attend it tonight. He had to get with Professor Oak and discuss about their friends’ strange disappearance. He had to promise Misty he’ll see her at a more decent time.
Before he was about to rush up the stairs, Misty had suddenly come up to him at the bottom. “oh! Ash!” She gasped.
Ash met her gaze and sighed. “Hey, Misty? I’ve got something to tell you quickly. I can’t go to the dance tonight.....I’ve found out what could’ve happened to May and the others.”
Misty huffed. “You can’t I can’t come either! That’s what I was going to tell YOU. I’ve—I’ve got important things to do tonight….but hey, what happened to May and Drew?”
Ash met her gaze, feeling relieved that she hadn’t been upset about his reason to miss their second night together. “Well, Red says he’s seen snow under a tree behind the ballroom.”
“Snow? Around here?” Misty widened her gaze.
“Just under that tree. And Brendan’s wristband was found there, as well as a number of footprints also. I was going to discuss and study some of the secrets behind certain ice types that could’ve caused their disappearance……you know. Just to make sure we know where they could possibly be right now and--”
“yeah, I understand,” spoke Misty, her eyes looking a little distracted. “But hey, you won’t believe why I’m not going. Apparently, I’ve been voted the top model of the agency, and Whitney’s extremely proud of me. I’ve got my own fans in Saffron City! Even the gym leader, Sabrina, has invited the whole agency over to help model her psychic type pokemon and advertise fashion designs to show the beauty of psychic types as well as water types. Ash, I’m going to Saffron tomorrow morning!” Her expression was suddenly both excited and scared at the same time. He held her gaze with the same surprise.
“Whoa….really? wow…..that means…”
“Oh, don’t worry,” she let out a chuckle. “Ash, you’re always welcome to follow me wherever I go. I was just hoping you can come with me and see me perform in Saffron! It’s gonna be exciting, and everyone else is welcome to come also. Bring Dawn and Iris! Or Red and Leaf. I’d love to have all my friends come as well, so that I don’t feel so isolated in my career away from the people I’m close to.”
Ash laughed. “Aw, come on, you’ve got friends in the agency also. You know that.”
“Yeah, they’re friends but….” Misty twisted her expression and gave an uncertain look. “They just aren’t as close to me as I am with people like….you and Brock. Tracey, Jimmy, and Lyra are all headed to Saffron City in a few more days themselves, so I’ll be looking forward to seeing them there, but I also hope that you can come also…..if you want. I’m not gonna force you or anything…”
“No, I’m coming,” said Ash with determination. Pikachu nodded with the same upcoming look on its face. “I can convince Oak to come as well. We can still do some studying while we’re over there. Tonight we’re bringing samples of the snow in his lab. We can come over to visit for a while in Saffron also.”
Misty gave a grateful smile. “Thanks, Ash. I really didn’t expect to become this famous, though. Believe it or not, Whitney’s even let Gary sell my photos online because of that.”
Ash raised his eyebrows. “What? Just photos of YOU?”
Misty shrugged. “I really don’t care. We’ll be getting paid for it. and trust me, Gary’s not gonna take any kind of pictures of me unless I give him permission.”
Ash nodded, though he wasn’t entirely reassured. He was never comfortable about the idea of Gary being a photographer for Misty. “Well, I guess I’ll see you later.” They met each other’s eyes for a moment and gave a hug before parting. Pikachu followed Ash, deep in its thoughts about everything they had just spoken about. Saffron City tomorrow. It was gonna be quite exciting.


Saffron City had become quite a busy place over the years. It wasn’t much of a snowy city during the winter, though there were the slightest amounts of icicles here and there. Especially this year, the weather was unusually cold.
Misty, Gary, Whitney, and the modeling agency had arrived at the city by bus. Right when they got there at 12:00pm, they got organized at the top floor of the Silph company. The Silph Company had become a much better place since Team Rocket had been kicked out by Red all those years ago, and by now, it was still in its usual, busy state.
Ash, Red, and Leaf had all convinced Professor Oak to come to Saffron City with Misty, and the reluctant professor finally agreed for the sake of Ash. He told him that he was only going to stay for the rest of the week, since he had important things to do back in his lab as well.
Brock, Dawn, Barry, and Lucas had all agreed to coming to Saffron City with Ash, eager to explore the city again. even Paul was interested in seeing Saffron City after such a long time. If Misty was going to be that famous soon, people like Champions and the Elite Four may even come over to see her. And Paul didn’t want to miss seeing some of the old rivals he had battled in the past as well.
Jimmy and Lyra stayed at the plaza in Yuen City since they weren’t planning to go with Tracey until another few more days. And Iris, Dent, Black, and White have all decided to explore the Kanto region since Ash and everyone had practically split up. but they did promise to stop by in Saffron if Misty ever had a performance going on.
So the first thing Ash had done in the city was talk with Oak about their discovery. Apparently, the snow had come from a pokemon that had not been entirely discovered yet, just like May had found. The pokemon had been an ice type, and by the DNA Oak had examined, it was a very strong ice type indeed, possibly sharing types with a dragon as well.
“We didn’t have enough evidence or DNA in that snow,” said Oak with uncertainty as he sat on the couch of the warm lobby next to the Silph company. Ash was at his side with Pikachu on his lap. Red and Leaf were in the other room, on the laptop Oak had brought with him. “I’ll have to start a PCR on the DNA in that snow, and see what the pokemon can really be. But so far, it’s none other than an ice type we’ve never discovered.”
“So that must be the pokemon May’s been trying to keep a secret from everybody,” said Ash. “It hasn’t been discovered by that many people, and it must be kept like that so people don’t start disturbing it and trying to go after it. but must be pretty valuable, though. Usually people spread the word worldwide if they discover a new pokemon.”
“Hmm, exactly what I was thinking,” Oak was rubbing his chin. “But what we must do first is get the whole idea of this pokemon. That way, we can compare it to the disappearance of May, Brendan, and Drew. Somehow, this ice type pokemon has to do with…this sudden change in weather also.”
Ash looked at Oak. He was staring intently out the window at the gloomy afternoon sky. “With the weather?”
“I’ve noticed that not only is it extra cold this winter, but also the atmosphere’s a little…stuffy. Like it’s gotten a little thicker or something. I don’t know how to explain it, but I’ve just got feelings that there’s been some kind of change in this world, and I’ve been wondering about the occurrence of a new pokemon. Well, it turns out that it might just be the case. We’ve got to uncover this pokemon as best as we can.”
Ash had invited Misty and Gary over for a dinner at the café in their lobby. They sat together at a table with Oak, Leaf, Red, and Whitney, who had asked to come as well. She chatted with Oak and the two seemed to have a great time, while unfortunately, Leaf and Gary continued to snap and nag at each other. Gary seemed to be having a good time, while Leaf was just plainly annoyed. Red just watched them and joined in for fun whenever he felt like to.
Ash’s Pikachu was back at the lobby room with Red’s Pikachu , along with everyone else’s pokemon. Ash had expected to be the only one who would have a romantic time with Misty, but she had an ugent look on her face as she spoke to him in a low voice.
“Hey, you’ll never guess what I found earlier this evening!” She hissed. She took out her expensive looking Gucci purse (Ash figured she must’ve recently bought it with her own money she received from fans or online) and took out what looked like a clear, perfectly new ice spear. She held it in her hands under the table so no one but the two could see it.
Ash stared at the spear. It glistened clearly, and was about a foot long. It was like an icicle, with a very sharp pointed end. “Whoa….where’d you find that?”
“I visited the gym with Sabrina, and while she was explaining to me how she wanted her pokemon to be modeled…….she showed me this thing she had found her Abra sleeping with a few days ago. She told me she wanted me to do some sort of pose like the Abra, since she said the pokemon looked kinda cute when it sat up with its eyes closed, holding what looked like…..a rare valuable gift in its hands. But then….the ice spear was suddenly getting me transfixed. I—I couldn’t take my eyes off it, and for a moment, I felt like my heart was freezing up the more I kept staring at it….looking INTO it. Sabrina became a little haughty with me and said that she knew this ice spear had secrets within it that were too powerful for even her to figure out.”
“She’s a psychic….” Said Ash carefully. “If she thinks it must be important, than it must be. But why give it to you?”
Misty sighed. “She feared it. she told me it would do the same to her. if she dared to stare at it for more than ten seconds, it would literally chill her heart and make her feel like she was being pulled towards it magnetically. She wanted to get rid of it….but I remembered what you said about the snow and the possible ice pokemon that had to do with May and Brendan. I decided to take it for myself….be very careful with it……and then try to let you and Oak figure it out for yourselves.”
Ash had been staring at the ice spear for a while. The way it sparkled and glistened under the dark shadows of the table….it was like it came from its own world, from a very special world, and had been part of something wondrous and extraordinary…..he suddenly felt his heart pound with excitement….until it suddenly slowed and felt cold.
“Ash!” Misty’s voice was raised as she gave him a sharp nudge, snapping him out of it. Everyone at the table turned to glance at them, then returned to their own conversations.
Ash blinked a couple times and clenched his teeth. “Ugh……what just happened?”
“I said DON’T stare at it!” She hissed. “There obviously is something about this spear…..and you ought to analyze it with Oak. But be careful!”
Ash nodded, putting a hand on the side of his head, feeling like he had hyperventilated. “wow….so Sabrina doesn’t even know what exactly it can do?”
Misty sighed. “Unfortunately, Sabrina tells me that whenever she tries to look at the times behind the spear, or the future of the spear, it chills her heart whenever she tries to look into it like that. it’s as if it’s too cold and freezes up her psychic abilities to look deeply within it.”
Ash raised his eyebrows. He took the spear from Misty’s hand. “I’ll…..I’ll be careful with it.”
When Ash had returned to the lobby room, he set the spear down under his bed. His head still felt dizzy and his whole body felt slightly chilly, despite the heater that had been turned on in the lobby. He decided to tell Oak about the ice spear tomorrow.
He dropped on his back on his bed with the lights already out, not bothering to take a shower. He wrapped himself up in blankets, and fell into a deep sleep before Misty or Gary even came in the room.


Meanwhile, Pikachu had noticed Ash’s arrival. Oak and the others were still up, watching TV and Ash had fallen asleep before saying goodnight to anybody, or even greeting Pikachu. Pikachu made its way into the shadowy bedroom. Ash was already fast asleep. But something glowed under Ash’s bed, something that shone through the darkness underneath.
“Pikaa……” curiously, Pikachu neared the deadly ice spear. It lowered onto all fours as it crawled underneath the bed, grabbing the ice spear and pulling it out. It stared down at the ice spear by the bedside. Its clear, glistening color shone in the shadows, entrancing Pikachu. “Piiii…..kaa…..?”
Slowly, Pikachu lowered its nose towards the ice spear, and sniffed it. Suddenly, Pikachu felt a jolting tremor of cold through him. it flinched and sparked with electricity, squeezing its eyes shut, feeling a strange shivering coldness. “Eeee…….piiiii….kaa….” It all came so fast. Pikachu suddenly felt chilled to the bone, and it dropped into an unconscious state next to the ice spear, nearly fainting.
Pikachu had a strange dream right after that. As soon as it fell into a deep, nauseating and cold unconsciousness, it found itself drifting in a world of snow and countless ice mountains around it. there was a terrible blizzard that made Pikachu feel a coldness that made it shiver in its sleep for real. It was atop a snowy mountain, an empty wasteland. It was nearly freezing to death, it thought it might just die in its sleep.
“PiKAAAAAA!!!” Cried Pikachu helplessly. It shivered and looked all around, finding nothing through the blinding, deadlyblizzards. “Pikkkaaa piii….!”
“Groooyeaow?” A strange cry suddenly answered distantly.
Pikachu suddenly didn’t feel alone it rose up as a strange red creature was making its way towards Pikachu, glowing through the blinding blizzards.
“Pika?” Pikachu cried worriedly, trying to make out what the pokemon was through the blizzard.
It was red and glowing, and it stood on two legs with small arms sticking out. It was lizard-like, and had glaring eyes that were the only part of the pokemon to be actually seen clearly. It was a baby Groudon.
“Pika…CHU!” Pikachu flinched at the sight of the tiny Groudon. The pokemon was no bigger than Pikachu itself, though its eyes bore the glare of a real, monstrous Groudon that could shake the land masses of the world.
The baby Groudon was glaring at Pikachu through the storm, its eyes looking ready for kill. Pikachu was frozen stiff and too cold to move. It closed its eyes and braced itself for the end.
Suddenly, the sky above brightened with a pale whiteness, and the blizzards slightly calmed. Pikachu opened its eyes, and suddenly felt itself being lifted.
“Pika?” It looked around, and then looked down with surprise, realizing its body was still lying on the snow. Was its spirit leaving its dead body already?
“Grrrrrouuu…” Pikachu looked forward and saw that the baby Groudon was just a few feet in front of it, glaring it him. the baby Groudon’s spirit was above its unmoving body as well.
Pikachu felt itself being drifted forwards, passing the baby Groudon, and then entering the reddish glow that lay on the ground. It took one last look before the Groudon’s spirit lowered over to Pikachu’s own body…….and disappeared inside it.

“It’s hatching,” breathed May, her eyes wide and unblinking as she stared at the luminous red glow that was starting to throb around the egg. May felt her heart quicken with excitement as she watched with longing temptation at the egg in front of her. she was kneeled down behind it, with Prima Dona at her side. The lady was holding a trident-like ice sword in her hand, and her ice blue eyes were deadly and piercing as she stared at the egg with undisguised longing.
“Yes,” she added tartly in her cold voice. “Pretty soon, you shall withhold the pokemon that shall be feared by Xenox itself. You must be very careful once it’s in your hands. Xenox can be very angry now that you’ve let this pokemon live.”
The egg was glowing with intensifying redness. May felt transfixed as she focused her eyes on the hatching egg, feeling a strange sense of longing and desire inside her.
The egg gave a single crack at the top center. A dark red-violet light brightened from the inside and the egg stopped glowing. The light shone from the crack this time, and the egg split open slowly as red light emerged, and revealed a dark shape inside. The shape wasn’t moving, but May could make out the figure of what looked like a lizard-like feature. A tail was sticking out and the creature suddenly turned a red color as bright as the egg, revealing a tiny little pokemon no longer than a foot.
“Whoa….” May breathed. “It’s….it’s a ….”
“You know it well,” said Prima Dona sourly, her glare hardening.
“……it’s a Groudon,” May didn’t know whether she was more overwhelmed by fear or happiness. Here as the egg she had found in her own mysterious dream, and it had hatched. But the pokemon was a mere baby Groudon…..the hatchling destined to destroy Xenox. “Why isnt it moving?” May realized the pokemon didn’t even move a muscle when it slowly rolled out of the egg.
Prima Dona puckered her lips and narrowed her eyes. She stood up, giving the unmoving pokemon a cold stare. “It must be dreaming. From the looks of it, this hatchling may still be in some sort of sleep state. It must be extraordinary……no hatchling is ever asleep the moment they are hatched.”
May stared at the pokemon with wonder. The baby Groudon was like a little red dinosaur. It looked so small and helpless lying there with its eyes tightly closed, though something about it proved that it was more than just an innocent and cute little newborn. May could see its bright patterns line up along its back, glowing with a yellow light. At least it wasn’t dead.
“Should I carry it?”
“Absolutely not!” Snapped Prima Dona. “You have no idea what this pokemon can do if it’s disturbed. Especially if it’s in such a state that it wasn’t even awakened at its birth.”
Suddenly, the wind gave a hollow noise, and the breeze chilled around May, making a faint, eerie sound as if a ghostly voice was trying to spook her. may suddenly looked ahead of her, and stood up, her eyes wide with fear. “What—what’s happening? It’s……it’s so cold…” May held herself tightly and shivered. The coldness seemed to suddenly touch her bones, and she gave Prima Dona a weary look, wondering why she wasn’t feeling the same way in that thin-looking icy white dress.
Prima Dona stared back at her with the same cold look in her ice blue eyes. “Xenox must already feel its presence. Like I said, you must take matters in your own hands with it. help that pokemon. Teach it not to become as destructive as it is meant to be.”
“You’ll help me, wouldn’t you?” May looked up at the tall lady. “You want to keep Xenox safe just as much as I do. When we get to the top of its mountain, the pokemon is pretty much supposed to be in your hands, and it will be your choice on what should happen next. But please, I just want to keep it safe. You can decide what should happen between this pokemon and Xenox once we reach it.”
Prima Dona cracked a smile from the side of her lips. “My dear, haven’t you forgotten about your friend, Brendan? That boy possesses the power that’s part of Xenox’s very aura. We are looking for him, not Xenox. Only he can pass through the hard, dangerous blizzards of the Barren Islands and actually make it alive to Xenox’s cave. We are just trying to stop him before it’s too late. If he meets the very pokemon, the two can do something as powerful as ‘commingling’ to create an even more disastrous world of ice and snowstorms. Xenox is already disturbed, and if Brendan commingles with it, the pokemon can wake up and result in terrible consequences for the entire world.”
“Just the baby’s Groudon’ existence is troubling Xenox,” breathed May, staring at the sleeping hatchling. “That’s why Xenox must have been sending strange storms all around the world—just like the one that teleported us here. it must be edgy and scared for this coming of the pokemon, and now that it’s hatched…..”
“That’s right,” said Prima Dona. “It’s gonna be even more disturbed. Just by sleeping, it can be a little destructive. It’s already caused the winter weather up here in the north long, long ago. And it’s even isolated this island. If it wakes, it can do a great deal more damage than that.”
“I must look after this pokemon,” said May determinedly. “This pokemon, this Groudon, it was supposed to be a new Groudon, wasn’t it? one that would destroy the bringer of ice and keep it from waking up to freeze the entire world lifeless. It didn’t belong here, and I wasn’t supposed to take it from my dream, but it has found its way, and I’ve made up my mind. I will raise it, look after it, and teach it not to be as disastrous as the Groudon before it.” May suddenly shuddered. She couldn’t forget the time with Ash Ketchum, long ago, when Groudon had a tremendous battle with Kyogre, the pokemon of water and the seas. The battle hadn’t been pretty, and May never wanted to see such pokemon fight again.
“Exactly. Like I’ve told you, I come from this very island myself. I dedicate my soul to it, and have actually BECOME almost part of it. I can feel what the island feels, whether disturbed, lively, or anything. I can tell how the very creator of this island is doing, and I can tell when the pokemon Xenox itself is becoming disturbed…..and ready to awaken.” She narrowed her eyes and bent slightly over to get a closer look into May’s eyes. “And let me tell you something,” she spoke in a dangerous voice. “Xenox isnt going to let you off with any warnings. You’re lucky it hasn’t decided to kill you yet since you’ve let that egg live. At this very moment, Xenox has no idea where you are.”
“Huh?” May was confused. “But I’m right with--”
“You’re with me,” Prima Dona smiled slyly. “I have a forece in me….a strange peculiar aura you…..may not understand. But my aura has become so strong and part of this island, it’s become like a strong shield to protect you. you aura is overpowered by mine, and Xenox can’t tell where you exactly are. So don’t worry. As long as you stay close to me, your aura is almost hidden.”
May widened her eyes with wonder. “Really? But…..why can’t you hide the aura of the baby Groudon?”
“Why should I? first of all, my aura is mainly ice-cold. I’ve become part of this island, so that I’ve adapted and become almost like the ice, and my aura is condemned with the promise of ice. Groudon, on the other hand, has the aura of fire. There’s a fire that burns inside of it that it can’t escape. It’s too powerful over even me.”
May stared up at Prima Dona. So powerful……so cold……..so……interesting. May knew there was something different about this lady, but she felt the feeling of fear and longing inside of her. she needed Prima Dona’s protection.
She blinked and looked away, then suddenly gasped. “Drew,” she muttered. She whipped her head around. “Where’s Drew?” There was no sign of him. she had been so focused on her egg and Prima Dona that she had totally forgotten about her only friend with her.
Prima Dona narrowed her eyes and looked around slowly. “You mean the greenhead? Huh……he was here just a minute ago.”
Suddenly, the icy hills to their sides started to rumble. Icicles started tumbling off the slopes on their left, and there was a strange murmuring sound of a pokemon.
May gasped and Prima Dona whipped her head over to glare at her Lapras in the river beside them, as if expecting her pokemon to have done something. But the giant Lapras just stared back at her with scared, confused eyes. May had to twitch a smile at how terrifying the pokemon looked towards her, but around its trainer, it was nothing but a mere slave.
Prima Dona huffed in irritation and looked to the left. “It’s coming from over there.” She suddenly grabbed hold of May’s hand and pulled her with her. “Come on.”
May’s heart quickened as Prima Dona’s cold hand grasped around her forearm. She ran along with the tall lady and they made their way around the crevice of the ice cliff, and May turned white with astonishment.
In front of them was a monstrous large dragon-like pokemon that was battling the Flygon that belonged to Drew. The pokemon was huge, about three times Flygon’s size, and had metallic, icy features along its back and sides, like some sort of ice monster.
May screamed. “DREW!” May spotted Drew lying motionless on the other side of the monstrous pokemon, and his Flygon seemed to be worn out and tired from the battle with this pokemon.
May immediately threw out her pokeball. “Glaceon! Help him out!” Glaceon popped out of her pokeball and crouched challengingly, facing the pokemon at the side with a fierce look in its eyes.
“Eeeeerooooouughh!” The strange, roaring cry erupted from the pokemon and it turned its large head to look down at the small Glaceon.
A cold wind swept from behind May, and she turned to see Prima Dona standing there, her arms spread out and her eyes closed and frowning. She uttered a strange language in a menacing, rapid tone, and suddenly, the place shook under them all, and a large, snakelike pokemon crashed from underneath the dragon pokemon’s feet, making the large pokemon stumble and fall on its chin with a mighty roar.
May breathed with wonder. “Milotic…..”
This Milotic was blue, and it glowed brightly with a gorgeous shine of blue light around the back.
Prima Dona didnt shout a particular command to her pokemon. "Finish it," she muttered.
May watched with intent as the Milotic raised its tail and threw its long neck back, summoning a flash of blue light towards the dragon pokemon.
"Kyyauuuuuuuu!" The pokemon cried with loud pain as it fell to its back, and it almost looked as if its life were ebbing away.
But suddenly, a Hydro Pump hit the blue Milotic of Prima Dona's, and the pokemon stopped its attack and nearly stumbled over.
May put a hand over her mouth. There, standing up on the cliff at the other side, was another Milotic-- a regular, pretty-looking red one, and to its side, was Wallace.

“Milotic! Ice Beam!” Wallace’s command shouted over from the top of the mountain as his Milotic arched its way over towards the side of Prima Dona’s Milotic. It faced the dragon pokemon with blazing eyes and blew a huge spiral of ice towards the pokemon.
Prima Dona’s Milotic looked confused and disrupted, upset that this sudden pokemon just interfered its battle. May watched as the dragon pokemon cried and froze in the powerful ice beam of Wallace’s Milotic. The pokemon was a strong ice type itself, but Milotic was strong enough to freeze it in its own Ice Beam attack.
Prima Dona huffed a haughty, angry grunt. “Achh! You impudent fool!” She screamed at the top of her lungs, startling Drew awake. He found himself blinking open in shock, lying on his back right behind his Flygon, who watched with bewilderment as the attacking dragon pokemon froze up in the Milotic’s Ice Beam. Drew sat up.
“Ugh, Flygon?”
“Greeahhhh?” Flygon looked at its trainer with a raised expression.
“Whoa! Is that a BLUE Milotic?!” Drew widened his eyes as Wallace’s Milotic was suddenly rudely shoved against the cliff to the right, crashing into the ledge that Wallace stood upon.
“Whoa there!” Wallace nearly lost his balance. His Milotic had been pushed by a larger, taller, and exotic-looking Milotic……that was blue. It had a fierce look in its eyes, and it gave out a smooth, snappy cry of anger at Wallace and his Milotic.
“Celine! Stir up a Hurricane!” The mad, edgy shout was from Prima Dona. Drew turned to see that the tall, pale ice lady was standing by May’s side, with her usual fierce look in her cold, green eyes. Green? Weren’t they just…..icy blue last time Drew saw her?
“Hurrcane?!” Drew’s surprised call shouted across the battle, and May turned to meet Drew’s gaze with bewilderment in her eyes. “Drew! You’re alive!”
But Drew watched with a narrowed look in his eyes as the blue Milotic—which happened to be that witch, Prima Dona’s Milotic—suddenly throw back its tall head and twist its neck, raising its tail as water and ice suddenly stirred up from beneath the frozen dragon pokemon. The pokemon’s body started spinning slowly with the massive whirl that seemed to grow taller and nearly form a hurricane.
“NO! STOP!” Wallace’s yell sounded over the noise. “You mustn’t harm that pokemon!”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to send that pokemon into a world of nothingness or hell, where its stupid body can rot!” Screamed Prima Dona fiercely. She turned back to her Milotic. “Now! Celine, let me do the aura transfer!”
Drew watched with shock as Prima Dona raised her hands, but before she could do anything, Drew ran pass his Flygon towards May. “No! Flygon! Dragon Claw!” He pointed straight towards Prima Dona with a determined look in his eyes, and his Flygon rose and gave out a cry, glaring at Prima Dona, ready to attack.
“WHAT?!” Prima Dona whipped around to face Drew.
“Drew! Don’t!” May cried as Flygon suddenly flashed towards her from the sky.
Prima Dona kept a content glare in her eyes, and simply pointed a finger towards Flygon. Instantly, the pokemon stopped in midair, just a few yards from reaching her. Flygon gave out a huge cry of paim as if it were stabbed in the heart, and dropped to the ground, just right by Drew’s side.
Drew gasped. “Flygon!”
Prima Dona chuckled, letting her arm drop. “Think twice, boy, before you mess with me.”
“Kyurem’s getting sucked in!” Cried Wallace, suddenly leaping down in front of the hurricane between the two Milotics. “Milotic, help it!”
And Wallace’s Milotic heaved itself against the hurricane, and spun around to stop the whirling spin. The hurricane stopped and the water and ice fell to the ground, making a loud clattering crash as icicles broke apart. The pokemon was no longer frozen from the spinning, and had broken free.
“Kyaaaahh!” it gave a monstrous cry and faced both Milotics with a ferocious glare in its icy eyes.
Wallace gasped. “No……it’s gonna….”
Suddenly, there was a shake, and Drew nearly tipped over. Suddenly, a blast of fire appeared from Prima Dona’s direction. A flaming blow hit Kyurem with force, sending the pokemon crashing against the cliff wall next to it. it gave out a cry and lifted itself into the air, flying over the tall, shiny blue Milotic and disappeared into the thick gray heavens above.
Drew faced to his left to Prima Dona and May, but he narrowed his eyes. That couldn’t have come from Prima Dona. She was ice—she couldn’t summon anything that had to do with fire.
Wallace came up towards Drew, his eyes focused on something behind them. “That was--”
“NOOO! You fool! I was about to rid that fiendish excuse for a pokemon!” Prima Dona turned her evil gaze at Drew, looking as pissed as an angry Gyarados. She gave a low hissing noise and Drew backed away as she clenched her fists, braking icicles that seemed to have appeared in her hands.
“WAIT!” Wallace rushed up between Drew and Prima Dona, his body turned towards Drew, but his head facing something behind them all.
Drew turned and raised his eyebrows as he saw what looked exactly like—a Groudon. But the pokemon was tiny, and the size of a Clefairy, its fierce look on its face looked more cute rather than dangerous.
“A Groudon?!” Drew gasped.
“Groudon! It’s awake!” May suddenly rushed up to it, and without even thinking, she scooped up the little red pokemon in her arms and held it close to her. “Oh yes! You really are alive! Prima Dona, look at this! It’s alive!”
Drew winced as May came up to Prima Dona, holding the little pokemon up to her face like an excited child would do with their mom.
Prima Dona’s expression was stony and narrowed. But the little Groudon was starting to look happy and friendly in May’s hands, swaying its tail and making little delighted squeaks.
Wallace crossed his arms and gave a sideways smile towards Prima Dona. “Ah-hah! So the fire emblem has arrived.”
Prima Dona whipped her head towards Wallace, and glared at him fiercely. “Oh, shut up! you’ve planned this all along, and now you’ve let Kyurem escape! I shall destroy you--”
“Now, nonsense!” Wallace held up a hand towards Prima Dona’s face. “Please, you’ve caused enough trouble. Now that Kyurem has been angered, it shall do nothing more than take on its rage upon this island. YOU’VE planned this whole thing! I should say it’s your fault, my dear.”
“MY FAULT?!” Screamed Prima Dona, straightening her left arm towards the ground, angrily zapping a stone beneath her.
“Wait!” May jumped in between them. “What’s going on? Who’s Kyurem?”
“Kyurem was that dragon pokemon, smart one,” said Drew, giving May a suspicious look. The baby Groudon was happily squeaking in her arms.
Wallace gave Drew a wink and faced May. “May, my dear, it’s been a while. My! Look how much you’ve grown. You’ve surprised me as much as Drew has.”
Drew had just recently found Wallace spying on him through the trees when he was traveling with May and Prima Dona. Just before the egg had hatched, he had snuck away to get a closer view if it was Wallace, and then suddenly, instead of meeting the powerful water-type champion of Hoenn, he had encountered a ferocious dragon-ice pokemon— Kyurem-- that had carried him away towards the ice canyons. Luckily, Flygon had came to his rescue right when the pokemon had nearly frozen him to death, but Wallace had helped them all out before the little Groudon came and saved them. Apparently, Prima Dona had arrived to make matters worse, somehow trying to banish the pokemon, Kyurem altogether. And not to mention……May seemed to be unaware of Prima Dona’s obvious rage and selfishness.
May chuckled shyly. “Thank you.”
“Oh stop it with the pointless greetings!” Prima Dona stepped in front of May to glare at Wallace. “HOW did you get this egg to appear in May’s dream, you THIEF?!”
Drew looked up at Wallace. “You know anything about the egg and the Groudon that hatched from it?”
“How did you get here?” Asked May quickly.
“Now, before I start telling my story,” said Wallace calmly, meeting Prima Dona’s gaze, “please tell your Milotic to be a little more polite to its partners.”
Drew turned to see that the blue Milotic was nagging and poking its head towards Wallace’s Milotic, and hissing with irritation and anger.
Prima Dona rolled her eyes and laughed. “Hah! Why don’t you try telling that to Celine herself? You’re the one who wants her to stop.”
Wallace narrowed his eyes. “Your Milotic had no right to treat a pokemon like that in any kind of battle.”
Drew frowned. “You were trying to banish it…..from this world, weren’t you?”
“Oh please!” Prima Dona cracked an evil smile. “Kyurem apparently has been trying to escape this world for centuries, actually. No lie! Just ask your stupid idol here,” she kicked a sharp icicle towards Wallace.
“Grooouu!” The little Groudon creid happily as May tickled its chin.
Wallace chuckled. “Well, why don’t we find a decent place to discuss everything. Milotic?” Wallace frowned and summoned his pokemon back in its pokeball away from the pushy blue Milotic.
Celine let out a huff and shook its long neck, glaring at Drew as he stared at it.
Wallace led May and Drew to a deeper part of the crevice where the white sky shone on them from a higher distance. Prima Dona followed with a meticulous look on her cold face.
Wallace sat on a bluish gray rock and told them everything. “Now, it was just a few weeks ago since I had a strange encounter with a ghost-like pokemon near the boundaries of Snowpoint. I’ve been travelling the land across the Hoenn region, and then I suddenly encountered this mysterious red egg near my old home of Sootopolis. It was right at the very place Groudon used to rest upon in that sacred cave. I was curious, and I didn’t want to disturb the egg, though I did want to analyze its purpose. But as I neared the strange egg, it gave a hypnotizing red glow, and I found myself falling into a dream right beside the egg. I found myself face to face with Groudon, alone with no pokemon of my own. We were both alone, atop a lonely, bitterly cold and snowy mountain. The Groudon was speaking through my thoughts, and it was telling me to look after its child while it was away. apparently, Groudon was traveling back to the center of the earth, underground where it could rest and leave the lands alone for a while. It told me it had just fought a terrible battle with a mysterious unknown pokemon of ice and dragon, and it had utterly defeated Groudon. Now that Groudon bears an egg of its own, it destines its egg to become the new Groudon in its place, to take over the lands and defeat the ice pokemon to avenge the defeat of the former Groudon. It has told me I must become the caretaker of the egg, since I was the one to find it in this cave first. It has told me to find a place to place the egg where it shall hatch, and become the strong pokemon it is destined to be to fight off the deadly ice pokemon of the mountains.”
Drew turned to look over where the little Groudon was trying to catch a small bug next to May. May was staring intently at Wallace. “The ice pokemon that defeated the real Groudon…….it was Xenox, wasn’t it?”
Wallace met her gaze carefully. “The pokemon indeed, was Xenox. But I had no idea that such a pokemon existed. Shortly after Groudon had given me the warning, that if I don’t find a place for the egg, the terrible pokemon , Xenox, shall take over the world with its icy powers someday. Then as it faded away into darkness, I watched it dissolve into the underground essence, as if it were returning to the bottom of the earth within, deep in the core where it had originated from. Then, I witnessed its earlier battle it had told me about. I saw the Groudon fight a…..deadly looking ice dragon that was the size of a Milotic almost. It wasn’t Kyurem, no, this one was like a serpent. I immediately predicted this was Xenox, the icy dragon pokemon that can control all the winter weathers in the world, and that if it awakened, it would cause the entire world to suffer in a nothing but a deathly winter. If I didn’t find hope for a way to defeat this pokemon, all would be lost. And I could sense the environmental changes already. Before my dream, I have been experiencing and hearing about strange cold weather forming in the strangest places. And as I awoke, the first instinct to pop in my head was to take this egg with me, and go to Snowpoint City in Sinnoh.
“The egg that bore the next powerful pokemon of land, and one that carried the genes of the Groudon that had been born from the fiery depths of earth’s core, this pokemon was the only way to stop Xenox. It was the only one who could resist the blizzards of its island to confront it and give it its last battle. I had to find some way to get this egg to that mountain of Xenox’s, but I had absolutely no idea where it even was. I had no idea of the Barren Island, nor have I even heard of them. but instinct told me to take this pokemon to the best place that had the best winter connections—the city of Snowpoint. And as I was nearing the lake of Lake Acuity……I saw an illusion. At first, I thought it was the sacred pokemon, Uxie, but instead……it was like a portal. The egg was taken from my hands, and dissolved into the strange illusion in front of me, and I found myself drifting towards it as well. Next thing I know, here I am, empty-handed, with nothing but the pokemon in my pocket, alone out here in the frozen middle of nowhere. The egg was no longer with me.”
May gasped. “That’s why I found it alone in Xenox’s mountain in my dream.”
Wallace nodded. “It did take me time to find out where I really was, and what had happened to me…….but I didn’t come to my senses until I met this young lady here.” He gave Prima Dona an intent look.
Prima Dona’s icy blue eyes flashed. “Please don’t call me YOUNG. I’m much older than you think…..you have no idea……..”
“What happened between you and HER?” questioned Drew.
“Well, I met her in a strange cave by the sea. She told me about this place, and how she had seen me with…….what she called the fire emblem. Apparently, she was trying to trick me into giving her the egg, but I didn’t give in. I told her the egg was lost, and that once I find it, I will not hand it over to her…..for I know she wants to do the exact opposite of what I plan to do with the egg.”
Prima Dona chuckled creepily. “You can’t have the world without some winter, Wallace. If there were no Xenox, there would be no snow….no chill. The world would dry up and melt.” She gave a disgutsted face and gave the little Groudon a pat on the head as the pokemon approached her from behind. The baby Groudon looked up and gave a startled look at Prima Dona as her cold hands touched its head.
Wallace narrowed his eyes. “The world can handle a little bit of coldness….but not so much that it freezes the entire place until its cold and lifeless.”
Drew chuckled. “Apparently, we should get that Groudon where it’s supposed to be. Wallace, you’ve found the egg now, and it’s hatched. You’re welcome to take it where it’s meant to go. May. You ought to give that pokemon to Wallace.”
May frowned and crossed her arms. “He’s wrong,” she snapped.
Drew blinked and met her gaze seriously. “What?”
“Wallace is wrong,” said May with an edge to her voice. “The fire emblem Groudon is NOT supposed to be here. Can’ you see that its presence is what is disturbing Xenox? It’s slept peacefully for years, and now it’s becoming disturbed. It’s started the strangest snowstorms all around, including the one that teleported us here. It doesn’t want the fire emblem to hatch!”
Drew stared at May in disbelief. She wasn’t taking Wallace’s side seriously—she actually WANTED to keep Xenox from getting defeated.
Prima Dona was gazing at her with proud, cold eyes. She chuckled in satisfaction. “Looks like we’ve got someone who agrees with me. May, you know that the little Groudon must be defeated in battle, not Xenox.”
May nodded, frowning with frustration. “If Xenox is to sleep peacefully again, Groudon mustn’t be here, and it mustn’t be alive at all. But I really don’t want to end the life of such a precious pokemon.” She smiled caringly as the little Groudon cuddled up in her lap. “I want to train it, raise it to be fair and loyal. I want to teach it to use its power the right way, and not use it for the destruction of……permanently defeating a pokemon like Xenox.”
Wallace was looking at May with concern. “May…..Xenox permanently defeated the former Groudon. It’s powerful enough to change the world also. We’ve got no choice BUT to get rid of it. the fire emblem Groudon is destined to defeat it in battle. Xenox battled the other Groudon in a dream, for if it were to wake up, the world would suffer in an unforgettable winter. But Xenox’s dream became real, and that it really was battling Groudon in its sleep. It defeated the pokemon, and Groudon never woke up again. it barely had time to warn me in my own dream about what had happened, and what was to come.
“The hatchling on the other hand, must somehow fight Xenox in its dream again, and defeat the ice pokemon itself.”
“Hah! Absolutely not!” Huffed Prima Dona.
Drew turned to her. “What are you talking about?”
“Oh come on, you’ve forgotten?” She gave Drew a dirty look. “Remember your little lost friend, Brendan. He’s out there, traveling with the aura of Xenox inside of him. part of Xenox’s spirit lies within that boy, and he is merely a human form of Xenox almost. He’s on his way to Xenox’s cave, and he’s able to encounter the pokemon – alive. Once those two combine, there will be an unstoppable force that not even the fire emblem can defeat in something as close to a dream. No…..if Brendan awakens Xenox and combines forces so that the pokemon becomes almost twice as powerful, then the battle must be for real, not in the dream world.”
May stared up at Prima Dona with wonder. “How do you know?”
Prima Dona smiled at her. “Dear, like I said, I’m aware of the environment around me. I can sense the very creator of this environment, and I can feel that Xenox will truly be capable of this. Apparently, it is missing three ice spears out there, and one has entered the heart of Brendan. It’s become part of him, and his aura shares part of Xenox within him.”
Drew found this very concerning. Brendan could be heading for more trouble than he thought.
Wallace raised his eyebrows. “You’re saying BRENDAN’S out here? and he’s combined with one of those missing ice spears?” He gave Drew a surprised look.
Drew nodded. “We were just on our way to find him.”
“Oh dear, we must! We can’t let him find Xenox. No, we must find him and free his soul somehow.”
Drew looked at the little Groudon. “The fire emblem pokemon can do that, right?”
Wallace nodded. “Somehow it can. Only the fire emblem pokemon can get through to Xenox and defeat it. it can defeat the soul that’s taking over Brendan. “We must find him before it’s too late. We must free him, and then find a way to take the fire emblem to Xenox.”
“Ah-hah! You will do nothing of that sort!” Prima Dona rose up and glared at Wallace, her eyes a dark glare this time. “We will find foolish Brendan, free him, and then KEEP the fire emblem from getting too powerful! There’s no way you’re going to let that pokemon kill such a legendary as powerful as Xenox!”
Drew narrowed his eyes and stood up, facing Prima Dona. “Of course we will! It will be for the benefit of the world! Because of Xenox, we can all suffer! It’s up to the new Groudon to save us from ICE, now, instead of water.”
“No way,” May huffed, petting Groudon. “Unlike the former Groudon, this one won’t be so monstrous. It shall grow strong,, but not with the heart to destroy it’s enemy completely.”
Drew was staring at May with concern and worry.
“It’s name shall be….Emblem,” May tickled the little Groudon’s nose and the pokemon squeaked and thumped its tail with delight. “I shall call it Emblem, for it bears the warm fire emblem from the core of the earth. The battle of Kyogre and Groudon was too…….destructive. There will not be a battle like that again, and this Groudon will not be the destroyer of ice. I will make sure of that.”
Drew wanted to say something to May, but he couldn’t think of what to tell her. she was looking at the little Groudon with complete love, and she only wanted what was best for it, even if it meant the worst for everything else.
Then he turned to Prima Dona who, on the other hand, was smiling at May with satisfied evil. “Excellent. You take care of that. come along, we must find your friend before it’s too late.” She put an arm around May and the two of them walked away side by side with May letting down Emblem to bound happily along after them.
Drew and Wallace watched the both of them go.
“May……no,” Drew was shaking his head.
“She’s got her under her control,” said Wallace gravely, eying the tall figure of Prima Dona suspiciously. “The first few nights I met her, I almost fell for her tricks.”
Drew raised his eyebrows at him. “Really? She’s up to something…..but what? She’s letting May take care of the fire emblem pokemon, rather than destroy it, but there’s probably something else she’s planning behind all that.”
“Exactly,” said Wallace. “I……I was captured by her beauty myself. but it was a little different than how May fell for her. I fell in love with Prima Dona…..almost. she really had me captured and tricked.”
Drew blinked. “How did you break through her tricks?”
Wallace sighed and walked forwards. “Come along, I’ll tell you on the way. we can’t let Prima Dona alone with May, and I’m not taking my eye off her now that I’ve found her again.”

A shooting star pierced the sky in the dark uninviting heavens above. The air was as colder than the body's temperature at death. The snowy wind made a lonely noise as the air whistled over the empty, barren atmosphere of endless tundra and freezing wasteland
Brendan pressed on, hiking the lonely trail with no one by his side but the pokemon in his pocket. His mind was blank, his expression lost and intent, as if looking straight ahead into another world. Nothing but the heart in his body felt the coldness of the air around him.
"Xenox…….go north………find your ice within………" the words buzzed in his head, clouding his brain with force. He couldn't speak, whether it was from his voice or his own thoughts. His mind was just focused on one thing-- head north.
"Brendan….Brendan…." the voice was deep and sounded feminine, mysterious and smooth. It spoke with intent and Brendan could do nothing but listen. The voice was in his thoughts, and the snow around him seemed to blow with more force as the voice spoke. "Brendan……head north…..towards the lair of frozen paws and endless eternal ice. Towards the lair of Frozen Paws….."
Brendan squeezed his eyes shut, still finding his body still hiking against the blizzard, his face bitter stiff against the wind. At last, he found himself talking back to the voice in his head. "W-who are you? What's the lair of Frozen Paws?"
"Find the sacred lair," soothed the strange female voice. It was as if a guardian spirit was speaking to him. "I am your guardian spirit of the island……you will find me eventually. Seek the power of ice within. Keep heading north. Find the sacred land of the Ice Pack, the pack known as the changelings." a bright light suddenly peaked from the sky, lighting in front of Brendan.
He stopped walking and stared in awe at the vision in front of him. He saw pokemon of all different kinds flashing through the bright light, chasing after each other, dodging and flying over rivers and seas, some looking happy with glee, others scared and shocked as if running for their lives.
"The pokemon of the sacred land are known as the Changelings," spoke the spirit voice inside him. "They've both been blessed with the power of ice, but at the same time, it's made them suffer, making them become mere changelings." the snow suddenly crashed into the light and the pokemon in the light illusion all cried in horror and their bodies faded away. "Now……" whispered the voice, "…….the ice has changed them. Pokemon of all different types-- water, grass, dark, even fire, all the pokemon of the island have been transformed and commenced to the snow. I am the spirit of the island, mother nature for snow itself. I have blown a terrible change over this island, so that it's become a frozen barren landscape, vital for even the strongest ice types themselves. But I hadn't been so cruel. Instead of letting the pokemon inhabitants die for my change, I've let their bodies simply……..adapt to the island. Their bodies became more than just the types they were, they became ICE, and becam part of the island themselves." The light flashed again, and Brendan saw an illusion of a pack of Houndoom, rising from the snow and ice glaciers of the sea, looking frozen and merely transformed themselves. The fire type pokemon…..Brendan noticed how transparent and bluer they looked, and they had lost their bright color on their backs and necks. They were like….ice type versions of Houndoom.
"The fire type pokemon were the most serious benefit," spoke the voice dangerously. "Because the power of ice even managed to defeat THEM, even froze the warmth of their fire spirit, I realized how far my powers could go. The ice power within can withstand even its greatest weaknesses, and even summon its own aura for support……in other words, the ice power can not only freeze a creature's aura, but it can also summon its own aura, create its own souls as its own inhabitants and supporters. The first pack of Houndoom have been created for this. They started out as normal fire types, lost in the cold, lonely frozen temperatures of the wasteland created before them. But as my spirit washed over them, transforming them, capturing their spirits and freezing their souls to the point where I can……transform them into the soul of the ice within, they became my changelings. They transformed into the power of ice."
Brendan watched how the Houndoom had no trace of burning fire on their bodies, but the way they breathed revealed how they still had the hot breath of the fire type. A Houdoom leaped to the top of a mountain and gave an eerie howl, with the bright light and smoke coming from its mouth.
"The Houndoom….they've still got fire in them," breathed Brendan.
"Of course. As you can see, the element of ice doesn't destroy fire-- it's just not possible. But it can affect it, and the power of the ice within can affect it so deeply, it can almost change it…..become part of it."
"They are…..three types then," gasped Brendan, staring in wide-eyed wonder at the fast-moving, swift pack of Houndoom through the ice cliffs and tundra.
"Exactly," murmured the voice. "My power of ice is what made them become Changelings. Instead of totally wiping out their auras of fire, it joined them, simply making them become the type of dark, fire, and ice at the same time. They've been given immortal abilities. They've been both my guardians and warriors. They fight to defend the land with their strength of ice within, and the warmth of fire to keep their souls burning and alive. In the sacred pack of Changelings, ice is with the fire. Find them, Brendan. You are my aura within, and your heart is as cold as the empty sun. you must find the pack of Changelings, in the sacred land of Frozen Paws. Learn their ways, find out the true power of the island of Isoptopia within."
Brendan saw through the ice, seeing a powerful, magnificent and majestic long serpent of glowing whiteness and bright light. The air around him became even colder as he saw into the eyes of Xenox, feeling the spirit in his heart lift and drift towards the illusion.
Then the light went out and Brendan found himself dropping through the snowstorm, landing on the soft snow below, his mind spinning with thoughts of the ice pokemon, the Changelings, of Xenox.
"Find the ice power within……go north……" the voice was fading away.
Brendan rose and kept his eyes focused on the mountains ahead. Somehow his instinct pushed him to hike on, to find the pack of Changelings and figure the true power of Xenox within. Brendan had a past, a past he needed to recall. He was part of the island itself, his aura part of the very pokemon Xenox. The guardian spirit had spoken to him, and he had to find out his true past and figure the ice power within. Eventually, he will find his way to Xenox. But he must discover the aura within before he found the pokemon.

Ash was running through the hallways of the hotel lobby. The strange book professor Oak had found in the library was held tightly in his hands. He had to find Misty or Red or Leaf or SOMEONE to speak to about what professor Oak had discovered. Apparently, Oak had stayed up all night when Ash had fallen asleep, crashed and tired, and had discovered strange history about the strange ice spear that Misty had found.
"That Ice Spear is one of the three sacred pieces that were once part of a pokemon," muttered Ash. "Inofrmation about the pokemon is still unknown, and not even this book knows what pokemon. But it does know that the Ice Spear is one of the three spears that contained a certain type of.....blue fluid they thought was phlegm." Ash noisily stomped down the stairs as quick as he can. "Huh! Phlegm is supposed to be some kind of dragon blood. Well, Oak's found that the so-called 'phlegm' has got DNA of ice blood as well, and that the DNA matches that of the DNA in that snow under the tree where May disappeared. So this Ice Spear DOES have to do with Xenox! It could even be part of the pokemon."
And apparently, the book stated how there were only three of these strange spears found, all shockingly identical, all with the same DNA and pattern. But the book stated that the only thing different about them was the strange phlegm inside. The phlegm did contain the same DNA, but it was said that the colors slightly differed-- one with a bluish jelly-like substance, another pure white with the same jelly fluid, and then one that was black fluid. Oak was going to try and examine the ice spear today, and figure out what color this one would contain, and analyze it for himself. What Ash wondered, was how would he be able to make out what the fluid really did-- if the scientists who made the book didnt know how. And plus.....not to mention the strange capturing trance it gave if you stared into it too long. Ash recalled the moment when Misty had first shown the spear to him, he had nearly felt his heart literally chill and almost freeze up before Misty snapped him out of it. He had to find Red or anyone who knew about this, and tell them about the discoveris and the book.
Suddenly, the elevator doors opened, and as Ash ran passed it, he thought he caught a glimpse of a small, yellow shape in the elevator space.
Ash stopped in his tracks and winced. "Pikachu?" He muttered. Just to make sure, he quickly walked back towards the elevator. The doors had already closed, and there were drops of red liquid splattered on the floor in front of the doors.
Ash raised his eyebrows with surprise. He almost wanted to touch the small red drops on the floor, just to get it on his fingers and analyze it.
A low snarl sounded from behind. Ash turned to see a small yellow pokemon-- a Pikachu-- with its back turned towards him, burying its face in its hands as if washing its face of eating something from its hands.
Ash recognized the Pikachu right away. His face lightened up. "Oh, Pikachu! Hey there, buddy. You almost scared me there......what are you doing all the way over here? Thought I told you to stay in the room."
Ash held out a hand towards the pokemon to touch its shoulder. Pikachu felt unusually warm.
Pikachu turned to meet Ash with its cute button eyes. "Pi?" It suddenly noticed the person as Ash. Suddenly, Pikachu's eyes blazed a narrowed, red glare and it lowered its ears. "Piiii.....ka...." The pokemon started sparkling with electricity.
Ash blinked. "Huh? Pikachu?"
The tips of its ears and the stripes on its back suddenly glowed with bright redness, and the look on Pikachu's face became evil and almost monstrous.
"Pika.....CHUUUUUUU!" The little pokemon suddenly zapped an explosion of electricity around it, zapping Ash with the worse shock of his life.
"Wahhhhhh!" Ash yelled with shock and pain. He was suddenly thrown back, hitting hard against the elevator doors. They opened at the loud thud he had made as he collided painfully against the doors. "PIKACHU?!" He cried in confusion.
Pikachu jumped off the bench and glared at him with wicked looking red eyes, its body sparked and glowing with a strange yellowness around it. The stripes on its back would constantly switch from red to its normal brown, and the pokemon was breathing with menace, and kept its glare at Ash, slowing stalking on its two feet towards him.
Ash immediately shot up, feeling dazed, and stumbled backwards into the elevator.
Pikachu gave a jump in the air. "PIKA!"
Ash fell back on his bottom with surprise and the doors closed between them, taking Ash down and away from Pikachu's angry faint cries.
Ash sat in the elevator room, looking like he had just gotten out of bed, and experienced the most shocking scene of his life. His expression was horrified.
"Pikachu.....was that....even you?" He suddenly blinked away tears. His own little pokemon.....something had happened to it. The look on its face-- it didnt seem right. Something must have taken over it. Something must be wrong. His Pikachu-- it WAS his Pikachu and he knew it. Something, or someONE had done something terrible to change it. Thoughts of horror raced through his mind. He had to tell Oak.


Back at the elevator doors, Pikachu stood, breathing roughly with evil in its eyes. It whipped away angrily, mad that it failed to really give that human a piece of its mind. Humans. It hated them to the bottom of its heart.
Pikachu let out an angry hiss in its cry and ran through the lobby. Suddenly, something emerged from the air vent above, and leaped down just behind Pikachu as it ran passed it.
Pikachu stopped in its tracks and turned. It was a Meowth, a female with a bell tied around her neck.
"Meee--owth?" The pokemon tilted her head curiously, and then lightened with delight as if it recognized Pikachu. It suddenly crouched playfully. "Me-owwwth!" This was the Meowth of Leaf, one of her favorite pokemon she had named Belle.
Pikachu suddenly narrowed its eyes. A surge of anger blazed through its body, and it sparked with electricity. “Pii….” Its voice still sounded small, but deadly and evil.
Belle suddenly stood up and took a step back in confusion. “Meow?”
Pikachu let out a spark of electricity and leaped at the Meowth with force, crashing it against a wall behind it. There was a single scream from the Meowth, and a huge splash of blood splattered against the wall in front of it.

Misty had been up all night. She was exhausted, and for the past few days, she had barely gotten any sleep. This wasn’t good for her modeling career, she thought. “Pretty soon I’ll be fainting on the stages!”
All week, she had been putting on performance after performance, and even making short trips for a day to model Sabrina’s pokemon in the heart of Lavender Town. She had become more famous than ever. Not to mention, those pictures Gary had taken of her were making big money online.
But in the midst of all the flashing lights and fandom, she still had bigger problems behind the scene too.
“YOU’RE KIDDING!!!” Screamed Misty, nearly jumping out of her expensive French outfit. Ash had just arrived, looking a mess like he had trouble getting out of bed, and had just experienced a traumatizing sight.
She was at the lobby café with Gary by her side, and Red and Leaf had just come to join them.
Red’s eyes were widened. “You’re saying…..Pikachu actually tried to KILL you?!”
“Not kill me!” Ash yelled. He suddenly shook his head. “I mean--! I don’t know! It attacked me like it had never attacked me before, and the look in its eyes! It just wasn’t……Pikachu…” Ash’s horrified expression suddenly faltered into a helpless, downhearted look. He looked to the ground, pressing his lips together.
Misty wanted nothing more than to be alone and comfort him herself. But she could tell Ash wanted to be with no one but his own thoughts. “Well….we really should find Pikachu!” She looked around. “If it’s really become that aggressive towards you, who knows what it could do to anyone else around this building?”
Red gasped. “Hey! that’s right! I’ve left my own Pikachu wandering in the room with Oak.”
Leaf widened her eyes. “Yeah, me too!”
Gary huffed and crossed his arms, giving Ash a concerned look. “Well, obviously, something’s happened to Pikachu. It couldn’t just suddenly turn up one day, treating you like its worst enemy it wants to slaughter in cold blood.”
Ash whipped his head up to meet Gary’s gaze with clouded, angry eyes. “Yeah?! Well, I need to find out what! And you know what I think? I think whatever’s caused Pikachu has to do with that stupid pokemon, Xenox, that just suddenly took away May, Drew, and Brendan!” Ash was yelling at the top of his lungs, and Misty looked around in embarrassment, not wanting anyone else to be hearing anything about their secret of Xenox.
“Ash….you should keep it down….” she tried to speak as calmly as she could, but Ash didn’t seem to even take notice.
“Just like how they weren’t supposed to disappear out of nowhere that night at the dance!” Ash continued on angrily. “Pikachu wouldn’t just suddenly turn up a totally new pokemon! Something’s happening, and I know it all has to do with that STUPID ice pokemon, Xenox!”
“Yeah, can you BE QUIET?!” Leaf yelled back at him in the same loud tone, giving him an uptight glare. She suddenly lowered her voice to a hiss. “People are here just like you! no one else is supposed to know about Xenox, if you remember!”
“I don’t care,” Ash muttered, his voice shaking. “I want my Pikachu back.”
Misty suddenly gasped. “Hey! Ash, that Ice Spear I showed you last night, you probably should take another look at that! perhaps…..it’s got to do with Pikachu’s sudden change of behavior.”
Ash suddenly looked up, not meeting her gaze. His expression was dazed, and then he immediately turned and ran out of the café.
Misty and the others watched him go.
“Huh!” Said Gary. “You found an Ice Spear? When? Why didn’t you tell me about it?”
Misty narrowed her eyes at him. “Sabrina gave it to me. She told me to be really careful with it. I’ll explain it later. I’m going to find Ash.”
She hurried after where Ash disappeared through the exit door.
She found Ash by Oak’s side in front of the computer. The shining Ice Spear was sitting on the desk right next to them. misty glanced at its pure, clear beauty, but then looked away, not wanting to be captured by the cold, hypnotizing power it contained.
“Hey, Oak?” Misty joined Ash’s side. “Have you found anything? I bet Pikachu must’ve gotten into trouble with it the other night, hasn’t it?”
“It sure has,” Ash answered quickly, his eyes wide and staring into the computer screen like a Noctowl. “Check this out—mysterious discoveries on the three Ice Spears say that once its strange psychotic powers have become powerful enough to take over a living being’s soul, the being becomes completely transfixed and bound to the ice spear, somehow controlled by its ancient powers.” He met Misty’s gaze with intent. “Apparently, Pikachu’s under full control of the power of the Ice Spear, and its true spirit as been frozen and taken over by another spirit.”
“Where’s the spirit from?” Misty felt a chill. “How does a single Ice Spear actually ‘control’ the spirit in Pikachu?”
“That’s what we’re still trying to figure out,” said Oak, typing on the computer with a narrowed look in his eyes. “And in the meantime, I’ve asked for Brock, Dawn, Lucas, and Barry to split up and find that Pikachu before it does anything worse. Whatever’s gotten into it, I’ve got a feeling that it can do a lot more damage than just zap Ash with a stronger release of energy.”
Ash groaned. “Ohhhh don’t remind me! I don’t care how Pikachu’s been taken over! I just want him back.”
Misty took his hand and tried to give him a caring smile. “I know how you feel. I’ll make sure I try to find out as much as I can from Sabrina, if she knows anything about that spear.”
Ash walked away, not taking her hand. “Sabrina will know nothing. She can’t have any idea on how to bring back Pikachu.”
Misty felt betrayed. She winced. “Well, at least she can tell the whole past of what’s happened to Pikachu, and perhaps the future for it, and how it can be changed!”
“Now, now,” Oak turned to face both of them. “Before anyonestarts ranting on anymore about Pikachu, I’ve got news about Xenox. This morning, Red was up early to speak with me about a dream he had last night. He recalled those adventures he and Leaf had taken years ago when they came to meet the very pokemon, Mew. In Red’s dream, he met Mew on one of the Seafoam Islands, and it was giving him a sign to follow it, luring him in the caves with a white feather.” Oak suddenly grew more intent. “Surprisingly enough, Red had found the exact white feather under his pillow this morning, and he showed it to me.”
Misty gasped. “Really? What did he do with it after?”
“He threw it away,” said Oak quickly, looking irritated.
Ash groaned. “Aw man, Red!” He stomped his foot.
“But I did get to take a look at it,” said Oak. “The DNA within that feather turned out to be related to—you know you—Xenox’s DNA in the Ice Spear and the snow. So Red instantly suggested that Mew was calling him to the Seafoam Islands to find out what he can about the connections with Xenox.”
Misty huffed. “Xenox again. Does that pokemon have to appear to the answer for every single weird thing that happens here?”
Oak chuckled. “Well, if the technology of science proves its existence on every little weird thing, then yes. Red has arranged plans to sail to the Seafoam Islands tomorrow morning, and Leaf is coming with him.”
Ash stepped up to Misty’s side. “What? He’s going just like that? already?”
“Well, you know how headstrong Red can be,” said Misty, rolling her eyes and giving him a playful look. “A lot like YOU.”
Ash didn’t return her mischievous smile. He focused on Oak. “Well, I’d like to come too!”
Misty gasped. “What? Ash!”
Ash ignored her. “Professor, if Mew can understand the DNA of ALL pokemon, and become another pokemon itself, then perhaps it can help Pikachu with its sudden change in temper and spirit. It might even help it free itself from that terrible soul that’s taken over it!”
Misty huffed in annoyance and turned to see Oak nodding. “Very good point. But you might want to check with Red. I doubt he’ll want to have a little monster following him around, scaring Mew away when he gets to those islands.”
“Ash, HELLO?!” Misty nudged him sharply. “You also promised me something! You can’t just leave me here and take off!”
Ash frowned. “Oak, Pikachu’s no monster!”
Suddenly, the door slammed open and Barry busted in, carrying a reddish-brown book. “Ahh! You guys, watch out! Pikachu’s become a little daredevil!”
Everyone turned to see Pikachu suddenly appear at the door, sparkling and glaring through its red, button eyes. “Piii……ka…..” its voice was a low, snarling growl.
Ash gasped. “Pikachu……”
Oak stood up. “Oh no! Now that’s more than just another spirit taken over it!”
Suddenly, Piakchu jumped after Barry, leaping off his shoulders and landing on the chandelier above, crying in anger. “PiiiiikaaaaaCHUUU!” A huge bolt of electricity zapped through the room, socking everyone inside, and Misty fell over, landing next to Ash on the floor.
Ash got up and stepped over her.
“Ow!” Yelled Misty as Ash almost tripped over her heels.
“Sorry—Pikachu!” Ash didn’t even glance at her. “Please! Buddy! It’s me!”
The little pokemon leaped off the chandelier, making it swing back until it crashed and fell to the floor, shaking the room with a deafening noise. Pikachu landed on Ash’s chest and pinned him to the ground. “Piii…..” It’s devilish red eyes were glowing with evil, and Ash stared helplessly up at it.
“Ash” Cried Misty, getting up.
Suddenly, a yellow shape leaped passed her, and collided with Pikachu. As they both tumbled off, Misty realized it was Red’s Pikachu, one he sometimes just called Peka. Peka was a slightly darker yellow, and that was the only difference between the two—except now, it was easier to tell them apart since Pikachu had glowing red stripes and a devilish glint in its eyes. Pikachu faced Peka with an even narrower glare and sparked with electricity.
Peka faced Pikachu with the same look of challenge. “Piii…ka…CHU!” Peka immediately gave Pikachu a surprised smack in the face and sent the little pokemon flying sideways. Pikachu cried in surprise, sliding over on its side. It instantly leaped up with a wicked glare of anger.
Peka dashed towards Pika chu, but then stopped in its tracks as Pikachu suddenly breathed with a low, evil rasp. It let out a cry and the two pokemon chased each other out the room.
As Misty watched them go, she shook her head in horror. “We have to do something! I have a feeling that Pikachu’s strength isnt even as normal as it should be. Who knows what kinds of things it can do to pokemon in battle now?”
Barry suddenly appeared in front of her. “That’s right! That’s he first things I was just going to ask! What in the HELL has gotten into Pikachu! It attacked me when I just stopped by the elevator to pick up this random book I found lying on the ground.”
“Hey, that’s my book on the Ice Spears!” Said Ash. “I was going to show that to Red and Leaf, I guess I dropped it and totally forgot.”
Oak cleared his throat. “Ahem….Barry?” Oak took the book from his hands. Then he turned to face the disastrous mess. “ARGH! How am I ever going to explain this to the owners?! I do NOT want to be accused for the one in charge of that Pikachu causing trouble everywhere!”
“I’ll go find it!” Said Barry, frowning with determination. “But I expect an explanation on what’s going on!” And he dashed away before anyone can say anything else.
Misty chuckled. “Well, I hope he doesn’t get himself into trouble also.”
Oak sighed. “Guys…..I’m going after him to find that Pikachu. But afterwards, I will have a word with Red and Leaf about going to the Seafoam Islands. For now, just try to keep quiet about Pikachu and Xenox, and if any of you want to discuss the whole situation with anybody, speak only to people like Red, Leaf, or me.”
“Or Gary,” added Misty.
Oak widened his eyes with concern, but then nodded. “Yes, if he can keep it secret.”
“Oh, he won’t betray us!” Misty huffed, giving Oak a sideways look.
“Well, you guys be careful. Ash, if you want to go with Red, then make sure you talk to him first. He’s leaving first thing tomorrow, 6:00am, and he’s off to seek Mew. Remember that Pikachu will still be under your hands no matter what’s happened to him, for he is your pokemon and you’re responsible for whatever mess it makes.”
Misty saw Ash glance over at the mess in the living room. “Right. I’ll……..I’ll call maintenance to fix this up. But I promise to look after Pikachu…..even if it’s not entirely its real self. I will help free Pikachu from whatever’s gotten into it, and I think the help of Mew is all we’ve got. I’ve got to find it with Red.”
Misty winced, but she had given up on trying to reason with him at the moment. She felt bitterly upset now.
Oak nodded and headed out the door. “Be careful with the Ice Spear when I’m gone also!” And he shut the door behind him.
Misty turned to give Ash a narrowed look. He was sighing and turning towards the computer. “Great…..I might as well search up some useless ideas on the Ice Spear. Apparently, no one really knows the real truth of Xenox behind it. the DNA wasn’t enough to support any evidence on an entirely new pokemon out there.”
Misty huffed. Ash had forgotten all about his promise to her…..and here he was going on about something else as if what he had promised her had meant nothing! “Oh, for crying out loud!” She nearly shouted. “Ash! Do you even recall what you said to me before we arrived here?!”
Ash looked at her, looking confused. “What…..?”
“Ugh! You promised to stay here and support me in my performances here!” She snapped, raising her voice. “I’ve been INCREDIBLY busy lately, modeling and working on my feet day after day! I’ve got fans to support! I’ve been putting on like a thousand shows by now! Ash, you promised you would at least stay here in Saffron to keep me company and support me through all this stress. You PROMISED yourself that you wouldn’t leave me for any reason.” She looked at him deeply.
Ash blinked. “Oh….well…..I’m terribly sorry. Misty, you know I’ll always be there but……you need to learn to deal with your own problems when it comes to your own career. I’ve got my own problems with Pikachu right now myself.”
Misty threw her arms up in the air in frustration. “That’s not the point!” Couldn’t he realize that her true feelings were focused on him keeping his promise and really showing he cared about her, not just looking for support to keep her from going crazy? She wanted him here for him, not just because she needed a specific somebody to keep her company! “Ash, how could you just….forget about it? Couldn’t you just let Red take care of things with Mew himself? What difference would it make if he found out what he can about Mew and the secret of Xenox, while you just stayed here……for us?”
Ash winced. “That doesn’t make sense. I have to find Mew myself, and help Pikachu myself. You don’t understand, Misty. I can’t just leave it in the hands of somebody.”
Misty frowned and turned away. “Whatever. I can see you don’t understand either. I want you here for us, not just for me. But if you can’t see that, then I guess it really wouldn’t matter if you stayed or not.”
“Misty, you know I won’t forget about you, I’m just trying to help Pikachu,” Ash spoke with calm, trying to touch her hand.
Misty didn’t meet his gaze. “You can help Pikachu and be there for me—for US—at the same time.”
Ash sighed. “You don’t understand! I have to help Pikachu myself this way. Mew knows something about Xenox, according to Red’s dream. It’s calling him over. if Mew’s got anything to do with Xenox, then it can help Pikachu. I’ve got to find it myself.”
“You don’t understand MY reason,” Misty rolled her eyes.
Ash frowned. “Okay, what are you talking about? I’m doing my best! If I have to help Pikachu, I’m sorry, but I have no choice but to leave this place and do what I can!”
“You’re always thinking that way!” Snapped Misty, meeting his gaze with anger. “You’ve never thought about me and you, before thinking about you and Pikachu first! You swore a promise, and now you’ve just let it flow now that something’s happened to Pikachu!”
“What? You don’t care about what could happen if Pikachu never returned to its real, loyal self?”
“I care lots about Pikachu. What I don’t care about, is the way you treat it as if it means more important than us. You could still help it and be there for me, but clearly--”
“Clearly, you just can’t look after yourself!” Ash shot up and snatched the Ice Spear in his hands. He was glaring at Misty. “Clearly, you just want me to be your little shield, your little comfort zone where you can just relax and forget bout everything you’re going through. well I can’t be there for you all the time! My best buddy needs help right now, and I’m going to help him!” Ash whipped around, stomping towards the door, the Ice Spear clutched tightly in his hands.
Misty stared after him, wide-eyed with blazing anger and shock. If he hadn’t taken that Ice Spear with him, she would’ve snatched it herself and gone after him to stab him herself.
Misty clenched her fists and stormed out the room, slamming the door behind her. She suddenly heard another crash at the strong force, and she widened her eyes in embarrassment. More mess for the maintenance to clean. Oh well, forget it. “I’ve still got more work to do than the maintenance, even if they had to clean twice that mess!” She thought furiously.
She found herself running through the halls, her teeth clenched with anger. she was headed for the aerobics room. She wanted to punch something and let out her fury towards a punch bag. Ash STILL couldn’t see how much she cared for the two of them to be together. Well, that was his problem. She had to get ready for her next performance in a few hours, but first she just wanted to be alone and attack something.
But suddenly, there was a loud cry of horror and despair, and Misty stopped in her tracks. The cry sounded terrifying….and painful. The cry had come from Leaf.

Gary took his time walking through the hallways. He wasnt looking forward to another performance. All week, they had been putting up shows from Saffron, to Lavender, even making a trip to Celadon once. He felt exhausted, and he really wasnt looking forward to tonight's show for Sabrina's advertising new French outfits. He flipped through the newly printed magazines with a tired, sideways smile. The new magazine of Misty had been submitted and her best pictures had been posted up. He couldnt help admiring the beauty of her long legs at the side of the pool at the top corner of the page.
"Dang, Misty, you should have magazines distributed throughout the other regions," muttered Gary. "If only we had the money."
Suddenly, he heard a faint yell. He looked up from the magazine. "That sounded like....Leaf," he said. He walked around a nearby wall and followed the sound of Leaf's constant anger.
"Ugh! that stupid fiend of Pikachu! I'M GOING TO KILL ASH!" Leaf was yelling at the top of her lungs, and Gary couldnt help snickering. She sounded like she would be yelling at him. But then he heard Misty's voice.
"I'll find him for you," she sounded angry. "You had no right for this to happen."
Gary peered around a corner and found Leaf kneeling with her back turned to him, and Misty in front of her. Red was standing by their sides, looking down with a look of horror on his face. Leaf seemed to be carrying something in her arms.
"IT'S NOT FAIR!" Leaf's voice was full of rage and despair.
Gary made his way up behind her. "Hey," he gave her back a slight friendly nudge with his foot. "What's your problem now?"
Leaf whipped around to face Gary, her eyes filled with tears and anger. "JERK! GET AWAY FROM ME!" She gave his leg an angry smack.
Misty turned to meet his gaze. "Gary! Hey, you havent seen Pikachu wandering around the lobby, havent you?"
Gary raised his eyebrows. "Nah, not yet. Why? Is it still here?"
"Look what it's done to Leaf's Meowth!" Red suddenly pointed to what was in Leaf's hands, and Gary widenened his eyes at the terrible sight.
Leaf was holding her Meowth, Belle-- or what was left of it. The poor thing was torn, bloody and lifeless, hanging limp with its arms and a leg looking like it was going to fall off. Its face had its eyes squeezed shut and had blood plastered almost all over its face. Its claws were still unsheathed and its teeth curled in a snarl, and Gary could tell that the pokemon must've been killed in a brutal battle.
Gary stared down at the Meowth, awestruck. "Holy......what in the world? Pikachu did this?!"
Leaf huffed and whipped her back towards him, her face still turned and glaring at him. She didnt want anyone seeing her pokemon in this state. "Obviously! Who else would be vital enough to do something like this?!"
Red nodded, looking just as surprised. "Not even people like Team Rocket would ever commit something as bad as this."
Gary was shaking his head, still wide-eyed in shock at the sight of the terrible sight of Belle. "No....especially...."
Misty met his gaze. "Something terrible's going to happen. Pikachu can continue even harsher acts like this. This hasnt even been the worst of it yet."
"Argh! Yes it has!" Leaf's voice shook with grief, and she tried to keep a narrowed glare on her face to fight back tears. "My pokemon is DEAD all because Ash's stupid Pikachu is under some stupid spell with.....that ice pokemon!" She buried her face on her Meowth's shoulder, not caring about the blood that would stick to her face. Gary saw tears start to fall from the corners of her eyes. ".....my Belle..."
Gary felt heartbroken for her, and he wanted nothing more than to just have her come to his arms and hug her. If only she still felt that way about him.
Gary suddenly looked at Red with a frown. "Pikachu has to be stopped. It doesnt matter how it can be freed, but it has to be caught, and kept under control for now."
Misty joined his side. "Barry and Oak were out to look for him. In the meantime, we really should help Leaf do something about her pokemon."
"What about Ash?" Gary questioned.
Misty's expression narrowed and she didnt meet his gaze. "Oh, he was going to find Red and Leaf, actually," she turned to the two who had their backs faced towards them. Red had an arm around Leaf, and he was muttering something softly in her ear as she buried her tears in her pokemon’s shoulder.
“Just to let you guys know, Ash is wanting to come with you to those Seafoam Islands and see Mew,” said Misty tartly.
Gary glanced at her. “Huh! I thought he was more interested in helping his Pikachu.”
Misty rolled her eyes. “Yeah! that’s why he thinks Mew can SOMEHOW help his little buddy become its real loyal self again. You guys are leaving first thing tomorrow, so it’s up to you whether to accept it or not.”
Misty was speaking as if something about it irritated her. what could be wrong with the way Ash wanted to help Pikachu?
Red winced. “Take Ash with us?” He glanced at Leaf and then shrugged. “I guess it doesn’t matter. As long as he doesn’t take devil Pikachu with him.”
Leaf let out a frustrated huff and slowly started walking away.
Misty raised her eyebrows. “He’s going to have to. He can’t just leave his own pokemon behind and not be responsible for the damage it can do.”
Leaf whipped around, glaring venom in her eyes. “I will NOT have Pikachu come with us to anywhere! NEVER!” She ran away, carrying Belle tightly in her hands.
Red ran after her. “Leaf, wait!”
Misty and Gary watched them go. Misty sighed. “It’s gonna take a while before Leaf decides what to do with Belle,” she murmured sadly. She narrowed her eyes. “I would feel just the same if something like that happened to any of my pokemon.”
Gary gave her a raised look. “You sure they’re kept safe for now? That Pikachu can be anywhere, it’s probably out slaughtering a human its always hated…..like Paul!”
Misty gave him an indignant frown. “Oh, shut up! Pikachu never hated anybody! It’s just not itself right now, and I want to find out why. I want to find out more about that Xenox! Evidence about that stupid pokemon is still left unknown as can be! There’s hardly anything to look for about it!”
Gary sighed. “Yeah. I’d like to investigate that pokemon…..it’s pretty interesting. To think that it’s actually connected with that Ice Spear? Think of what it can do.”
Misty shook her head and walked away. “We don’t have time for this. We’ve got to get ready for our performance. I forgot I’ve been wearing this expensive French dress this whole time.”
Gary caught up to her and raised an eyebrow. “I bet you surprised Ash in that outfit. Did he tell you how stunning you looked?”
Misty winced and then met Gary’s eyes. “He didn’t say anything,” she muttered. “He totally forgot I was even there when he got all worked up about Pikachu.”
“Really? That’s a bit unfair. You care just as much about Pikachu. Doesn’t he take notice in that?”
Misty huffed and walked faster, holding her head high. “He doesn’t notice anything when it comes to doing the best for his pokemon. Not even me. I don’t want to talk about it.”
She was about to step down the stairs, but then a spark of electricity zapped from above her like a lightning bolt, just on the first step away from her. misty gasped and stumbled back in surprise, almost losing her balance and rolling off the stairs.
Gary caught her arm and pulled her back, nearly tripping himself as another zap of electricity zapped behind him. “Whoa!” He yelled in surprise, frowning in frustration. He had Misty laying back on him, holding her shoulders with his arms to keep her from dropping.
She had a look of terror in her eyes. “Where’d that come from?!”
“There’s an air vent here!” Gary glared up as he saw two gleaming eyes from the closed air vent above.
“Pii….” An angry snarl came from the passageways above, echoing through the ceiling, and it let out a zap towards both of them, and Gary fell back, letting Misty fall back on top of him. The smell of her shampooed, fresh hair wafted through his nose and he squeezed his eyes shut.
“PiiiKAA!”
“Hey, go away!” Gary snapped, feeling irritated.
To his surprise, the pokemon dashed away, running along in the hidden tunnels above in the ceiling.
Gary raised his eyebrows. “Okay then.”
Misty stood upright, escaping his grasp. She looked at him with slight surprise. for a moment, they met eyes, and said nothing. Then Gary blinked and looked away, narrowing his eyes. “Can we get to our floor now?”
Misty sighed. “Yeah…..sorry, I got scared.” She was red with embarrassment.
Gary met her gaze, raising his eyebrows, feeling a strange feeling run through him. She stood there, turned sideways, looking ashamed. She still looked dazzlingly pretty. It was like another awesome pose he could take a picture of. He blinked. “Oh, it’s nothing, don’t worry ‘bout it……”
Misty sighed and turned away. “Ash just doesn’t understand my true feelings for him, even now. He thinks he can just leave and forget about how important he swore to stay here with me, to be here for us. I mean…..I totally want him to help Pikachu, I really don’t want him giving up on his best friend. But…..at the same time, he just doesn’t realize anything else about us when he’s so focused on doing what he thinks is best.”
Gary looked at her with solemn wonder. She was suddenly sharing her feelings with him. Her eyes looked down and tired. “Hm….you ought to talk to him about it. Try to make him see how you really feel.”
“I’ve tried that!”
“Tried yelling at him? Or actually tried reasoning?”
Misty’s gaze faltered. “Well…..I usually try not to start it out by yelling at him…..”
Gary gave her a smile and took her hand, walking down the stairs with her. “We’ll see what happens. I’m sure Ash really does care about you…..if he didn’t, he wouldn’t even be here in the first place. But trust me. Whether he leaves or not, he won’t forget you.”
Gary was gazing into her eyes with understanding. He tried to ignore the pang of irritation at the thought of having to photograph Ash and Misty in a magazine together if they ever got close to something like…..marriage. That would be one picture of Misty Gary DIDN’T want to take.
Misty met his gaze with uncertainty, but as she noticed the warm look in his eyes, she suddenly cracked a thin smile at the edge of her lips. “Thanks……” she said, looking away. “I just hope…I just hope everything turns out for all of us.”
Gary laughed. “What? Between you, Ash, and Pikachu? Come on, Pikachu’s just a pokemon.”
Misty didn’t answer.
Gary’s smile faltered. “No, seriously. It could’ve tried to kill you back there.”
Misty shot him a grimace. “What are you talking about?”
Gary shook his head. “I dunno. Come on, we’re almost late.”
As he rushed towards the door to their room, thoughts suddenly flashed through his head. Images of Misty and Ash together, and Misty and Ash breaking apart. He couldn’t think straight. He suddenly felt lost in the fruity, orangey scent he had noticed Misty had smelled of. He was still holding her hand. The look on her face when she had fallen on him for a moment—he felt lost.
He suddenly remembered Leaf, and how she and Red were going to go away tomorrow—together. The irritated feelings of Red and Leaf going on journeys with just each other alone didn’t bug him anymore, but he suddenly worried for Leaf. How was she going to cope, knowing that one of her very own pokemon had been…..killed in a brutal fight?
He squeezed his eyes shut and opened them into a narrowed gaze, trying to push back all his troubled thoughts, and focused on his business as he and Misty entered their modeling room.

Up in the passageways of the ceiling, Pikachu ran through the air vent. It suddenly stopped and looked around, sniffing. “Pii….” Its small voice doubled in a snarl. He looked down through another vent, and saw that three humans were gathered together, speaking in low voices.
“That can’t be!” A familiar voice was heard over the rest. “Snowpoint City’s got nothing to do with Xenox! Hey! Wait! Isnt that the place where Wallace suddenly disappeared?” The voice was Barry’s.
“Exactly what I meant,” spoke Ethan. “Perhaps more pokemon besides Mew could be a link to the secrets of Xenox. Remember what happened to Mesprit a few years ago?”
Pikachu’s head buzzed. These names. Mew. Uxie. Mesprit……….Xenox…..they all sounded so familiar in its brain, as if it had once interacted with them once before….as if they had once played…a VERY important part in its life. Pikachu shook its head, ignoring the strange feeling. He suddenly let out a shock of electricity, as well as a bit of extra, deadly power…….a strange power of aura…..occurring in the light of its zap as a purple fluid and oozing green. Someone gave a piercing cry of pain, and Pikachu drowned its scream with an angry cry of power, raising its head up and squeezing its eyes shut.

Everything went black. The last thing Dawn saw before falling over in dead faint, were the horrified faces of Barry, Ethan, and Lyra. Somethin had zapped her—and it was no question that the zap came from Pikachu. She suddenly felt her head spin and she fainted within a few seconds, feeling herself fall into somebody’s arms before everything went black.
She reopened her eyes to a strange, chilly place. The environment seemed….distractingly familiar. She lay in the cold, bitter softness of snow, and slowly rose up, narrowing her eyes and looking around. the wind blew in her face, and she felt like she was reliving a certain time in her past. This place was barren, cold, and extremely nauseous. She stood up.
“W-where am I?” She suddenly remembered talking about Xenox with Barry, Ethan, and Lyra. Her heart lifted. “Xenox?” The place was achingly cold, and she felt her life freeze away at every blow of the air.
But suddenly, a breezy flow of snow circled her, and suddenly, she felt a strange warmth ebb through her.
“Dawn…..” the voice was a female’s, and instantly, Dawn recognized the soothing, distant voice that sounded mysterious and lonely in the wind. “……do you remember this place…?”
Dawn let out a small gasp. “Kaira……”
A light opened in the gray thick sky. a magnificently stunning white pokemon appeared in the heavens above like an angel. The pokemon was like a dove, or a lovebird of some kind, with feather pure white and a beak clear and bluish like the ice glaciers. The eyes portrayed an angelic, calm gaze, but surprisingly familiar to Dawn, for this pokemon had once been a very good friend to her, Barry, and Lucas only a few years ago, only it had been in the form of a human girl, instead of the legendary, powerful pokemon it was now. The beautiful dove-like pokemon had its majestic winds spread out, and its dazed but focused green eyes laid on Dawn.
Dawn felt so small looking up at the pokemon who used to be their friend in Twinleaf Town, as a lonely, depressed girl called Kaira. Now here she was, the pokemon Dovanna, bringer of love in the fifth dimension, much far from their own world than one could possibly imagine.
Dovanna spoke. She still had the same, calming and soothing voice as Kaira had, only now something about it made it sound more powerful. And this time, she was serious and intent. “Dawn…..your world’s coming to a terrible crisis. Pokemon will suffer…….hearts will freeze…….you will end up trusting no one.”
“What are you talking about?” Dawn felt strange and scared to be speaking to this pokemon…..it seemed like so long since she’s even seen her. “D-do you mean Xenox? Has it……is it close to waking?”
Dovanna blinked slowly. “I cannot read the inhabitants’ auras of your dimension. But I can tell you one thing……there is a disturbance occurring around the planet Gaiyah ever since your friends disappeared. Pokemon spirits of the fifth are disappearing, and some auras are being confined to ice.”
“You mean…..they are frozen and gone?” Dawn remembered how in the world of the fifth dimension, dreams came to life. It was like a world one would awaken to if they slept here in their own world on earth. They would see their feelings and dreams come to life, some in forms of pokemon themselves, or some just becoming the spirits with the nature of the fifth dimension. If those became….frozen or washed away somehow….then it would have to occur in the first dimension on earth, first.
“A strange disturbance has tilted your world,” said Dovanna with intent. Her green eyes bore down onto Dawn. “You haven’t been touched by it yet….but it’s on the verge. You must find the cause somewhere on your planet, and find a way to stop it. that’s all I can tell you.”
Dawn suddenly raised her eyebrows. “Dovanna……you know about Xenox, right? I mean……there may not be many people here who believe in the pokemon enough to make it real in your dimension…..but perhaps--”
“Xenox…..” said Dovanna suddenly, looking up and ahead over Dawn. “……the name brings a strange sense of feeling…..but no. If it hasn’t come alive as much in your own world, seen by no people or pokemon up to this day, then its aura isnt strong enough to be living in the world of the fifth dimension. One must feel entirely strong about its existence…..before it can come alive as an aura in our own world. All I can tell you is this: something out there is disturbing your world. To put it logically, someone is having some strong disturbing dream, a dream that is strongly believed in and controlled, a dream that is strong enough to break through the gap of time of enter alive in the fifth dimension….though it is not fully alive yet. So far, the disturbing nightmare is only beginning, slowly showing signs of its strong belief and dreams in our dimension. Pretty soon, the dream will become stronger, and when it does become strong enough, it will fully come to power in our dimension……after it comes alive on yours. Find the bearer of the dream that may be affecting your world…..do something about it before either of our worlds are affected.”
Dawn nodded, looking up into Dovanna’s eyes. Her feather were pure, bright white, and almost transparent in her beautiful wings. “Our world has been getting slight signs also. Pikachu…..it’s…..it’s been transfixed.” Dawn felt bitter. “And we’ve been getting some signs of strange signs of winter, like the snow that just whipped our friends away, and that terrible Ice Spear.”
Dovanna met her gaze. “Be strong. Find out what you can…before it’s too late.” Dovanna closed her eyes for a moment, and then reopened them again. “Oh…..and please…would you do me a favor?”
Dawn suddenly felt the old bond of friendliness run through her as she gave an intent look. “Of course, Dovanna. Anything.”
Dovanna sighed and closed her eyes. “Please…..just call me Kaira,” she spoke quickly.
“Okay.”
“And please….” She opened her eyes, and they were full of grief and longing, even more than what they had used to look like when Dawn had first met her as a new neighbor in Twinleaf. “Please tell Barry……….I think of him every day. I….I never go through a moment in my life without thinking of him. Whenever I know that he isn’t with me anymore, and that we can’t be together, I keep the love in my spirit strong by telling myself that his love is still in my own dreams, even though his love and feelings can never break through to this world.”
Dawn felt her heart rise. It was true. Only Barry could never have his dreams pass through the gap of time and come alive in the fifth dimension. When he had visited before, he was confined and punished by the element of ice, for he had been the one to have destroyed Kaira’s love long before she had ven come to their world. So now even though he had proved his dedication and spirit to the fifth by help saving the entire dimension, his aura would never lose the frozen element of ice that still attached to it, making sure his dreams never left anywhere but his own world. “At least he can still dream and remember you. It doesn’t matter where it goes…. as long as he’s able to remember and keep it in his own heart. And yes….I’ll tell him.” She gave Dovanna a promising smile and Dovanna gave her a thankful expression, before spreading her wings, and letting another light shine beside her.
Dawn raised her eyebrows at the sight of another beautiful and majestic pokemon that was as glamorous and brilliant as Dovanna. It was Phandolia, the phantom unicorn of the fifth dimension, the legendary bringer of goodness and happiness. He was also known as Lan, the handsome, silver-haired human with eyes and hair as bright and silver as the mane on his back as a pokemon. Phandolia met Dawn’s gaze with a look of admiration and humbleness. Dawn smiled back.
Phandolia and Dovanna met each other’s gazes with touching looks of warmth and love, just as they had before they had ever seen Dawn, Barry, or Lucas again, disappearing together back into the clouds.
As Dovanna slowly faded back into the heavens, a strange wind blew over the clouds that she disappeared into, and a strange lonely cry was heard. It sounded deadly and creepy, but at the same time, it gave Dawn a shuddering, lonesome feeling. She suddenly felt herself falling back asleep.
“Dawn! Wake up! You still alive?!”
Dawn suddenly shot her eyes open, finding herself in a fresh-smelling room, laying on the couch with a thin blanket. She was at the pokemon center. Barry was by her side, gazing down at her with shocked, surprised eyes.
“Barry!” She gasped, sitting up.
“Okay you’re not dead!” Sighed Barry. Dawn couldn’t tell if it was relief or irritation in his tone. “For a second, I thought I was gonna be responsible for killing you! remember how I swore that one day you were going to die for your stupid ideas, and that I said I would make sure I would be at your funeral if that were the case?”
Dawn winced and gave him a slight push. “Shut up! You’d be at my funeral anytime, and you know it!” She suddenly gave a serious gaze before he could say anything back. “I had a strange dream.” She said urgently.
Barry smiled and crossed his arms. “That’s great. Were you kissing Paul?”
“What?!” Dawn suddenly shot up to her feet, glaring down at him with angry blue eyes. “Why would you--?!”
“Or was it Lucas?” Barry pressed on, keeping a raised look on his face.
Dawn rolled her eyes. “Grow up, will you?” She huffed. “If I did have a stupid dream like that, would I even mention it to you? Only May and Misty talk about if they had their sex dreams!”
Barry laughed. “I didn’t say it was--”
“Listen!” She kneeled down and faced him again. “I had a dream that I was back in the fifth dimension.”
Barry suddenly looked intent at this. “The fifth?” His voice suddenly calmed, and his expression faltered. Dawn wondered if he was remembering Kaira. Before she had left him to become Dovanna, they had both confessed their love for each other. Dawn had never seen Barry so intrigued and devoted when he had parted with Kaira—or Dovanna as she was now.
Dawn nodded slowly. “I….I met Dovanna. She was warning me….about a strange disturbance affecting our planet.”
Barry looked down and his eyes seemed to look troubled and saddened. He said nothing.
Dawn spoke carefully. “She told me she loves you,” she told him with a hopeful tone. “She told me she’s never forgotten you, and that she will always keep you in her memories, deep within her heart.” Barry said nothing, and Dawn added, “I’m sure she will see you one day. Not even something like the gap between the dimensions can separate her love she still feels for you.”
Barry squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again, narrowing them. “It’s just not fair. The only reason we can’t even see each other through dreams or by believing is because it was my fault to have done that to Mesprit.”
Dawn bit her lip, feeling a pang of sorrow. “Hey, that was an accident.” Just three years ago, when Kaira had come to their town as a strange, unsocial frail girl, she had only made friends with Barry, avoiding the company of everyone else, especially Dawn herself. She had even fallen in love with Barry, though no one, not even Barry, new about her secret feelings for him. And when she, Barry, Lucas, and Dawn had been whipped to the fifth dimension, they didn’t learn until later that Barry had been the cause of Kaira to become a human in their world, destroying her love as the pokemon Dovanna to become the hopeless, depressed human being on earth. He had messed with Mesprit at Lake Verity, and somehow, the Being of Emotions had torn away the feelings of love Dovanna had and she was easily taken over by an evil spirit who had turned her into a helpless human and kicked her from the fifth dimension. That spirit……had been Prima Dona.
But now that Kaira had her love restored and she had become Dovanna again, she and Barry had developed a love for each other neither would ever forget. Because of her feelings for Barry, she was able to find her true feelings again, and become Dovanna, legendary keeper of love. Dawn gave a hopeful look. “Barry, if it weren’t for you, Kaira would’ve never learned to feel love and happiness again. she would’ve never become what she really was inside—the pokemon of love in the fifth dimension. She’s the one who controls all the strong feelings of love, and lets them come alive in her own dimension. With her, people and pokemon’s strong feelings of love and happiness can come alive in the fifth dimension, living as happy spirits, and even creating love in that world as well.”
“But I can’t do that!” Said Barry. “My feelings and my strong hopes are the only ones that arent able to come alive in that dimension…..and it’s my own fault.” He looked bitterly heartbroken and distressed. “If my own love can’t come alive over there…..what’s the point? It’s not fair.”
Dawn felt sympathetic. Barry got up and walked over to stare out the window nearby. She slowly followed and kept her gaze on him. She wanted nothing more than to be in his arms, and comfort him with reassuring words. He was her best friend…..and maybe almost even more than that. She didn’t like seeing his outgoing and eager face look so down and sorrowful. “Hey….you don’t need the fifth dimension to know that your dreams will come alive. Your mind and heart are another dimension where your own deep thoughts can be brought to life. You still have hope, and dedication. You can still remember her.”
Barry shook his head, still looking uncertain and distracted. “No……just what else did she tell you in your dream?” He faced her with a somewhat frustrated expression. “You said she was warning about a strange disturbance in our world?”
“In her world,” said Dawn. Then she raised her eyebrows. “But whatever’s been happening in her world, it has to have happened here first.”
“I bet it’s Xenox,” spoke Barry quickly. “It seems like EVERYTHING’S pointing to that pokemon now! and yet, no one but us know it even exists.”
“I was thinking……perhaps the strange dreams and hopes that affect the world of Gaiyah in the fifth dimension are coming from Xenox. Didn’t Oak say that if that pokemon were to awaken……the world would suffer in a state of frozen, lifeless ice?”
Barry crossed his arms. “Yeah. And since we’ve been experiencing strange happenings with the ice already, like that Ice Spear taking over Pikachu, I bet that Xenox may be close to waking. It’s like it’s slowly damaging parts of the world with small amounts of snowstorms while it sleeps in peace, and that it dreams of powerful dreams of one day ruling the world in ice. I bet those feelings are what’s causing the disturbances in the fifth dimension on the planet of Gaiyah as well?”
“Exactly what I was thinking!” Said Dawn indignantly. Barry’s mind was so much like hers…..sometimes. “And Dovanna was warning me….the trouble’s just barely making its way through the time gap to her dimension. The disturbance is slowly waking in our own world, and when it becomes too strong, our world will suffer….as well as her own world.”
Barry stared out the window, dazed in the grayness and cold look outside. “Imagine every being of life frozen on our own planet……there would be no life, no dreams to fulfill. There would be no imagination to keep the world of the fifth going and alive with the spirits of nature.”
Dawn huffed. “We’ve got to get involved. May, Drew and Brendan are gone, and Red and Leaf are off to the Seafoam Islands to try and find Mew to see if it can help them with anything. Ash’s Pikachu is possessed, and I think we should start acting. We probably know more about how to solve this whole thing with Xenox more than anyone else.”
“Huh! Well, what should we do? The fifth dimension isnt as simple as just wishing for a dream or something to happen, and then have it come alive over there. What CAN we do?”
Dawn gave him an intent look and grabbed his hand, looking into his eyes. “We can go to Lake Valor. We can see Azelf, the Being of Willpower. A pokemon as powerful as Azelf, with the power to keep the world in balance—OUR wolrd in balance—perhaps we can learn a thing or two about what Xenox is up to, and how we can stop it.”
Barry blinked, meeting her intent gaze. “Oh yeah….Azelf…..but wait! We should say good-bye to Red and Leaf first. I bet their already leaving by now.”
Dawn widened her eyes and let go of his hand. “It’s only 6 in the morning?”
Barry gave her a teasing smile and looked at his pokewatch. “You woke up pretty dang early. And because of you, I couldn’t sleep all night!”
Dawn smiled and tilted her head. “Aw thanks,” she said sweetly.
Barry chuckled. “I was kept awake by your twitching and constant snoring in your little sleep trance.”
Dawn’s mouth dropped open. “Oh, cut it out! You said you thought I was DEAD when Pikachu electrified me!”
“Hah! Well, Ethan and Lyra did. They were just here a few moments before you woke up, but they had to leave since they wanted to go with Tracey and Jimmy to do some weird star-gazing thingy at the borders of this town.” Barry rolled his eyes and laughed. “Tracey’s becoming a freak on astronomy now. so many stars he’s been studying.”
Dawn laughed. “Well, I wanna say good-bye to Red and Leaf also, before they leave. But then we better talk to everyone about heading towards Lake Valor to find Azelf. I tell you, if anything’s disturbing the world’s balance, especially in something as simple as weather, Azelf certainly knows who it is. It can help us more than we know.”
Dawn and Barry bid Red and Leaf farewell at the docks of Vermilion City. Dawn liked the smell of the seaside, warm air in Vermilion, and she was thankful that there was still some places that wasn’t experiencing the drastic chills that have been occurring in the past few weeks. It seemed as if the sun was becoming less warm each day, and Dawn suddenly felt the presence of Xenox get closer and closer.
Professor Oak, Ash, Misty, Brock, Tracey, Paul, and everyone else who had come along from the dance night were calling their good-byes to Red and Leaf as they sailed out at sea.
Barry huffed. “So! I bet if we HAVE to go and find Azelf all the way back in Lake Valor, you really have to come along too?”
Dawn whipped her gaze over to him with a wince. “Of course I’m coming! What? You think you can just leave by yourself and just leave me here?”
Barry laughed. “Darn! You really are coming! This will be soooo fun.”
Dawn nudged him. “Cut it out!” She didn’t care if he was just joking again. “I’m NOT staying here.”
“Why not?”
Dawn didn’t meet his gaze. She stared out at the sea after Red and Leaf’s boat. She had a narrowed gaze. “Because….”
“Because?”
“’Cause there’s no one here to look after me,” she gave him another nudge.
Barry raised his eyebrows. “Oh really?”
Dawn gave him a look, but he wasn’t looking at her. She saw that his gaze was fixed over on Paul, who was just a distance in front of them to the side.
Dawn rolled her eyes. “Barry…..” she muttered.
“What? You TOLD me that he has feelings for you.” He suddenly lowered his voice. “Remember in the fifth dimension?”
Dawn huffed. “Don’t remind me!”
Barry chuckled. “I bet he looked amazing when he met you at the beach.” He face was a teasing smile. “I could imagine Team Solar training him until he got ripped.”
“Shut up!” She hissed, whipping her head away as she realized Paul suddenly glanced right at them.
Barry laughed and gave her a nudge back.
“He can HEAR you…..” Dawn hissed through clenched teeth. She felt hot with embarrassment, and she gave Barry’s ankle a soft kick as he grabbed her shoulders and made a smooching noise in her ear. She turned to see that Paul was still staring at them, and even though he was out of earshot, the look on his face was obvious that he knew they were talking about him.
“Hey! What’s up with YOU two?” Came a voice from behind. It was Lucas.
Dawn saw Paul roll his eyes and look back out towards the sea, and she turned to meet Lucas’s friendly gaze.
“Oh hey, Lucas!” Greeted Barry. “Listen, there’s something pretty tight we have to tell you. but it can wait until later! How was Sabrina?”
Dawn gasped and gave an excited look. “Oh yeah! did you get to battle her?”
Lucas sighed and looked to the ground. “We battled……kinda.”
“Kinda? Be more specific! Did you lose?” Barry pressed.
“I’ll tell you ‘bout it later,” said Lucas urgently. “For now…come here. I found something pretty neat. You guys should check it out.”
Dawn cast one more glance over at Paul. He was walking away, his dark purple hair blowing in the breezy wind. As she watched him go, she couldn’t help but remember. Back in the fifth dimension, he had become one of Team Solar, captured by their dark powers, and strange, inhumane abilities to control pokemon. He wanted to be as powerful like them, and that had driven him to become transfized by their cunning and evilness. One night on a beach, Dawn had caught Paul alone out by the sea, and their encounter had been a strange, but intriguing one. He had been in the same showering area by the bathrooms of the empty beach, right before either of them had decided to wash. She had tried her best to make him realize what a mistake he was making, and even though she didn’t exactly convince him to give up his ambition that was turning him into a monster, she did open his eyes to see how much she had really cared about him. More than once, they had snuck away from the others, to see each other….just to have some alone time. Eventually, their moments got less strange and awkward, and more romantic and serious. Paul was beautiful to her—both inside and out. She had been beautiful to him in the same way. she hoped that he hadn’t forgotten that.

The lonely waves crashed along the shores of the Vermilion Beach. Paul stood at the deck of the harbor, gazing out into the gray horizon beyond. The climate was distant and quiet. Paul felt as if there were something, something mysterious and powerful, out there, watching the face of the earth with a controlling intention. It was as if mother nature was nervous and waiting for something to happen. The days seemed to become gloomier and gloomier, as if the earth within was getting sick. Paul felt the cold chill of the air breeze through his hair. He was deep in thought, wondering about what pokemon might be out there. Xenox. The ice-dragon legendary. The pokemon that supposedly controlled the harsh snowstorms and blizzards that sometimes destroyed the earth.
“What if one day…..I get to meet a pokemon like that?” Paul wondered silently. “What if……I got to control a pokemon that can be powerful enough to control the world?” He knew it was hardly possible, but he still just wondered—what if?
“Hey, Paul?”
Paul turned to see that Dawn was standing a few yards behind, wearing her pink jacket and white scarf. Her hair blew in the breeze, and she had a look of concern and longing.
Paul kept a serious gaze on his face and turned away. “I thought you’d still be in the pokemon center,” he muttered. “Heard you got attacked by Pikachu.”
Dawn chuckled. “Oh, yeah well, I was. But fortunately, I wasn’t affected deeply. Nurse joy just told me I had to be careful with my skin now. The only thing the shock did was make my skin more vulnerable. I just have to put this lotion on every day for a week….and stay away from the sun, which shouldn’t be too hard.”
Paul said nothing and just gave a single nod, focused on beyond the sea. Where could Xenox even be? Was it high in the mountains of Snowpoint? Was it deep down in the depths of the coldest seas?
Dawn suddenly approached his side slowly. “Hey, I just….I just wanted to tell you….I had a dream about the fifth dimension.”
At this, Paul gave Dawn a raised look. Memories of the strange world flooded back to him, coming all at once that he did not know what to feel. So much had happened to him there.
Dawn continued. “Dovanna came to me…..and she gave me a warning.”
And Dawn told Paul all about what Dovanna had said about the strange disturbance that was occurring in their world, and how it was slightly starting to affect their world. Something was stirring in their planet of pokemon. Something that was going to get stronger and soon affect their world in a way for the fifth dimension to be deeply affected with the result. Paul could think of no other conclusion than Xenox.
“I do think it has something to do with Xenox,” said Dawn quietly, staring out at the sea with clouded eyes. “I mean……if that pokemon ever freezes up our world, we would have no life, no thoughs and feelings to feel, as we’re trapped and frozen in the power of ice. there would be no imagination for the fifth dimension to keep going on, and pretty soon, all the living beings of that world, all the pokemon and people and spirits, they will be all gone.”
Paul raised his eyebrows. He suddenly felt her hand touch his. Dawn sighed. “Paul…..you understand what that could mean, don’t you? you know how important the fifth dimension can be—for the good AND the bad.”
Paul looked down. he had done bad things before. He had done things in that dimension that he would never forget, and even though he tried best not to think about it, the thoughts were still alive in his head—alive enough to come true in that world somehow, and create a spirit that was just like a duplicate of his bad side. He felt bitter. But he had also done good things too- one of the best things that the world would never forget. He had brought the darkness of Impasar to combine with the light of Haloana, so that the angel and devil pokemon could become one—and become Gaiyah again. together, he and Dawn were like the shining light and the evil darkness, brought together to make two pokemon to become one. And he had grown closer to Dawn throughout their journey in the world of Gaiyah as well. He could never forget the times he had spent, sneaking away from Team Solar just to see her. they had become closer friends, more romantic and fond of each other. she had really opened up his heart in a way he had never felt before.
Paul looked into Dawn’s eyes, and he could tell she was still feeling the same way for him as well. She gazed up at him and opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it and looked away, not knowing what to say.
Paul blinked slowly. “Our feelings lie in the fifth dimension. If they become strong enough, they can come to life. Just like a belief that a certain pokemon exists….perhaps if it becomes strong enough and you put all your belief into it, it may just come alive in that fifth dimension. Just like….how our feelings can come alive.” Paul and Dawn both knew that if they did have feelings for each other, it might just be that those feelings might come alive in the fifth dimension ,so that their spirits in the fifth can somehow come alive as a couple, either in the form of unseen spirits, or even pokemon…if their feelings were really that strong that they became real live beings in the fifth. Dawn still wasn’t meeting his gaze, but Paul suddenly felt the need to look into her eyes again. He laid his right hand on the other side of her cheek, and carefully turned her face to look up at him. Her eyes were full of clouded feelings.
“I guess….” She murmured. “If our love can come alive their, why shouldn’t it come alive here?”
Paul shook his head. He never felt this way about Dawn—or anyone in his life before. For a moment, they gazed at each other, and Paul thought it was just simple enough for him to lean closer…..and give her a kiss……
“Hey, Dawn!”
Paul and Dawn suddenly looked over to where Lucas and Barry were coming over in the distance along a trail.
Paul immediately took his hand off her cheek, frowning at the two as they made their way up to them.
Lucas looked upcoming and happy. “Hey, you ready? Got all your pokemon and things you need?”
Paul looked at Dawn. “You’re going somewhere?”
Dawn sighed. “Yeah, we’re going over to Lake Valor. We told the professor we were going to try and find answers from Azelf. I would think a pokemon as in control of the world as Azelf could provide us some pretty good answers.”
Paul looked at her with serious intent. “Azelf’s not an easy pokemon to just call over and ask questions to. It’s sometimes invisible. How are you going to find it?”
“Well, that’s what we’re going figure out!” Said Barry. “And Oak told us not to go anywhere further than just Lake Valor. He wants us to call him if anything new or important happens. So come on! I wanna get to Azelf before a storm just suddenly kills me like what happened to May!”
Dawn huffed and gave him a look. “Don’t say she was killed! We still have no idea where they could be!”
Lucas paid a ticket to a nearby sailor that just arrived by the shore. “You guys ready? The S.S. Anne’s leaving right now.”
“Oh! I’ve always wanted to ride the S.S. Anne!” Barry suddenly jumped down from the deck and in front of the boat next to the harbor.
Dawn laughed and then met Paul’s gaze. “Well, I’ll be going, I guess. Hey, you can come with us if you want. Don’t you want to find out a thing or two about what Azelf could know?”
Lucas turned and shot Dawn a wince. “What?” He hissed. Paul met Lucas’s gaze with narrowed eyes. Lucas had never been a real fan of him.
But Barry suddenly appeared on the deck again. “Hey, if Paul could come with us, that’d be awesome! We could use extra pokemon for whenever there’s trouble with anything.”
Paul looked out at the sea, avoiding anyone’s gaze. He did want to figure things out about Xenox…..but the thought of going on a journey with Dawn…..in front of everyone else—especially Lucas—was disturbing to him. But he realized he would feel even more distracted if he stayed here alone without Dawn. The dance nights that Oak still provided every 9:00 would seem too lonely, and plus, there wasn’t any other person left to look forward to. “I’ll come….” He said, frowning at the horizon. The clouds seemed to have already gotten thicker and a darker gray. “But I’ll figure things out with Azelf by myself.” He turned to meet Lucas’s gaze directly. “I am in no need to come along and work with you guys. I’m here to figure things out MY way, alone. Whatever you guys want to do, leave me out of it; I’m only here with you for the journey, not anything else.”
He felt Dawn’s expression falter, but he didn’t meet it. at least he would be around her presence, and that was all that mattered right now. he turned and passed Barry, who watched him as he stepped onto the boat, not looking back.
Dawn, Lcuas and Barry staredat him, and he felt their gaze bear into him. He heard Lucas mutter something, and Dawn sighed. “Okay then!” She tried to sound as outgoing as she can. “I guess we’ll be sailing off?”
The sailor closed the door behind them and the ship set saidl. As Paul looked ahead, he felt the uninviting blow of wind and a rumble in the sky. The weather didn’t look promising at all.

“Dawn! Barry!”
Ash’s voice yelled in the distance. Barry turned and saw that Ash, Misty, Brock, Gary, Lyra, and Ethan were headed over.
“Oh, great! We’re wasting valuable weather for sailing now,” said Barry aloud. “A storm can hit any moment, from the looks of it.” He got off the boat and hopped onto the deck. Dawn and Lucas came over and met up with everyone.
Ethan came up by Ash’s side. Ash spoke with intent. “Oak says you guys should take this pokemon with you before you leave.” Ash turned to Ethan and Ethan stepped forward, handing Lucas a pokeball.
“This is a Smoochum. Its ice type, and it can survive the cold climates that are constantly coming,” explained Ethan, raising his look at the pokeball. “Its lips can help feel for anything strange around you guys, such as the presence of a pokemon, or bad weather. It can really help you.”
Dawn smiled. “Oh, thank you!”
“No problem!” Said Lyra. “Just make sure you guys take good care of it. make sure you return safely so we can eventually have a dance night with EVERYONE.”
Misty chuckled. “That whole dance night thing sure did go to waste. We’ve barely found May, Drew, and Brendan!”
Ash faced her. “Hey, come on, I worked hard on this. Our dance nights are going great—it doesn’t matter how many people we have!”
Ethan turned and saw Misty winced at his snappy tone. “Well, because of their disappearance, everyone else is leaving as well! We’ve barely got anyone left.”
Ethan crossed his arms. “We’ve still got me, Lyra, and Jimmy. We’ve promised not to leave for anything. And I’m too lazy to investigate anything on Xenox.”
Ash huffed, narrowing his eyes, still facing Misty. “You’re just mad about Pikachu, arent you?” He said in a low voice.
Misty raised her eyebrows. “What?”
Ash turned away and faced Barry, Dawn, and Lucas. “You really think it’s Pikachu’s fault more people are wanting to leave.” He met Barry’s gaze. “Hey, so good luck. Are you sure you really want to find Azelf? I mean….the other two, Uxie and Mesprit, they can probably influence some info on Xenox.”
Ethan gasped. “Yeah! didn’t Wallace disappear by Lake Acuity a few weeks ago?”
Barry shrugged. “That’s why we’re going there! First, we’ll check out Azelf, though. We’ll try not to go any further than what we can find out from that pokemon.”
Brock suddenly spoke. “Hey, so Paul’s coming with you guys?”
Ethan saw that Paul was standing on the boat at the front, looking out at sea, clearly not wanting to say good-bye to everyone else.
Lucas nodded, rolling his eyes. “Unfortunately so.”
Dawn sighed. “Well, see you all later. Bye, Ash.”
She and Ash met eyes and Ash smiled. “See ya, Dawn. Take care. Oh! And make sure you tell Professor Rowan hi for me and Brock! I really miss the old guy…….he may not be the same as Professor Oak but they do share some funny things in common.”
Dawn narrowed her eyes playfully. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Ash shrugged. “Rowan’s older than Oak. But apparently, Oak’s got more experience than you know,” he psoke with a teasing tone.
Dawn gave him a look. “Really?” She laughed. “Prove it! has Oak ever experienced the mystery with the pokemon of time and space?”
Ethan nudged Lyra, giving a sideways look. “I hear Rowan’s a grumpy old jerk, and he’s really strict with kids.”
Lyra gave him a raised look. “We arent kids, though.” She laughed. “This is the same thing you told me when we were first going to meet Oak!”
Ethan shrugged. “Apparently one of us is still a kid at heart. And it’s not Dawn or Barry.”
Lyra gave him an indignant look. “Oh! Well, what have I done that’s still childish?” She crossed her arms. “Apparently, everyone’s told me how much I’ve matured more than you.”
Ethan chuckled. “They probably didn’t mean it the way you thought so.” He gave her hip a pinch and she gave his hand a slight smack.
Lyra’s expression looked more irritated than humored. “You’re just…..” she wasn’t meeting his gaze, and was staring out towards the boat, narrowing her eyes and shaking her head.
Ethan’s gaze faltered. He didn’t mean to offend her. “Sorry. I was just joking, you know.” He looked over to where Dawn and Ash seemed to be having a good time saying good-bye. Barry had joined in and was yakking about something that had to do with Buneary.
Lucas sighed and met Ethan’s gaze with a sideways look. Ethan laughed. “I guess some people don’t know when to stop talking,” he stopped himself for saying Lyra as an example. He felt disappointed.
Lucas shrugged. “I’ll be back at the boat while I’m waiting. Thanks for the Smoochum.” He gave Dawn a nudge. “Hey, we should be going, I’ll be waiting for you guys at the ship.”
Dawn stopped laughing. “Huh? No, we’re ready! Ash, you make sure you take care of Pikachu and DON’T be back-talking about how Barry’s Staraptor coincidentally defeated Buneary!”
“It wasn’t coincidental!” He huffed.
Ash laughed. “Yeah, I won’t. And thanks! It’s nice to hear someone actually give faith in me to help Pikachu…” Ash had his voice lowered.
Ethan raised his eyebrows and turned to see Misty, who had been standing behind Ash, watching him with a look of disgust on her face. She flinched and spoke up. “Hey! I care just as much about Pikachu like you do!”
“Then what’s your problem?” Ash muttered, not turning to meet her gaze.
“My problem?!” Misty looked ready to burst.
“Hey, come on, you guys,” said Gary in a flat voice, putting his hands on Misty’s shoulders and slowly pushing her away. ethan saw that his face looked slightly dirty and he had a bored look in his eyes. “I thought we were just gonna give them the pokemon and then leave. Misty and I have important things to do.”
Dawn blinked and looked at Ash and Misty with concern. “Okay then,” she shrugged. “Hope everything goes well for all of you. Good luck on your performances, Misty.”
Misty, who was still fuming, managed to nod and speak as politely as she can. “Thanks Dawn. I’ll make sure I do.”
Barry sighed and took Dawn’s hand, pulling her away. “Okay, well, good by all you guys. We’ll be leaving now, so let’s go before a storm hits and kills our ship. See ya, Ash!”
Lucas waved a hand good-bye. “By, Ethan! Lyra! Ash! Everyone!”
As they left towards the boat, Ethan narrowed his eyes over at Paul. “Huh! Good-bye, Paul. Have fun.” He muttered.
Ash sighed. “Ethan, Jimmy’s got Pikachu in that master ball of his, right?” Ash was looking at Ethan with clouded eyes.
Ethan nodded. “Yep. And we can’t even keep Pikachu locked in their forever also. Jimmy’s taken out his fiercest Gyarados in there to keep Pikachu.”
Lyra gasped. “Oh yeah! The red Gyarados he caught long time ago.”
Ethan nodded. “I bet he’s having a hard time keeping an eye on that by the pool near Saffron. Even after all these years, he’s having trouble controlling that pokemon’s behavior.”
Brock chuckled as they all turned to head back. “His Gyarados loves him as much as a pokemon could love its trainer though.”
Gary laughed. “Unless it’s got a devil in it.”
Ash huffed. “Cut it out!” He walked faster, keeping a frustrated look in his eyes.
Ethan watched him go. He turned to Lyra. “Kinda like when Jimmy lost his first starter, he was even worse than this.”
Lyra shrugged and didn’t answer.
“You okay?” Ethan stood closer to her, keeping up at her side. Lately, she had been looking distracted and a little down since the night May, Drew, and Brendan left.
“I’m fine,” she snapped. “I’m just concerned about everything going on, that’s all.” She made her way over to where Brock, Misty, and Gary were walking, and joined Misty’s side.
Ethan watched her go. And lately, she hadn’t been talking to him as much. Ethan frowned. Whatever was on her mind, he wanted to know. He had been teasing her, but his teasing had always shown affection and jokes towards her, making her feel happier about being around him. she had always looked to his teasing as an entertaining humor to stir up her spirit. They had always had a great time around each other, especially when they were younger kids. Now, she had almost become his soulmate, like someone almost more than a friend. Ethan hated to think of anything that could be distracting Lyra from feeling enlightened around him. He watched her carefully as she walked next to Misty, who was also looking pale and shaken as well. Clearly, the whole thing about Xenox and the strange happenings it could be causing was on everyone’s mind. He hoped whatever Red, Leaf, and everyone were doing was going to be worth it.
Back at Saffron, everyone had parted. Misty and Gary were greeted by a huge group of fans and had been left to sign autographs. Ash and Brock had gone to find Jimmy and Pikachu.
Ethan was going to go out training in the woods, and had asked if Lyra wanted to come. Unfortunately, she refused and wanted to go and help Ash with his Pikachu. Ethan made his way towards the route by Saffron alone.
As Ethan stopped to look around at the wide open field around him, he felt dazed in the lonely atmosphere of gloomy sky above. There were barely any trees around him, and he felt like the coldness above would swallow him up. The thought of a pokemon actually being able to freeze the earth with an unlikely death made him shiver more than the chilly breeze did.
There was a rustle behind him. Ethan turned and saw a pink sparkle through the bushes. Curiously, Ethan quietly made his way towards it. He peered over the bushes, and saw a small amount of snow with pink sparkles. Ethan kneeled down and touched it. It felt just like regular snow……and the pink sparkles glittered on his fingers.
Suddenly, something swooped behind him. Ethan whipped around and caught a dark figure just escape the corner of his eye. He stood up, narrowing his eyes.
He slowly turned, and then widened his eyes at what he saw standing behind him. He gasped with shock. “Silver!”
His old rival was standing tall, crossing his arms and facing him with a narrow-eyed smile. “Hey, there Ethan. Long time no see, huh?”
“What are you doing here?!” Ethan demanded. “I thought you said you were busy with family problems to attend our dance night.”
“Puh-lease,” Silver rolled his eyes. “Family problems mean nothing to me. I go out whenever I want to. I’ve been out chasing the new, awesome pokemon I just discovered instead.”
Ethan winced. “So you turned down an awesome week of fun and reunion with all of our old friends……just to go after a pokemon?” Ethan didn’t want to mention how things really did turn out, and that the dance night hadn’t even lasted a week of reunion time together.
Silver raised his eyebrows. “Of course! Havent you heard? It’s all over the news in Johto. There’s a strange pokemon appearing around these parts, showing signs of strange power and strength. Have you been paying attention to what’s happening back at home?”
Ethan raised his eyebrows. “A pokemon that has appeared around……”
“It’s been seen all over the regions actually,” said Silver carefully, his expression turning into a frown. “It’s been appearing and disappearing, as if it can’t make up its mind. And now it’s found it’s way over here to Kanto.”
Ethan blinked. “Do you mean…..” he dared to say it out loud. Pretty soon, this pokemon wouldn’t be kept a secret forever. “…..you mean Xenox?”
Silver raised his eyebrows and looked hopeful for a moment, and then he cracked up and stomped his foot, laughing. “Ah-HAAH! I knew you had no idea! You really havent been paying attention to the Johto news, havent you? Marina hasn’t even called you yet? that’s a surprise……the pokemon is Celebi! And a real pink one, that is.”
Ethan stopped himself from flinching. “Celebi?!” That was totally off on what he had been thinking.
“Yeah, dummy! Celebi’s been seen around the Johto parts, and then disappearing into the sky at the slightest danger that comes after it. Shockingly though, this one was pink. A rare, shiny color for Celebi to be. And this one’s a little easier to keep track of…..it leaves behind pink glitter before it teleports again.”
Ethan glanced over at the pile of snow with pink sparkles over it. “You’ve been trying to chase… ..a pink Celebi all this time?” Ethan suddenly narrowed his eyes. “But why? I mean…..why’s Celebi even here? I thought it only appears in times of peace!”
“Exactly,” said Silver carefully. “But something’s confusing it, apparently. Professor Elm says there must be something happening to the earth within, something that the rest of us can’t see or understand, but something that Celebi can see and become tricked to believe that the world’s in some sort of peaceful state. It’s been appearing from place to place, as if confused on where it should settle. See, Celebi lives in hiding. It will move if that place gets disrupted somehow. Apparently, there’s been some kind of disruption going on, and at first, I thought it was just happening in Johto. But now that it’s come here…..”
“Stop following it,” said Ethan tautly.
Silver looked up at him with a raised look. “Excuse me?”
“You really shouldn’t be chasing after Celebi like that,” he said seriously. He knew what kind of a person and trainer Silver was. He was cruel and hardhearted towards pokemon. He would take advantage of anything if he got the chance. “Celebi’s meant to be a pokemon of goodness and peace. It’s extremely rare, and it’s not a pokemon meant to be captured by a human. There are many rare pokemon out there, but some like Celebi are NOT to be disturbed. I bet if there’s anything that’s causing it’s feeling of disruption, it’s you.”
Silver narrowed his eyes and then laughed. “Oh, Ethan, you foolish know-it-all. I know what I’m doing. Celebi’s not running away because of me. I plan to catch this pokemon, and then use it to chase my dreams of conquering all pokemon in the world. I can control all the pokemon living around me, with Celebi to use its powers of naturalness to calm them towards me. I can be known as the first person to even own a Celebi—a pink one at that as well.”
The cold wind blew over the two rivals, and Ethan stared challengingly into Silver eyes. He reached a hand in his pocket, ready to summon his Typhlosion and throw a blast of flames at his old enemy.

“Emblem! Use Dig!” May commanded the little Groudon, pointing towards a sturdy, shiny looking rock by the cliff. Emblem jumped up in the air with glee and immediately dug its way under the ground, and then suddenly shooting up from underneath the rock, cracking it to pieces as the little pokemon powerfully broke its way from underneath. “Well done! If only I had my pokeblocks……I would’ve rewarded you with some.”
Emblem bounded over to May’s side. “Growwwww!” It looked up at her with a happy gaze.
May’s Glaceon was out and bristling by her side, observing the strange atmosphere around them. even though their surroundings were pure winter and a stiff scent to the cold air, Glaceon still looked uncertain and wary. It was gazing around with its dark eyes slightly narrowed.
“Hey, Glaceon?” May kneeled down and laid a hand softly over her pokemon’s back. “Are you alright? How are you liking our new friend, Emblem here? It’s surprisingly not as mean as it looks, and I’m gonna make sure it stays like that! right, Emblem? You’re going to be a good little Groudon when you grow up, aren’t you?”
Emblem gazed back at May with excited babyish eyes. The little Groudon gave a replying cry of satisfaction and took a step towards Glaceon with a friendly look. “Grou?”
“Hcchhhh….” Glaceon gave an unwelcoming hiss and turned its head away.
“Glaceon, come on, don’t be that way,” said May calmly. “This may be the new legendary of all the lands of this world but…..it doesn’t have to be the same as the old Groudon. I’ll make sure it’s loyal and passionate towards everything on this planet, so that it doesn’t make the same terrifying mistakes the other Groudon had.”
A strange dragonfly fluttered over Glaceon’s head. Glaceon just stalked away, focusing its eyes on the dragonfly, reaching out a paw to slowly strike at it.
May and Emblem watched Glaceon slowly follow after it, looking frustrated and focused at the same time.
May got up and took Emblem in her hands. “Don’t worry. Glaceon’s just a little shy. I’m sure Drew’s pokemon will welcome you, though.”
“Grooooo….”
May made her way over to where Drew sat on a rock to the side of a nearby stream that flowed down from the rocky ice cliff next to him, with his back turned towards her. He was staring down at the stream, for the water was frozen, through he could see strange glittering substances trickle downstream to the right, as it little water molecules were still bubbling alive inside the ice.
“Hey, Drew?” May spoke carefully. She had noticed the strange looks he had been giving her. He hadn’t been speaking much lately ever since Prima Dona showed up. May had been concerned, for she thought Prima Dona was the most interesting, powerful pokemon trainer she had ever known. Except the term pokemon trainer was not the right way to describe someone like Prima Dona at all—no, Prima Dona was like a pokemon empress, a strange, powerful master of ice pokemon. She had been telling her stories of her past, and about her journeys with each of her pokemon. May had been fascinated and intrigued.
Drew turned and met May’s gaze with narrowed eyes.
May hesitated a second before speaking. His green gaze was deep and she felt like she could’ve lost her train of thought if Emblem hadn’t wriggled in her grasp and blew out a small puff of smoke over her shoulder. “Um…..does Flygon or Roselia want to come out and explore this place? I mean….you havent even let your other pokemon besides Flygon even take a peek at this island. I’m sure they’ll feel fascinated and powered up…..this place sure gives Glaceon a giddy feeling, despite its awareness to how strange it is. And Emblem’s feeling a little lonely. None of my pokemon wanted to play with it.”
Drew blinked. “Well, you can’t blame them. That pokemon’s supposed to have power greater than Xenox itself. Of course it’s gonna be feared by some pokemon, whether they know its destiny or not.”
May looked to her feet. She set Emblem down, and it bounded over after Glaceon, who was peering over the crevices behind a group of icy rocks. She wanted to say more to Drew. She hadn’t talked to him in a while.
“Well, that’s why I’m here to make sure it doesn’t do anything like that. I’m here to make sure it grows to be a strong but loyal and devoted pokemon, knowing to control its powers and limit its desired hate for Xenox.”
Drew turned away again. “You shouldn’t do that. You shouldn’t stop its destiny. Can’t you see how much Emblem means to the world? If Xenox were to ever freeze it to its death, there would be nothing. Something has to stop it, and defeat it. And Emblem’s the pokemon to do that.”
“But it shouldn’t! Emblem mustn’t permanently destroy a pokemon—to its death. Then there will never be any such thing as snow or….or winter seasons and coldness. Xenox controls the power of the cold weather, with a bond to the winter part of Mother Nature to summon it. As it sleeps, the activity of winter seasons and snow is kept in balance, and when it wakes, it shall overpower and take over. we just need to make sure it stays asleep, not in a waking state, or in a death state to where it can’t even summon cold weather at all.”
Drew met her gaze again, shaking his head. “You’re just listening to Prima Dona, arent you? There must be some kind of complex explanation when they mean that Emblem shall defeat Xenox. It probably won’t be as bad as getting rid of winter FOREVER, but perhaps defeat the pokemon so that the chances of winter officially taking over the world will never occur.”
May huffed, narrowing her eyes. “Whatever it means, I will take good care of Emblem. I’ll promise you that.”
Drew chuckled. “You don’t have to promise ME anything.” Then he spoke in a low voice. “Just make sure you don’t fall for that Prima Dona too quickly.”
May raised her eyebrows, feeling a strange sense of coldness run through her. “What are you talking about? Prima Dona’s a real help. She knows exactly where Brendan’s going, and the path he’s taking to the island of Xenox. She can help us you know….”
“Yeah? and WHY does she know so much about where Brendan can e going?”
“Well…..she did tell me that each of the three missing spears of Xenox are scattered around, and one has already commingled with Brendan. She’s connected to those spears somehow, and she knows exactly where Brendan is going.”
“Hmm, I wonder why she’s even connected to those spears. Did she tell you that?” Drew gave May a quizzical look.
May blinked. “No…..she didn’t. But I guess I can ask her…..she just left us for a moment to have a talk with Wallace.”
Drew narrowed his eyes again. “Apparently, those two have been better acquainted before, havent they?”
May nodded, staring at the strange blue substances running underneath the ice. “Wallace had the egg of Emblem in his hands……and somehow, he managed to have it appear in Xenox’s mountain—in MY dreams.” May shook her head, feeling confused. “I don’t know…..you should start asking Wallace questions. Prima Dona doesn’t trust him.”
“Oh? So that means you don’t trust him?” Drew spoke calmly, getting up to stand in front of May, just an arm’s length away. he looked into her eyes with a serious, intent gaze. “If I were you, I would focus more on the fact that Wallace doesn’t trust Prima Dona. Don’t take HER too seriously. Especially if I were YOU.”
May blinked, not knowing what to think. She was staring into Drew’s eyes with a sinking feeling. Her confused thoughts were distracted by his gaze. Did he really care for her as much as he used to?
“Grauuuuu!”
Emblem’s cry suddenly growled from behind, and Glaceon flinched back, crouching with a hiss of confusion. May and Drew turned to see that the dragonfly was lying dead on the snow in front of Glaceon.
May gasped. “Glaceon!”
But it didn’t look like Glaceon had exactly killed it. the pokemon was slowly backing away, with Emblem sniffing at the dead bug curiously. The dead bug was actually moving, being tossed and rolled over as if a Skitty was toying with it. But there was no Skitty in sight. The bug was being thrown around towards Glaceon and Emblem, as if something invisible was pawing it. Glaceon and Emblem jumped back and ran around it, avoiding the strange bug that was being hurled at them.
“What the heck….” Muttered Drew.
“What’s going on? Emblem!” Cried May.
Emblem had blown a smoke of fire at the bug as it dropped to the ground, and then the smoke suddenly swirled around behind the bug. The smoke thinned and then immediately disappeared altogether, and a purplish form of a pokemon suddenly appeared.
May and Drew stared with awe at the sight as the pokemon became more visible and then clearly stood in front of Glaceon and Emblem. The pokemon was on four legs, the exact size and shape of Glaceon, except it had purple flowing cloth-like strands on its shoulders and purple strings flowing out behind its ears. It had a thin paper-like strand of a purple tail behind it, and its face resembled the shape of a Glaceon or an Espeon, for it had large, dark gleaming eyes that looked just like Glaceon with the purple mixtures all over its body. The pokemon looked ghostly in a way, probably an unknown ghost type that May had never seen before. It was slightly crouched, growling with a menacing hiss.
“What is THAT?” Gasped Drew.
“Ghhhhh!” The pokemon darted towards Glaceon, knocking it over so that it skidded over to May’s feet. It moved so quickly, like a blur.
Emblem reacted with a fierce growl, and blew an Ember at the purple pokemon, but the pokemon easily dodged it and snarled back, biting Emblem on the nose as quick as a Ninjask.
“Oh! Oh no, you don’t,” May stepped forward. “Glaceon! Ice Beam!”
Glaceon leaped up to its feet and faced the purple ghostly pokemon, and let out a quick shot of ice.
The pokemon instantly huffed out a Shadow Ball towards the Ice Beam, and blew both attacks back towards Glaceon. Glaceon whimpered as it skidded back onto the ground.
“No! Glaceon!” Cried May. This pokemon was tough—and quick. The flowery strands flowed behind it like the wind blew fiercely at it, and the pokemon leaped towards Emblem as it tried to sneak up on its side, easily knocking the little Groudon over, tumbling head over heels until it hit a rock.
“Emblem!” May cried.
“Glaceon, watch out!” Shouted Drew, stepping to May’s side.
The purple pokemon was about to strike another Shadow Ball, but then Emblem suddenly got up, standing and facing the pokemon with a fearsome red glare. May turned and saw that the little Groudon’s baby expression grew challenging and angry, and she felt as if the pokemon would suddenly burst with the strong power that it really held.
Emblem raised its little arms and the ground suddenly shook with rocks rising up from the ground in front of it.
“It’s using Ancientpower,” muttered Drew.
The rocks rapidly shot at the pokemon before it noticed the attack. The ghostly pokemon fell off its four legs to its side, letting out a cry of pain and rage. It glared at Emblem from the corner of its eye as it lay on its side, and glowed a bright purple color. May watched as Emblem suddenly glowed, and then suddenly blinked its eyes shut, falling to the ground into a sleep.
“Hypnosis?” Gasped May.
“No, it looks like…….Destiny Bond,” said Drew.
The ghostly pokemon suddenly disappeared, fading into nowhere, and May watched as Emblem twitched in its sleep, letting out a startled cry, and then twisted around, going into a fainted state.
“Oh no, Emblem--!” May ran over to its side and kneeled down, but then she saw the ghost pokemon reappear again, this time standing atop the cliff next to her. it hissed a spitting cry at them, and then dashed away, disappearing over the ledges.
“After it!” Yelled Drew.
May watched him run up the cliff with a look of confusion on her face. “Wait! What about--”
She looked down and saw that Emblem had risen up into the air, hanging as if a pokemon was carrying it from the neck. the invisible ghostly pokemon was at its tricks again. Emblem was suddenly taken higher up to the top of the ledge where Ghastleon had stood, and then disappeared behind it. She looked over to her Glaceon as it joined her side and hurried up the cliff with her as she followed after Drew.
“Drew!” May suddenly felt a breeze of snow flow over her. She looked up and saw that a line of snow was blowing through the breeze, swirling up in the air like leaves did in the fall. Except these were snowflakes, wondrously swirling above in their own line without any other signs of snowflakes around them. May stared up with curiosity until her Glaceon hissed and ran on, spotting Drew in the distance.
“Over there!” Shouted Drew, pointing towards a small grove of trees. The landscape up here was open and almost barren with few trees here and there. The snow was like a soft white blanket rather than hard ice on the canyon floors. She hurried after him, and caught up to his side as he stopped with a frustrated look.
“Dang, lost it!” He huffed, looking around. “It’s still got Emblem, and it’s still invisible.”
“Hey! Look, there’s Prima Dona and Wallace,” May pointed over to where she saw the tall figure of Prima Dona standing over by a running river. She was blending in so well with the clear colors and whiteness of the snow up here, May wouldn’t have spotted her easily. Wallace stood behind her, and in front of them were a strange group of darkly dressed people.
“Come on, I bet that pokemon has to do with those people,” said Drew, taking May’s hand and rushing over to them.
May let herself feel dazed and happy to be holding Drew’s hand so suddenly, and then focused her attention on the people whom were talking with Prima Dona. Her gaze faltered and she felt her heart beat with shock as she realized how familiar these people looked. As they got closer, she saw that they had blue pants as well as their dark striped suits as well, and had blue bandanas with a sign of a skull. It was Team Aqua.
Prima Dona let out a rash yell of agitation. “Don’t think you’ve got what it takes, you sobered cowards! That spear will do you no good! You need all three of them in order to correctly summon the pokemon of ice.”
The front Team Aqua member was no other than Archie, and May felt chilled to the bone to see his gleaming smirk on his face as he met Prima Dona’s eyes without blinking. “We know perfectly well,” he said. “Three spears that once belonged to this Xenox, are all missing. If they are all brought together and restored, then the call for Xenox shall be answered. The three spears will perform a deadly commingling with the aura of Xenox, to wake it up and let the pokemon come to full power over the world. We may have this only spear right now….” May and Drew gasped as Archie held up a clear, crystal spear in his hands, clean as an icicle can be, sparkling like the stars had become one. “……..but! The other two are needed so that Xenox’s real arrival can happen. Apparently…..there is someon out there who holds the other spear, though its held WITHIN him.”
May met Drew’s gaze. “Brendan,” she whispered.
Prima Dona hissed. “Oh, B.S.! that spear’s never gonna leave him unless the fire emblem pokemon frees him! you’re totally powerless with just one spear, and plus! There’s a third one besides the one in your filthy hands, and the one that has already commingled with a human heart.”
Wallace spoke. “You guys will never find it, and even when you do, there WILL be the fire emblem pokemon to stop you!”
Archie snickered and one of his grunts stepped forward. “Hey, listen here. don’t think we’re just gonna stop at just this one spear we’ve recently found.”
“Recently?” May couldn’t help speaking up.
The Aqua grunts turned to face her and Drew. Archie widened his eyes.
“May? Is that you? My word, it’s been SOOOO long since we’ve met, mm?” May took a step back as Archie slowly walked up to her with a hungry smile in his creepy face. “Look how much older you look. Hmm, and I bet that you’re out here the same reason we are?”
May huffed. “How did you guys get here?! How long were you here? what do you even plan on doing?!”
“Bah!” Prima Dona lashed out her arm. “Step away from her, Archie! May, these guys have arrived here not long before you got here! they were whipped away by strange storm out at sea up by Lilycove. Apparently, it’s been another one of Xenox’s strange teleporting through snowstorms it has summoned. See, this just PROVES how disturbed Xenox is with the presence of that fire emblem pokemon!”
Archie let out a harsh laugh. “Ahah! And because of its arrival….and failure to have been destroyed…” Archie shot Wallace a blaming glare. “….because of that, Xenox has summoned the strangest snowstorms at the strangest times, bringing the three lost parts of its missing icicles that were once part of its very body, scattering them around random places throughout the regions. One was dropped here on this very island of Isotopia, the other two—dropped anywhere in unknown places throughout the region. Our goal is to try to retrieve the others and we can do that by observingthis spear at the heart of our hideout where the very legendary Kyurem used to live--- before we scared it away!”
Drew stared at Archie with a challenging stare. “You guys can’t summon Xenox with all three spears! Only Brendan can—he’s got one of the spears WITHIN him! just him alone could do it!”
“Idiot!” Prima Dona gave Drew a cuff on the back of his head, and May gave him a look, making him realize what a mistake he had made for giving it away.
Archie gave a raised look. “Eh? One of Xenox’s spears is within BRENDAN? That little twerp runt we had to deal with years ago as well? Hah! Hey, guys! Now we have a better reason to seek the human that bears the Ice Spear!”
The grunts all started laughing in agreement.
Prima Dona narrowed her eyes. “Go ahead and try. You’ll never find him, or the third spear out there.”
“Oh we will, Prima Dona. We will! Just watch us.” Archie threw a pokeball in the running river, and a large Walrein appeared in the water, letting out a moaning bellow with an glaring look in its eyes. The several Aqua grunts all climbed onto the pokemon. Archie threw Prima Dona, Wallace, May, and Drew a naughty smile before cackling as he rushed away. “Just watch!”
May watched him go with both an angry and sinking feeling. “Oh, he’s not going to summon Xenox, is he? He just THINKS he will. I bet he’ll get himself into trouble like he did with Kyogre once before.”
Prima Dona chuckled creepily. “Oh, there’s no need to worry ‘bout him right now. That spear he had in his hands—it’s a fake.”
May and Drew widened their eyes. “A fake?” Said Drew.
“Mm-hmm,” Prima Dona nodded. “You see……when they were out at sea, a storm hit. It was a snowstorm, from Xenox itself. And just like it’s done with you, it’s whipped them all the way over here, and they first arrived where I was sheltering with my pokemon, all the way at the Grim Peak where the legendary Kyurem used to live. I told them about this place, told them everything about the spirits and pokemon of the island, and how they were connected to the snow and ice, belonging to the island like the island belonged to them. I told those lost crewmen the story of Xenox, and how it has lost three of its Ice Spears since it has been agitated and shaky about the fire emblem pokemon coming so soon. Once they figured that with the three spears, they can gain control over the pokemon when it wakes, they turned right on me. They abandoned my bidding to help Xenox become peaceful and less agitated again, and stuck their goal on finding the three spears of Xenox to control it when it awakes, and to rule the world of ice.”
“Team Aqua ruling ice now?” May gave a wince. “Whoop-de-do! I bet Team Magma will have changed their minds to control pokemon of fire rather than ground now!”
“But wait…” Drew had a quizzical look. “The three missing Ice Spears of Xenox….if they can control it, then it’s possible that when the pokemon DOES wake up, the world will not be shattered in ice? it can actually be controlled?”
Wallace answered him. “It shall be controlled, yes, but by no means will it limit the power of ice and cold weather that shall take over the earth. The earth will still be in a state of freezing peril. The Ice Spears just give an advantage to have the pokemon Xenox control some of it, so that the world wouldn’t utterly be destroyed yet.”
May shook her head, narrowing her eyes. “That’s hardly worth it. Why rule a world under frozen circumstances?”
Prima Dona met her gaze. “Oh, my dear, the cold isnt always that bad.” She spoke innocently. “We don’t want Xenox become entirely defeated by that little Groudon either, but we don’t want it to awaken and become too powerful. Team Aqua may seek to awaken it, to control it, but they’re mindless at the moment, that the Ice Spear they hold isnt a spear from Xenox at all. I let them find it so that they can be convinced into thinking they’ve already got what they need to find the other two. But they really won’t. They just think they will.”
May sighed with relief. “So you’ve stopped them from trying to seek out the other Ice Spears and get a hold of Brendan?”
Prima Dona frowned and Wallace sighed. “That’s just what we were discussing with them,” said Wallace.
“Yes,” growled Prima Dona. “Apparently, they’re on the track of Brendan also. They’ve realized how close they are to the next Ice Spear, and they’re out trying to seek it themselves rather than retrieve it from the fake Ice Spear I gave them.”
May gasped. “But how? I thought the fake Ice Spear doesn’t do anything. How could they have found Brendan?”
“That’s just what I was wondering,” hissed Prima Dona. “I was gonna rip their heads off, but now I wanna follow them so I can see what they’re really up to, to have found a way to know that the next Ice Spear is nearby. They hideout in the area I first met ‘em. They live where Kyurem used to live when Xenox first brought it here, in the Grim Grotto Peak. I must go there, and destroy them all.”
“Well, we’re coming,” said May steadily. “You’re a great help to us, and I bet we can even find Brendan at their hideout if they think he’s so close.”
Prima Dona smiled and pushed a strand of hair out of May’s eyes. “That would be fabulous, my dear. Of course you’d be coming. Your friend could be in trouble pretty soon.”
Drew muttered something with uncertainty.
Prima Dona looked over to him and flashed him a glare. “What’s that?!”
Drew met her gaze quickly. “Nothing…..”
Wallace raised his eyebrows and came to his defense before Prima Dona could start anything else. “Hey, by the way…….where’s that little Groudon of yours?”
May gasped. “Oh…..we kinda encountered this pokemon…”
“AGH! I should’ve known! That fool of a pokemon!” Prima Dona’s angry voice rose again.
“Prima Dona….” May said shyly, trying to face her bravely. “It was this ghost-like purple pokemon--”
“Ahhh, I already know!” Snapped Prima Dona, swatting her hand towards her side. “Please excuse me! That pokemon happens to be my dear Ghastleon, my long-time loyal partner who has always been a pain around my new guests.”
Drew turned to Prima Dona. “That was your pokemon?”
“Yes!” Prima Dona flashed him an angry glare and then turned back to May with a sweet smile. “My dear, please let me introduce you to my sweet little Ghastleon. It’s much more interesting than it looks. GHASTLEON!” Prima Dona stabbed her long spear against the ground, and a shot of ice shards appeared from the top of the spear, revealing the purple ghostly pokemon lying on its back, snarling and thrashing as it got to its feet, spitting and hissing. It glared up at Prima Dona with its paper-thin strands flowing along its back, bristling with rage. Emblem suddenly appeared from underneath, running over to May’s arms with a whimper of pain. She picked it up and cradled it softly.
Prima Dona stared down at her pokemon with a hard cold stare. “OH QUIT IT!” She gave the purple pokemon a sharp nudge with the bottom end of her spear, and it let out a yelp and then tore at the ground with anger.
“Ghastleon huh?” May stared down at the pokemon with raised eyebrows. “It….it looks a lot like Glaceon in a way. The face, I mean.” She looked over to where Drew picked up Glaceon in his hands, the pokemon looking tired and worn out. “Is it related to Eevee?”
Prima Dona chuckled. “Oh yes. Believe it or not, Eevee’s gotten another evolution that has not been discovered by anyone in the world......yet.” Prima Dona narrowed her eyes. “Eevee’s found a way to evolve into this ghost-type form in a DREAM. Just like the strange ways you had in your dream when the egg was really real, and your dream actually had half of it come true when you woke up. Just like my Ghastleon, it evolved when it was an Eevee, having the strange dream that linked somehow to what happened to you in that particular dream.”
Wallace got up to her side, eying her and crossing his arms. “Huh…..apparently, Dona’s got her own special ways with her pokemon.”
“Quiet, you!” Prima Dona whipped over to give Wallace a scowl over her shoulder. “If we are to get anywhere near Brendan, we really should start now.”
Wallace nodded and took a pokeball out of his pocket. “Milotic can take us down this river and after Team Aqua. Milotic, come on out!” Wallace threw his pokeball in the water and his graceful water pokemon revealed its long beautiful body, letting out a calm humming cry.
“Hey!” Prima Dona gave him a sharp push. Wallace gave her a wince and she glared at him. “No one asked for YOUR pokemon’s support!”
Wallace blinked. “What are you talking about?”
“If any pokemon’s fast enough to head after Team Aqua even in a river, it shall be MINE. My own pokemon can do things that no one else’s can do, and I’m not risking the likes of a normal average Milotic doing the job.”
“Average Milotic?!” Wallace suddenly fumed.
May and Drew met each other’s gazes. To ever say the Champion Wallace had average pokemon was like calling Rayquaza a weakling. May couldn’t help admire Prima Dona’s spirit.
The ice lady huffed and raised her own ice spear towards the river. “Celine! YOU come out here and take us after those imputes!”
Prima Dona’s blue shiny Milotic appeared from under the waters, rising up with a mighty crash next to Wallace’s Milotic, deliberately pushing it over out of its way as it raised its own long, beautiful and shiny blue body. Wallace’s Milotic let out a surprised cry as Celine rudely pushed it out of its way behind it in the river.
“Hey!” Wallace yelled. “Get your stupid Milotic--”
“IF YOU DON’T WANT ANYMORE TROUBLE YOU’D SHUT THE HELL UP AND JUST GO WITH THE FLOW,” Prima Dona’s commanding yell sliced through the air and even May suddenly felt a pang of fear.
Wallace’s expression faltered and he rolled his eyes. “Milotic, return,” he summoned back his Milotic in its pokeball.
Drew was wincing with disgust. He nudged May. “Pretty easygoing lady we’ll be dealing with, huh?” He muttered.
May flashed him a stony look. She still felt the need for Prima Dona’s presence, and that whenever this powerful lady was around them, they could do almost anything. Her pokemon WERE different than normal, and it was obvious.
“Hurry up and get on,” snapped Prima Dona, flashing them both a narrowed look before climbing on Celine herself. “Ghastleon! Leave May’s pokemon alone!”
Ghastleon was growling with an unfriendly tone towards Glaceon and Emblem, but whipped around with a glare at Prima Dona’s order. It leaped towards the front of Prima Dona on Celine, quick in a blur.
Prima Dona gave May a smile. “Don’t worry, my dear. Ghastleon’s a great companion, and it will stay invisible most of the time. It can be a great help to us.”
May blinked and then smiled back, taking Prima Dona’s hand as she helped pull her onto Celine.

The lonely mountains were dark and shadowy. The black starless sky above seemed so close to Brendan, and the deadly snowing breeze whipped around him fiercely. Shadows stretched across the blanket of snow around him, and Brendan’s strong sense of determination beat faster inside him. eyes narrowed, fists clenched, standing upright and pressing on against the wind that blew against him, he kept his struggling pace to reach the other side of this mountain, where the pack of Changelings sheltered down below.
Something howled in the distance. Brendan stopped and listened. It was the eerie cry of a Houndoom. He looked on ahead and caught a glimpse of moving dark figures in the shadows. He walked on, and pretty soon, he reached the shadowy area where the shadows surrounded him more and the large boulders stood tall around him. The dark figures suddenly appeared around him, and Brendan recognized the growling and snarling from Mightyena. Instantly, his instinct knew. He was with the pack of Changelings. But they weren’t where he had expected to find them. Brendan turned to face the pack. The pokemon had gathered together, all glaring at him with their heads lowered. But when they sensed the aura within Brendan, they stopped growling and slowly lifted their heads and stopped bristling with anger. the aura of Xenox was within Brendan—at least part of it. part of their spirits’ creator was frozen in the heart of this very human boy in front of them.
Brendan met each of their gazes seriously. “My fellow pokemon,” he spoke seriously, feeling powerful and in control. “The spirit of the earth has spoken with you, has it not? It has spoken to me, and it’s told m to seek you….for you must help accompany me in my journey. My journey….to Xenox.”
The largest Mightyena stepped forward and bowed its head with respect. “Of course….” It spoke in a deep, hard-sounding voice. “I am Zopphiro, leader of the pack of Changelings. I’ve been warned of the Ice Spirit coming to visit us soon, traveling in the body of a human. You, yourself, are nothing more than a human. A human boy. Nothing but a mere being different than pokemon. But……you come from the worlds beyond. You aren’t from this island. Yet, you carry part of the island spirit within you.”
The other pack dogs growled in agreement.
Brendan met the leader’s gaze steadily. “I have commingled with the Ice Spirit, and I seek the very being of ice itself, to restore my true power and help the pokemon of ice achieve its destiny. The earth within has spoken to me…..apparently wanting me to go on and let the pokemon of ice find me and achieve its goal. It has told me to find you, for you’ve been changed…..become mere changelings……changed to adapt to this environment through the power of ice and fire together?”
Zoppiro growled. “The Houndoom are. The rest of us were just natural inhabitants—Mightyena who have found ways to contribute to this island and become part of it easily, without the trouble of have our fire commingle with the ice. We had to fire to begin with, but the Houndoom have. They became Changelings of ice and fire, able to power the ice around them, and use it to overcome the destruction of ever being melted by fire.”
Brendan nodded. “Why are you not sheltering in the canyonlands where you’ve lived for centuries?”
A female Houndoom stepped forward. “Ice Spirit…..our home is becoming destroyed.” She spoke with worry and anxiety. “The great storms of the north are getting worse and worse, and there is absolutely almost nothing left in those barren landscapes and mountains in the north. Pokemon homes are being destroyed, and those who choose to stay and fight the ice end up freezing to death. Our only choice is to head south….the ice is really becoming too powerful.”
“Even for the pack of Changelings?” Questioned Brendan. “Even the Houndoom who have the power of fire within them as well as the changeling element of ice?”
Zopphiro growled and lowered his head. “Their power of fire is nothing compared to ice now. Ever since they’ve adapted to the power of ice, and obtained the ice WITH their fire, they learned to treat their fire as a weakened source against the ice, so that even though it still burns within them for eternity, it has become nothing compared to what the ice can do now. the blizzards that are getting worse up north, they are shattering the atmospheres and pokemon homes are freezing up and getting destroyed. The very ice that we’ve all adapted to has turned on us with an even stronger power to freeze us, even though we’ve becoming part of it.”
Another Mightyena joined Zopphiro’s side. It wasn’t as big as the leader, but it showed scars around its muzzle to show that it had been through the same tough experiences. “We knew the Ice Spirit was angry with us,” it growled. “The Ice Spirit, Xenox, was angry and letting the ice of this island turn on its inhabitants. It’s slowly awakening, and when it does, the whole world will suffer from the same fate that is right now, befalling the north. We are headed north and seeking as much shelter as we can….before the blizzards spread to the entire island and destroy it like it’s doing to the north.”
Brendan felt the chilly ice in his heart spread over him. He understood Xenox’s anger. It was destroying its own island. It had created it with ice, and now it was destroying it with ice. and it was all because there was something that didn’t belong on this island……something that wasn’t supposed to be part of the world anymore…..
“It’s the fire emblem pokemon, isn’t it?” Brendan met Zopphiro’s gaze with intent. “The fire emblem pokemon is what’s causing the disturbance of the ice. It’s meant to……to destroy the Ice Spirit itself, and stop the world from anymore winter and the touch of ice.”
The pack of Changelings growled. The female Houndoom stepped forward. “We Houndoom wish to track this fire emblem pokemon down….and destroy it ourselves. The pack of Changelings can battle it themselves, but the Mightyena who don’t have the fire within their hearts may not resist its powers so easily.” She turned to Zopphiro. “Zopphiro and the rest of the packs count on the Houndoom to seek the fire emblem pokemon on our way, and destroy it with our power of ice and fire. We truly can defeat it in such so that…..it can never be the same again.”
Brendan understood. They wouldn’t kill it, like the old Groudon had been, but they could truly do an act as much as maiming the pokemon so that it wouldn’t behold the same powers again. he had a strange feeling of trust in these Changelings. He must help them.
“You must travel with me,” he said seriously. “I’m headed TOWARDS the mountain to seek Xenox…..commingle my aura within. I can help awaken Xenox, and calm it down so that we can both work together and reign the world in ice.”
Zopphiro blinked and then growled. “You are here to seek Xenox and help it fulfill its power over the world? We shall all be killed, just like in the north. What’s your TRUE bidding?”
Brendan narrowed his eyes, looking deep into the Mightyena. “My true bidding is to find Xenox. My aura is part of it, and together, we can become one with the same powers. I shall be like….like a human form of the great Ice Spirit, and help Xenox achieve its full power, to awaken and bring the world in a state of ice. If I were to wake it, it can help control the ice of the world and control its reign of winter. If it’s awakened by the fire emblem pokemon, however, it shall be destroyed in its battle, and winter shall never come again. now which way would you rather have? Would you want to live in a world with no cooling down for ice to keep your spirit alive? You have been confined to this island….confined to ice. without it, you shall melt away with it.”
Zopphiro raised its eyebrows. The female Houndoom next to him nuzzled against his neck. “Zopphiro…this human….this mere form of a boy is walking with part of Xenox’s spirit within him. If he meets Xenox before this terrible fire emblem pokemon, the Ice Spirit can at least awaken, and Xenox can control the world in ice. some may die from it, but at the same time, some may live. Those who have connected their spiris to ice, like the pokemon of this island of Isotopia, like us, can survive and live through Xenox’s reign of ice. We….we can be freed from this island, and see the world outside with snow and ice……..an endless reign that we ourselves can live through, just like at this place.”
Zopphiro narrowed his eyes. “Ghislain, I have faith, but I can’t be too sure. If pokemon that have contributed to the ice itself are dying from it, then I can’t be sure they will be able to live through it when Xenox awakens and summons it throughout the world.” He gazed up into Brendan’s eyes and growled. The rest of his pack were gathering closer to each other, looking up at Brendan intently. Brendan could sense their fear, and their hope for him.
Brendan faced the north ahead. “Come. We must head north, and find the way to Xenox’s island. When the time comes, I shall find away across the sea, and find my way up to Xenox’s lair itself. You all, as the pack of Changelings, shall help me along the way. You shall clear the overcoming power of ice within me, and use it to help me press on. You shall accompany me until I find my way across the sea.”
Brendan and the pack of Changelings headed to the end of the mountain, and found their way down a frozen river. After four days, the trees started to appear less and less, and finally, Brendan and the pack of Changelings stopped to scent the air.
Brendan felt the presence of another spirit nearby. “Someone’s watching us,” he muttered, looking around carefully. The shadows were even darker and the tall boulders stalked around them, for they had entered the canyon lands now.
Ghislain growled. “Zopphiro, there,” she nosed her muzzle towards where a dark figure had escaped behind a boulder.
“Humans,” growled Zopphiro.
Brendan sensed them. From their auras, these humans were different, without the strange connection to ice. Just like himself on the outside, they didn’t belong on this island.
A tall figure appeared just a few yards away from Brendan. It stepped into the light, revealing a man dressedin a blue shirt and dark pants. A blue bandana wrapped around his head. He threw up a pokeball and a Banette popped out. “Banette! Hypnosis……”
The pack of Changelings all growled and sprang forward, attacking the other figures that appeared from behind the rock. But pretty soon, even Brendan himself fell into a deep sleep over the powerful veil of the Hypnosis attack. Brendan’s iced heart chilled with coldness before he shut his eyes.
Brendan woke up in a strange new environment. “Where am I?” He thought, feeling like his real self for a moment. He felt strangely warmer, and surrounded by a cleaner atmosphere. He blinked open his eyes. He felt like he had been asleep for a long time. “I’m in a laboratory of some kind!” He muttered with astonishment. The walls of the place looked tall and bluish, and something about the designs on the floors made the place look strangely familiar. He slowly stood up, his legs shaking. His head hurt.
“Ugh….what happened to me?” He muttered. He looked down from where he was standing and saw a statue of what looked like a Kyrogre. Apparently, he was on a second floor of this strange place.Then he turned behind him to face a strange code on the wall, symbolized by Unown. And shockingly, to his surprise, he was able to make out what it said. “The Spirit of Ice shall wake, and the world shall become confined.”
Instantly, he felt himself become cold and heartless on the inside, feeling nothing but the power of Xenox’s aura within him again. he narrowed his eyes. “Where could the pack of Changelings be?” He looked around sharply, ready to take on whatever had knocked them all out.
“Hey……it’s really you, isn’t it?” A voice whispered behind him.
Brendan turned and faced a person, a boy who looked roughly about his age. He looked young and pale, and his hair was a shaded greenish kind of color. Brendan said nothing.
The boy spoke again in an astonished voice. “It is….it IS you! you’re Brendan, arent you? Brendan—from Littleroot Town. “
Brendan blinked. “Littleroot Town…..” the place sounded very familiar.
“Brendan, it’s me! We’re old friends. It’s me, Wally.”
Brendan’s straight expression didn’t change. “I don’t know you. who are you?”

Several days passed since May and Drew had been traveling along the harsh wasteland in the island of Isotopia. Drew narrowed his eyes as they pressed on, hiking the barren mountain trail with Prima Dona and Wallace advancing on in front of him, with May right at his side.
“Team Aqua sure must live a long way if we’re travelling this long,” muttered Drew as he managed to catch up to Wallace’s side, just a few feet away from May and Prima Dona.
Wallace sighed and nodded. “Mmm-hmm. Traveling north, this weather’s gonna get worse. And Team Aqua sure seem to be up to some pretty huge things on this island.”
“You’ve arrived here first though, didn’t you?”
“Yep, but I hadn’t ever encountered Team Aqua so far. There arent as many of them here as back in Hoenn, only a small handful since there isnt any more than the crew of Aqua grunts that were whipped away here. but still……I havent encountered them in the few weeks I’ve been here.”
Drew turned to glance at May, who was giggling about something with Prima Dona. Emblem looked happy and enjoying itself, bouncing around May’s heels as it kept up the hiking trail with them. “All the same,” he lowered his voice, “we really do need to be careful. I don’t trust that Prima Dona one bit.”
Wallace nodded. “And I’m especially concerned with the way May is trusting her. That lady….I’ve seen her do some pretty awful things in the first few days after I met her.”
Drew raised his eyebrows. “What sort of things has she done?”
Wallace blinked slowly. “We shouldn’t talk about this right now. Don’t think that just because she’s all over May, she’s not taking any notice in you. She could be focused on you more than you know.”
Drew narrowed his eyes. “Why would she be focused on me? I’m not the one who’s attached to the fire emblem pokemon.”
“Hey, GUYS!” Prima Dona yelled harshly, staring at Wallace and Drew with a stone hard glare. “When you’re finished talking in secrets, come here and look at this!”
Drew and Wallace made their way closer towards where Prima Dona and May had stopped. They had found their way on flat ground again, and from the atmosphere in the air, it seemed as if they were on lower elevation from the mountains again. Drew narrowed his eyes and saw in the distance, what looked like some kind of city.
“Oh wow,” he said simply. “I wonder how the people of this island live. I bet their city is nothing but ice blocks and primitive huts?”
Prima Dona whipped her head to face down at him. “No! this place is way more complex than that!”
She turned to face the scene through the misty air. “The people here ARE different, though,” she said carefully. “Like I’ve explained before, the inhabitants of this island either die off, or adapt fully to this island, so that they almost become like the ice themselves, and thrive peacefully within the environment here. Even the native people here—they’ve almost become the island, giving their lives in to feel the real spirit of the island and adapt to the place, becoming almost the ice themselves.”
“Literally,” added Wallace. “The people here have become so pale also, their skin as clear and white as snow. They almost look more like pokemon creatures than humans.”
Drew raised his eyebrows and met May’s gaze. But he let his expression falter when she didn’t look back at him. She stared out with wonder. “Are you sure this is where Team Aqua could’ve headed?”
“I don’t know where they’ve gone,” said Prima Dona, rolling her eyes. “But all I care about is to find my way to their hideout, and I know exactly where the Grim Grotto Peak is. And this city is the safest way towards it, unless you kinds wanna climb more mountains and cross more rapid rivers.”
“We’re fine with crossing the city,” May said quickly, picking up Emblem.
“Alright, then,” said Wallace, walking forwards. “Let’s get it over with. These cities always creep me out.”
Drew felt nervous about the look of the place that lay ahead of him. The mist made it look faraway and uninviting. “Are the people friendly?”
“No, of course not!” Snapped Prima Dona, stomping forward after Wallace. “Have natives ever been friendly to those who don’t belong on their land? No! so just make sure you keep to my side and let me do all the protecting here.”
May nodded, trying to force a determined look on her face. “Right. Come on, Drew. We should all stick together.”
Drew winced. So she was talking big now, huh? Why was she looking so intent on him all of a sudden? He thought she had forgotten all her old feelings about him and focused on Prima Dona only.
Suddenly, a wind whipped between Drew and May, and Emblem shook its head and blinked a couple times.
“Growwww?” It squeaked. Its face suddenly lit up and it jumped out of May’s arms excitedly. “Groowww!”
“Huh? Emblem!” May gasped as the little Groudon sniffed the air, arching its neck up, as if sensing something.
“I bet it’s just Ghastleon again,” said Drew. “It must be invisible and teasing Groudon while the rest of us can’t see. Come on, just pick it up and let’s go, we’re losing them.” Drew walked on forward, and then stopped. He strained his eyes through the mist. “Oh great,” he huffed. He couldn’t find Prima Dona and Wallace anywhere. For a moment, he almost thought he caught a glimpse of the back of Wallace’s sky blue cape, but then he lost it. he couldn’t find Prima Dona at all, for she was already as white as the snow and camouflaged like snowflakes in white clouds.
“What? We lost them?” May hurried up to his side. She looked to her left. “Emblem! Drew, look!”
Drew turned to see where Emblem had chased after a rolling snowball, a snowball that was about its size, though rounder and slightly larger. The snowball seemed to roll away on its own every time Emblem neared it. The little pokemon was crouching playfully.
“Catch it!” Drew hissed. “I’m not gonna be left out here alone without Wallace!”
May gave him a slight wince at his tone, and then hurried up to Emblem. “Emblem, come on. We gotta go--”
Suddenly, the snowball gave a slight puff of explosion, and revealed a little Spheal.
Drew widned his eyes. “It’s a Spheal!”
“Spheeee!” The little round seal gave a happy shutter and then rolled away. “Spheeeell!”
“Grouuuu!” Emblem chased after it, and within a few seconds, both pokemon disappeared into the mist.”
“Emblem, come back!” May ran after it and Drew followed her.
As the mist grew thicker, Drew almost lost his gaze in nothing but blankness. For a moment, he thought he was walking through air. “Ah! May, you there? I can barely see anything!” He felt embarrassed to be lost in a state like this, but then he saw a figure to his right. He could barely make out if it was even May, but he neared closer anyway. He wanted to keep his eyes on anything that kept his surroundings from going completely empty. “Hey, May?” He dared to reach out his arm and lay a hand on the shoulder of the figure in front of him, and as soon as he laid hands on it, he felt a shuddering sense of coldness from the person.
Instantly, the figure whirled around to face him, and he met the wide-eyed expression of a girl that looked primitive and about his age. She wore almost nothing but what looked like a torn rag that wrapped around her thin body down to the tops of her thighs. She had a dark kind of color to her skin, though her hair was as white as the mist around him, and her eyes transparent as ice that for a second, Drew almost though she had no eyeballs.
Drew flinched back, taking his arm off her. “Whoa! Sorry, I….”
“Haghhhhhh!” The girl spat out a menacing hiss and threw herself at him, pinning him to the ground roughly with her hands pressed against his shoulder, her fingers sinking in with long, sharp fingernails.
Drew widened his eyes in horro as he stared up at the girl’s fiendish scowl as she hissed another snarl, her mouth wide open as if ready to devour him.
“Drew! Hey! Get off him, you creature!” May’s terrified cry sounded from the distance, though Drew caught her just a few yards to his side. She threw out a pokeball. “Glaceon! Shadow Ball!”
Glaceon popped out and spat out a powerful purple ball towards the girl. the native rolled off him and immediately positioned herself into a crouched, hissing.
She met Glaceon’s eyes and the pokemon lowered its head with a glint, and the girl dashed away.
Drew got up, brushing some of the snow on his clothes, wincing after where she had disappeared. “What the heck was that all about?”
“Ugh, I don’t know! Natives are disgusting sometimes,” huffed May, coming over to his side.
Suddenly, there was a strange howl moaning around them. drew and May glanced around.
“It’s probably her tribe or something!” Hissed Drew, suddenly grabbing May’s hand. “Come on! Her family will be out soon. There’s always someone around the younger ones.”
He and May dashed forwards through the mist, and then finally, the fog cleared out and drew and May got a glimpse of the city around them. the place looked empty, with strangely shaped buildings standing tall. A lot of them were actually not the color he expected them to be. Most of them were a regular brown or tan kind of color, though it was so much on the light side that it really looked clear from a distance away.
May suddenly gasped. “There!” She pointed in the distance where Emblem was running after the rolling Spheal. They were headed towards what looked like a strange cave that had a diamond shaped opening.
But when they neared it, Drew realized that it wasn’t really a cave at all. It was a mouth—the mouth of a Seviper, whose colors looked like it were fading and disappearing in the mist that hung around it. Thankfully, it wasn’t a real Seviper, for it was the size of a building that arched its body out behind, like a real snake pokemon. Emblem and the Spheal disappeared behind the thin curtains that hung from the roof of the opening’s mouth’s, and May and Drew entered in without hesitating. They stopped as soon as they realized their surroundings in the strange place.
Already, Drew was beginning to feel the sense of someone watching them. the inside looked nothing like the outside of the city. Everything seemed red and patterned, like some sort of psychic’s place. Curtains hung around the red and black patterned walls, and Drew felt as if he would die with dizziness if he looked around himself any longer.
“Whoa!” May stared around in awe and then met Drew’s gaze with a confused look in her eyes. “This place is sooo……nostalgic.”
Drew blinked a couple times, trying to focus from all the strange colors. “It smells like poison and strawberry perfume at the same time. It’s making me crazy!”
May huffed. “Look over there,” she pointed ahead of them where there seemed to be a number of more curtains, each of them red and a lined pattern with another color. “Emblem must’ve disappeared into one of them.”
Suddenly, a lady dressed in green and white stepped out from one of the curtains to their left.
Drew gasped. “We should ask her. We’re obviously not alone in this place.”
He and May let go of each other’s hands, and Drew felt himself turn red as he realized how hard he had been clutching to her. luckily, she didn’t seem to have noticed.
“Hey!” May called, stopping in front of the strange lady. Drew felt relieved to see that this lady looked like a real human being, almost like a household nanny with a calm human face. “Excuse me…..have you seen two pokemon come through here? um……one’s small and like a red dragon, the other one’s round and a Spheal. Please, have you seen--”
“Children,” the lady’s voice was distant and dreary. Her eyes weren’t looking straight at them. “I feel a strange sense of nausea behind this curtain. Please…….dont take the same path I did.”
And she made her way to her right, disappearing into the curtain next to the one she had come out from.
Drew met May’s gaze. “Come on, let’s follow her. if anything happens, we could just turn back and try another curtain.”
As soon as May and Drew entered the curtain after the lady, they found themselves in an enclosed area, where the place was barely the size of an empty living room.
“Nothing,” said May.and they turned around to leave.
Suddenly Drew blinked and shook his head, looking ahead of them as they exited the curtains. “Wait, wait, WHHAAAT? Hey, wasn’t that just the way we came IN? Since when were there curtains from he entrance?”
May widened her eyes. “What happened to the mouth of this place?!”
Drew realized with horror that the entrance they had come in had disappeared, and there were no signs of the wide open mouth of the Seviper. The room they were in was totally different—besides all the same patterned colors. To their horror, everything else was different, and there were three sets of curtains in front of them.
May whipped around to look behind her and saw that the curtain they had just come out from was the only one on the wall.
“Oh my gosh! We’re already hopelessly lost! We’ll never find our way out, or find Emblem!”
Drew huffed. “This place is like an illusion,” he said. “Perhaps nothing has changes, and the colors are just messing with us. We could be in the same room, and it just doesn’t look like it.”
“That doesn’t make any sense, though.” Said May. “I see the same things you do.”
Drew shook his head. “What are we going to do? I’m stuck here with you.”
May rolled her eyes. “Will you stop saying that? I wanna get out of here as much as you do,” she turned and crossed her arms angrily.
Drew looked around and saw a pole where a statue of a Seviper coiled around it. it had its head slightly lowered, and its tongue was hanging out of its mouth. He suddenly noticed the small shapes and Emblem chasing Spheal around it.
“Hey! over there!” Drew suddenly rushed up to them and May followed.
Suddenly, Emblem jumped up and hit the chin of the Seviper, and the Seviper suddenly flinched, and started uncoiling.
Drew and May stopped in their tracks.
“It’s alive?!” Cried May.
“Grou!” Emblem immediately jumped into May’s arms and shivered with fear. The Seviper uncoiled from the pole and slithered to the ground. The large snake faced them with a hissing, ferocious glare.
“Quick! Run!” Drew and May headed to the closest curtain to their right and found themselves in a wide room where what looked like an indoor pond. The place smealled of steam and fire, and Drew felt strange to be warm after so long. At the end of the room there were stairs leading to a short alter and a chair where a statue of a Seviper settled to the left. This one was rock hard and brown, so Drew hoped this one was really a statue.
May huffed. “Okay then,” she held Emblem tighter and looked behind her. “I bet the Seviper couldn’t follow us here. we lost the lady in the other curtain, so it should lose us here….I hope.”
Drew looked down and spotted a small raft in front of him. it was made of wood, and he guessed the water must be pretty hot. He raised his eyes at the water. “I wouldn’t mind falling into this water. I bet it’s as hot as heck, and I’ve been freezing outside for weeks now.”
May chuckled and gave him a grimace. “Well, I’m really not in the mood to take a bath right here, right now at the moment.”
Suddenly, a fierce, eerie hiss sounded from the left. The Seviper had slithered its way in from a curtain on the other side, and looked around, its narrowed gleaming eyes searching for May and Drew.
“Grou!” Cried the little Groudon as it noticed the Seviper.
Instantly, the Seviper whipped its head to face them in the distance and opened its mouth wide, hissing and showing a mouthful of sharp fangs and vibrating tongue.
“Quick! In the boat!” Drew took May’s hand and hopped into the raft in front of him, but suddenly, May yanked back from him, pulled away as the Seviper instantly coiled around her with gleaming eyes. Emblem was in front of her, under her chin with shocked, scared eyes.
“No!” Cried Drew, standing up. the Seviper only wanted May, or at least the fire emblem pokemon. Its mouth watered with watery poison as it gleamed at Emblem.
The little Groudon let out a spinning twist until flames surrounded its body. may screamed and the Seviper let go, hissing in confusion. The little Groudon’s eyes turned a bright red, and suddenly, the place shook as the Seviper suddenly squealed and gasped for air. The place was sucking him under the ground. Emblem blew a flame of red fire at the snake, and the Seviper slithered away like a blur, avoiding the attack from the fierce little pokemon.
Suddenly, the place shook again, but it wasn’t from Emblem. The water was waving, and Drew gasped, holding onto the boat tightly, dreading the hot pool now. Suddenly, a Milotic rose from the pool, and stared down at the Seviper with a narrowed gaze that made it lower its head and give out a low hiss.
May was staring up in awe at the Milotic. A person stood on its back, and she recognized the person—none other, than Pike Queen Lucy.

Ash and Brock sailed up in the speedboat towards Red and Leaf's boat in the distance.
"Hey, Ash?" Said Brock. "You sure you're wanting to risk going to the seafoam islands with Pikachu? This master ball wouldnt hold it for long."
"Well.......I gotta do what's right," he replied, focusing on Red and Leaf in front of him. He clutched Pikachu in his hand, and kept his gaze intent. Their speedboat was nearing them.
"I'm sure you're doing the right thing," said Brock with a sigh. "You've been acquantied with Mew as well, besides Red."
Ash nodded. He suddenly stopped the speedboat at the side of Red and Leaf. "Hey guys!" He called.
Red and Leaf turned and both widened their eyes with surprise.
"Ash!" Gasped Red. "Wha-- why are YOU here? You've brought Pikachu also, havent you?"
"Hey, before you guys make any accusations, I've got Pikachu under control," said Ash, standing up and holding his master ball. "Pikachu's safe in here and I must let it out every few hours, just to keep the risk of it breaking out of this.”
Leaf’s expression suddenly turned red with fierce anger. “There is NOOO way you’re coming on this boat with that stupid--”
“Now hold on a moment!” Spoke Brock, standing up. “It won’t do any good leaving Pikachu back at the lobby where it can get into trouble with other pokemon. The best thing is to let it roam around where there’s more space so that it doesn’t get to terrorize the local pokemon and people in Saffron. I’m sure Mew will understand since it’s called you guys anyway.”
“yeah……and I’m really sorry about Belle,” said Ash intently, looking straight at her with an apologetic expression. “If there ‘s anything I could do to pay back it’s death---”
“Anything you could do?!” Leaf nearly screamed as her eyes filled with despair and hate. “If there’s anything you could do to pay back for my Meowth, you would take that Pikachu and abandon it in the wilderness so I can never hear from it again!”
Brock turned to face Leaf. “That won’t help. It’s not Pikachu that’s brutally hurting people and pokemon, it’s the spirit of the Ice Spear. Whatever’s the secret behind that spear, it’s got Pikachu under control. Mew can help all of us, and it probably would be better if Pikachu was taken to it anyway.”
Red gave Leaf an intent look and then met Ash’s gaze. “Come on. Get on our boat. This weather sure doesn’t seem safe for a tiny speed motor like that.”
Ash looked at him gratefully. “Thanks.”
Ash and Brock joined the boat with Red and Leaf. Their speedboat was tied to the back, and they sailed on for another hour or two. The prevailing winds were chilly and unpromising, and the more Ash looked up at the clouds, the thicker they became.
The boat was silent, except for when Red was friendly enough to discuss some past pokemon battles and what had been going on in his life while Ash had been gone from Kanto all this time. He had spent lots of time in Johto, and for a few years, he stayed around the peak of Mt. Silver. Afterwards, he had done a great deal more of exploring, and eventually Leaf tagged along and accompanied his journeys. When Ash had asked what Leaf had been doing, Red just told him that before they met up again, she was examining the various activity going on at the Sevii Islands. He didn’t seem to want to talk about her as much.
Pretty soon, Leaf sighed and met Ash’s gaze. He was sitting near the door to the inside room of the boat. “So. How have things been going with Misty?”
Ash winced. “What are you talking about?”
Leaf let out what sounded like a chuckle. “Well, it’s been pretty obvious how you guys have been acting towards each other the last couple of dance nights. You plan on getting married?”
Ash shook his head with a confused frown, but then he saw that Leaf wasn’t being childish. They were all around eighteen or so by now, and it was quite reasonable to finally be taking up real couples. Ash sighed and looked down, recalling his last argument with Misty before he had snuck off to catch up with Red and Leaf. “Eh….you know. Things havent really changed much, I guess.”
Red joined his side. “Ooh, you guys start fighting again?”
“I don’t wanna talk about it,” said Ash seriously. “She doesn’t understand what I’m trying to do for Pikachu. She thinks she’s the only person in the world that I should focus on. Well, I’m sick of it. I left right after she told me that I was on my own, and that she’ll never work out for me.” He turned to see Brock at the side of the boat, staring out at sea. “Brock was the only one to have caught me leaving with Pikachu, and he just tagged along to make sure I was safe. He’s always been there for me, so I had no problem with that.”
Leaf crossed her arms. “Well, since you’ve arrived here with your nasty demonized Pikachu, is it almost time you let it outta that master ball? Didn’t you say that eventually, it will break out, and when it does, it can never be returned again?”
Ash sighed and took out a pokeball from his pocket. “Just what I was thinking about. Well…you sure it’s okay if I let it out on this boat? How much longer until we reach one of the Seafoam Islands?”
Red turned to narrow his eyes out ahead of them and said, “Probably another hour or so.”
Ash looked at the master ball. He could feel the tension throbbing from his old buddy inside. “Well, I guess I should let it out for a few minutes. Pikachu, come on out!” He threw out his pokeball and Pikachu appeared through the air, and landing on a stool behind Leaf.
The little pokemon was glaring, and its stripes glowed with a bloody redness. It was darting its head all around, its eyes fierce and a shinier, darker black than usual. “PiiiKKAAA!”
Leaf whipped around to face the pokemon with a look of disgust. “Ugh! I’ll be in the room if you need me.” She stomped away, not meeting Ash’s gaze as she past him.
Pikachu glared after her and started sparking with energy. “Pika….” It growled in a small but devilish tone.
“Hey, hey, no!” Ash got up and held his hands in front of the pokemon. “Pikachu….how about keeping to the upper part of this deck? It really does look like we’re gonna get a storm soon, and if you’re looking for electricity--”
“PIKA- CHUUUUUU!” The angry little pokemon instantly let out a terrible spark of energy towards Ash, and Ash felt the painful shock of lightning from his own pokemon. He fell over with a look of frustration and pain. every time his Pikachu shocked him….something about it just did not feel the same. The shock felt deadly and seemed to fill Ash with more pain than surprising shock.
“Ash!” Brock ran over to his side. “You okay?”
Ash opened his eyes. “Ugh….Pikachu!”
Pikachu had ran to the end of the boat and stood facing the sea ahead of them. it raised its tiny arms. “Pikaaaaaa-PIIII!”
Suddenly, the sky rumbled with a dangerous sounding thunder.
Red gasped. “Storm! Ash, return Pikachu. We’ve got to find some kind of mainland to stop by before a storm hits!”
Ash struggled to get up. He held his hand over his head with a wince. “How are you going to find land out here?”
Red pointed quickly to his right. “There! Lemme turn this boat. We’ve got to find a place to rest. And we can’t have Pikachu getting crazy on this boat with the storm going on.”
Ash pulled out his pokeball as the sky thundered louder and a flash of lightning lighted the sky. Red was heading towards the inside room behind them.
Ash pulled out his master ball. “Alright Pikachu……RETURN NOW!” but right when he aimed his pokebal at his pokemon, Pikachu whipped around and dashed onto his head, making him gasp and stutter back. “Ahh—Pikachu!”
“Pika!” Growled Pikachu menacingly and leaped off his head, tumbling in the air and letting out a strong bolt of electricity. “PIKAAACHUUUU!” The little pokemon shocked the entire boat, making everyone scream with pain. suddenly, the boat was surrounded by flames.
“WHAAAT?!” Yelled Red, glaring around him. “Ash! Catch that Pikachu!”
“I’m trying!” Ash shouted, running through the flames that had surrounded them all. “Pikachu, please--!” a barrel suddenly fell out of nowhere in front of Ash, and Pikachu leaped over his head, over the growing flames.
The flames were getting so intense that Ash hadn’t even realized it had started raining. But the rain still seemed to be making them flames worse.
“Ahh! Red!” Ash heard Leaf’s scream, but he couldn’t see anyone through the flames. He was trapped. The fire surrounded him near the side of the boat, and the only way to escape the boat was to jump.
“Pikachu…..why?” Ash protested, backing away to the side. He looked behind him at the crashing waves that rocked the boat.
“Pika!” His Pikachu was standing afew feet from him, in front of the flames, glaring at him through red-eyed evil eyes. it looked ready to leap at him again.
“Pikachu…..if you’re in there somewhere……please fight this soul that’s taken over you! you’re in there somewhere, I know it!” Ash was speaking with intent, looking into the Pikachu’s devilish eyes.
“Pika!” Pikachu seemed to take no notice of Ash’s statement. It started sparking with electricity again.
Suddenly, a splash of water crashed at Pikachu’s side, and the little pokemon was washed to the right, the fire suddenly clearing. Ash whipped around to see that Red’s Lapras was behind him, facing the boat with a brave look. Red, Leaf, and Brock were all clutching each other, behind its neck.
“Ash! Quick! Get onto Lapras!” Shouted Red.
Lapras lowered its head right behind Ash and gave a low hum.
The boat was rocking crazily in the storm, and there was still fire on the other side, beginning to spread again. Pikachu jumped out of nowhere, through the flames, and landed on Ash’s face, wrapping its body around his head.
“Ughhh—Pikachu!” Ash felt how warm Pikachu was, and he grabbed the pokemon’s body and threw it off him, and doing so, he lost his balance over the edge and fell back from the boat, splashing in the cold water below.
Ash gasped for air through the rough splashing currents. He couldn’t see a thing—everything was dark and splashing in his eyes. he heard a cry from Lapras and then a wave of water shoved over him, and he was knocked out. Everything went black, and the last things he saw, were strange, small icy pebbles falling from the sky into the rapid waters.
Ash woke up on flat ground, feeling the throb of thunder and crashing of waves ringing in his ears. He blinked open his eyes, sticky from the water and sore from all the fire and Pikachu’s Thunderbolts.
“Ugh……where--”
“Hey, Ash!” It was Red’s voice. “Brock, he’s awakened!”
Ash struggled to sit up, and looked behind him. He felt weak and sore all over. He saw Red and Leaf sitting together upon a log, nearby what looked like a platform made of a flat rock and some sticks. Brock was kneeling by it, and had a number of items on top. Ash couldn’t make out what they were.
Brock got up and kneeled by Ash’s side. “You okay? I was just about to prepare you some medicine I found from some of the herbs on this island.”
“Where are we?” Groaned Ash, narrowing his eyes around him. “This looks like some sort of tropical island. Is it one of the Seafoam Islands?”
“Unfortunately not,” huffed Leaf. “Your stupid Pikachu destroyed our boat after Lapras took us here, so now we’re stuck with nothing to take us away from here.”
“Where did Pikachu go?”
Leaf glared at him. “Pikachu ran out into the woods after we arrived here! I swear, right when Lapras swam to this place, Pikachu suddenly appeared out of nowhere in the hailing sky and ran into farther in. who cares where it’s gone now…..”
“You said it was hailing!” Said Ash, raising his eyebrows. “So I wasn’t imagining it.”
Red huffed. “Well, I’ve lost my map and compass. We’re totally stranded. All we can look up to our dreams I can receive from Mew.”
Ash gasped. “No, wait! I brought my Charizard. It’s the only one with me….since I didn’t want to risk Pikachu getting into a fight with the others. It can fly us outa here.”
Leaf met his gaze. “It’s not that easy. I’ve already tried to escape with my Pidgeot, and every time it starts to fly over the sea, it gets a strange feeling and becomes scared out of its wits togo anywhere over the sea.”
Ash winced. “What?”
Brock nodded. “We tried using your Charizard to get help when you were passed out. It didn’t even want to look at the sea.”
“Obviously, there’s something troubling this place,” said Red intently. “Have you had any strange dreams while you were knocked?”
Ash sighed. “I was totally brainwashed. I felt nothing after I felt into the water.”
Leaf got up. “Well, in the meantime, we should at least find a thing or two about where we are. Brock has volunteered to be like our caretaker, and he’s responsible for keeping us safe and alive. He’ll find the food we need and guard our little shelter here. the rest of us should try to explore this place and see if we find anything interesting.”
Ash winced. “We have to get off this place somehow. If there’s anything disturbing our pokemon from trying to help us, we should figure it out.”
“Exaclty,” said Red. “But I’m bushed. I’m gonna rest before we do anything. It’s barely dawn, and we’ve been up all night.”
Brock got up. “You guys rest up. I’ll wake you in another few hours or so. I’ll be watching over you and finding a few things for us to eat later on.”
Ash sighed. “I’ve got to find Pikachu. Who knows what it can do to this place?” He sat back down, lying on his side where he had a leafy blanket made for him. he closed his eyes.
Ash couldn’t fall back asleep. The first few minutes he had dozed off were enough to make him wake up and feel uptight. Everyone else seemed to be sleeping perfectly fine. But Ash couldn’t sleep without knowing what was going on with Pikachu. Even with his own pokemon possessed and turning its back on him, he couldn’t rest until he knew Pikachu was safe. He sat up and gaze into the woods behind them. the waves calmly splashed as if the storm had never taken place.
To his right, Brock had made a small campfire. But there was no sign of him, and Ash guessed he must’ve gone a little ways in the woods to find a few useful things for them all.
Suddenly, a spark of electricity erupted in the forest, and a glow of light appeared in the trees ahead of Ash. Ash gasped and got up, gazing hopefully into the forest. “Pikachu….” He whispered. He quickly tiptoed into the trees. The glow disappeared as soon as he neared it, but then appeared again in a farther distance behind a bramble thicket.
Ash narrowed his eyes and curiously followed. Pretty soon, he lost the glow all together as soon as he found his way up to a small, quiet stream.
Ash huffed. “Dang it….” He looked around, but the place was too dark. He was just about to turn back, until a light of fire glowed from the other side of the river, just around the rocky cliff. Ash blinked and stepped over the stream, and he stopped as he saw Brock’s shadow walk through the trees in front of the cliff. What was Brock doing, making a fire over here? ash watched curiously as Brock stood, and bent over, picking up something in his hands.
Suddenly, something rustled in the bushes behind Brock’s shadow. Ash raised his eyebrows, and watched as a shadow crept out of the bushes behind Brock’s. Brock turned to face the shadow as it rose up to full height. The shadow was just a mere person, almost as tall as Brock himself.
“Oh, hey there,” came Brock’s voice. Ash was a little surprised to hear it sound so faint, as if it were a distance away. But then he felt his heart quicken as he realized who the other shadow was. The shadow was Leaf’s.
Brock seemed to be exchanging a few words with Leaf, but Ash couldn’t make out what he was tring to say. Why was Brock speaking so low?
Suddenly, Bo=rock was starting to back away from Leaf. Leaf’s shadow was standing still, upright and unmoving that Ash could’ve lost it in the shadows with the trees. But then Leaf’s shadow sprang into action, and a piercing screech sliced through the night. Ash wasn’t even sure if it had really come from Leaf, but he widened his eyes in horror as he saw her shadow leap towards Brock, and pin him to the ground, devouring him and tearing at his flesh, tearing out his own insides as a shadow.
Ash thought he would be sick, and his face went red with hotness as he heard a single yell from Brock before the terrible slashing and fiendish snarling teared at him.
Ash stepped around the wall, his face full of shock, but as soon as he peered around, the glowing fire light went out and the shadows disappeared. Ash was standing in the dark woods next to the cliff. He looked around, wondering with shock if he had just imagined the whole deadly scene.
“WAHH!” Ash jumped back as he looked down at what looked like the body of Brock. There he was, lying on his face, his body splayed out like an X, all bloodied and torn as if a pokemon had tried to eat him. luckily, Ash couldn’t see all the blood through the shadowy darkness. He covere his mouth with disgust, and he felt like he was going to die of sickness.

“Silver is back?!” Misty couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
Gary was standing at the doorway to the front door of the lobby. He had the same look of surprise and shock on his face. “Back as can be. That stupid trainer won’t stop kicking at Ethan’s pokemon! Apparently, he’s after this so-called Celebi that’s running around the regions.”
Misty blinked, and then rolled her eyes. she was just relaxing in the office of the Silph lobby, and now she forced herself on her feet again. “Lemme see him.” She and Gary made their way out the lobby o look around for the red headed trainer.
Gary gave Misty a teasing look. “Blisters again?”
“Ugh,….I had to stand with my fans all day yesterday! Then they had to chase YOU!” Misty huffed. Last night had been terribly busy. Mary had taken the agency to Lavender Town and perform for the Purple Festival. Misty’s fans had been overall excited to see her, and she had spent hours taking autographs and having people take pictures of her.
Gary gave a sideways smile. “I can’t help that I’m as pretty as you.”
Misty gave him a nudge. She was too tired to say anything.
The door opened behind them. “Hey, Misty!” Snapped a voice.
Misty and Gary turned to see Angelica Nadem, the model that came in second place after Misty.
Misty narrowed her eyes and tried to keep her voice polite. “Oh hey, Angelica. What do you want?”
Angelica was glaring at Misty with a raised expression. Her makeup was dark and gothic, and she had always been a snob towards Misty. But ever since the fandom Misty had been earning, she became more jealous and sarcastic around her. last night, Misty caught her erasing some of the pictures of her that had been imported into the computer.
“Mary wants ya to decorate the Saffron Park with her. we’re holding another show there.” Angelica gave Misty a sarcastic smile. “Just be sure you be there. Don’t want me doing all the work for you.” She shut the door before Misty could reply.
Misty winced. “Whatever then.”
Gary sighed. “She’s creepy. She used to be good friends with your sister.”
Misty shook her head with irritation. “Hey, you said Silver is with Oak at the other side of the city?”
Gary nodded. “He called me a wuss after I made fun of his scar on the corner of his forehead.” He and Misty started walking.
“Scar?”
“If he moves his ugly hair from one side a little more, than he’s got this tiny U shaped cut he claims he got from fighting a mysterious ice pokemon in one of those Johto caverns.” Gary snickered and rolld his eyes. “Idiot.”
Misty and Gary found Lyra, Ethan, Jimmy, Silver and professor Oak chatting near the Saffron Park. Oak was giving Silver an intent look.
“I ned you to tell me WHO are the people doing the recombining process,” he spoke with intent. “This is very serious, especially now that Ash has left us.”
Misty felt a pang of annoyance shoot through her for a second, but she let it go. She stepped up to Oak. “What’s going on? How did Silver get here?”
Silver gave a rude cough. “Ah geez, Misty!” He gave her a frown. “You smell like peppermint! How’s that modeling career treatin’ ya? I saw a picture a few days ago with you by that Mercedes. You looked like a SLUT.”
Misty whipped her head to glare at him, but Gary already snuck up behind to give him a stinging pinch on the shoulder. “Only me and her fans can call her a slut.”
Silver flinched. “Ow! Oh, hey Gary,” he sneered. “Haven’t seen YOU in ages. Watcha been up to? I’ve seen that you’re taking part in the modeling agency too.” He rolled his eyes and turned away. “Show off.”
Lyra narrowed her eyes. “Well, anyway, Silver’s only here to chase after pink Celebi, which is probably just another illusion in his stupid imagination.”
Silver crossed his arms and smiled deviously. “I’ve seen it. It’s been confused about where to stay in this world, as if it’s stuck here around certain premises and can’t get away from the areas so near people. professor Elm and the other scientists have conducted that there’s a strange disturbance in the world that’s keeping Celebi from leaving the regions and return to its sacred home.”
Oak nodded. “Elm is most likely right. I’ve been experiencing certain disturbances myself lately.”
Misty raised her eyebrows. “You don’t think it could be--”
“Xenox?” Said Silver with a gleam. “Puh-lease! I heard that B.S. from Ethan and Lyra just now! seriously, you guys think there’s a pokemon out there, undiscovered and unproved to exist, that will one day awaken out of nowhere and freeze the world?”
“It’s not B.S.,” said Ethan angrily. “If you’re even curious enough to observe the evidence Oak has found, you’ll see!”
Misty frowned and nodded, remembering the Ice Spear. She still had it in her purse, left in her room so that it could be guarded from any contact with people or pokemon. “Has Ethan told you about the Ice Spear?”
Silver raised his eyebrows. “Oh, I’ve heard a number of things Ethan spilled out about what could be causing the occurrence of that shiny Celebi. But I don’t believe it. there’s no such pokemon that can take over the world like that. Only Arceus probably can.”
Oak narrowed his eyes. “Well, no one cares about what you believe. You mentioned to me that there were some people off the coast of Kanto—scientists themselves—that are conducting up ways to…..recombine pokemon’s DNA? What’s their plan behind this? I need to know exactly WHO is in charge of this.”
Misty gave a hopeful look. “Recombining pokemon’s DNA?”
Silver huffed. “So that they can prepare for the ‘end of the world!’ They’ve gotten so caught up in their belief over Xenox that they’re developing ways to try and prevent pokemon from dying off when the world freezes. I think it’s complete waste of s***, but still.” His gaze lightened up. “They have developed a way to create a certain pokemon that can probably withstand the death of any blizzard. They have just created its egg, and pretty soon, it shall hatch.”
“What pokemon is it?” Gary asked.
Silver shrugged. “It’s no other than a regular Larvitar egg they found. But they’ve just recombined its DNA so that it can be able to withstand the blizzard. This Larvitar—when it hatches, it shall contain strange abilities a normal Larvitar couldn’t do.”
Oak huffed. “I would very much like to meet these scientists. If they’ve got the knowledge to do something like that to pokemon, then I bet they can almost be as powerful enough to almost create their own pokemon!”
Misty exchanged glances with Gary. “That would be terrible. They couldn’t just change pokemon to become what they want them to be. I mean….for survival it’s one thing…..but for people to do that just for the sake of more power, that would be just wrong.”
Gary nodded with a raised look. “Hey, who the heck are these freaks? Where’d you find them?” He gave Silver an unfriendly nudge.
Silver gave him a wince. “I’m not telling you. why should I let you know? You guys will just ruin it. I think this whole idea of recombining pokemon is awesome! I’ve always wanted pokemon with the powers of my dreams.”
Lyra gave him a look. “Your dreams are none other than cruelness. I bet this group isn’t too far off? There must be some way you keep in contact with them since you especially think they’re so special.”
Silver gave her a flirty look. “Oh, I don’t think they’re that special. Just that they’re knowledge can be useful. They trust me….and I can trust them, so I can learn some pretty useful tricks from these guys.”
Jimmy laughed. “No one can trust YOU.”
As soon as they were out of sight, Oak sighed and took out a strange device in his hands.” I’ve tried contacting Elm already, but there’s no answer. Silver says that the signal in Johto is failing, due to the extreme weather changes going around. looks like we’re not the only ones who have noticed the strange change in weather.”
Misty sighed. “Pretty soon we won’t be the only ones who know about Xenox. No one may notice about it right now, but pretty soon scientists will be making theories and then spreading their rumors around.”
Jimmy huffed. “Well, as long as it doesn’t end up with Silver getting to control his own pokemon. I’d sure like to know where he’s going with that Celebi—and what he plans on doing with those scientists.”
“Well, obviously he’s not going to find them with Ethan and Lyra following him around,” said Gary. “Hey gramps, weren’t you just conducting a study about the extinction of prehistoric pokemon just a few weeks before the dance night?”
Misty gasped. “Oh yeah! Oak, you, me, Ash, ad Gary were studying the long ago inhabitants of the region. Way back before the evolution of pokemon. It was near the beginning of the earth’s time, when the only pokemon that roamed were just the first pre-evolved forms of many pokemon today. Perhaps the scientists could be looking back to how those pokemon developed new evolutionary forms for the next future of the earth?”
Oak nodded. “That’s just what I was thinking. But I’d very much like to meet these scientists—see what kind of people they really are, and see if they would be the type of people like Silver, and would create pokemon for the sake of getting what they want outta them. but I’m going to head back to my research back in the lobby. I’ve lost contact with Red and Leaf unfortunately, so it’s time I start looking up more studies behind the past and ways these conditions can affect our future. You still have that Ice Spear of yours, Misty?”
Misty nodded. “You’ve lost contact with Red and Leaf? ….That’s a bummer.”
Gary snickered. “Smart thing for Ash to just run off like that, too. He’s got no idea what Red and Leaf could do to you when you’re on a journey with those two.” He gave Misty a raised look. “Trust me, they aren’t the most reliable pair to get along with, even though Red could be as smart as an Alakazam.”
Misty raised her eyebrows. But she pushed everything about Ash out of her mind and turned to Oak. “Did you want to see my spear?”
“Oh, no. I’ve covered enough information about that for now. it really is an element that once used to be part of Xenox. I’ve analyzed samples of its DNA…..they are none other than a live, powerful ice pokemon.”
Misty widened her eyes and Jimmy spoke what she was just about to say. “You aren’t going to conduct another living pokemon that can contain that DNA of Xenox itself, would you?”
Misty felt a rush of anxiety pierce through her. Technology was so valuable—another form of Xenox could be created if Oak was smart enough.
Oak laughed. “Ehehe, NO. It would be completely stupid of me to create another pokemon as powerful enough to destroy the world. But there would be others who would do so. Those scientists that Silver mentioned—if they ever found out the DNA contained in the spear, they could do so much as replicate that source to create another form of the very pokemon itself. Misty, I’m just reminding you to keep it safe.”
Gary gave a chuckle. “Smart for you to have even mentioned that spear to Silver’s face.”
Misty huffed, feeling embarrassed and stupid. “Well…..I bet he’s forgotten about it anyway. He showed no interest for Xenox himself. I’d better go back and check it though. I’ll keep it with me at all times since I’ll be over here, working on tomorrow night’s show in this park.”
Misty and Gary dispersed the others and headed back to the lobby quickly.
As soon as they arrived inside, Angelica Nadem was waiting for them on the couch, her legs crossed and in black stockings, looking proud and ready. “Oh, there you are! Gary, Mary wanted some new pictures for individual magazines. She wanted you to volunteer and start with me first. Misty, you really should get ready.” She gave her a wink.
Gary raised his eyebrows. “Individual magazines?”
“Mm-hmm,” Angelica gave a nod and stood up, strutting her way up to them. “You know, Misty’s not the only special one to be in spotlight and fame, taking up all the space of magazines and everything. I deserve a few pictures myself as well, don’t I?”
Misty gave her a narrowed look. “I’ve never taken away any privileges. Mary’s been selling magazines of the other models as well.”
Angelica gave her a glare. “Oh, of course. I know that. It’s just that I deserve a bit of respect just as much as you do. you know, the only reason why you’ve became more famous is because Gary’s been taking those extra pictures of you and putting them up online.”
Misty gasped and whipped her head to Gary. “What?! You sent those ONLINE?!”
Gary flinched and looked confused. “What? Hey! Of course! I thought you already knew that! remember all those times we spent in the gym, the spa, the salon—those pictures were all for online marketing!”
“I knew they would be distributed—but online?!” Misty wanted to slap him. she turned on him with a fierce glare. “Gary—people around the world could be looking at those! And some of those pictures are particularly private for me—and for this region!”
Gary shook his head, wincing. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s no different if the whole region knows about you, or if the whole world kinda does. You’ll be particularly famous either way. and wasn’t that what you wanted?”
Misty couldn’t speak. Some of those pictures he had taken—they involved content that only he and her could look at! She didn’t want someone like Ash—and especially Ash—to witness certain picture scenes of her and Gary-- together.
Angelica looked at the both of them. “Ooh, there seems to be SOME kinda misunderstanding here.” She giggled. “Gary, you can feel free to take pictures of me and send as much as you want all online.”
Gary turned to face Angelica with a disgusted wince. She grabbed his arm and gave him a smile. “C’mon, I need some pictures of myself selling as well.” She turned to Misty with a glare. “I may be in second place under you—but that means no way that I can stay that way. remember—I was top model and your sister even came in second place under me. I liked things the way they used to be.”
Misty looked at Angelica and Gary with a look of confusion and anger. she rolled her eyes. “Whatever!” She flashed Gary a glare before turning away. “You have fun with her. I’ve got important things to do.” And she stomped off, heading up the stairs.
Misty hurried through the halls, passing the elevator where she noticed a small splatter of blood against the wall to the opposite of it. she winced and shook her head in disgust. Wherever Ash was going, he took Pikachu with him, and at least the lobby could go on without noticing the troubles occurring behind everyone’s backs. She hoped she can get to figure out whatever the scientists were up to—if she ever had the time.
And to think Gary had posted those pictures of her online! How could he be so stupid?! There were certain pictures he had promised not to even show Mary or the rest of the agency, for some involved scenes with Gary himself. She did NOT want anyone like Tracey or Ash ever seeing those pictures. Later on, she had to get with Gary and tell him to show those pictures he had been selling online, and then force him to stop. She felt like punching someone, and if Ash were here, he would be the perfect person.
“If only Ash could be here to understand my feelings instead!” She hissed to herself angrily. If he hadn’t been so stubborn with her, she wouldve felt like sharing both their feelings with each other. but right now, she wanted nothing more to just take him and treat him like her punch bag.
She arrived in her room and picked up her purse. She flinched and suddenly let out a gasp of shock. The Ice Spear! It was gone! She looked urgently around. who could’ve stolen it? had she forgotten to lock her door?
“Silver!” She hissed under her breath. Of course……he could’ve been the only one sneaky enough to steal behind her back and observe it with those stupid scientists. “Oh…when I find him I’m gonna….” Misty stomped out of her room with her purse clutched tightly in her hands. She forgot all about hurting Ash and Gary. Silver had obviously stolen it—no one else who knew about her Spear wouldve wanted to steal it.
She passed the elevator again, where it opened and revealed a small group of people to exit. Angrily, she didn’t bother to turn and notice who they were, but then she heard a familiar voice.
“Ugh! We’re gonna be late! She almost saw us!”
“Eh! I think she just missed us. Hurry!”
Misty stopped and arrowed her eyes. “Oh great. What now?” She muttered, turning around to glare at the strangers. Then she jumped back and dropped the purse from her hands. “Wahhh!” She yelled with surprise.
“Achhhh!” The strangers stepped out of the elevator and flinched back with the same shock, clumsily bumping into each other.
“No! Ugh! It can’t be!” Misty was fuming. “You guys again!”
“That’s right, twerp! And this time, we won’t be put down easily!”
It was Team Rocket.

“That’s it! That’s a good one. Nice, I’d like to see that making millions on the internet,” said Angelica sweetly, smiling at a picture of her and Gary posing together in front of a big city casino. Angelica was dressed as a sexy bar waitress and Gary was handsomely dressed as a rich, poker player.
Gary rolled his eyes and pretended to play coolly. “Mm, yeah. I bet this one can top some of Misty’s photos. Sexy…”
Angelica giggled and gave him a nudge. “You’re so bad. I thought you were going out with Misty?”
Gary gave her a sideways smile, trying to hide the pang of surprise that shot through him. “Heh…..not that I know of. What makes you think that she and I are together? Doesn’t she have Ash?”
Angelica sighed. “Oh, I thought she and Ash kinda broke up and that well…..ya know. From the way you and her were playing it, I thought you two kinda had a thing for each other.” She spoke in a swaying voice, leaning next to Gary’s side as she sat on the couch, flipping through the recent magazine that Mary had submitted.
Gary winced. “Ha! Me and Misty? That would turn out even worse than me and Leaf. She’s--”
“Ugh! This picture just bugs me. Doesn’t it just bug you? I hope you didn’t submit this one, please don’t tell me you took this picture.” Angelica gave a disgusted look and pointed at a picture of Misty dressed in a hot pink bikini with a leather green jacket that hung open, and she was bending halway down in front, holding a hand to her mouth and giving the viewers a raised naughty look. behind her was a poster of Ash Ketchum that was hung on the wall.
Gary widened his eyes in surprise and snatched the magazine from Angelica’s hands.
“Hey!” She snapped.
Gary closed the book and set it down on his other side. “Uh….hehe, that kinda stuff is better left unlooked at. That was just a week or so ago when she was still engaged with him. She TOLD me to take that picture.” Gary didn’t want to say it out loud to Angelica that he approved of selling it online as well.
“Ugh! Slut….” Angelica rolled her eyes and Gary had to hold back a laugh. To have Angelica call anyone else a slut just made her look even worse. There could be no better word to describe her herself. “Well, I hope there aren’t any pictures like that with YOU.” She whipped her head to him and gave him a naughty smile.
Gary raised his eyebrows. “Oh yeah? I’m the photographer. I take pictures of whatever I want.” He did have some pictures of him and Misty that were even worse than this one with Ash, though they weren’t distributed through the magazines or anywhere—except for the internet. He had been posting them online without telling Misty, and only Mary knew of it. But the thought of Misty figuring it out now made him feel the urge to meet up with her again. he looked around distractedly, not paying attention to whatever Angelica was blabbering about.
“Hey,” he turned to meet Angelica’s gaze, and then narrowed his eyes to a smile. “You have fun here. Try to convince Mary about those pictures. I gotta go.”
Angelica huffed as he rose up. “Ugh. Findin’ Misty? Whatever. Have fun yourself.” She took out a cigarette from her pocket and started smoking.
Gary raised his eyebrows and blinked. “Hey, you shouldn’t be smoking in here, you know.”
Angelica turned to look at Gary with the cigar in her mouth. She slipped it out and breathed a long breath of smoke. Her black painted lips looked even dirtier now. “Why not?” She replied sassily. “I ain’t gonna burn the whole building down. I’m not foolish like that Sanda Revlock.”
Gary let out a chuckle. One of their models—and one of the clumsiest. But then he gave a look of disgust as Angelica breathed out another air of smoke. He could already smell it strongly. And to think he had to snap a photo of him nearly kissing her!
“Yeah. Hey, you got a boyfriend yourself don’t you?”
Angelica blew a puff of smoke. “Hook-up.”
“Huh! I thought so.”
“Brad Flenne,” she gave Gary a sassy smile. “Why?”
“Well, you should try telling him to take photographs of you—for I won’t always be sticking around,” Gary opened the door. “He would suit your photographer, even though he doesn’t work here.”
Angelica rolled her eyes. “Scared of me, Oak boy?”
Gary gave her a look. He hated it when anyone called him “Oak boy.” “Don’t call me that,” he replied tartly. “It’s just that I’ll be too busy with Misty. And yes, I’m admitting that. Mary wants me to spend as much time as I can distributing photos of her through the internet. And I gotta go find her now.” He flashed a wink at her before leaving. “Later.”
He shut the door behind him and squeezed his eyes shut, frowning in disgust. “Blechhh!” He hissed under his breath, wiping his sleeve across his mouth, even though he had taken the picture with her almost an hour ago. That was disgusting! Angelica Nadem was creepy and ridiculous. She insisted on having photos of her half nude or stripping a scene. Gary played along and pretended to want to listen, but he reminded her seriously that this was a modeling agency—not a strip club.
He left the room behind him and looked around for Misty. It wasn’t long before he heard her forceful yelling just around the corner.
“Well, what HAVE you guys been up to lately?!” She let out a gasp. “And what are you doing with my Ice Spear?!”
Gary flinched. The Ice Spear! Someone had taken it from Misty! He rushed over and found her in front of three strange dark figures—he barely recognized them as none other than Team Rocket.
“Hey, Misty—WHOA! Team Rocket! It can’t be!” He was looking straight at their old long time rivals—James and Meowth. Surprisingly, Jessie was nowhere to be seen.
James looked at Gary and narrowed his eyes. “Hah! But it is. And now that you’re both here, we might as well introduce ourselves since it’s been SUCH along time.”
“Oh please,” Gary sighed. “Not your stupid motto again.”
“That’s right!” James smiled. “I’ll take part in Jessie’s absence. Prepare for trouble--”
“Okay, seriously!” Misty was yelling. “I’m here to model—and find my stupid spear that you guys took. Give it back! It really isnt going to do any good value to YOU guys.”
“Oh really?” Meowth was glaring up at her stubbornly. “Well, while you twerps have been treatin’ yourselves with luxury and fame, we’ve been undercover and doing a great deal more studying! You won’t belive what we know about this thing!”
Gary blinked. “Oh great—don’t tell me you guys--”
“Yes!” James said quickly. “We’ve befriended a group of fellow scientists in the past few weeks. Much more considerate than that old rag, Professor Oak!”
“And we’ve helped learn new scientific ways with pokemon—skills that Team Rocket can use to create power over our own pokemon!” Jessie spoke with pride.
Misty gasped. “The scientists….” She flashed Gary an urgent look. “You mean the ones that Silver mentioned? The ones that are recombining a pokemon to withstand the cold and the death from ice?”
James and Meowth jumped back. “How’d you know?” They both said.
Gary crossed his arms and smiled. “We haven’t been as unaware as you think. Oak has been doing numerous research on pokemon DNA lately, especially since we’ve found evidence of a certain ice pokemon. I bet you guys have already heard of it?”
“Hah! Of course!” James held the Spear closer to him. “Why, this is the very element that was once part of it, wasn’t it?”
Misty sighed. “Well, what do you guys plan on doing with that thing? What do those scientists plan on doing about Xenox? You better not tell the whole world about this! At least not yet—there’s so much we have to figure out first.”
Meowth gave an intent look. “Well, of course not! We want to figure out as much as we can about great old ice legendary out there. And this tool could be a first step!”
Gary exchanged a quick look of worry with Misty. Neither of them had their pokemon with them at the moment, and they couldn’t just take the spear from Team Rocket right now. Misty turned to face them. “Well, what do you guys plan on doing here? why are you even in this lobby—and where’s Jessie?”
James and Meowth flinched. “Heh? Well, what do you care where Jessie is?” Meowth quickly snapped.
“Oh, forget it! they’ll find out soon anyway!” James huffed and gave Misty and Gary an intent look.
“What are you talking about?” Gary said suspiciously.
Suddenly, from the door just a few feet behind James and Meowth, a lady dressed in a sparkling pink-silver dress stepped out cautiously. The room behind her was loud and cheering, for the modeling agency were practicing with Mary at the moment.
Gary and Misty gave a gasp of surprise. “Jessie!” They both cried.
The lady flinched and whipped her head to them. Her hair was up and tied to the back of her head while she wore hot pink preppy glasses and dark purple lipstick. Though she looked exactly like the model Mary had portrayed on a poster earlier, Gary could recognize her as no other than Jessie of Team Rocket.
James and Meowth turned and both stumbled in confusion. “Bah! Eh….that’s not Jessie—that’s Jesserella! We’ve come to hire her from her modeling career to--”
“Oh puh-lease!” Misty stomped her foot and faced them with a hard expression. “I can tell that’s Jessie even if her skin color changed!”
Jessie huffed and faced Misty with a cold gaze. “Oh? And I suppose YOU are probably just jealous that I actually got your stupid fashion designer to hire me and make ME the Prep Queen for the month?”
Gary widened his eyes. “Ooh, Prep Queen?”
Misty gasped. “What……you got Mary to--”
“That’s right!” Jessie squealed with delight. “I was amazing enough to fool those clueless minds and hire me as a new model that would represent this month’s Prep Queen! I’m so excited!”
James sighed and Meowth gave a sideways look. “Yeah……Jessie was having her face in all those new magazines of that little twerpette of yours, she wanted to become as famous as you.”
Gary winced. “So you just entered her in just like that and already got accepted as Prep Queen?”
Jessie crossed her arms and spoke in a proud tone. “Mm-hm. Simple as telling them I’ve got lots of money to donate if I become Prep Queen of the agency and get my face on the magazines for once. It’s totally awesome! And YOU don’t have to worry about getting your fame shattered by me,” she gave Misty a narrowed look. “I won’t do any harm in being this month’s Prep Queen- this will only last for as long as I have the role.”
Misty narrowed her eyes back. “Well…..congratulations. but if any of the models lose a single one of their pokemon--”
“Ah! We’ve quitted that for now!” James said defensively.
“Huh! You losers quitting?” Gary laughed. “I mean, you may be a fail at life, but the never giving up part of you has always stuck with all three of you--”
“Silence, fool!” All three of them spoke at once.
Meowth huffed and explained. “You see, ever since we’ve left your pal Ash in the region of Unova, we realized that his pokemon journey was at an end—or at least at its break again before he started a new one. We wanted to find a different way in life to serve our gang and become rulers of pokemon ourselves—and before we knew it, after hard work of studying and failoing attempts to catch other people’s pokemon, we met a strange scientist guy named Ed Yenko.”
Gary raised his eyebrows with interest. These stupid fools were actually getting somewhere.
Jessie was looking at her tiny makeup mirror, so James spoke. “Uh-huh. You see, Yenko turned out to be a Johto scientist, working on the DNA of pokemon. We discovered that those other scientists he was working with—they could develop ways as close to cloning pokemon or recombining DNA as in the act of Mew!”
Jessie closed her mirror and smiled. “We were soooo intrigued, we showed how much we were studying about pokemon DNA, and they took interest in us! Now, as part of their secret group, they want us to find as much as we can about this so-called ice pokemon that’s causing the changes in weather all this time!”
Meowth frowned out at a window. “Heh! The sky’s been as thick and empty as ever! not a single day of sunshine since the beginning of this year!”
Misty as listening intently. “Well……how long have you guys known about Xenox?”
James raised his eyebrows. “Oh! It really hasn’t been that long!”
Jessie giggled. “Oh yeah, we just figured it out—more likely a few days ago when that twerpy little red head came running back to our lab and told us of what you other twerps were discovering.”
Gary narrowed his eyes. “Silver,” he muttered.
Misty frowned. “And I bet that’s how you knew about my spear.”
Jessie snatched the spear from James’s hand and held it close to her. “Don’t think we’re letting our scientists down that easily! We havent even given up on Team Rocket either!”
Gary stepped forward. “Hey, we really don’t have our pokemon with us for you to steal at the moment, but do you think we can meet these scientists?”
Misty raised her eyebrows and gave him a concerned stare.
Gary continued, “We have been curious about this strange group of people—and before we start exploiting their discoveries to everyone else, we’d like to meet them ourselves.”
James gave a wince. “To trust you twerps like that is like--”
“No! wait!” Jessie was giving an interested look through her fancy glasses. Gary had to admit that for once, she did look pretty attractive in her disguise. “Perhaps the twerp could make a deal with us?”
Misty and Gary looked at each other in concern.
Gary turned to face them. “Dunno about that, but--”
“We show you the info and discoveries that Yenko’s uncovered--” James spoke.
“—and you show us a way to easily obtain pokemon for our gang.” Said Meowth.
“Ok then,” Gary nodded.
Misty gasped and looked at him with shock. “What?! Gary!” She hissed.
Gary gave her a sharp look from the corner of his eye. He tried to give her an expression that told her he had this under control. He wasn’t going to let Team Rocket steal any pokemon, and Team Rocket probably wouldn’t be up to anything rash with those scientists.
Team Rocket all looked at them. “Okay then!” Meowth took a step behind him and turned around. “Come with us.”
Misty and Gary followed Team Rocket to the basement of the lobby. Gary felt strangely exhilarated, rushing through secretive places that Team Rocket knew—WITH Team Rocket this time. He missed the feeling of staying on their trails and stopping their plans.
Jessie finally spoke with friendliness. “So! Where’s that little twerp kid with the Pikachu? I haven’t seen him in such a long time.”
“Yeah, the only faces we’ve seen of you twerps are just the ones from the modeling agency, as well as May and Dawn in the contest leagues!” Added James.
Misty looked at them. “Hm? Ash? Oh, he’s…..I really have no idea what he’s up to right now.”
Gary spoke carefully. “Ash Ketchum’s out investigating about Xenox just like we are. He’s gone out with Red and Leaf to look for clues.”
Meowth nodded with interest. “Hmm, so perhaps the kid hasn’t lost his interest for pokemon yet.”
Gary laughed. “Huh! What are you talking about? Ash will never give up on becoming a master of all pokemon. If there’s something out there that involves a pokemon he hasn’t heard of—he’ll want to find out about it!”
Jessie sighed and spoke in an innocent tone. “Not to be rude or anything, but perhaps you could tell us a little about Pikachu? Oh how we miss the little pokemon, how we used to always kidnap it and such.”
James sighed. “Yeah….I really do miss the good old days.”
“It really wouldve been different if that Ash had never met us in the first place,” added Meowth.
Misty wasn’t saying anything, and she looked deep in thought. Gary spoke for her. “Hehe, well Ash has been having quite surprising trouble with his Pikachu lately.”
Team Rocket stopped at a ladder up to the way out, and turned to stare at him with concern. “Oh? Really?” Said Jessie.
Gary nodded. “Pikachu’s changed since you guys left. You’ll see what I mean when we see Ash next time—maybe.”
James winced. “Huh! I’d like to know now!”
“Shh!” Snapped Jessie. “Come on! If we want to deliver this thing to Yenko as soon as we can, we’ve got to stay unseen! You aren’t wearing that dark suit for nothing….and I’m not wearing this exquisite dress for nothing either.” Jessie smiled at herself and then frowned again. “Here, take this.” She handed him the spear.
“Huh? Me?!”
“Yes! The thing is FREEZING. I’m not freezing my hands off holding that piece of crap.”
Gary chuckled. “Mind if I hold it?”
Meowth flashed him a frown. “Not so fast, twerp!”
Jessie was already climbing up. “Come on!”
Jessie and James pushed open a manhole and climbed into what looked like an open, chemical-smelling laboratory. They got out and stood together in the empty place.
“Where is everyone?” Misty asked.
Jessie shrugged. “Probably out exploring the pokemon around this area. They’ve been curious about the climate changes also.” Gary and Misty followed them towards a desk at a corner of the place. The TV was left on, and Gary found it funny for there to be a TV in a lab of super smart scientists. The volume was quite low, but Gary could make out the faint voice of the reporter on the channel 9 news.
“Still no clearing in the sky…….forecast most likely to continue for the rest of this week…..expecting as close to a storm off the east coast….”
“Hey! twerp!” Gary flinched to where Team Rocket were suddenly tensed, staring up at the ceiling. Jessie whipped her head over to him and Misty. “Go! Hide! Yenko’s here!”
“Huh?” Gary looked around in confusion.
“Hide! Yenko hates visitors in his lab. We aren’t supposed to have even brought you here!” Meowth hissed.
Misty looked around worriedly and Gary grabbed her arm. “Here!” He took her underneath a table of books and chemical bottles where a cloth hung over the top. Gary couldn’t peek underneath once he hid below, but he could easily make out the footsteps and creaking from above that Yenko must’ve entered through the ceiling.
Gary turned to Misty an spoke in a low voice. “I guess this is an underground lab somewhere. We’ll have to remember the rout to this place next time we come here.”
And just in the distance, he could here Yenko speaking. He had a scratchy, rough edged voice. “Hello, hello, fellow Jessie and James. Nice to see that you made it in the contest. I have an important discovery to share with you.”
And Gary heard what sounded like a pokeball opening up to summon a pokemon.

“Dear Journal,
The last few dance nights have been pretty romantic……in a way. I’ve been seeing the benefit of other couples’ reunion rather than my own. Even through the dance nights only lasted about four days or so with the entire invitation of people (excluding May, Drew, and Brendan), we all still had a great time. It’s been a long seven years since I had last seen Ash Ketchum, and I was so happy for him to have invited us over. Ethan I were both invited to come over to the reunion at Yuen City in Kanto, where Ash invited a whole number of his friends as well. Misty, May, Gary, Dawn, Barry, and a whole number of his old friends had been invited. We all had a great time until that strange moment when May, Brendan, and Drew just…..suddenly disappeared into nowhere. Now our dance nights have been faltering, and with Red, Leaf, and Ash gone to the Seafoam Islands and Dawn, Barry, Lucas, and Paul off to investigate the pokemon Azelf, I’ve been feeling incomplete around here, and even Ethan is starting to get on my nerves…
Anyways, I was more concerned about Silver’s sudden arrival. Just the other day, he had shown up, surprising Ethan, and claiming he was after a pink Celebi. I was flabbergasted, for he had rejected the invitation to even come to our dance reunion. But he told us some pretty interesting stuff—mentioning the strange weather changes that have been becoming more noticeable to us, and even hearing about the strange pokemon we’ve been suspecting—Xenox. Even though he didn’t believe in the existence in it, and said that it was complete B.S., he did mention a strange group of scientists that have been working on some strange kind of technique to supposedly “recombine” pokemon DNA to create new genes for the pokemon to let them survive the so-called ending of the world when Xenox shall awake and freeze the whole place. The whole idea of a pokemon ever waking up and then destroying the world with extreme blizzards that would kill any living soul no matter what the advantages they had, it all just sounded bogus to me. But from the way things have been going lately, with May’s sudden disappearance, Pikachu’s anonymous change in behavior, and Red’s dream from Mew, along with the way the weather has been lately, I really do suspect something’s up. one day, I predict this weather will lead to something so much as snow—so that maybe it can even snow here in Saffron. It’s never snowed in the mid parts of Kanto, though, but from the way this weather has been going, with endless gloominess in the sky and clouds become thicker and thicker each day, I really wouldn’t be surprised if it suddenly started snowing for the first time since this region’s creation.
Silver wouldn’t tell us who those scientists even were, or where they were at. He’s keeping a secret—obviously—and he’s not going to share. Typical Silver. I guess I’ll just have to find out things for myself. perhaps talking to Misty could help sum things up? That Ice Spear she had could be a big part of what’s been going on, since it supposedly belongs to Xenox itself.
But I don’t want to disturb Misty……she has been going through a tough time over Ash since that one night Pikachu suddenly became so traumatized. I know what it feels like to lose trust in someone who you had onced cared about…..my relationship with Ethan hasn’t been going well either. I don’t know…..it’s not that he’s doing anything wrong—it’s just that I feel like I’m losing interest in him, like he’s starting to mean less to me….”
Lyra stopped writing and lifted her head to look out the window. It was drizzling outside. There was no sign of anyone wandering outside around the city of Saffron. Sitting in one of the top rooms of the Silph Lobby, Lyra felt strangely alone. Ethan and Jimmy had gone downstairs to the gameroom since they couldn’t pokemon train in the rain. She had stayed behind to finally write some of her feelings in her little red journal she had gotten many years ago as a child. She had never stopped writing her private thoughts ever since.
Suddenly, the door to her lobby shuddered, and someone was messing with the knob on the other side.
Lyra turned and winced at the noisy struggling to open her door. It was probably Ethan, she thought. She was just about to get up and open it for him, but suddenly, it swung open and Silver stomped in with a pokeball clutched in his right hand, and a look of grumpiness on his face.
“Silver!” She gasped.
He was soaking wet, his clothes dripping with no jacket over his dark shirt and pants. His long hair was drenched and he looked like he had just fallen into a pool. Lyra winced. It was only drizzling outside.
“Um, you might wanna give me an explanation for just barging into my room?” Lyra snapped. “Where’d you get our key?”
Silver dropped to the couch, leaning back tiredly. He cast Lyra a sideways look. “Ethan was too busy racing pokemon in the arcade with Jimmy. It’s easy to get behind his back when he’s so distracted.”
Lyra flashed him a glare. “You’re such a thief. What are you doing here anyway?”
Silver shrugged. “Do I need a reason? I probably just wanted to check on YOU.”
Lyra rolled her eyes and turned away. “Please get out,” she muttered, staring out at the window. “You’re soaking our couch.”
“Who said it was your couch?” Said Silver, sitting up to turn the TV on. “I think I have the right to come in any room I can for shelter—after the crap I had just been through.”
The TV turned on, and the sound of the reporter’s voice was heard. “Not far along the coasts, a strange drastic change in climate has dropped down, and hurricanes are more likely to stir. We have shut down all access in the harbors for boats to be sailing at this time.”
Lyra turned with a raised expression. “Oh no…..I sure hope Red, Leaf, Ash, and Brock are doing well. Hopefully they’ve reached the Seafoam Islands by now.”
Silver shook his head, rolling his eyes and turning the TV off. “Man, is that all the news is ever going to talk about now? Gee, I bet they’ve forgotten all about the pink Celebi roaming around.”
“Oh, right!” Lyra gave him a sarcastic look. “Have you had any luck with that imaginary pokemon?”
“Hey! It’s way less imaginary than that stupid Xenox everyone’s blabbering about.” Silver’s eyes flashed.
“I sure hope you’re not telling everyone about it,” said Lyra, narrowing her eyes. “So far, no one but Oak and his closest friends like us know about it. it still remains a secret to everyone else—except for those stupid scientists you’ve been visiting.”
Silver gave a devious smile. “Ah, I haven’t been talking about that kind of crap to them lately. We’ve been more focused on the future of our world—the CONSEQUENCES for the future’s so-called world’s end. if the world really will suffer from endless snow and coldness, then we will help the pokemon withstand it and inherit their new DNA within them.”
Lyra huffed. “You guys really shouldn’t do that.”
“Oh? Why not?”
“Because! Don’t you know how much that could affect Mew? Mew is the one connection to all pokemon DNA—it inherits every single pokemon trait within its body somehow, and only Mew can do so much as to change the DNA of pokemon. It’s done it before—such as creating new evolutions of certain pokemon for the Sinnoh, and updating those traits of the strange pokemon of Unova. But only Mew’s in charge of pokemon DNA—if humans suddenly develop a way to do the same and perform it on pokemon so that they, too, can recombine their inner genes, that would probably go against Mew’s will.”
Silver blinked at her with a blank look in his eyes. he started laughing. “Aw, please. What? You think Mew’s not gonna thank us for helping it change DNA and make the pokemon more suitable to the cold environments—for their BENEFIT? I don’t see why Mew would reject us for doing a thing like that. we’re actually trying to save the pokemon for the future.”
“Well……I think you should leave that up to Mew,” said Lyra carefully. “If the pokemon’s genes must change for the future, then you should let Mew take care of that. it may be too early to start developing man-made ways with pokemon.”
Silver pushed back a strand of his wet hair and started walking up to her. “Watcha writing there?” He said mischievously, peering over her shoulder to read her journal.
Lyra shut her book and gave him an indignant look. “Hey! Get away from me! You smell like…..smoke! where have you been?”
Silver gave her a narrowed smile and crossed his arms. “Glad you finally asked! I was just by Lavender Town, for I thought I was on pink Celebi’s trails again. surprisingly enough, that place is suffering from a much harsher weather condition than we are. There’s a heaping storm over there—believe it or not.”
Lyra’s gaze raised. “Really? Wow….it’s only drizzling here…”
“I was trying to search by the lake to find that Celebi—until suddenly, this strange pokemon creature pulled me into the water.”
Lyra gasped.
“It had tentacles….huge tentacles stronger than that of a Tentacruel’s and thicker than an Octillery’s. I couldn’t even make out what the pokemon was, but it had pulled me in, and I fought back desperately, struggling to escape as I summoned my Feraligatr. It barely got to launch a Waterfall on the pokemon before it let go of me and defeated my Feraligatr with a powerful Gunk Shot attack from its tentacles, and then disappeared deeper into the water. I ran back here as soon as I can.”
Lyra looked at Silver, seeing how fearful his eyes had suddenly become. He wasn’t just making up some pointless old story. “Wow…..interesting,” she crossed her arms. “I’d like to check it out, though.”
Silver winced at her. “What the—you serious? The thing’s huge. Probably three Tentacruel’s or something.”
“It must have been some kind of pokemon like Tentacruel—it used Gunk Shot. But I’d like to get a closer look at this pokemon and see what it could really be. How ‘bout when the weather’s a little better tomorrow, hmm? You, me, and Ethan could all go take a look.”
Silver huffed and narrowed his eyes. “No way,” he said rudely. “Not unless you guys can keep a secret about the scientists I visit.”
Lyra gave him a look and Silver narrowed his eyes even more. “They will be checking the pokemon out also. And if you guys are ever going anywhere near those lakes by Lavender Town, you’ll be meeting those scientists. I don’t want you blabbering and tattling to that stupid professor Oak about what they’re up to and how their projects are working, understand?”
Lyra blinked. He was speaking to her like a parent. “Um….okay then. But you better not keep any secrets from us. We want to know about that Celebi also, and how those scientists could be recombining pokemon.”
“You better keep your mouth shut then,” said Silver intently.
“I will,” promised Lyra, raising her eyebrows honestly. Whatever it took to figure out the strange things those scientists were up to, she had to find it out. To have people finally figure out a way to almost literally create their own pokemon seemed rather astonishing—and dangerous in a way. and from the looks of the weather, there was already enough danger going about now. lavender Town was barely a while away, but it was raining like crazy there, according to Silver.
Silver met her gaze silently for a moment, and then gave a creepy smirk. “Aw, thanks Lyra. Glad I can trust SOMEONE to keep my secrets. Come on, you sure next time we have a dance night, you don’t wanna be my partner?” He was giving her a strange, longing look in his glinting eyes.
Lyra stared back with confusion. “What?! I don’t think so! Don’t even--”
“What? After what I’ve done to Marina?” He said drastically. “Sheesh, give me a break, a guy’s gotta show some kind of affection for someone he--”
“Okay, you’ve made your point, now get out,” said Lyra, standing up, avoiding his touch he tried to reach out for her cheek. She stood up and pushed his hand away. “Out!”
Silver blinked. “Ugh…..fine then.” He gave her a narrowed look and stomped away, squeezing the pokeball tightly in his hand. lyra stared at it with concern, wondering if that was his own pokemon inside. “Don’t think I’m not giving up on anything, though,” he muttered, not looking back. “I’m still after that Celebi, and I’m especially not going to forget about capturing that pokemon sooner or later.” And he shut the door behind him.
Lyra stared at the door, wincing. “That was weird,” she thought. What did Celebi have to do with what he had just tried to ask her? Lyra suddenly felt a feeling tense up inside her. Celebi had always been her favorite pokemon. She had always dreamed of one day seeing it. she had written so many feelings she had for that pokemon, and had always hoped of one day having one—even though she knew the pokmone was better off free and untrained. Celebi was too devoted and sweet to ever become captured by a human. If Silver wanted to catch this pink Celebi for her, she would only hate him more. She didn’t want to see Celebi captured, and if Silver was just going to go on after it anyways, he obviously didn’t care about her feelings. He only wanted the pokemon for himself.
She stared out the window and sat down, picking up her pencil and writing in her journal. She wrote the last few sentences of her entry.
“The weather doesn’t look so promising……I believe that there might even be snow coming sooner or later…..”

“Pike Queen Lucy!” May was shocked at the sight of the tall dark frontier brain she had seen in battle so long ago. What in the world could she be doing at a place like this?!
Lucy’s pokemon calmed at her arrival, and Lucy kept her narrowed intent gaze on May. Emblem ran up to May’s heels and whimpered at the glare of Lucy’s majestic Milotic.
Drew rose up to his feet from the small raft to the side of the shore. “Are you really Lucy?!”
“Shh…..you shouldn’t be in here…I should be questioning YOU for your presence…” Lucy spoke with quiet concern.
May raised her eyebrows. “Oh…we’re sorry. We were just….separated and we got a little lost--”
“Lost? What are you doing on this island?” Lucy’s Milotic lowered its head to let the trainer step off its neck in front of May. “Come…I’ll take you to my room at the back of this hideout. Follow me…”
Without another word, May and Drew followed Pike Queen Lucy across the room to the doorway that opened up to a small living room area where a fire burned in the chimney.
“Here..drink this. It will keep you warm and awake.” Lucy handed them both cups of what looked like spiced herb tea.
May raised her eyebrows. She was still bitterly cold, but she didn’t trust a simple offer like this. She looked up to question the Pike Queen, but then stopped when she saw that Lucy was already taking sips from her cup as well. Drew still looked uncertain, but May found herself rather enjoying the tea, and feeling more comfortable with their old friend.
“So,” May finally said, sitting down on the couch by Drew’s side, keeping an eye on Emblem by her feet. “How did you find your way to Isotopia? I….I thought your absence would spark a huge concern in Hoenn. Has anybody even noticed where you’ve gone?”
Lucy closed her eyes for a second and then gazed into the fire to their left. “I’ve got my own ways….my own powers that can teleport me to even the most secreted places. Ever since the disappearance of Wallace, I’ve been on my way to figuring out the strange consequences.”
“Oh, so you’ve heard about Wallace too,” muttered Drew, eying her with distrust. He still hadn’t taken a sip from his cup.
Lucy gave a slow nod. Her eyes were as sharp and focused as a Xatu’s. “I started by examining the very place where he had made his strange discovery of a strange egg he believed was a strayed water type. I used….psychics, you may say, and eventually, I came to the strange secrets of the very pokemon Xenox itself. I’ve done little research, for information on Xenox was very scarce and still left unknown. But I realized that there could be an explanation behind it. The pokemon had barely been discovered, had never shown its presence in front of any particular person or pokemon. I learned how it lived on an island, known as the Barren Island, where it sleeps and keeps its powers controlled from ever taking over the world. I realized there was a strange reasoning for the strange weather patterns we have been experiencing lately….and pretty soon, I became more engaged with studying for this pokemon.”
“I’ve done lots of research on it too,” May added. “For the past few months, I’ve been studying on an island not too far from the Barren Island, examining the strange evidence with a group of scientists that have barely shown their faces to the outside world.”
“Have you, now?” Lucy murmured, looking slightly interested.
May nodded. “Brendan and I have.”
Drew spoke up. “You wouldn’t believe our reason for arriving at this place, though.” And Drew explained the whole thing about how he, May, and Brendan had been whipped away by the most random snowstorm under a tree in Yuen City of Kanto, and had found their way to this island. He explained how they had lost Brendan , and how he is possibly wandering on as a lost, possessed soul that conceals the very aura of Xenox. This part was what interested Lucy the most, but she suddenly raised her eyebrows when May mentioned Prima Dona.
“She’s pretty amazing, that lady,” May spoke with admiration. “I mean…..the way she battles, her style of pokemon and everything…..it’s no wonder she’s a real contributor to this island, willing to help me and Brendan to stop Xenox and take care of Emblem here,” she bent over to pick up the little Groudon to set on her lap. The little Groudon seemed alert and nervous in this strange place.
May heard a huff from Drew, and Lucy gave her a studying look. “Prima Dona…” she muttered with what sounded like a slight disgust.
Drew looked up. “Have you met her?”
“You mentioned you were traveling with Wallace at the same time, weren’t you?” Lucy leaned forward. “Well…..let me tell you something. Prima Dona is a bad lady. Don’t trust her May, whatever she may do, or whatever she may tell you.”
May suddenly felt cold and scared. Emblem shivered in her grasp. “W-why not?”
Lucy’s piercing eyes grew even sharper. As May stared into them, she was almost reminded of Prima Dona herself, though with a calmer, less cold glint. Lucy was speaking with intent. “Just trust me. Prima Dona is nothing but trouble.”
“Have you met her?” Drew repeated. “How did YOU get here in the first place yourself, Lucy?”
Lucy sighed. “I….I was summoned here. You see, when I was practicing psychics with my Seviper, back at my spot in the battle frontier, I performed a strange ritual, and somehow, I had called the wrong spirit. Instead of calling the spirit in the island of the Barrens, I accidently found myself drawn to the spirit of this place, the very island that had been created by Xenox itself. I suddenly met Prima Dona’s very spirit through the mirrors of psi……and she managed to grab hold of me and keep me trapped on this island since she blamed me for having seen too much of this island—or at least capable to.”
Drew raised his eyebrows. “So Prima Dona just whipped you here through some mirror in your house where you found yourself stuck in this island to keep from exploiting any secrets you find here?”
May gave Drew a surprised look, feeling unsafe. “Lucy’s house is very complex, as you should know….”
Suddenly, the doors behind May and Drew whipped open, causing a wild snowstorm to suddenly blow in. The fire in the fireplace was easily put out, and Prima Dona was standing there, frowning with a look of anger and haughtiness on her cold pale face. To her side was Wallace, looking alert and concerned as he looked around the place.
“Oh, we’re here!” He said out loud. “Huh….I sure remember this place.”
“May! Drew!” Prima Dona snapped, her eyes glinting right at May. “Come over here! I’ll protect you from this….WITCH.” She cast Prima Dona a nasty glare.
May got up, carrying Emblem with her. She was already at Prima Dona’s side, feeling shocked and confused. Whatever the reason Prima Dona had for kidnapping Lucy to this place, it must’ve been for a good reason. This whole place that Lucy was even part of just proved the strange things she was up to—whatever they were. Could she be on Xenox’s side to have the pokemon awaken? She hadn’t mentioned her opinions on what should come of the pokemon in the future yet.
Lucy got up to her feet, glaring at Prima Dona from across the room.
Prima Dona glared back, her eyes like sharp slits.
“W-what’s going on?” May stuttered. “Have you two met before?”
Prima Dona chuckled coldly. “My dear, I’ve had a bone to pick with Pike Queen Lucy here. she is NOT to be trusted.”
Wallace winced and looked to his feet. “Hmph, I wonder why?”
“Quiet, you!” Prima Dona flashed him a haughty glare. “Now! if you please……” Prima Dona turned to glare at Lucy with a hand on May’s shoulder. “I was taking these two on an important mission over towards the hideout of Team Aqua.”
“Oh? You mean the very place that used to be Kyurem’s home?” Lucy raised her eyebrows.
“Where else would it be?!” Spat Prima Dona, rolling her eyes.
“Well…..” Lucy’s eyes flashed. “I have been curious about that place as well. I was just going to be on my way to investigate that group of gangly strangers sometime this week.”
May looked at Lucy hopefully. “Oh, you can come with us….can’t she?” She cast a worried glance at Prima Dona. “I mean….I could never imagine Pike Queen Lucy bear to do anything terrible….”
“Oh she hasn’t done anything terrible,” said Prima Dona coldly. “It’s just that….she’s able to. I don’t trust that woman one bit, and I believe she can make a very valuable tool for me—if only she would cooperate.” She hissed a menacing scowl at the Pike Queen.
Lucy’s narrowed gaze remained still. “Hmph…..I would never do any of my tricks for the likes of YOU.”
“Oh, screw it all!” Scoffed Prima Dona, swatting her hand towards Lucy’s direction. “That’s why you’re stuck in this confusing snake-hole in the first place!”
Wallace chuckled. “I bet not even you know your way around this Seviper house, huh?” He was gazing at Lucy with humor.
Lucy blinked her eyes seriously and said nothing.
Drew was looking at Lucy hopefully. “Well….you will come with us, won’t you? Aren’t you interested in Team Aqua?”
“Of course I’ll come…..” said Lucy quietly, still focused on Prima Dona’s gaze. May was surprised at how brave she was to be holding the ice lady’s cold piercing eyes for that long. “But……if there’s any trouble with luck, please don’t blame me. I’m no magic sorceress of good or bad luck in any way—though I do study the psychics on possessing it.”
Prima Dona rolled her eyes. “We’re wasting our time. Team Aqua’s probably gone crazy with the spear by now, and I’m willing to make sure they don’t catch up with that Brendan friend of yours. Now come along! And don’t be thinking I won’t be keeping an eye on YOU.” She flashed another fierce glare at Lucy before stepping out the door.
May kept by Prima Dona’s side, feeling lost. She was aware of Lucy’s untrusting gaze on her and Prima Dona, and she wished she could have a more decent talk with Lucy much better. what was she planning to do on this island? What sort of things had she even gone through since she was pulled here?
And as May stepped out of the strange room, she looked back, realizing that she had stepped out of the very mouth of the Seviper—the very part where she and Drew had entered in.

Drew didn’t feel right—traveling with Prima Dona and Pike Queen Lucy like this. He felt a strange tension overcome the atmosphere between the two, a strange, nauseous feeling from Lucy’s presence, and a cold, grasping feeling from Prima Dona. Even May still seemed enhanced by the power of Prima Dona, and Drew felt his connection with her ebb more and more away. Wallace seemed like the only one he could talk to in private with trust, and while Prima Dona and Lucy seemed to be in a tight quarrel with each other, he and Wallace talked about both their concerns.
“You know….I’m a little worried for May there,” said Wallace with uncertainty. “I don’t think she’s taking Lucy’s side as she should. She almost looks as suspicious of Lucy as Prima Dona herself.”
Drew huffed. “Just like I’m thinking—Prima Dona’s trying to use her as some kind of tool to help with something she’s seeking. I don’t think she’s on May’s side to even ‘protect’ the fire emblem pokemon like this, I think she just wants it to keep from destroying Xenox so she can achieve something even worse.”
“Mm. You see, when she and I first met, I thought she had been a strong soul dedicated to this island, and that she was willing to do what she can to protect it. that was why I was so close to entrusting her to help me find the egg I had set on Xenox’s mountain in my dream…..”
“We’re close to the hideout!” Shouted Prima Dona. She turned to glare at Drew and Wallace from behind. “Hurry up, you two! Sheesh! Aren’t the boys supposed to be faster at journeys than girls?”
Lucy turned to give them both a narrowed glare and then turned away. Drew eyed May as she kept her gaze faced forward, not bothering to glance back at him.
As soon as Prima Dona and Lucy had stopped their quarreling, Prima Dona started whispering something with May, and Drew could see from the intent look on May’s face that it was probably about Lucy.
Pike Queen Lucy rolled her eyes and slowed down to catch up to Wallace’s side.
Wallace sighed. “So…” he muttered. “How have things been going? I’m sure you’re missed back at the battle frontier?”
“Hmph,” murmured Lucy. “It’s only been a week or so since I got here.”
Drew looked up at her. “Hey….that’s around when we arrived. What exactly happened to you? how did Prima Dona get you all wound up over here?”
Lucy’s piercing gaze met Drew’s eyes. “Well….like I said, I was studying the ways of the psychics, trying to read through the strange weather changes and discover more about Xenox. I discovered snow that had just suddenly appeared by my window, though there wasn’t any outside falling or anywhere else. I took the snow to examine it, and read into the very element and see if I can trace anything within. I was just performing a certain trick in front of my mirror, hoping to read into the aura I saw within the strange snow. I wanted to see it clearly, so I was performing a special trick to reveal it in front of the mirror. unfortunately, the aura revealed in that snow wasn’t what I had expected. The soul of Prima Dona was part of that snow, and that was what appeared in the mirror instead of Xenox itself. She seemed to be staring at me with a look that seemed to know everything that I had just done. She didn’t look proud at all. She instantly grabbed me—and that was the last of me. I had been suddenly put to sleep, or at least in some kind of strange trance that I didn’t recover from until I woke up, realizing I had been pulled into this strange island.”
Drew raised his eyebrows with interest. “And you’ve met no one else here besides Wallace since then?” He sure hoped there weren’t more famous people he knew that were trapped here with the same problem as he and May.
Lucy gave Drew a hard look. “Unfortunately, there is one other I know.”
Drew rolled his eyes. “Oh great. Lemme guess—May’s brother Max?”
“You still remember Pyramid King Brandon….do you?”
Drew gasped. “No way! pyramid King Brandon’s here too?!”
He spoke a little too loudly, for May and Prima Dona had turned to look at them.
“Pyramid King Brandon is here?” Gasped May. Emblem burned with intensity, looking distracted.
Prima Dona rolled his eyes. “Oh great! The dumbass that’s pretending to be Team Aqua! Yes, he’s here! and he’s a spy for those Aqua grunts.”
Wallace raised his eyebrows. “Wonder how he got here?”
“Dunno….ask him,” muttered Lucy.
“Hey! speaking of Team Aqua, their hideout is just over here this hill! Let’s pick up the damn pace and stop whispering behind our backs!” Prima Dona whipped around to face forwards.
They walked on until they reached the front of what looked like a tall, looming rectangular building.
Drew blinked. “This is where Team Aqua are hiding out?”
“The very area where Kyurem, the very ice legendary of Unova had settled.” Prima Dona spoke in a harsh tone.
“Kyurem?” Said May curiously. “That was the strange pokemon that attacked us back near the ice canyons.”
“When Xenox was in one of its disturbing dreams of the fire emblem pokemon,” explained Prima Dona, “it managed to find its way into the dreams of Kyurem, another strong and powerful ice legendary as well. It captured it and whipped it over to this very island where the pokemon could keep the island strong and full of frozen storms so that it wouldn’t die off when the fire emblem pokemon finally came into action.”
“Kyurem has been trying to escape this place,” added Wallace, narrowing his eyes. “It doesn’t like the strange spirit in this island for some reason—whether it’s got to do with the strong force of ice or not. But just like everything else, not even Kyurem itself can escape this place once it enters.”
“How do you know…?” Murmured Lucy, talking more to herself.
“Hey, sshh!” Prima Dona hissed. “Get down! someone’s coming!” She and May ducked behind a sharp nettle bush by the front of the hideout. Drew, Wallace, and Lucy squatted down as they focused their gazes on a small human figure that was maing its way towards them from the right.
Drew narrowed his eyes as the figure came into clearer view under the moonlight. It suddenly became a mere boy—one with greenish-blonde hair and careful, alert eyes.
“Wally!” Drew and May both hissed the name at the same time.
“Yes! I knew it was you guys!” Whispered Wally, coming over.
Prima Dona huffed and rolled her eyes. “Oh, great. Another foolish teen to tag along?”
“Wally!” Wallace smiled with humor. “Nice to see you, my boy! How have you ever winded up here?”
Drew stood up. “Yeah! have you experienced a strange snowstorm like May, Brendan and I did?”
“Not exactly,” said Wally in a low voice. “See, I followed my way here with Pyramid King Brandon. He found his way here when he was daydreaming at the top of his pyramid summit, trying to read the weather changes.”
Drew glanced at Lucy. “So the same almost happened to him.”
“Well…..I can explain later,” said Wally. “All I can say is that….Brandon found his own way here from the top of his summit. He wasn’t randomly pulled into this island like you guys.”
“And he’s here right now?” May asked, stepping up to Drew’s side. “Is he in the hideout?”
“He’s off on an expedition with Team Aqua, but he’ll be returning. He’s a spy, you know. And you know what else? I’ve met Brendan here as well. I had a hunch the rest of you guys probably wouldn’t be too far off as well.”
Drew, May, Prima Dona, and Wallace all widened their eyes. “Brendan?” Gasped May.
“Brendan is here in the hideout….” Wally suddenly looked troubled. “……and I’m afraid he’s not himself.”
Drew winced. “W-what are you talking about?”
“Oh, he-llooo?” Prima Dona stomped her foot impatiently. “He was consumed by the very spear of Xenox as well! It would probably be obvious something weird has happened to his mind—and his soul.”
“Oh dear,” muttered May.
“Yeah, don’t worry, I can get you guys inside right now though,” said Wally urgently, trying to open the door. “Here, I’ll introduce you as natives to the Aqua grunts, so that they wouldn’t suspect you of any kind of enemy. I’ll find Brendan, and try to convince him to meet you guys. But trust me…..he won’t remember a thing about you.”
Drew shook his head slowly. “That’s…..that’s impossible. What could’ve happened to him?”
As soon as Wally got the door open, they all stepped in and Wally greeted an Aqua grunt that was sitting on a couch with a strange ice cube in his hand. he looked up with concern in his eyes.
“Hello,” Wally gave the grunt a nod. “These are just natives, traveling by, in need of shelter. They’re just here for temporarily, and they shouldn’t stay here for too long.”
“What may they be passing by for?” The grunt stood up, clutching a poke ball in his hands.
“Oh, it was for migratory needs,” said Wally quickly. He looked up at Wallace. “Wasn’t that right? You guys are following the north wind to migrate farther north.”
Wallace nodded, but before he could reply, the Aqua grunt cleared his throat. “Ahem…wait a minute. I’ve heard of pokemon migrating south. The winds are becoming terrible in the north, and I’ve witnessed traces of pokemon headed towards the SOUTH to avoid anymore deadly storms.” The grunt suddenly noticed the glowing little Groudon in May’s hands. He suddenly widened his eyes. “Is that…..is that a GROUDON?! Wha—what is the meaning of this? Who ARE you people really?”
“Agh!” Prima Dona huffed, stepping forward. “Please! I’ll explain everything! Come here, bozo! You wanna explanation? Well, have fun listening to ME blabber my mouth off and tell you all about our journey!”
Prima Dona grabbed the grunt’s arm and took him farther down the room. Drew and the others watched them go, and Wallace chuckled with humor.
Drew sighed. “Whatever she tells him,” he muttered, “it better sound reasonable. I hope we can get to play along well.”
“Ugh….he was looking at Emblem like it was some kind of freak,” May hugged the little Groudon tighter.
Drew winced at her. “Um…hello? Of course he would be acting up! you’ve got a baby Groudonin your hands! What else would anyone do?”
Wally stepped in front of him. “Hey, you guys should stay down here before anyone else questions us. I’ll go upstairs to get Brendan down and then we can all explain everything. And by the way….it’s nice to see you all again. May, Drew, Wallace, Pike Queen Lucy.” He gave each of them polite nods.
Drew nodded back. “You too, Wally. It’s been awhile.”
“Hehe, you seemed to have been taking good care of yourself.” Said Wallace. “How are your pokemon coming along?”
There was a sudden bang upstairs and Wally whipped around to face up at the top floor. “Um…they’re fine. I’ll get Brendan……that might’ve been him.” He hurried away, and Drew watched him go with an uncertain expression.
First Lucy, then Brandon, and even Wally. Who else could be trapped in this island? Who else would end up being trapped here like the rest of them? and the migrating pokemon that the grunt had mentioned…..were they fleeing some sort of disastrous cause in the very island itself? What would be the fate of those who were upon this island of Isotopia, or for those who will eventually find their way here?

“You have to remember me….we used to be friends. Remember how you helped me catch a Ralts, and helped me start a pokemon journey of my own along with you?”
Brendan huffed with irritation, wincing as he tried to work the combination to the poke room. This kid had been repeating that for the last twenty minutes. The boy, who introduced himself as Wally, had taken him around the hideout, telling him all about Team Aqua’s scheme to control the pokemon Xenox through the three missing spears of the legendary. Team Aqua had been whipped away by a strange blizzard out at sea, and they had winded up in this very place where they had learned of the creator of this very island, and how no one can ever enter in the environment of the island, nor escape once they were part of it. They had developed interest in this so-called Xenox that they eventually got to believing really existed, and they were setting out to seek each of the three missing spears to call up the pokemon from its dreams—and take over the world with a power of summoning endless ice.
Brendan recalled the earlier habits of Team Aqua. “So apparently, they’re on the verge to summon power over ice, and not water this time. Interesting. Typical bad guy ambitions.” He rolled his eyes as he studied the combination to work the poke room. His pack of Changelings were stuck in here, and he had to escape this place with them, as well as stop this whole stupid gang from disrupting the spirit that was part of him as well.
Unfortunately, Brendan HAD lost all his memory, and it was all very clear to Wally. When he had asked Brendan how he had gotten to this place himself, Brendan had told him he had always been part of the island itself, creating every part of it from the weather to the pokemon that inhabited it. His goal was to find his lost side of his soul, far, far away where the very pokemon Xenox lived, and commingle with it to become one again, and control the world together.
Wally feared this, for it was Team Aqua’s very goal to summon the pokemon of ice and blizzards, and if Xenox were to ever wake up from its sleep, the world would suffer a terrible blizzard that would be known as the Wipeout. It was already showing strange signs that it was close to awakening, sending strange, chilling weather patterns around the world to show its distraction. If Team Aqua ever knew what was possessing Brendan to make him act as if some weird soul was concealed inside of him, they would probably use him as a very destructive and important tool. Wally felt utterly alone, even with his old friend. Brendan’s mind was somewhere else, his heart frozen as the storm outside. And he was somehow connected to Xenox itself, ready to set out to find the very pokemon in the treacherous island of the Barrens, where he would awaken the pokemon and commingle with it—as one of its missing spears. Team Aqua was still looking for its two other missing spears, for they held a connection to Xenox just as much as Brendan did. If they ever found that one of those spears was concealed inside Brendan—becoming no more than Brendan himself—they would have a disastrous desire of triumph. Wally had to keep Brendan as secretive as he could, and so far, he seemed to be distracted by his urge to help his strange “pack of Changelings.”
Wally sighed. As long as he had Brendan convinced that Team Aqua were not to be trusted with his secret, all would be okay.
“So….what’s with the pack of Changelings, anyway?” Wally questioned. “What’s their purpose? Why must they venture into the Barren Island of Xenox with you? Isn’t it true, that the island has storms so powerful that any living creature, no matter what the type or how powerful it can be, can die within contact from that island?”
Brendan had finally opened the door. “There! Thanks for the combination,” he gave Wally a friendly nod and stepped in. Wally himself was acting as a spy for Team Aqua, pretending to have the same desire to summon Xenox itself, though he was really trying to stop them secretly.
Wally stepped in the spaced out room, feeling like he had walked into a large freezer behind a grocery market. Blue and white pokeballs were kept over the cabinets here and there, and Brendan was looking around with intent for where his own pokemon could be.
“The pack of Changelings?” He finally answered. “Oh, they’re just pokemon that have adapted to the spirit of the island within, just like any other pokemon. The only thing special about them is that they’ve got both the aura of ice AND fire at the same time, therefore, portraying a very powerful bond between the elements. They can withstand the destruction of fire, as well as withholding the element of ice.”
“You were headed to the north with them?”
Brendan blinked his eyes with irritation. This guy liked to ask too many questions. “I was heading north, willing to seek the missing part of my aura that lies in the lands beyond the treacherous ice. Pokemon even of this island are becoming destroyed by the ice itself, and drastic wind changes have been occurring in the north to stir up bad conditions that have even led to death up in the north. My spirit is the only one that can withstand the very changes, and if only I reach to the other side of this place, and meet the one and only of my soul—Xenox—then perhaps I can change this. I need the pack of Changelings to help aid me and melt away the coming blizzards that are affecting the pokemon in the north. Once they come in contact with Xenox itself, I can help use them to summon the likes of our spirits to commingle and become one.”
Wally didn’t look as if he fully understood, but Brendan just ignored him and picked out nine of the poke balls that were laid at the last bookshelf, sensing the aura of the pokemon’s fire within.
Suddenly, the door behind tem banged open and Brendan whipped around to glare at their intruder.
Wally suddenly let out a gasp at the mysterious man dressed in a green-brown robe.
“Pyramid King Brandon!” He cried. “What are you doing back so early? I thought you’ve gone off to explore those caverns with the grunts.”
The strange man, Brandon, frowned and grunted. “It appears we have unlikely guests here. you’ve already been acquainted with them, I see.”
“Oh….yes!” Wally had nearly forgotten about May, Drew, Wallace, and the strange anonymous lady that called herself Prima Dona. He turned to Brendan. “Um…you ought to meet these people. you may not remember them….but you were a--”
“Lemme guess,” huffed Brendan. “I was their aid, or an old friend, or something of the sort. They’ve come to fetch me back to what they foolishly believe is where I rightfully belong?”
“Well…..yeah, you can put it that way. but you don’t remember them, do you?”
“Nope. Not at all.”

The body of a Groudon. Trapped in the features of one of the most legendary known pokemon. Pikachu knew the others may never understand. As it lay in May’s lap, silently thinking to itself, it looked out the dark window at the silvery bright moon that shone like a sliver in the sky. it didn’t belong here. No, it was supposed to be with Ash, Leaf, and Red, heading towards the Seafoam Islands to find Mew, and solve the strange mystery of Red’s dream and the mysterious pokemon, Xenox. But no….instead it had woken up in the body of the fire emblem pokemon itself, one that everyone saw as baby Groudon.
Pikachu knew its real body must be concealed with Groudon’s spirit instead. He could only imagine how that would be turning out for poor Ash. Had he even bothered to take Pikachu along with him to follow after Red and Leaf?
Pikachu felt very alone. It could never convince May and the others of who it really was. it couldn’t even find a way to switch back to their real bodies, even when Pikachu could communicate with the Emblem pokemon in its dreams.
Pikachu realized that was probably the best thing to do. He drifted off into sleep, letting the power of dreams and its strange way of working to take over.
Pikachu woke up in a cold, lonely mountain again. It was the very place it had first met Emblem, right when it had hatched.
He realized he was back in his normal body again, with its real, original Pikachu form. He looked around with nervousness. He could sense that it was still not alone on this deadly, unforgiving territory of Xenox.
“You….” a feisty voice hissed from nearby.
Pikachu turned to meet the glaring eyes of a baby Groudon, one that looked exactly like himself when Pikachu was seen as the baby Groudon.
“Emblem…” gasped Pikachu. It bravely faced the pokemon, trying not to look scared.
Emblem was glaring at him with meticulous, evil red eyes. “So,” it said with disgust. “How’s the island of Isotopia going? Have you met anyone anonymous that could be destroying your path?”
Pikachu didn’t know whether to tell the truth to this pokemon or not. He spoke with caution and replied, “The island is in a drastic state right now, according to Pyramid King Brandon and Wallace.”
“Pyramind King Brandon?” Emblem raised his eyes with interest. “Hmph, and how did that grump end up in that island?”
“Well…apparently, like Pike Queen Lucy, he was interested in the secret beyond the possible existence of Xenox. His Regiis, as well, they had a strange past and he explained how they themselves have originated from the very island of Isotopia once before. Brandon’s there to try and solve the mystery behind his own pokemon’s past, as well as the secret of Xenox.”
“Puh…..of course Xenox exists,” Emblem slightly snickered. “It exists all right, and it was supposed to be MY job to defeat it in battle one day….and avenge the death of the old Groudon it once killed.”
Pikachu blinked. “Then why did you switch places with me? How come you and I just suddenly switched lives when the both of us were asleep, right at the moment of your very hatching?”
“I didn’t switch us,” snapped Emblem with fury. The little pokemon burned in the blinding storm, making itself glow. Its eyes were red slits. “The power of dreams and the spirits of that strange island have a diverse, confusing way of working. Your dreams can become real. Just like how we actually traded places in our dreams, it turned out that it really happened overnight, and affected us in the waking world. That, I have no control over, but something in the island does. Xenox itself has a lot to do with the strange ways of dreams, but that is not important to me.” The baby Groudon neared closer to Pikachu until it stood just a foot in front of him.
“What I want YOU to do,” it said menacingly in its small, feisty voice, “is to make sure you are keeping my destiny on track. I was supposed to kill the likes of Xenox and defeat it in battle, since I was destined that prophecy since the beginning of my birth. And now that YOU have control of my body, I want YOU to make sure you’re not ruining anything in my destined path. You must make sure you fulfill the prophecy for me, since I have no way of returning….yet.”
Pikachu widened its eyes. Destroy Xenox? “But--”
“You stay clear from that Prima Dona,” said Emblem deviously. “She knows a lot more than you think. Don’t pay any attention to May either, or anyone who tells you otherwise. Don’t listen to anything that tells you not to fulfill the prophecy as the fire emblem pokemon. You are meant to battle Xenox, and defeat it.”
“Me…..defeat it?”
“Just pay attention…Pikachu. Make sure you fulfill the prophecy, and don’t let the likes of May, Prima Dona, or anyone stop you from defeating Xenox. Remember that I have control over your own body, and that I, too, can decide what happens to you and the people around you if you make me upset.”
Pikachu didn’t know what to think. To defeat Xenox probably wasn’t a bad thing….for the pokemon was going to be the main cause of the entire wipeout if it awoke. But what it was concerned mostly about, was what Emblem could be doing to Ash and everyone else.
“Well….what HAS been going on with Ash? Have they reached the Seafoam Islands?”
Emblem snickered. “Nope! Unfortunately, they were washed ashore onto a strange, foreign island in the middle of the sea route, and they have no way of getting off!”
Pikachu gasped and started to spark with anger. “What did you do to them?!”
“Hey! I haven’t done anything totally bad to your friends yet, for YOU haven’t done anything to anger me yet. but I’m just letting you off with a warning! Make sure you fulfill what I was supposed to fulfill,” Emblem’s eyes flashed. “And don’t think you can lie to me. I can watch over you like a ghost.”
Pikachu narrowed his eyes. “Oh yeah? how?”
But his dream was vanishing. Emblem, the blizzard, and the mountains around him were all becoming a blur, and Pikachu awoke on the couch in the room of Team Aqua’s hideout, with a blanket wrapped around his body to keep him hidden. Everyone standing to the left, speaking to what sounded like the arriving Team Aqua grunts. Pikachu was back in the body of Emblem, glowing underneath the blanket.

“If only I had brought my Lapras and all my other pokemon,” said Ash, staring out into the lonely sky above. The air was a chilly, gray gloom that seemed to glare down at them with no hope.
Leaf huffed and crossed her arms. “Red, you knew we would be out at sea for 70% of the time! Why didn’t you bring YOUR Lapras?”
Red frowned, looking frustrated. “Mew specifically told me to not bring any of our pokemon with us. I told you that! The only pokemon I was allowed to bring was that Smoochum, but not after I knew Mew was approved by it.”
“Ugh! Well, why not? Did it want us to get lost out here? What have your dreams said to you lately? Did you dream anything last night?”
“No, I didn’t. My head was as stiff and out of place like yours, so I probably don’t een remember any dreams if I had any.”
Leaf flashed him a haughty glare, and Ash glanced at the both of them. Red was distracted and frustrated with everything that had happened to them, and Leaf……
Ash couldn’t help thinking of the terrible night when he had witnessed Leaf viciously devouring Brock—the mere sight of her shadow tearing him to shreds. He couldn’t believe it. Maybe it wasn’t real. Maybe there was some sort of trick to this island, or maybe he had an illusion when he had swallowed a bunch of water when Pikachu had knocked him off the ship into the rapid waves during the storm.
All the same, Ash did not want to talk about it yet. he did not want to mention anything about what he had seen Leaf do the other night, for he knew it would only stir up confusion and distrust among them all. For now, he would just remain calm and focus on how to escape this island. But what would he do about Brock?
Red suddenly turned to meet Ash’s gaze. “By the way….Brock still hasn’t returned from his exploring last night. He could be in trouble. Maybe we should go out and find him, and see if we can find out anything useful about this island. Maybe we can find a Seel or something that can help us leave this place.”
“Oh, please!” Leaf rolled her eyes. “Well…..I’m certainly not going to go out and find Brock. I don’t wanna see how creepy this island may look like on the inside if we go further in.”
Ash tried not to flash an uncertain look towards Leaf. “Well, Pikachu’s still lost out there as well.” He tried to sound confident. “And whether it’s itself or not, I must give what I can to keep it safe. We can’t just leave it on this island to destroy the inhabitants and the entire place.”
“Yeah, Ash is right,” said Red, giving Leaf a snappish look. He took out his pokeball. “And I’ve still got the Smoochum Dawn gave us. It can help us sense things about this island and give us an idea on what we can look out for if it feels any uncomfortable or something.”
The Smoochum popped out of the pokeball and let out a small “Smooo!” And blinked its eyes to look around itself curiously.
Ash chuckled. “Well, I bet we might know if it senses Pikachu.”
The three of them headed deeper into the island, and Red held onto the Smoochum, looking around with alert caution.
Ash was still focused on Leaf, and he was uncomfortable to ever be caught alone with her, though he didn’t want to leave her alone with Red or anyone else either.
As they explored the island, Red was taking notes and seeming to draw what looked like a map so that they can remember their way back. Ash was thankful someone here had a good sense of traveling and remembering specific areas like Brock did. Ash himself was never a good navigator.
Finally, they came to what seemed like a fork in the road. One side lead into a deeper, crowded part of the forest, and the other seemed to stretch out into a rolling meadow just a little way further in the distance.
Red huffed and crossed his arms. “Okay, Leaf and I will go this way.” He nodded to the right side, where the forest was less dark and crowded.
Ash flashed him a look. “What?!”
“It looks more safe for us,” said Red, giving Ash a teasing smile. “You can take the other path, where Brock is less likely to have taken. If anything scares you, just turn back and try to yell our names in a loud, screaming shout, so we know it’s you.”
Leaf giggled and Ash just frowned. “Hey, you expect me to enter that path on my own? That’s not fair!” He couldn’t help thinking of the way he was going to leave Leaf with Red—alone.
“Here, you can have Smoochum with you!” Leaf picked up the little pokemon and handed it to Ash. The Smoochum blinked cutely at Ash and murmured its small sound.
Ash took the pokemon and blinked uncertainly at Leaf. “Um….okay, but you guys make sure we meet back here in this fork by sunset. At least in an hour from now.”
Red nodded. “Alrighty. Let’s hurry then.”
He gave Leaf a look and the both of them turned to head on their own path.
Ash winced, wondering why Red seemed so excited to be alone with Leaf. Well, they were a couple by now, and they have been together for a few years, but Ash still didn’t trust Leaf anymore to be around anyone alone.
He sighed. all the same, even if Ash were still there with them, Leaf still could’ve attacked them all at the same time. The image of her shadow ravishingly tearing apart Brock like an animal…it was all too much for Ash to believe.
He sighed and looked at Smoochum, and then to the sky. “Perhaps if I can try to dream of Mew? And ask Mew itself for some answers or explanations? Who COULD I trust in the world right now?”
He wished for Misty to be here with him. Why, the two of them had become so close to becoming a real couple again…and even getting married. But no…..instead they had gotten into another argument and had split up, and here was Ash, following along Red and Leaf on a journey he hadn’t even been called upon. He should be at home with Misty right now. he wondered what she could be up to at the moment. Ash held his breath and stifled a gasp. She could be extremely busy with her modeling career right now—not to mention with her own photographer as Gary Oak. Ash narrowed his eyes.
“No…that Gary…” he felt a sensation of anger wash over him. he had always had a bad feeling about the way Gary Oak was Misty’s photographer, always sticking by her side more than ever now to take snapshots of her beautiful modeling. What could be going through that guy’s mind? What could he really be thinking of Misty? Ash wished he could be back in Sffron City right now. He was supposed to be by Misty’s side, not Gary Oak. For all he knew, Gary was probably spending more time with Misty more than he ever had because of how famous she had gotten.
“Choooo?” Smoochum smooched its lips and tilted its head curiously at Ash, sensing his distraction.
Ash shook his head and met the Smoochum’s gaze. “Oh….sorry, Smoochum. I was just…thinking.” He longed to share his feelings with the little pokemon, for anytime he had ever felt this lonely and confused, Pikachu had always been there to comfort him. He had always been there to talk to and share his feelings with, understanding Ash with the same emotions and thoughts. But now, Pikachu wasn’t Pikachu, and Ash didn’t know what to do about it. their only hope was to get to Mew, but now they were stuck here on this island without a way to get off and find help. And Brcok was gone, possibly murdered—by Leaf.
Ash clenched his teeth and frowned, wishing he could just clear this confusion from his head. The Smoochum suddenly shifted in his arms, and looked around wildly with fear in its eyes.
“Huh? Smoochum? You sense something?”
“Smooo!” Smoochum leaped out of his arms and onto the ground in front of him. It cocked its head sideways and hopped around, smooching its lips to sense its surroundings.
Ash looked around, feeling the sense of danger. Suddenly, a zap shot passed him, and a snarl echoed through the trees.
Ash gasped. “P-Pikachu?”
Another zap shot passed him, this time, over his head and barely missing him.
“Ahh!” Ash ducked and looked up, catching a glimpse of a bright flash through the trees in the distance. “Pikachu!”
“Shooo!” Smoochum leaped over to hug Ash’s ankle with startled fear, and shivered.
The trees around him were rustling with the breeze, and an eerie echo of Pikachu’s cry pierced through the forest around him like some kind of ghostly predator.
Ash looked around him with caution and intent, hoping to find his little pokemon. “Pikachu…please. Don’t hurt us.”
And suddenly, the thundering, echoing breeze stopped around the trees. “Huh?” Ash looked to the sky. the clouds still covered everything with an unpromising grayness, but the trees suddenly stood still and Pikachu’s cry around him was silent.
Ash looked down to see that the Smoochum’s eyes were large and intent as it stared at something behind Ash. Ash turned behind him, and saw that a little girl, very small and probably no more than three and a half to four feet tall, stood with a curious look in her young blue eyes. She had fine brown hair, so light that it almost looked golden, and they were tied up in cute pigtails with pink ribbons. Her right hand was up to her mouth, for she was curiously sucking a thumb as she stared back at Ash with wide, curious eyes, and in her other hand, she carried a Teddiursa doll that she hung limply by her side, looking as if she had been dragging it along.
She was wearing a white dress that seemed to be made of cloth and rags, but looked thin and silky as it nicely wove around her. One side of her shoulder was strapless, and to Ash, she looked like a little Roman child.
“Hey….” Ash didn’t know what to say to her, but he suddenly felt comfortable around this innocent-looking child. She looked so clean and pale, with light, whitish skin that almost seemed to match her dress. She didn’t look afraid, but curious with the cutest blue eyes he had ever seen on a little girl. he couldn’t help twitching a smile. “Um…are you lost?”
The little girl smiled cutely and then took her thumb out of her mouth, pointing to something behind Ash.
“Huh?” Ash turned to the direction she pointed and then gasped at the sight of his own Pikachu, stuck up a tree and glaring down at him with glowing red eyes from a tree branch.
“Emblem!” Cried the little girl, giggling.
Pikachu gave Ash a growl and leaped off the tree branch, straight towards Ash’s face.
Ash gasped and ducked down, but Pikachu wasn’t leaping at him. He landed in the arms of the little girl, and the girl dropped her Teddiursa doll to wrap her small arms around Pikachu, squealing with delight.
“I loooove you!”
Pikachu seemed to be uttering a strange low cry and Ash couldn’t tell if it was still angry, or comforted by this little girl’s sudden appearance. He stared with confusion at the both of them. Smoochum let go of his ankles and let out a happy murmur. Ash took a step forward. “Um…excuse me, but who are you? That’s my Pikachu, and I’m its trainer, Ash Ketchum.”
Pikachu immediately turned from the girl and hissed with venom at Ash as it clung to the girl’s grip.
Ash flinched and met Pikachu’s devious gaze with disbelief.
The little girl suddenly gave a sad face. “Aw….it doesn’t like you, though.”
“Doesn’t like me?” Ash just winced. “I think I already know that by now!”
The little girl gave a sorry expression towards Pikachu. “It says you not its trainer. It has no trainer. It not supposed to be with you right now.”
Ash narrowed his eyes. “Okay? So how do YOU know what it’s saying?”
“Pika…” Pikachu just continued to cling onto the girl and glare with hatred at Ash. Ash was starting to feel offended. As cute as she was, he didn’t like this little girl suddenly coming out of nowhere to just befriend Pikachu just like that.
“I don’t understand,” the little girl shook her head, closing her eyes. “I can feel its feelings, though. It don’t like you. It feels alone and wanted somewhere else. it doesn’t belong here.”
“What are you talking about?” Ash was speaking clearly now, looking down at the little girl with serious intent. But he couldn’t tell a girl that was probably three or four years old to be specific. “Please…my name is Ash, and I’m from Pallet Town. I don’t belong here either, but Pikachu’s been my partner since I was ten. Something’s happened to it, and it isn’t itself. Who are YOU, and what do you know about this?”
The little girl tilted her head to the right side, staring up at Ash with concerned blue eyes. She stared at him, though Ash saw that it wasn’t with confusion, but with intent. She seemed to be studying him, and looking deep into his own eyes. Ash felt strange around this little girl. The breeze blew between them, though her light brown pigtails didn’t seem to ruffle or move.
“Ash Ketchum….” She replied curiously, instead of saying her own name and answering his question.
“Ash!” Another voice called his name from behind and Ash turned to see that Leaf and Red were running over towards him from behind. Leaf was speaking. “Ash, come see what we’ve found! You won’t believe what the heck’s been going on in this island since--” Leaf noticed the little girl. “Who’s THAT?”
The little girl stared back at Leaf with a blank expression, though Ash could sense she was studying her as well, despite the look on her face.
“Um…I don’t know,” Ash turned to look at the girl and asked again, “What’s your name?”
“Mmm…” the little girl put her thumb up to her mouth and scratched her lip as she eyed Leaf, and then Red.
“What are you doing with Pikachu?” Red stepped forward with a wince, but the little girl held tighter to Pikach, and Pikachu snarled menacingly at Red, making him stop in its tracks.
“It doesn’t belong with you,” said the little girl quietly. “It don’t belong with any of you!”
“Oh yeah?” Leaf frowned and met the little girl’s gaze. “And who are YOU to tell us what to do? Where did YOU come from?”
“Yeah!” Added Red. “According to what Leaf and I found, this island has been deserted ever since the last native tribes were killed off this entire place several hundred years ago!”
Ash met his gaze with alarm. “What?! Really?”
“Yes!” Huffed Leaf. “Come take a look at what we found! But first…..” she turned to the little girl with a look of dislike. “Take your own Pikachu from the hands of this stranger.”
The little girl smiled innocently and petted Pikachu’s head and the pokemon seemed to calm down, though it still glared and looked angered. “Nah…..this is not your Pikachu.” She spoke with a simple little girl tone. “This is the fire emblem pokemon, a baby Groudon that s’posed to be on an island… far, far away.”
Ash raised his eyebrows and stared intently at the girl. “The fire emblem? H-how do you know?”
The little girl smiled cutely back at him and then turned to Red and Leaf. “Tell me your story first! Why YOU all here? tell me yours, and I tell you mine.”
Ash blinked and met the concerned gazes of Red and Leaf. This little girl seemed to be asking for the most anonymous explanations. But he turned to her with a serious look, knowing that he could get more information out of her than he thought.
The three of them had decided to take Ash and the little girl to see the mysterious place Red and Leaf had uncovered. Red discussed the whole story on why they were here, and Ash was surprised that he even mentioned the littlest details, including his dream from Mew and the whole suspicion over the strange weather. What he didn’t mention, was Xenox.
The area was behind a tall, shadowy cliff where a cave was hidden around the corner. Pikachu clung to the little girl’s shoulder like an Ekans around its trainer’s neck. it was making low growls and glowing with less intent, though its evil gaze was still rested on Ash. Ash couldn’t help glancing back. Why was it so intent on him?
To Ash’s surprise, the cave Red and Leaf had found was covered in strange drawings of ancient natives. And scattered around the front of the cave, were the bones of both people and pokemon who had lived here long ago.
“Whoa…” gasped Ash. “But….how do you guys know that there are no inhabitants whatsoever on this island?”
“Because this island was wiped away by an entire flood,” said Leaf. “I remember that this is the very place where I once learned of a particular flood washing this entire land away, and that decades later, the water lessened due to the appearance of Articuno. This cave used to be its very shelter after it helped wash away the terrible waters that washed over this land and killed all the people and pokemon. So far, none but water types roam this place, and no tourists have come to this island ever since.”
Ash saw that the little girl was nodding. “Poor pokemon…..this island is a sacred place of mere, lost spirits.”
Ash, Red, and Leaf turned to stare at the girl.
The girl looked back at them and smiled sweetly. “My name is Amira. I travel far and wide across these places, land, sea, anywhere I please. I love all pokemons.”
Ash blinked. “Really? And how do you manage to do that?”
“With my pokemons, of course!” She giggled. “What? You think I can fly, swim, and run as fast as some pokemon can? No, I’ve got lots of pokemon friends that help me travel! So far, the Unova region is the most interesting I’ve been in.”
Ash was slightly distracted that she didn’t mention Kanto being the most interesting, but he was more distracted by the way this girl was speaking to them. he almost wanted to laugh out loud. “Okay! So you’re a little traveler, huh?”
“Mm-hm!” The girl nodded, giving Pikachu a littlee scratch under the chin. “But! The only places I haven’t been to…..are the islands far off the coast of Hoenn and Sinnoh. The Barren Island, and the island of Isotopia.”
Ash and Red looked at each other and blinked. Leaf had her hands on her hips, looking entirely flabbergasted. “Hah! And how old are you?”
“Thwee,” said Amira, holding up three little fingers proudly. “I’m turning four pretty soon though.”
“Are you going to fly to the Unova to celebrate it?” Said Leaf teasingly.
“Guys,” Red stepped forward. “We really should try to find our way outta here. Amira?” He gave the little girl a smile. “Would you kindly show us a useful pokemon you have that can help us SWIM away from this island? Or fly?”
Amira suddenly looked uncertain and took a step back. She held Pikachu tighter. “Mm….Pikachu don’t wanna leave though. He no wanna meet Mew.”
Ash winced. “Pikachu? You sure he’s saying that?”
“Pika!” Pikachu sparked with intent and looked into Ash’s eyes. Amira bit her thumb.
“The fire emblem don’t wanna met the psychic that can disturb its world. Pikachu should stay here.”
“What’s the fire emblem?!” Asked Leaf with frustration, throwing her hands in the air.
Red rolled his eyes. “I don’t know! Look, how about we find some kind of Tentacruel or something that can help us? This little girl’s kinda wasting our time.”
Ash turned to see that Amira blinked slowly with a blank expression, knowing that they were upset.
Leaf just turned and nodded. “Yeah, I wanna get off this nightmare as soon as I can. If your dreams mean anything….”
“Hey, Ash, we’ll be along the beach where we were camping. Be sure to meet us there, kay?” He gave him a reassuring hope, wishing him luck.
Ash nodded. He wasn’t going anywhere without his Pikachu.
Smoochum hopped on Leaf’s shoulder and they left.
As soon as he watched Red and Leaf leave, he turned to Amira as she continued to coo and tickle Pikachu’s chin.
“You’re so cute!” She kept squealing. “Ooh, I never expected the fire emblem pokemon to be this cute! Even in a Pikachu’s body!”
Pikachu seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the girl. Ash felt a pang of jealousy at the way Pikachu was starting to almost actually purr.
Ash winced. “What’s that supposed to mean? Who ARE you exactly? Where you from? Where are your parents?”
Amira stopped smiling and met Ash’s gaze with an unreadable expression. “Why do you care about my parents? Or where I’m from?”
“Um, because it’s not every day you see a random little girl appearing out of nowhere to suddenly befriend a pokemon that got angry enough to tear down our boat and get us stranded on this island?” Ash was starting to feel irritated. “What do you know about the fire emblem pokemon? What IS the fire emblem pokemon?”
“Mm….have you heard of Groudon?” Amira suddenly asked excitedly.
Ash sighed. “Yes, I’ve heard of Groudon. But what’s the fire emblem pokemon?”
“The fire emblem pokemon IS Groudon,” said Amira carefully. She took Pikachu off her shoulders and sat on a rock that jutted from the side of the cave. She stared back at Pikachu with intent blue eyes. “You see, Groudon had a baby. It was still an egg. It hatched after it died though.”
Ash widened his eyes. “Groudon died?” Then he narrowed his eyes. “Right. How do you know all this?”
Amira frowned her little girl frown. She looked at him carefully and said, “How do YOU know about Xenox?”
Ash flinched. “Hey! how did you know….” He didn’t even mention Xenox to her. not even Red or Leaf said the pokemon’s name when they were explaining why they were coming here. ash decided not to ask the little girl anymore questions and just listen to her story, whether it sounded true or not. “Okay….just go on. Tell me about the fire emblem pokemon. And explain its connection with Pikachu.”
Amira smiled, looking satisfied to have Ash’s attention. “Sit here!” She said playfully, tapping her little hand next to the rock on her left side.
Ash glanced at Pikachu as it let out a spark and looked ready to attack him. “PIKA--”
“No! Don’t hurt him! It’s okay!” Shouted Amira, taking the pokemon and setting it on her lap.
Again, Ash watched with curiosity at the way Pikachu calmed down and let its growling ease into purrs as Amira stroked its sparking back. Its ears bent low, and it looked like it was trying to keep itself from letting its entire anger out.
Ash carefully sat down next to Amira. He eyed a skull that laid next to him and turned to look into the little girl’s eyes. Ash himself suddenly felt a calmness overtake him to be so close to this little girl. she had some sort of strange charisma that just made him feel like there was nothing ot worry about when he was around her.
So Amira explained to Ash about the fire emblem pokemon. She told of the legend of Groudon’s terrible battle with Xenox in a dream the ice legendary had had. The battle had all taken place when Xenox was still asleep in its cave, though it dreamt itself in the very lair of Groudon, deep in the trenches of the Hoenn region, near the core of the earth. Xenox led Groudon to a battle at its own mountain, near the lands of the Barren Islands, battling on the edge of the nearby island of Isotopia. The two pokemon battled and battled, until Groudon was finally defeated. Xenox had one. But apparently, Groudon had been defeated forever, and the pokemon would never arise again. its body had fallen into the frozen state under Xenox, hidden within the ice of the island of Isotopia, and Xenox had covered the island with a veil of blizzards and thunderstorms over the seas around it so that no one but the island inhabitants could ever uncover the dead body of Groudon.
But before the battle with Xenox, Groudon had laid a mysterious egg of its own in the heart of the Cave of Origin in Sootopolis City. The egg was meant to hatch into the next Groudon and avenge its death by battling Xenox, and this time, the battle will be for real, and not in a dream. The fire emblem pokemon is destined to make its own journey through the very Barren Island of Xenox, and it must destroy it in battle just like it did with the real Groudon.
Ash listened carefully, and when she was finished, he glanced at Pikachu, who had its eyes closed now. Its brown stripes along its back were glowing with the devilish redness, and it was breathing heavily like a possessed demon. But at least Ash could understand now. Thankfully, his Pikachu wasn’t possessed by some demon spirit or anything like that. Instead, it bore the soul of the fire emblem pokemon that was meant to destroy one of the most powerful pokemon in the world.
“But how do you know the fire emblem pokemon is in Pikachu?” He asked.
Amira twiggled her thumbs and kept her smile. “Mm. I feel it. It says it don’t like this place and it belongs on the faraway island of Isotopia.”
Ash winced. “What? You can talk to pokemon?”
“Maybe it switched souls with your Pikachu in a dream.” She said, looking up at the sky. “Just like Xenox’s dream became real and it actually turned out defeating Groudon in battle, then maybe when the baby Groudon hatched and had a dream, somehow, it switched lives with your pokemon.” Amira giggled. “Dreams are funny. I like dreaming.”
Ash winced. “Well, can YOU make your dream come true?”
Amira sighed. “Oh, I wish I could! But I really don’t know! Pikachu says it don’t even know how it got winded up in this body like this. It really wants to switch lives again, but it can’t, so it must have no control over it.”
“I wonder who does, though,” said Ash carefully, trying to remember his journey through the Unova. He remembered a particular pokemon, known as Musharna, that can make the dreams become real, but instead, he had a better suggestion. “Xenox…..” he muttered. Just like what happened with May, Drew, and Brendan. They hadn’t disappeared during a dream, but they had disappeared out of nowhere, randomly being whipped away to another place by snow. If Xenox controlled that, then it could possibly control the teleporting through dreams and making them come to life.
“You’ve encountered another problem with Xenox before?” Asked Amira innocently. She was gazing up at him with intent blue eyes.
Ash stared back. It was almost as if she read his mind. “Um…yeah. I have…”
“Tell me!” Squealed Amira happily. “What happened to that girl? And her boyfriends?”
Ash flinched and winced. That was the weirdest question he had heard from her. “What?! Are you talking about May, Drew, and Brendan?”
“They were the ones you were thinking about, weren’t they?” She asked politely, giving him a curious look.
“Pika….” Pikachu growled with uncertainty.
Ash stared at the girl blankly. “Are you a psychic, or what?”
“Just tell me!” Commanded Amira, looking angered to have him asking her questions like that again.
Ash huffed. “Yes! They were the ones who disappeared! But how do you--”
“They’re most likely in island of Isotopia!” Said Amira proudly. “It’s the most likely place!” She looked down at the Pikachu that had fallen asleep on her lap. It was stirring distractedly. “It’s having a dream….” She said excitedly.
Ash looked at it carefully. “Can you read it?”
“Of course not!” Snapped Amira. “But I can feel its feelings…..it feels like its ready to take back its place, in its own body…and is in the island of Isotopia.” She gasped. “It could be speaking to your Pikachu! You never know!”
“And do its dreams become real?”
Amira shrugged. “Only Xenox’s dreams become real. If Xenox is part of its dream, then yes, it can become real. But tell me about that girl who disappeared! I bet she was nice. That’s probably why you miss her so much!”
Ash blinked. Amira sounded as if she were teasing him. “I miss her as a friend! We all miss her.”
“Was she ever your girlfriend?” She said in a cute voice.
“No!” Ash huffed. “May?! My girlfriend?! You don’t even KNOW her!”
Amira giggled. “Why not? You know her well enough.”
“I’ve known lots of girls throughout my life as I traveled with Pikachu on my journeys,” said Ash, crossing his arms and eying Amira. “I’m in no relationship with any of them at the moment.”
“And you never will be?”
Ash hesitated. He knew he was so close with Misty, and that he HAD been in another close on with Iris at one point, but he did not want to discuss that with this little girl. What did SHE want to know about such things?
“Well….”
Amira giggled. “You knew em for several years. Why didn’t you ever ask any of them out?”
Ash narrowed his eyes. “My life is dedicated to pokemon mastering. Not lovey dovey relationships.” Ash knew this wasn’t entirely true, for he did long to have a future with Misty one day…..
Amira was nodding, looking at him carefully. She was no longer smiling. Ash wondered if she could read his thoughts.
Ash frowned at her. “Where did you learn to know about such things? You’re only three!”
Amira stood up, ignoring his off topic question again. “We should head back to Red and Leaf. I bet they in trouble by now.” She giggled and carried Pikachu as it awoke with a grumpy snarl. She walked passed Ash and headed into the woods. “Come on!” She called.
Ash stared after her, and followed with caution. Alone in his thoughts, he thought about everything Amira had asked him and told him. Pikachu switching with the fire emblem pokemon. The Wipeout. The thing with dreams. The relationships he had with Misty, May, Dawn, and Iris…..
Ash wondered if this really was a three year old girl. He wondered if she were even a girl human herself…..
Red and Leaf had no luck capturing any water types. Red had said he had come close to a Politoed, but it had gotten away. it was obviously difficult to capture pokemon without your own pokemon, excluding Pikachu’s strong temper to over attack anything.
As Ash lay in his camp that Brock had made for them, he was aware of the strange pokemon that did inhabit this island. He heard strange calls in the night, calls that he wasn’t too familiar with. One sounded like a huge, long moan, like a Wailord or Jellicent.
He winced and sat up. Pikachu wasn’t in his tent, for he couldn’t trust sleeping next to that pokemon at the moment. To know that it had the soul of a baby Groudon made Ash feel uneasy. He had wanted to keep it in its master ball, but Amira had insisted on letting it sleep with her since she said that Pikachu was especially angered when it was enclosed in that horrible “piece of imprisonment” as she had described it.
Amira was a queer girl, Ash thought, but he was quite fond of her. She had a way with pokemon, and even though Ash hadn’t seen many wild ones around here, he could only imagine how great she would do if she had met the rest of his pokemon back at Saffron City.
He looked around thought about checking on Pikachu. Amira decided she should sleep with it and make it feel comfortable overnight so that it didn’t attack them the next morning. Ash crawled out of his tent to check on them. She had insisted sleeping up in the nearby tree where Brock still had his ingredients and food gathered around. He looked up tried to see if Pikachu was still awake and glowing.
Ash had a question too that he hadn’t asked before. Was it possible to try and see into Pikachu’s dreams and see if he can find a way himself if he can help get Pikachu’s real soul back? Especially if Xenox was in that dream? Xenox was the only part of the dream that would let everything become real.
“Hey, Amira?” He hissed. He stood up and backed away from the tree, trying to peer up through the shadowy night.
“Piii!” Pikachu suddenly leaped at the front of the branches and started sparking with anger. its red eyes were glowing with anger and it looked ready to strike again.
“Huh? Pikachu?”
“PIKA!” Pikachu angrily stood on its two feet and sparked with intense electricity, sparking the entire tree as it focused its glare on Ash.
Ash could now see glimpses of the branchy tree now with Pikachu’s red-yellow glowing zaps, and he felt his heart rise with alarm. Amira was gone.

The world was totally new. The curious blinking eyes opened up to gaze around at an unfamiliar surrounding, not understanding a thing.
Where am I? Who am I? What’s….going on?
The little pokemon could only find itself uttering a strange squeaky cry.
“Pi…..Pichu……Chu….”
“Hm, it appears that this pokemon may be as inexperienced as a newly hatched pokemon,” said a strange voice. A funny looking man with long curly hair and shining glasses was focusing his creepy gaze on the pokemon.
Pichu stared back at the scary face, shivering with nervousness. Its big dark eyes were wide-eyed with fear.
“Piiii…!” The little pokemon felt itself tingle. It realized it was sparkling with electricity. Ooh, such interesting powers, thought the pokemon, slightly surprised itself by its own abilities.
“Don’t scare it! Gee, do all scientists like to tease their newest created experiments?” Snapped a female voice.
The Pichu turned to see that a pale, pretty looking face was scooting next to the creepy scientist. It was a girl with orange hair and an attractive, glittery dark blue tank top that made Pichu blink and focus intently at the inspiring sight.
“Eeh! Why, it doesn’t look any different from a normal Pichu!” A taller, darkly dressed figure came next to the girl with the sparkling outfit. She had bluish hair and narrowed blue eyes.
“And I bet it don’t have as much more intelligence than a regular, newly hatched Pichu,” mumbled the creepy scientist.
The girl with the orange hair huffed. “Well of course it wouldn’t have much more experience from a hatchling, considering it IS hatchling itself! Yenko, you’ve recombined a Pikachu’s DNA to create a new, unborn, nonexisting pokemon that will have the abilities to withstand the ice. now, you’ve got your pokemon, and here it is,” she nodded with a quick smile towards Pichu. “There’s Pichu, the first pokemon of all species to have the ability to withstand the power of ice.”
Pichu…..so that’s what it was, thought the pokemon. Pichu stared back at the girl with curious eyes. “Pi….”
Yenko, the creepy scientist, turned to the two girls. “Ahem, yes, well, I hope I have anyway. Just ‘cause I’ve inherited the DNA of the particles from that Ice Spear into this pokemon here, that don’t mean Pichu can withstand the real Wipeout when it happens.”
“Pi…?” Pichu tilted its head and looked around the room it was in. the environment looked blank an uncolored, with clean, white stacks of papers and electronics, though the Pichu had no idea what they were even called. Just a little ways to the right of the little pokemon was a glass tube where Pichu could see a similar version of itself, floating in the tube with its eyes closed. It was a Pikachu, and Pichu could sense it had a strange relationship with this pokemon, more than looks. Perhaps that was the pokemon that helped its creation, Pichu thought. Maybe that pokemon can have some answers to help it understand who it was, and how it had gotten here.
“Now, Misty? James?” Said Yenko, turning to the orange and blue haired girls. “I want you two to keep an eye on this little pokemon. Since YOU’VE allowed this gal and her boyfriend to sneak passed our secret hideout--”
“Gary is NOT my boyfriend!” Misty almost yelled.
James huffed. “Yes! And it wasn’t our fault the twerps had to catch us stealing something they were obviously keeping a close guard over!”
“Yeah!” A new figure appeared right by Pichu’s left side. It was a strange, small creature with a gem at its head and large, open eyes. It cast a raised look at Pichu and smiled. “Well! And our new little poke buddy may prove to be a more loyal partner than you know! To think it has better powers than the twerp’s Pikachu itself! Hey, buddy! How’s about you let ol’ Meowth teach you a few special tricks to get you started in this world, huh?”
The pokemon, Meowth, out an arm over the small Pichu’s back.
“Pi….” Pichu almost wanted to giggle at this pokemon’s sense of readiness. It seemed to like him already, and Pichu seemed to like the pokemon back.
Misty chuckled. “Oh, Meowth, I don’t think it’s gonna be that easy to--”
“Of course we’re gonna get this Pichu in training!” Insisted James, staring at Pichu with an intent gaze. “You just leave the training to us! We’ll get this pokemon started in the world and see what an awesome place it can be if it serves us, Team Rocket!”
“Huh!” Hissed Meowth, narrowing his eyes. he turned to Pichu. “Well, at least you’ll get to see whatever’s left to see in this world. I don’t think endless snow and cold weather is much to have this little guy feel welcome in the world.”
“Well, we’re gonna make sure it does,” said Misty.
Yenko pushed his glinting glasses against his face. “Hmph, yes well, just keep an eye on it….and don’t stray any further from our hideout. I wanna have any new guests discovering our hideout…..rather than you three, Misty, Gary, and that red-haired boy.”
“Silver?” Misty winced.
“Urm….yes, Silver.” He turned away. “In the meantime, I’ll be checking on the other experiments that the other scientists are up to. see if their process of creating other pokemon from the Ice Spear DNA can result in the same way as this Pichu here….”
Pichu tilted its head. Other pokemon? Were there more pokemon that was just like Pichu itself? Or were there lots of different kinds? Pichu wanted to follow the strange man now, and see what else could be up.
Misty smiled and picked up the Pichu in her hands. She had a nice smile as she gazed into the little Pichu’s eyes. “Hello there, little pokemon. I bet you have know idea what’s going on at all, don’t you? well, don’t worry. You’ll get to meet the rest of us, and we’ll all help you get to know this place….and your purpose here.” She seemed a little sorry for Pichu.
But Pichu smiled back and started sparkling with excitement. “Pi….!”
“Hey, hey!” Meowth was crossing his arms behind him. “If we’re going to start the training, I say we fetch Jessie and the photo stalker of yours! We can’t do it without them.”
Misty frowned. “Meowth, it’s Gary’s job to be a ‘photo stalker.’”
James sighed. “I’m glad I’m not caught up in that kind of fame yet. Jessie sure has the right mind, though. She’ll be getting closer and closer.”
“Ugh, I still can’t believe you guys have actually tried to enter her in a modeling agency that I’M in myself!” Said Misty, rolling her eyes as she carried Pichu over to a door on the other side of the room. Pichu looked back over her shoulder to watch James and Meowth following from behind. Misty turned to glare at them. “Don’t you weirdoes realize how much that can distract her from her ‘evil scheming’ with these scientists?”
Meowth shrugged. “Meh! Works out for her! She can be conceited and plotting at the same time.”
The area around Pichu changed from an inside environment to a fresh smelling, open breezy place that made Pichu feel more alive and refreshed. There were trees and bushes around them, spread apart like an open valley. Behind them was the strange hole they had climbed out of from the laboratory. As Pichu gazed up at the thick, gray sky, he saw a flock of Pidgey fly by with their soft, murmuring cries. Pichu started sparkling with electricity at the sight of them. He wanted nothing more than to fly like those pokemon, and have wings to carry himself wherever he pleased.
“Pichu! Piiiichu!” It waved its tiny arms in the air and cried excitedly, facing up at the birds.
Misty giggled. “I’m sorry, Pichu, but you’re not a Pidgey.” She gave him a tickle over the head and made him squeal with laughter.
“Hey, there you are!” Called Meowth, facing behind.
Pichu saw that two more people had emerged from the hole to the lab. One was dressed in a glittering black dress that glittered like Misty’s top, and the other was a guy dressed in an exotic looking leather coat with his hair in tall spikes.
“Gary! Jessie!” Misty huffed. “Yenko has succeeded! He’s created the first Pichu to withstand ice!”
Gary crossed his arms and gave a sideways smile to Pichu. “Well, I guess knowledge can help you create whatever the heck you want, though I’m still not totally positive about pokemon actually being created to survive something as serious as the Wipeout.”
The Wipeout! Pichu didn’t know what these people were even talking about. What WAS the Wipeout?
Jessie huffed. “Well, I bet that pokemon is as weak as a Magikarp!” She was glaring at Pichu. “It doesn’t seem any different than a normal Pichu that would easily die out in a blizzard!”
Misty frowned. “Pichu IS special! To actually contain the DNA from that Ice Spear…”
“Well, the difference is that it’s got really, really pale yellow fur,” said James, giving Pichu a hard look.
“Pi….” Pichu shrank under the blue-haired lady’s gaze.
Meowth was nodding. “And it’s eyes are blue, not black. Actually, on the ears and the back, or wherever there are any black spots, this Pichu’s got them dark blue instead.”
“Well, tell it to do something!” Snapped Jessie, crossing her arms. “If this Pichu’s as abmormal as it was created, I wanna see it! ‘Cause there were other scientists that created their own pokemon out of normal DNA and the Ice Spear DNA, and I really didn’t see much of a difference in them!”
“Fine!” Misty set Pichu on the ground.
“Pi….” Pichu stomped its little feet curiously on the earthen floor. The grass felt soft and damp.
“Now, Pichu,” said Misty nicely, kneeling next to it. “I want you to show us what you can do. Your mother Pikachu was able to use Thundershock, so let’s see what you’ve got. Try using Thundershock.”
“Piii?” Pichu tilted his head.
Meowth came over to its side. “Come on, I know you can do THAT. Just let out the shock that’s sparking in ya!”
Pichu met Meowth’s gaze for a moment, and then suddenly smiled. Thundershock! The little pokemon felt buzzing with electricity and power at the sound of that command.
The little pokemon stepped forward and closed its eyes, letting its body spark up with electricity, and then let out all the energy with all its might.
A Thundershock crashed out from the tip of its little tail from behind, and it struck the gray clouds high above.
Everyone stared up at the sky in awe. The Thundershock seemed to strike right through the clouds, and then suddenly the entire bolt exploded around them and sent everyone falling to their bottoms. Pichu gasped with surprise. What did it just do?
Suddenly, something cold and wet hit the top of Pichu’s head. The little pokemon looked up and saw drops of white dots falling from the sky.
“Snow?!” Yelled Misty, looking around herself as she stood up.
Gary was at her side. “Whoa….Pichu did THAT?”
“Well, remember that it DOES have the genes from that Ice Spear, not just a regular Pikachu’s!” Meowth put in.
“Pii….Pichu!” Pichu suddenly felt alive and full of energy. The little pokemon was able to do such awesome things! It wanted to do it again! Without thinking, the little Pichu cast another bolt of lightning from its tail, aiming towards the trees this time.
With a yell from the people behind, the tree suddenly fell over and something flashed from the top branches, dashing over the Pichu’s head like a shooting star and passed Jessie and James, into the woods.
Jessie flinched and turned around. “Hey! What was that?!”
“A very scared pokemon that probably lost its home due to such uncontrollable powers from a little Pichu!” Said James, sounding worried.
“No! I bet that was an Articuno! It was shining and glowing, but it was flying! And it appeared right when Pichu struck its home with its unusual Thundershock that can summon snow!” Jessie took out a dark colored pokeball and narrowed her eyes. “Let’s go catch it.”
She grabbed James’s arm and the two of them disappeared into the woods.
Misty and Gary turned to watch them leave.
“Hey!” Called Misty. She and Gary started following. “Where do you think you’re going with that dark ball?”
As soon as the they disappeared, Pichu stared over at Meowth. It was just them two.
Meowth met Pichu’s gaze with a lighted expression and came up to the little pokemon’s side.
“Hehe, well! Now that those noisy bunch of humans are gone, perhaps I can teach you the REAL way of the world, and what’s going on around here.”
Pichu gave a raised expression. Its unnoticeably dark blue eyes seemed even darker with curiosity. It spoke in a small, young voice.
“Um…..please tell me. Who am I? what am I supposed to do around here? I feel like…..like I came from somewhere, but I don’t remember where.”
Meowth blinked his eyes carefully. “Well, the only place you came from was the egg that your mother Pikachu created from combining her DNA with a particular object of an Ice Spear. You see, it takes a male and a female pokemon—and a strong amount of love between the two—to create an egg of their own. Surprisingly enough, Yenko, the scientist from the Johto region, has developed a way for your mother Pikachu to create your egg from her DNA, and the Ice Spear’s, rather than from another male Pikachu.”
Pichu’s expression lit up. “Did she love the Ice Spear very much?”
“Hah! No, I bet she didn’t even get to see what it even looked like! But Yenko is a very smart man, and he’s found a way to create you in that process. So now, here you are, a pokemon born of real pokemon DNA, and the genes shared from the very Ice Spear itself. You are like a creature that bears powers from both the Pikachu, and the Ice Spear, in that case. I guess that explains the snow that fell from the sky after your Thundershock.”
Pichu blinked. “Is that a good thing?”
“Well, like me, you’re still a pokemon,” said Meowth. “You didn’t hatch to be another Ice Spear, because you still had your mother’s genes to keep you alive like a real pokemon. That way, you can fight, think, and act like a real pokemon yourself.”
“Ooh, I would love to learn to fight,” said Pichu intently, his dark blue eyes getting wider with interest.
“Yes, you see, in the world of pokemon, we creatures live our ways either in the wild out here, training and fighting for our own survival with the use of our own different strengths and abilities, or we live with the humans and serve them for their needs, fighting for THEM and battling other people’s pokemon to win competitions over anything they desire.”
“Well, I’m glad I’m a pokemon then,” said Pichu, smiling. He giggled. “What if I turned out to be an Ice Spear like my other parent, though?”
Meowth twitched a humored smile at the way Pichu called the Ice Spear his “other parent.”
“Hmm, well now that I’ve explained to you the significance of your mother and of all pokemon like us, lemme tell ya the story behind your ‘father’s’ existence,” chuckled Meowth, twitching his whiskers. “I don’t know much about it, but I’ll tell you as much as I can.”
And Meowth told Pichu the story of Xenox, how Xenox was a totally different pokemon than the everyday creatures that Pichu would ever meet in the world. He told how Xenox had the power to summon all the coldest, most uncomfortable blizzards in the weather, and that the pokemon could create far more powerful amounts of snow than Pichu just had. Pichu was scared to learn that one day, if Xenox ever awakened from its long sleep, the whole world would suffer from a terrible blizzards that would wipe out the entire world. Pichu guessed this was what they meant by “the Wipeout.”
He told how no one really believed the pokemon ever existed though, and that Xenox had been asleep in a cave on a faraway island that hadn’t been explored, due to the extreme deadliness of the snowstorms and freezing climate. But the strange patterns in the weather that were occurring right now at the moment were starting to spark an interest in the existence of Xenox. Meowth told how very people yet, have started to study about the existence of Xenox. He told how Yenko, Jessie and James, and the other scientists of the lab were trying to find a way to create pokemon that could resist the terrible power of the Wipeout.
“That spear that was used for your creation,” said Meowth, “it was most possible that it came from Xenox itself. When both the Professor and the scientists examined the spear, they found strange DNA of a pokemon that hadn’t been identified yet. This particular DNA was used to test with different kinds of pokemon, like your mother, to see if it could result in an egg that could be created from that unidentified pokemon. Well…..the surprising part about it was that an ice legendary like Xenox managed to create you, as well as a number of other pokemon that have just been created in the lab right now.”
Pichu gasped. “Am I the child of a legendary?”
“Legendaries don’t have children!” Said Meowth, frowning with confusion. “That’s the confusing thing! First, I thought Xenox must be half-electric or something to have created you, but then Jessie and Gary have claimed that other species of pokemon were created from the mix of that DNA. We still have far more to find out about the Ice Spear. And we don’t even know if you and the other new pokemon can actually withstand such blizzards anyway!”
Pichu blinked and looked up at the sky. “Wow…I bet I can, though! Did you see the way I destroyed that tree?”
Meowth met Pichu’s excited gaze and nodded simply. “Considering it was only a weak little spark of a Thundershock, yeah, that was actually pretty surprising. But I bet you didn’t summon the snow. That could’ve just been a mere coincidence in the weather.”
Pichu narrowed his eyes at Meowth, ready to object.
But suddenly, a flash erupted form the woods ahead of them, and Pichu heard a strange cry.
Meowth turned with alarm. “Oh, right! Jessie and James have headed to capture what they think is an Articuno! Come on, they could be in trouble.” He rolled his eyes and held Pichu’s hand as they both ventured into the woods. “Stay close, now. I bet they’ve just encountered another angry Fearow or Primeape.”
As Meowth explained to Pichu more of how stupid his best friends, Jessie and James could be, Pichu widened his eyes.
“James is a guy? Oh! I…..thought he was a female.” Pichu blushed and laughed. “Sorry!”
Meowth gave a nervous chuckle as he looked around him. “Nah, it’s alright. James has been looking more like a girl lately anyway since Jessie has pushed him to help her audition for that modeling agency.”
Meowth and Pichu suddenly stopped at the sight of Jessie, James, Misty, and Garry standing in a circle, huddled together.
“Eh?” Meowth blinked in confusion. “What’s this? No battling or destruction? No blasting off? What happened? I thought you guys met another Primeape!”
The four humans turned to face Meowth. They had all been looking at something in the center.
“No! This is NO Articuno!” Gasped Jessie, her eyes wide with awe.
“I bet it’s even better, though!” Said James with the same expression.
“Yeah! We have no idea what this pokemon is!” Gary added.
Meowth and Pichu stared with confusion.
Misty held out her hands. “Just take a look at what we found!”
An in her hands, was a white little bird, cooing sweetly with big blue eyes.

Meowth blinked his wide, surprised eyes at the little pokemon in Misty’s hands. It was as white as snow, and was about the size of a Pidgey. It was like a dove, and it had a pinkish kind of shade that glowed distinctively on its pure white head. It was cooing quietly and happily, letting out cries that seemed to say, “Douu….Douuuuuu…”
“I’ve never seen a pokemon like this before!” Said Gary with intent. “If only I still had my pokedex, perhaps I can see what it is!”
Misty blinked. “Hm…well, I bet it’s none other than a flying and ice type, maybe. It did appear when Pichu shot its Thundershock at its tree.”
Jessie huffed. “Well, Meowth! Don’t just stand there! Ask it what it is and where it came from! I bet this could be a super rare species that’s probably on the verge of extinction! We could be rich if we keep this pokemon!”
Meowth flinched from staring at the little dove and regained his focus. The little pokemon was so cute and something about it made Meowth feel merry and calm with happiness. He cast a glance at Pichu at his side. “Now, this pokemon here is a pokemon that not even I’ve seen.” He turned to the dove.
“Well, then! Excuse me, but what might your species be?”
The white little bird fluffed out its white feathers and seemed to smile sweetly with its big blue eyes. It stood up on its two feet upon Misty’s hands and hovered off, just a few inches above. Its chest had a tiny spot that glowed as it smiled.
“My species….?” Cooed the little pokemon. It had a small, feminine voice similar to a little girl’s. The pokemon seemed to giggle. “Ooh, my species is one that you will never find here, no matter how far and wide you shall search.”
“Eh?” Meowth raised his eyebrows with concern.
“Well? What’s it saying?” Pressed Jessie.
“Um, it just says that it’s a species that can never be found in this entire world.”
The little dove giggled. “I didn’t say of the entire world. I said far and wide.” It winked at Meowth.
“Are you extinct or something?” Asked Meowth.
“You mean endangered?” Cooed the little pokemon sweetly. “No, dear. I’m not endangered. I’m just…all there is of my kind.”
“Like…a legendary?” Asked Pichu.
“Quite,” replied the pokemon, smiling.
Jessie and James were just staring at it with unreadable expressions. Jessie blinked and then frowned. “Well, whatever it is, I bet it’s an endangered species that should be well looked after, or if it is a real rare legendary, I say we should catch it! Arbok! Come on out here and use Poison Jab!”
Jessie threw out a pokeball and out popped her new Arbok, different from the one she had had so many years ago. This one was given to her by Giovanni himself, as well as the new Weezing James had. The both of them received these pokemon when they had returned from Unova with at least the anonymous surprise of information they had learned from following Ash and his Pikachu around.
Meowth took a step back as the large snake popped out of its pokeball and got ready to use its powerful move on the little dove.
“Hey! No!” Cried Misty. “What do you think you’re doing?!”
“What’s going on?” Gasped Pichu, staring at Meowth with fear.
“Brace yourself….it’s gonna be another one of our ugly battles,” muttered Meowth. Shouting out, he called, “You don’t know what this little pokemon can be capable of!”
And he was right. As soon as Arbok lunged toward the little dove with an attacking Poison Jab, the little pokemon started to glow with an intense brightness that surrounded itself with a veil that protected it from the jabbing tail of Arbok. The larger pokemon bounced back and fell at Jessie’s heels.
“Oh! What kind of a move was THAT?!” She huffed.
“It didn’t look like Protect…” Meowth was wincing as he watched the little bird close its eyes and flap its wings, sending the Arbok behind it twisting and turning with pain. “What are you doing?!” He yelled at the pokemon.
The dove opened its eyes and stopped flapping. It had a sorry look in its innocent blue eyes. “Oh, you humans disappoint me sometimes,” the little pokemon fluttered high in the sky and then glided down, landing on Misty’s shoulder.
“Oh?” Misty turned to give the pokemon a smile.
The dove cooed and started to slightly glow with happiness.
James blinked. “Um, I think it’s already found its trainer? So maybe it’s not a legendary?”
“Nonsense!” Laughed the dove. “No one can ever train ME! I will ALWAYS be as free as the breezy air!”
“Um, you realize they don’t understand you?” Meowth said.
The dove smiled at him. “I know! That’s the fun part, right? I can tell them what I want!”
Meowth winced and watched as the little dove circled around Misty’s head, cooing sweetly and filling the air with a strange, sweet scent.
“Be happy! All of ya!” It cried in its small voice. “The world is all about life, and you live it and love it! Fill your days with love and happiness….love and happiness! Love and happiness will find a way!”
Meowth was starting to feel nauseously content and calm as he watched the glowing little bird. Around him, Pichu, Misty, Gary, James, and even Jessie were starting to look calmed and relaxed. This pokemon was giving off a sense of happiness in the air that was making everyone hypnotized with content. Meowth was just about to realize that and snap out of it….before he found himself drifting off into a happy sleep.
It wasn’t until a few hours later that Meowth awoke to find himself in a noisy room full of chattering girls and pokemon. He was in the Silph Company building of Saffron, in the top floor where the modeling agency was being held. Around him were the several models walking around and putting on makeup, some having their pokemon dressed up and ready to go. He caught Misty and Gary speaking to each other in the corner of the room, while Jessie was preparing in a front of a mirror just by their side.
“Wha…..what’s going on? Wah! How long have I been asleep?” Meowth stood on the soft, comfortable sofa, and saw that Pichu was awake at his side, blinking his eyes as if he had been asleep for a long time as well.
Pichu yawned. “We were all asleep. The first person to find us was the lady in pink,” Pichu pointed over to Mary, who was yelling at one of her models over the makeup they were using. Mary was dressed in a funny-looking Slowking outfit. “When I woke up, James was taking care of both of us as we slept, but now he’s gone off to help Jessie fetch these weird smelling perfumes.” Pichu winced as a model rushed passed him, spraying herself with a peach-nectar scent.
Meowth coughed and winced. “Yes! Well, I’ve always disliked places with way too much fashion because it just makes me jealous of how much more fashion we Rocket grunts are missing ourselves! I mean, Jessie and James have always been creative in numerous disguises, but these places make our outfits look like old school!”
Pichu blinked around him. “Pretty tight place, though! I got to talk with some of Misty’s pokemon, too. They say everyone’s getting ready for the walkthrough competition, when models walk down the aisle with their own pokemon and outfit. Whoever stands out and gets the most votes shall be on the front cover of the next magazine.”
Meowth gasped. “Uh-oh! That sounds like an easy win for Misty over there!” He cast a glance over to where she was still taling with Gary, though this time Jessie was standing with them as well, and she didn’t look very happy. “Eh! Jessie surely will be extra competitive tonight. She goes by Jesserella around here, since that what she signed up her name to be. We don’t wanna exploit our names just in case we’re still on the list of wanted thieves.”
“Wow, she looks so different now,” said Pichu, staring at her in her prim, glittering long dress and hair styled up in clips. She was wearing her preppy hot pink glasses now, and she looked like she was in one of her old disguises again. But Meowth could see a difference from those times and now. She looked cool in that outfit, not like some wannabe fan that looked like a nerd in huge glasses. The modeling agency and Mary herself had helped her out on that part to attract more attention.
“Hey! What about that dove pokemon?” Meowth looked at Pichu. “Whatever happened to her? I really assume it’s a her since the voice sounded so much like a little girl’s. But that young, tiny bird put us all to sleep—a happy sleep—just like that!”
Pichu widened his eyes. “I don’t know! I didn’t see it anywhere when I woke up.”
“I’m gonna go ask Misty,” Meowth hopped off the couch and Pichu followed.
He accidently bumped into a passing Gothitelle that rudely shot passed in front of him.
“Ow--! Uh, sorry, there!” He looked to the left where the Gothitelle had stopped to hiss a savage reply and brushed its hip where he had bumped into. It threw him a peppermint spray that was leaking and stalked away.
“Hmph!” Meowth kicked the reeking can away from him and Pichu. “Some pokemon….”
He headed over to where James had arrived with a tired look as he tapped Jessie’s back. “Angelica has used up the last of the Cherrim spray. Mary’s not gonna buy anymore.”
“What?!” This time, both Jessie and Misty looked angry and surprised.
“Oh, that bratty hussy!” Jessie stomped her foot. “I’ll have her know that I can still kick her butt in the competition tonight.”
Misty nodded. “Angelica’s been hating on me since I arrived. And now that I’ve gotten more famous, she’s become more of a bitch to me.”
Meowth crossed his arms. “Hmph, is Angelica the ugly one with the black makeup and gothic look?”
“She’s the one with the Gothitelle and Banette,” scoffed Gary. “Ugh….I have to cover for her pictures pretty soon.”
“You’re taking HER pictures?” Misty sounded shocked.
“I have to. Mary says her fans are rising, and she’s starting to almost get as famous as you.”
Meowth flinched and looked at Misty. “Hey! For once, I’m on your twerpy side! Her Gothitelle threw me a garbage smelling spray of peppermint! I really can’t tolerate that scent!”
Jessie was fuming. “Ugh…..well, it won’t take long for me to pass HER place. She was looking at Misty, and then to James. “I’m telling you! I’ll be second place behind Misty easier than you can blink! If I’m going to be part of this agency, I’m going to make sure I shine pass those ugly, undeserving females and their pokemon!”
Meowth sighed in frustration and gave Pichu a wink. “Watch this. Things get pretty ugly around these parts when Jessie acts this way.”
Jessie continued to speak, whether she heard Meowth or not. She grabbed James by the collar and glared at him through her sharp, stylish glasses.
“I’ll have you know….my desire for fame isn’t going to put me to waste. It’s got me this far to take part in such a modeling agency, but it hasn’t taken me far enough.” She looked behind her shoulder, her eyes flashing behind her glasses. “And YOU, Miss Paparazzi Lover, are going to help me win over that Angelica!”
Gary gasped and took a step back, accidently bumping into Misty’s Starmie that was waiting quietly and patiently behind her.
“Whoops….guys, she’s coming,” he muttered, his gaze turning into a narrowed stare.
And Angelica was strutting her way over, with her beautiful Liepard at her side. She wore a dark purple dress with the same patterns as her Liepard, and two violet cat ears to resemble her pokemon. Her makeup was still black though, for no matter what the competition was, she always kept her gothic looks.
She was smiling sweetly over at Jessie, stroking her own dark hair and the few strands of purple that were tied into it.
“Oh great,” Meowth crossed his arms and waited. “Here it comes.” He frowned and cast a hiss at the Liepard, for the pokemon had given him a taunting scowl with its devious eyes. He would’ve really liked the Liepard, for it was attractive, cute, and dazzlingly pretty for him, but its attitude towards him and Jessie and James made him dislike it all the more.
“Hello there, Jesserella!” Giggled Angelica, raising her dark thin eyebrows. “So what are you supposed to dress up for? Some kind of fangirl wannabe?”
Jessie huffed and stomped her foot. “Hah! You’re just jealous! This outfit’s supposed to represent the stunning qualities of an Audino, the rare, treasured pokemon of the Unova!”
Angelica stifled a snicker. “An Audino? Seriously?” Her eyes looked up and down at Jessie’s outfit.
“Um, duh! See, this pink glittery outfit is supposed to show the cute, attracting features of the Audino, and these glasses show how cute and popular they really are for people to want!”
“I think you’ve got too much perfume on, Jess. Audino do NOT glitter or look like they’re wearing glasses.” Angelica spoke in a proud tone. Her Liepard meowed satisfyingly next to her, casting a rude flick of its tail at Misty’s Starmie.
Pichu was staring at the water pokemon. He nudged Meowth. “Why doesn’t that pokemon do anything? Is it really going to help?”
“Eh, Starmie?” Meowth blinked at the pokemon that blinked back at him. “Oh, trust me, it may not be doing much right now, but it can be a terror in battle or in modeling contests when handled by Misty’s side. You may be electric, but that don’t hold off Starmie.”
“Angelica,” spoke Misty in a snappy tone, “shouldn’t you be accompanying Mary with the sets? She expected you to be at her side this whole competition so SHE can help support you herself.”
Angelica’s teasing smile turned to a glare towards Misty. “Huh! You think I can’t win without the help of that foolish pink-headed lady? I’m gonna beat you in this competition, Misty,” she crossed her arms. “Don’t think this will just be that simple.”
“Yeah? Well, you may have a lot of fans, but not as much as me,” Misty was turning red with envy. “And with the support of all my fans coming tonight, none of your own will be able to stand pass them.”
“Oh, I’ll make MORE tonight! I don’t need the ones I’ve already got! I’m simply going to attract more!” She snapped a finger at her Liepard and it gave a sharp whip at Starmie with its tail.
“Hey!” Snapped Misty.
Starmie shook and blinked, making a low, uttering growl.
Gary stepped forward and laughed nervously. “Hey! Before anyone leaves, I probably should get started on those pictures, huh, Angelica? You’ve got to get selling on the internet too.”
Misty cast a haughty look at Gary, but said nothing. Anything was satisfying enough to get rid of Angelica.
Angelica’s gaze softened and she smiled sweetly at Gary. “Oh, why thank you, Gary! Yes, do come along with me. I’ve got some serious catching up to do on the internet as well.” She narrowed her eyes challengingly at Misty before taking Gary’s arm and pulling him with her.
Jessie widened her eyes and looked at Misty. “You’re having your pictures sold online by Gary?!”
James sighed. “Oh great…”
“I wanna have mine sold online!” Jessie huffed.
“You have to start taking more pictures of yourself then,” said Misty, rolling her eyes.
Meowth watched Angelica leave. “Hey, come on.” He said to Pichu. “Let’s stalk that nasty kitty and her trainer, and see what they’re up to.”
The contest was rambunctious. At 7:30 sharp, everyone had gathered to the side room of the stage and awaited the cheering, noisy crowd. Meowth was sitting between James and Pichu with an intent look.
James turned to Meowth. “To think that we’re still needed at the lab later on tonight…..ugh, I hate to think of how busy my days are.”
“We so should’ve caught that little love bird that sang us to sleep!” Huffed Meowth.
“It didn’t sing us to sleep,” said Pichu.
“Well…..something about it made us sleepy. It did something to us.”
“Nah, I don’t think it had to do anything at all,” said Pichu.
Meowth blinked and knew he was right. Just the pokemon’s presence made them feel happy and relieved. He had to find it again…..but he doubted if he would ever see a pokemon like that again. he hadn’t even gotten its name, or what species it was.
“Hey! Look!” James pointed up excitedly. “There’s Misty and Jessie! to think they’ve come up in the same pair together!”
And Meowth looked up to see that after the pair of Angelica and a model that they didn’t know, they saw that Jessie and Misty walked arm in arm right behind with their pokemon at their sides. The crowd grew extra wild, but Meowth knew it was all just for Misty. But a spark of hope lit up in him. “Hey! If Jess is by that twerp’s side, she can attract a LOT more attention to herself!”
“Yes! I think Jessie’s off to a good start,” said James.
And the two of them stopped at the center of the stage to switch sides and let their pokemon maneuver around at their heels. Starmie and Arbok slithered and rolled around, and the crowd grew wild. Meowth had to keep blinking and wincing at all the shining flashes.
“Ugh! Terrible! Too many lights!” He tried to peek over at the corner of his eye towards Pichu. “You doing all right, there?” Pichu didn’t answer. “Pichu?!”
He realized Pichu wasn’t looking up at the stage. The little pokemon was staring at the windows to its right. Meowth turned and tried to see. They were seated at the front, all the way in the left corner of the audience, and Meowth could see the windows, as dark and wet as the rainy night outside. But he realized something else wasmoving along the windows. A small white bird was fluttering around the sill from the outside, pecking at the glass.

That night, Pichu was taken with Misty and Gary back to their apartment. It had said good-bye to Meowth, and the talkative cat pokemon had promised him he would see him as soon as he can by the next day.
The little pokemon was still thinking about the dove that it had seen at the window, for it seemed to have been staring right at him with focusing, longing eyes as if it wanted something. But then it had disappeared again after the contest was over. Pichu hadn’t seen it for the rest of the night.
When Misty had gotten to her own room at the Silph building, Pichu had met Professor Oak, who seemed like a nice, friendly guy towards pokemon. Pichu almost liked him immediately, but he was scared of the way he had spoken when he said he was going to conduct an experiment on Pichu when he had fallen asleep.
Pichu didn’t understand what the experiment was, and he had tried to keep himself awake, but he was surprisingly very tired. A single day old and the Pichu already felt like he had seen a lot.
The little pokemon drifted off into sleep upon the counter next to all the paperwork and the computer of the Professor. Pichu was about to discover the first experience of a dream.
The Pichu was wandering through a lonely, empty landscape with more of the white stuff falling around him.
“Snow….” Said the Pichu curiously. It blinked its dark blue eyes with wonder at all the falling droplets of snow. And all around him, he saw that the ground was covered in a whiteness that must have been caused by billions and trillions of the white drops. It must have taken a lot of falling snow to create a blanket of whiteness like this, thought Pichu.
The little pokemon was wandering up high into the steep hills, until it found that it could climb no higher. It was up in the mountains, in a very chilly, lonely mountain. Pichu looked around and realized how cold it was, and pretty soon, the little pokemon was almost freezing to death. Already, it felt its life draining away and freezing up in this cold, uninviting area. It didn’t like this place at all. Everywhere it looked around, snow was falling, and the air was as deathly freezing as can be. If Pichu was meant to be a surviving pokemon of a snowstorm that would be worse than this, then it probably wasn’t at all prepared.
But suddenly, a light glowed in the sky above. Through the blinding storm, Pichu could see that a shining glow was headed towards him in the distance, followed by a small yellow figure that chased after it from the ground.
The glowing shape in the sky was the same white dove Pichu had met earlier, and Pichu almost didn’t see it at all through the blending whiteness of the storm. But its pink spot on its head shone distinctively, and as a yellow glow appeared on its chest, Pichu suddenly felt giddy and happy again, able to withstand anything and run through any snowstorm without ever stopping. A warm light sparked in Pichu’s heart, and the pokemon felt revived and able to withstand even the coldest of cold.
The pokemon that was following the dove from underneath was a Pikachu. Pichu and Pikchu looked at each other and blinked, not having met before. But the Pikachu looked nice and friendly, and unlike Pichu himself, the Pikachu looked like it was getting paler and paler as if it were freezing up in this storm. The dove above didn’t seem to be helping Pikachu withstand the cold, though it did help the Pikachu look more happy and hopeful to be seeing Pichu.
“You’re Pichu, aren’t you?” Spoke the Pikachu politely.
Pichu nodded. “Yes, I am.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m a Pikachu, and I am the famous and loyal partner of Ash Ketchum, an old friend of Misty and Gary.”
“Ash Ketchum?” Pichu gasped. “Meowth told me about him. I’ve heard of you guys! You’re the Pikahcu he and Jessie and James used to always kidnap!”
Pikachu laughed. “Yep, that’s me. But I was always able to defeat them and escape. Ash and I were like the most loyal and devoted buddies we would ever be.”
“But…..Meowth also said that you’re currently possessed with some kind of…evil. I hear you’re terrorizing other pokemon before you and Ash left to follow Red and Leaf.”
Pikachu blinked and looked crestfallen. “I’ll explain further. You see, one night, I received a dream in which I met the fire emblem pokemon. It had just hatched out of its egg upon this very mountain of Xenox.”
“We’re on the mountain of Xenox?!” Terrified, Pichu glanced around, looking for any signs of a terrible ice dragon pokemon that could be wandering around.
Pikachu went on. “The fire emblem pokemon and I switched souls, so that the fire emblem pokemon is in my body, and I am in its own, as a baby Groudon. Unfortunately, I am stuck on the forbidden island of Isotopia where May, Drew, and Brendan are, and the baby Groudon is in my own body with Ash, stranded on an island of their own, not too far from the Seafoam Islands.”
Pichu widened his eyes. “So….May, Brendan, and Drew are still alive? Meowth said everyone thought they were dead, or at least never return.”
“They have no idea where they are at the moment since their disappearance was so anonymous.” Pikachu spoke with dread. Its eyes were wide and intent, and Pichu could sense spirit in this pokemon as it spoke to him. “But now I’m speaking with YOU. Because you share the bonds with Xenox itself, I was able to find you on this very mountain in my own dream.”
“Y-you’re dreaming right now as well?”
Pikachu nodded. “Yes, I am dreaming. So is Dovanna.” Pikachu nodded up at the little bird above.
Pichu looked up and met the little bird’s gaze. Dovanna. So that was its name. Dovanna smiled back at Pichu.
Pikachu continued on. “You see…..dreams are just mere images of the mind that come alive when in the right state. When you awaken, they disappear altogether and whatever happened in those dreams have no affect on the real world you awaken in. But after I had dreamt myself meeting the fire emblem pokemon and switching sides with it, I realized that was a dream that had truly come alive and happened for real. I woke up in the body of the baby Groudon, finding that the dream was something that actually happened and came true. I have had no connection with anyone about this, except for the fire emblem pokemon itself. Sometimes in my dreams, I find myself in a nother one of these reality dreams, when I speak to baby Groudon for real, and wake up with the same, chilly, frozen feeling from having been on this mountain in my sleep.”
Pichu stared in awe. “So…whatever happens in our dreams happens for real?”
“Only in dreams that take place here,” said Pikachu. “Only dreams that happen here by the presence of Xenox itself. I didn’t truly understand why, but after I had met this pokemon Dovanna, she explained how there are portals in the world, and portals between our dreams and the real world. Our dreams our actually more than just imaginary, made up hopes that we make up. There’s actually a place those dreams take place in, and it’s more than just the dreamworld I learned about in the Unova region. The only way for our dreams to actually happen and affect the waking world, is if it breaks through the portals that keep then in their own dimensions and enter our world to have an effect.”
“And because I have met you,” Dovanna spoke in its small, sweet voice, “I have decided to bring you through the dimensions and help you meet Pikachu here. you seem like the most sensible pokemon to communicate with Pikachu, learn about where it is, and spread the news to everyone else.”
“Why me?” Asked Pichu, wincing. “Why not find some other available pokemon to bring to Pikahcu in a dream, and tell them everything that is going on with the island of Isotopia? There was Meowth….and Misty and Gary’s pokemon.”
Dovanna giggled. “Oh, I couldn’t show my face to just any pokemon out there. And even if I did, those other pokemon couldn’t be able to show proof that their dream had actually been real. You, on the other hand, bear the genes that share with Xenox. You were an easy target to be lead up into the very mountain of your ancestor, where you can break through the portal in your sleep and actually make this dream be as real as the dream Pikachu has.”
“But if I share ties with Xenox, why do Pikachu’s dreams become real? He shares no bond with Xenox…”
Dovanna looked at Pikachu and giggled. “Well, I was able to lead Pikachu through the portals. I am a very peculiar pokemon, and I know my ways around stuff like this. I was able to help lead Pikachu through the portal and let its dream come to life. When it had switched places with Emblem, it became real—thanks to me.” It smiled at Pikachu.
Pikachu couldn’t keep himself from smiling back at the sweet little bird. “Well, of course it’s thanks to you. I guess it was better to have me in the body of baby Groudon so that it wouldn’t disturb Xenox so badly…but I’m really not comfortable with the way it’s been treating Ash and everyone else who doesn’t understand what has happened.”
Dovanna blinked reassuringly and looked to Pichu. “Well, now you have someone who can! Pichu can tell his part of the world where May, Drew, and Brendan are, and its connection with dreams of reality!”
Pichu blinked. “Really?”
“But!” Dovanna spoke with intent and fluttered closer down to Pichu. “Lemme let you off with a warning. Do NOT mention me in any of this, understood?” She spoke with such unrecognizable menace that Pichu didn’t know if it came from her. but Dovanna then smiled and gave a playful wink, hovering a little higher. “I like to keep myself secret, thank you very much! I usually spend my time around in hiding, unless I need to check on a few things going on here and there. So make sure you do let the others in your waking world know what has come of May, Drew, and Brendan. Tell them about the bonds between you and Xenox’s world of dreams, and how you met Pikachu through the same dream.”
Pikachu nodded, smiling at Pichu. “I’m glad to have met you too! Take care…you DO look pretty exotic for a little Pichu yourself!”
“Wait!” Cried Pichu. Dovanna and Pikachu were fading away. “HOW exactly am I supposed to tell everyone about about my dream?!”
But everything had gone blank, and Pichu was suddenly blinking awake on the same counter, though he was surrounded by a thin, murky veil of purple. “Ahh! What the?!” Pichu jumped awake and saw a strange, sluggish pokemon curled up in a ball next to it.
Misty and Gary were standing by the Professor, who was nodding with understanding at his computer. “Hmm….I see now.”
“What’s going on?!” Cried Pichu. What had happened to him through Oak’s “experiment?” Was that what caused his strange dream?
“Relax, kid,” said Meowth, standing behind. “This is Musharna,” he nodded to the sleeping pokemon next to him. “It can make an image of what’s going through your dreams. Oak has been examining not only what’s going on in your dreams, but what’s causing your dreams. And I think he’s figured out something very important.”
Oak looked at Gary and Misty. “It does have a connection with Xenox, a connection far easier to understand than from the Ice Spear. It can share dreams with the very pokemon, and when it dreams along with it, those dreams come to life.”
“Wait…..so Xenox’s dreams have always been real, though,” said Gary. “Just like the battle that defeated Groudon, that was real because it happened in Xenox’s dream. Now that Pichu has been created out of some shared genes of Xenox, it can actually find its way across the portals and have a truly real dream….”
“And it’s met Ash’s Pikachu in its dream!” Breathed Misty. “Oh, I hope it was doing okay!” She turned to Pichu with a longing smile. “Did you make good friends with that Pikachu?”
Pichu blinked, and then nodded. “Piii!”
“Well, now I can’t tell what it’s doing in its dream, but I think it may find out a thing or two of what’s happened.” Said Oak. “Here, let’s play it again.”
Misty took Pichu in her hands and held him in front of Oak’s computer. “Wanna see your dream played over again?”
Pichu watched the screen of the computer flash and suddenly play over everything that had happened in its dream. Pichu saw itself in the deadly mountains, and talking to the Pikachu. But….it realized that it saw no sign of Dovanna. Even though it had blended in so well with eh snow, Pichu still couldn’t even catch a glimpse of the pokemon.
Gary whistled. “That’s Ash’s Pikachu?”
Pichu nodded. “Pi….” It stared with wide concern at the screen.
Oak looked at Pichu. “Well….we’ve got Meowth. What exactly did you learn from your dream?”
Pichu turned to Meowth and the cat nodded. “Tell me all about it.”
After Pichu had told everything of its dream, and Oak had understood it, Misty and Gary had left to get some training done with their own pokemon outside while Oak conducted more experiments by himself. First, he had wanted to research the significance of dreams and the nearby dimensions they could take place in. Of course, Pichu had promised not to tell anyone about the pokemon Dovanna, and how it could help others travel through t
hose dream dimensions to have them become real, but he figured Oak could figure it out himself. Meowth had stayed behind as well to help discuss the dream with Oak.
“I sure hope that contest wasn’t enough to get Angelica in a higher position than me,” said Misty, staring out at the gloomy sky. she and Gary were discussing last night’s competition.
Gary huffed. “Well, she didn’t seem to attract as much attention as you AND Jessie did.”
“I was surprised by Jessie myself,” said Misty, scratching the top of Pichu’s head. “She did attract more attention than I thought she would, but that was only because she was next to me.”
Gary chuckled. “Well, it will still take a while for her to catch up. And you better be prepared. You don’t want another rival besides Angelica.”
Misty’s face reddened with anger. pichu could feel fury building up inside her, and the little pokemon tensed in her soft grip.
Suddenly, an aroma filled the air, and Pichu suddenly felt the envy around them lessen and slowly fade away. Pichu recognized the scent already. Dovanna suddenly fluttered out of the trees, and cooed happily, facing down towards Misty.
“Oh!” Gasped Misty. “It’s….you.”
“Douuu!” Dovanna hovered in front of Misty with a bright look on its cute face, and Misty let out a finger for it to land on. Gary came over to her side.
“I still wonder….what IS that pokemon? We need Meowth.” He said.
“Pichu!” Cried Pichu desperately. If only it could tell them. it was Dovanna, and it had a special connection with the dreamworld somehow…..
Dovanna winked at Pichu. “Shhh! Not yet….” She giggled.
“Oh, well, whatever pokemon you are, I’m glad you’re here!” Misty cooed back.
Dovanna circled Misty’s head with a happy cry. ”Douuu!” It sang a happy tone and suddenly glowed with a white brightness. Misty was looking up at it with awe, and then followed its over to where it hovered in front of a tree, and flew into the woods.
“What….? Come back…..” Misty’s eyes looked dazed and clouded as she took a step forward, and slowly started walking after the bird. Pichu kept its alert eyes wide open as it let Misty carry himself with her towards the leading light.
Gary stood behind and blinked. “Um, Misty?”
Pichu felt his gaze watch them as Misty ventured into the woods after Dovanna’s welcoming call.

The rainy storm whipped around into a tornado. Pokemon and people cried with fear and desperation. Zorua was whimpered and batted at its cage with frustration. It had to get out of this stupid enclosed imprisonment.
All around it, pokemon cages were already crashing towards the ground, though most were empty. Team Plasma grunts were running around everywhere in all directions, pulling pokemon with them to get to safety.
“Get them in the cellar! The storm cellar! Hurry up!” Yelled the voices.
Pokemon all around cried through the blinding windy storm as they were being herded away to the storm cellar under the house behind.
Zorua cried and yowled with desperation. Plasma grunts were running past it without a single glance. How could they have forgotten its presence?! There was still another pokemon here to be rescued!
Suddenly, the wind blew from behind and knocked Zorua’s cage over until the little pokemon felt itself crash to the ground and hit its head hard against the metal walls of the small cage.
Whimpering, the Zorua managed to get up and break through its fallen cage with a powerful punch, and then found itself free and out in the open of the terrible, dangerous world around it. It dashed forwards, not caring where it was going, as long as it was away from here.
The windy, blizzard storm was deadly and whipping around at a countless speed, and suddenly, Zorua was swept off its feet and blowing with the powerful wind towards the nearby trees, away from the Team Plasma hideout and the yelling commands from behind.
Zorua crashed through the trees, crying out with pain and felt itself blown through the rough branches and sharp leaves.
Finally, the little Zorua couldn’t take it anymore. It fell into a deep unconsciousness and everything went black.
Zorua awoke to a loud sniffing in its ear that made its fur tingle and shake. “AHH! BACK OFF!” Zorua shot up and whipped around to face a young Zebstrika that was bent over to sniff at the little pokemon.
The Zebstrika backed away. “Oh, it’s a Zorua! Whooaaaa, sorry there.” He let out a humored laugh. “You looked funny all tangled up in those leaves with your fur all sticking out like that, I thought you were a dead piece of charred brambles.”
“What?! Excuse me?” Zorua stood up at its full height, trying to stand as tall as it can to reach the Zebstrika’s nose. It glared at the pokemon with anger in its eyes, offended. “I’m no pile of dead brambles! I swear, I’ll whoop you in battle if you challenged me.”
The Zebstrika blinked and then let out a laugh, sparking with electricity. “You’re funny! I love Zorua! Haha! So full of pride and energy, I’d love to challenge you to a battle!”
“Yeah? Call me a dead scrap and I’ll make sure you become nothing BUT dead scrap!”
The Zebstrika stopped laughing and just smiled at Zorua. “Well, then I won’t call you anymore names, then, little buddy. Don’t wanna be making any enemies in a state like this! Some storm we had last night, huh? I’m Kidneys, by the way. Pokemon call me that because when I run and stretch, you can see my back hipbones pop out where the kidneys should be.”
Zorua winced.
Kidneys laughed again. “You don’t believe me? Watch!” The Zebstrika leaped in the air and did a somersault, kicking out its back legs and sure enough, the hipbones at the top of its back legs pointed out and looked ready to twist off. Electricity sparked from them, and all over the Zebstrika’s lean body.
Zorua widened his eyes. “Huh! Well fine, I see why they clal you Kidneys.”
Kidneys landed and nodded with a smile. “Yep! My parents and I love to run A LOT, so most pokemon get used to seeing me like that. But what’s your name? You’re a Zorua, so what do you go by?”
“Um…”
“Not dead brambles, right?” Teased Kidneys.
Zorua frowned. “I…I don’t really have a name yet. I…I don’t really remember my parents, nor have I met them…”
“Ooh! Then that means I can name you!” Kidneys sparked with excitement. “I promise it will be awesome. How bout…we call you Zan?”
Zorua blinked. “Zan?” The name was so simple, and Zorua hadn’t expected such a suggestion from a pokemon like this. He had expected a stupid, silly sounding, but he guessed he was pretty ifne with a name like this. “Well…sure, you can call me that. But you can’t change it later.”
“Hah! Same for you. Make sure YOU like it too!”
Zorua shrugged and looked to the ground. “I don’t care….”
“Well, tell me about yourself! Before I start blabbering about myself, tell me about you! Where did you come from, how did you wind up all the way over here?”
Zan met Kidneys’s excited gaze, but he didn’t return it. He blinked and tried to look tough over his despairing emotions. “Well, I was hatched in the hatchery of a Team Plasma hideout. The first face I saw was not my mother, nor my father, but the face of some grunt that I knew I would never look up to as a parent.”
“Ooh, Team Plasma?” Kidneys suddenly looked concerned. “Who was it? Was it Grehanki?”
“No, I didn’t give a crap about the names, but I knew it wasn’t the leader. It was some weirdo with long green hair and blue eyes,. But all the same, I was raised under control of that guy and the Plasma members, trained to obey their rules and stay by their side whenever they wanted to terrorize a certain area and rid people of their own pokemon. It was very difficult, not knowing who my parents were, and being raised by force and to turn on other pokemon against my will. I knew it wasn’t right to kidnap other people’s pokemon and set them free, or under our own control.”
Kidneys blinked. “Well, you’re free now. I bet that storm was meant to destroy that hideout! Now you’re here where you belong! And you’ve met me.”
Zan looked at Kidneys gratefully. “Yeah….but I still don’t belong here. I can feel it. I belong where my parents were. But…..I have no idea who they are or where THEY came from.” He winced in pain. “And I’ve twisted my right leg when I fell through that tree.”
“Ugh, yeah you sure have,” said Kidneys, eying the bloody mess on Zan’s right leg. “You really should get that healed before you go anywhere. I know! I can take you to Denmario’s herd! He’ll look after you and make sure you’re taken care of.”
“Denmario’s herd?”
“Yeah! They’re a herd of Sawsbuck that live just around the corner of this forest. They graze the meadows and the grassy fields with a herd of almost thirty Sawsbuck and their Deerling. You can meet my best Deerling friend, Sebastian, and his sister, Penelope. They know what’s best in this forest and the healing herbs that can help your leg get better. Come on! The meadow’s just around this path. I can take ya there!”
Zan blinked with uncertainty, but winced at the pain that bit him on his leg. “Okay. Thanks.”

Zan followed Kidneys deeper into the woods, realizing how much more damage the tornado had caused. Trees were knocked over on top of each other, and the forest floor was scattered with puddles and broken branches.
Kidneys talked about battles he had fought with his parents, and how his father used to be a rider for his trainer, who was a knight. His father was known as Rem the Great, the heroic pokemon that would gallop through the night with his warrior trainer on his back, leading him into battles with Team Plasma and heroic rescues for any pokemon and people that needed his help. Kidneys said he would train and train to become as great as his father, and Zan thought it funny for a ditsy pokemon like Kidneys to become a noble and powerful warrior.
When Zan had asked what had happened to his father afterwards, and why they were all living in the wild like this, Kidneys told how his father’s trainer had died of a terrible fever just a few years ago, and had set Rem the Great free in the wild instead of passing him on to someone else. He trusted his pokemon to live the way all pokemon were supposed to, and continue to do heroic deeds whenever he was needed.
Finally, Kidneys had arrived at the meadow where the entire area looked wet and clean from the storm last night. It was the only place that didn’t look like a wreckage from the storm.
“Denmario lives in a den near a hilly mountain area of the meadow,” said Kidneys. “Might I remind you, Denmario’s herd is actually thinking of moving all the way to the west side of Unova, where the climate’s least cold and suffering.”
“You mean the desert part?”
“Yup. I hear they’ve already lost five pokemon due to these extreme changes in weather.”
Suddenly, there was a rumble around the field, and a herd of Sawsbuck were running across the field pass Zan and Kidneys in the distance. Zan could see that the Sawsbuck were mostly all white with thick antlers since it was still close to winter, though he could see from a distance that some were already starting to portray the pink, bare spring features of the springtime since winter was almost over-- or was supposed to be.
“There!” Kidneys cried, stomping his feet excitedly. “Come on! Let’s run! Oh right, you can’t run. Well, come on my back! I swear, I can run as fast as the Sawsbuck now!”
Before Zan could reply, Kidneys had grabbed him by the scruff and had thrown him behind his back to let him hang on tightly and yell with fear as Kidneys sped off like a lightning bolt.
Kidneys had caught up to the herd, and was running by their side with an exhilarated cry. “Yeah! Run like the wind! I can beat you ALL!”
“Kidneys! Stop! I’m gonna-- fall!” Zan could see that there were sparks zapping along Kidney’s fur, and it shocked Zan wherever he touched them. He cast a nervous glance behind him where he could see Kidneys’s hipbones popping out as the young pokemon ran with high speed.
A white Deerling joined Kidneys’s side with a mischievous look. “Hey there, Kidneys! Trying to beat us again? Just ‘cause it’s been a long winter doesn’t mean we’ve gotten slower!”
Kidneys laughed. “Sup, Sebastian! I’m takin’ a pokemon I found in the woods over to Denmario to see if you guys can look after him! Check it out! It’s a Zorua!”
Sebastian met Zan’s startled gaze. “Oh, hey! That’s awesome! But I don’t know what Denmario will say. He’s been really cautious around visitors lately, ever since the weather’s changed.”
The herd of Sawsbuck finally stopped at the base of a tall grassy hill where a large white Sawsbuck leapt up to the rock that jutted out from several feet high at the middle of the hill.
To Zan’s relief, Kidneys halted to a stop, but it was so sudden that Zan gasped and tumbled off Kidneys’s back and over his head, rolling to the ground in front of him.
“Whoa!” Cried Kidneys. “Sorry bout that! Guess I need seatbelts.”
Zan shot up to his small feet with a look of embarrassment, and glared around him, aware of the Sawsbucks’ stares at him.
The large Sawsbuck at the jutting rock had its gaze focused with a narrowed look over at Zorua. “You there! Kidneys, what have you brought us? Next time arrange a meeting to see us instead of just suddenly appearing like that.” The pokemon’s voice was stern and slightly annoyed.
Kidneys nodded. “Yup! Sorry, Denmario. But I just found this pokemon this morning! His name’s Zan, and he just recently escaped Team Plasma during the storm last night. He twisted his leg, so we were wondering if you can look after him for a while until he gets better!”
Kidneys had been talking so fast that the herd of Sawsbuck barely had time to gasp and look at Zan with concern for being a pokemon of Team Plasma.
Denmario spoke carefully. “Team Plasma…..”
“I was born with them,” said Zan bravely. “But I have no will to be part of them. I know my parents were never dedicated to them, for I can feel it in me. I don’t belong there. I belong somewhere……where my parents lived, and I am willing to find the right place. I won’t be to much of a burden, and I won’t stay that long, just until my leg heals and I can travel again.”
Sebastian came up to Zan with a quizzical look. “You think you can just simply find your home all by yourself just like that?”
Denmarion grunted. “Zoroark live in the mountains, or where there are caves and crevices to hide in. you really need to make sure you’re strong enough for such places. And it’s gonna take more than just the healing in your leg for that. You ought to become a Zoroark yourself before you venture out that far.”
“We, can look after him,” a pretty, white female Sawsbuck came up to Sebastian’s side with a warm smile at Zorua. “I’m sure Sebastian would love the company of another little friend that can stick with him more often now days.”
“Mom, I’m not THAT lonely without Kidneys,” said Sebastian quietly.
Kidneys snickered. “You sure?”
“Well, you hardly want to play with your sister, Penelope,” his mother remarked.
“Bianca?” Denmario was looking at Sebastian’s mother. “You’ll look after him? Very well, but let me tell you all,” he looked over the entire herd. “We are all suffering from this terrible weather. The stars tell us nothing of what’s to come, so we must take matters in our own hooves. Pretty soon, once the weather gets any worse, we shall start our migration towards the west where the winds may calm down and the weather can be less rough. We can’t afford to lose anymore of our herd, and we’re going to have to focus on caring for each other, not any new visitors in need.” He cast a glance at Zan. “Zan can sleep with you, Bianca, and it will be up to your own family to provide the care for him that’s needed. The rest of us will have no concern.”
Zan frowned at the tone in the pokemon’s voice, but he was the leader. He could see that the herd was already trying hard as they were. Many of the Sawsbuck, he noticed, were wounded or looking sick from the ongoing weather that had been going on.
Bianca nodded and smiled at Zan. Zan returned her gaze. “Thank you…”
“Oh, no problem! We’re always glad to care for anyone in need.”
Zan was taken to the den at the base of the hill, just right under the high jutting rock. The den was empty, for the herd was out grazing in the meadow. Zan could see Sebastian and Kidneys playing around and chasing after each other, throwing attack moves playfully.
“Now, you just need to rest,” said Bianca, prodding a nest of feathers and leaves for Zan. “When you’re asleep, I can give you some herbs to rub over your leg, but you’ll have to be asleep first, or else it would be quite painful.”
A pink Deerling strutted up to Bianca’s side, looking at Zan curiously. She was one of the few that was developing the pinkness for the springtime.
“Mama, is that the Zorua?”
“Yes, Penelope. He’s hurt, so be careful with him,” replied Bianca.
Zan frowned, offended by the way he was being treated like some kind of helpless little runt, but he said nothing. He climbed into his nest and fell into a deep sleep.
Zan dreamed. He was wandering through the darkest of forests, running at the speed of light, faster than Kidneys and the Sawsbuck had run. He came to a mountainous area where the wind blew coldly, echoing like a howl in a cave. Zorua felt very alone, and he felt as if he could go on searching forever without ever finding his parents.
Suddenly, a voice was calling his name.
“Zan…..Zaaan….”
Zan looked around him until he suddenly caught a dark figure hovering towards him from the distance. The figure appeared tall, looking as if it were clasping its hands together under its chin. The night was dark and shadowy, and Zan couldn’t even make out the face or the real shape of the tall dark figure in front of him.
Suddenly, the shadows arms extended out and Zan suddenly jumped back, for the shadow had struck the rocks in front of him, creating a spark that burst into flames. Fire erupted from in front of him, and Zan could hear the pokemon singing and murmuring a strange, ominous tone.
The murmuring suddenly turned into yelling and screaming in Zan’s ears. He suddenly woke up to a sharp kick at his back.
“Zan! Wake up! Fire! In front of you!” Cried Bianca.
And Zan opened his eyes with a start, staring right at the face of the fire he had summoned in his dreams.

“And for the next few weeks, most likely around next Monday or Tuesday, there have been possible chances of the sky thinning out for the first week of spring. But all the same, reporters are suspecting the ongoing storms to be continuous and overtaking.”
Hilda stared at the TV with boredom, stroking her Samurott at her side. She rolled her eyes at the screen and changed the channel. The same thing was going on Live and the National Unova News. All they had been talking about was just, weather, weather, weather.
“We get the point now,” huffed Hilda, flipping through more channels. “The weather’s most likely never gonna clear up. But what about the pokemon? How are the conditions like for the pokemon?”
Since Hilda had just recently ended her long pokemon journey to complete her national pokedex, she was focusing on completing her own magazines that reflected her epic journey through not just the Unova, but the other regions as well. She was hoping to raise money for the Pokemon Musical so that she can take part in as many pokemon acts and performances as she can.
Just a few weeks ago, she and Hilbert had returned from the Kanto region after celebrating the dance night with Iris’s best friend, Ash Ketchum. It had been the first time they had met the guy, and Hilda had thought of him as an interesting, upcoming young man who seemed to have given it all he had gotten to complete his entire journey of all pokemon of the world.
But after the dance night had departed, Hilda and Hilbert had returned back to their hometown in Nuvema. The conditions in Kanto were starting to drive their pokemon crazy, and even though the weather was the same for all regions, Hilda had decided she and Hilbert should return home and try to keep their researches for the rest of their pokedex as close to their town as possible. Iris and Cilan had kept their journey to venture more in the Kanto region though, hoping to uncover the strange secrets that lay beyond the very region.
“Wow, and to think they’re planning on heading to the Hoenn afterwards,” muttered Hilda.
“Soouuu,” Samurott uttered a low cry.
“Well, nothing interesting has been going on in Johto yet, but Hoenn was where the Professor Oak was examining the history of its significance to Xenox. I heard its most famous legendary, Groudon, was killed not too long ago by that Xenox, so Iris and Cilan were thinking of investigating that area. Hmm, well, they’ve got a lot to learn about Kanto still, so I was still thinking….perhaps Hilbert and I could check out that place one day?”
“Surrr,” Samurott growled with disagreement, and Hilda sighed, understanding.
“Yeah, you’re right. Mom’s expecting a visitor today,” Hilda frowned and thought about what she had reminded her the past few days ago. “We’re gonna have a new roommate all the way from Sinnoh. Unfortunately, a storm hit his town and his house broke down. Since mom met him by the grocery just last week and made great friends with him over their discussion about the way the weather’s been affecting everybody, she says she’s decided to help keep this guy under our conditions since Nuvema’s one of the few places to have the least amount of storms and freezing weather lately.” Hilda shivered at the cold draft that just blew at her form the window’s slits across the room. “Ugh, well, I’m freezing already.”
“Sooooouur,” Samurott nuzzled its sharp nose against Hilda’s shoulder.
Hilda smiled. “Thanks, Samurott, I’m glad to have you.” Her expression faltered. “I wonder what kind of pokemon this guy has. And mom says he has a son, too. I wonder….is he cute?” She blushed and smiled mischievously before sighing and taking out her diary. “Well, all the same, I really am not looking forward to housing this queer guest. Mom says he used to be famous at the Battle Subway….known for his mysterious tricks and clever strategies. She said when she spoke to him, he appeared very inquisitive and had a peculiar manner towards her, polite, but strange…..”
Samurott was gazing out at the window ahead of them, narrowing its eyes. Hilda blinked and realized it must’ve been expecting rainfall any minute.
Hilda started writing in her diary. For Hilda, whenever she wanted to write down her feelings or take note of anything she wanted to keep in mind, she never started it out saying “dear diary.” She found it useless since she wasn’t really writing to anyone but back to herself, so she didn’t waste her time stating anything like “dear diary.”
“Today has been another hectic day.” Hilda sighed as she wrote. “All morning I was running around my town, going from door to door, asking anyone for anything they’ve experienced with the wild pokemon around these areas since the weather’s changed. I’m trying to get as much interesting info as I can for my magazines that I shall soon distribute. My magazines have been selling ravenously, and people have been talking about my wonderful journey through the Unova with my first pokemon, Samurott. Haha, I miss the old days when he had been an Oshawott.
But just like the ways of the world, time passes. Things change. Pokemon change—literally evolving. The weather’s changed. People change, too. I haven’t been hearing anything from Team Plasma……or N. I think they must be up to something, for I don’t think anything can really shut them up forever like we wish. I’ve been expecting a certain outbreak from them as well. Everyone’s still been talking about the weather changes and how mysterious occurrences are happening. Back at the dance night, Ash and the others have even lost May, Drew, and Brendan, thinking they had been whipped away by some random storm in this strange weather. I really think it’s all B.S. I mean, I understand the weather’s been weird and all, but seriously, I don’t think a random storm could’ve just ‘whipped them out of nowhere.’ Perhaps they’ve encountered some kind of pokemon that teleported them. I really don’t get how they always conclude that some snowstorm appeared out of nowhere and whipped them away.
But anyways, that’s what’s been going on around the news lately. All they’ve been talking about is that there have been the strangest occurrences in the regions, and I’ve heard even crazier stories than that. Someone even said that a Vanillite was even found randomly in the wild near route 5. Yeah right! And I bet that came from a random storm too! And I even heard that the storms in the skies up near the mountains were giving off shapes of Reshiram and Zekrom. Man, if they at least had PROOF of how these were made, or how this stuff could’ve happened, then I could sell big stuff on my magazines. But right now, all the evidence of these strange stories are kind of vague.
Later on in the evening today, mom’s coming in with that new roommate that she offered to move in with us. I’m really not looking forward to it. It’s already enough that I’m having trouble with my magazines to sell for raising money for the Pokemon Musical. Now, I’ll have to cope with having another guest in the house for a third of my entire day. And the way mom described the man was what made me feel concerned. She had described him as calm, laid back, and very intent when he spoke to her. I can only imagine. I bet he’s an old man that has traveled the world with so much knowledge and experience that it’s caused his mind to think deep and act strange when interacting with others. He had a son, as well. And I only hope the best for the son, for mom didn’t even want to give me his age, even when I had asked. She didn’t seem to want to talk about those people to me just yet…but I expect the son to at least be someone I can actually get along with. I’ll probably be avoiding him all day, or at least trying to. The one person I only hope to speak with is N at the moment…..for I really do miss N.
The last time I had seen him was before I had parted to leave for the dance night Iris had invited us to with Ash. He had told me to…take care and make sure I always watch my back.
Watch my back? Why should I always have to watch my back?”
“BOO!”
“WAH!” Hilda flinched and dropped her diary off her lap. She turned to meet the friendly face of Hilbert. He was peeking over the couch, gazing at her with a teasing smile. He didn’t have his hat on.
“Ugh! Hilbert!” Hilda stood up with a frown and picked up her diary.
Samurott only gave what sounded like a low purr when he saw Hilbert. He made his way over to give the guy a friendly nudge that nearly tipped him over.
“Hey there, Sammie!” Hilbert gave the pokemon a pat on the head. “Samantha’s out in the front! Why don’t you go play with her for a little?”
“Sarrr!” Samurott gave an excited cry and left the room to find Hilbert’s female Samurott.
Hilda watched her pokemon go, and turned to Hilbert. “What do YOU want? You didn’t even remind me that you were going to drop by!”
Hilbert met Hilda’s gaze. “I did let you know that I was wanting to meet your new roommates. What? You want me to leave now? Fine with me, but not after I meet Mr. Huttz.”
“Mr. Huttz?” Hilda winced.
“Um, your new roommate?” Hilbert gave Hilda a raised look, expecting her to have known. “You don’t even know the name of your own roommates?”
Hilda shrugged. “Mom never wanted to tell me for some reason. She barely talked about them since she met them a few days ago.”
“Oh, hah!” Hilbert crossed his arms and smiled. “Well, she sure seemed fine about telling ME.”
“What was his son’s name?”
Hilbert blinked. “That, she actually didn’t say.”
Hilda’s gaze faltered.
“But I didn’t even ask,” said Hilbert. He turned to her with a sideways smile. “Anyways….she told me to come and tell you to start cleaning up your room while she sets up the rest of the house. The man’s son is sharing a room with you.”
“Oh, goodie!” Hilda immediately voiced the sarcasm in her voice, feeling her heart start crying with despair. “I’d love to share a room with some boy I have never met, and let him see all the paperwork I look over for my magazines, and watch all the training I put up with for my pokemon actors! Just perfect!” Hilda turned to drop her diary in her drawer and close it with a harsh shove.
“Whoa there, is it gonna be that bad? I thought you spend most of your training outside.”
“Hello?! The weather conditions? It’s been raining here for the past few weeks.”
Hilbert closed his eyes and smiled. “Yeah, that’s what I thought. But what I’m most concerned about, is why it rains over one part of the region, while it’s either snowing or not raining in the next part that’s not too far from it. Just moments ago, I had arrived from Accumula Town, and it was nearly pouring there! And the moment I leave Route 1 and come here, the rain drizzles and then suddenly it’s not raining at all. Strange for the weather patterns to be like that, don’t you think?”
“Of course,” Hilda winced out the window, looking over from where both her Samurott and Hilbert’s were playing in the puddles. “That just means it may start to rain here anytime soon. Great. Our roommates will be coming in and messing up my clean dance rug with their wet feet.”
Hilbert chuckled. “Want me to help you clean up? That way I have something to do here?”
Hilda gave a small smile. “Sure. Thanks.”
Despite Hilbert’s constant teasing and slight arrogance towards her, he was actually pretty helpful and trustworthy to Hilda. She knew she could trust him with almost anything, for she had known him since their youngest childhood. As they helped straighten out her room and hide her most valuable accessories that made her look so rich and successful, such as musical goods and her ribbons, they discussed how things had been going for each of them.
Hilda told about how her magazines have been selling rapidly since she came back from her Unova journey, and that she wanted to write more about how she would continue the rest of her goal to complete the national pokedex. The pokemon she had seen and learned about from their visit to Ash’s dance night had taught her some interesting facts about certain pokemon of Kanto, and when Hilbert had asked if she had written about the anonymous disappearance of May, Drew, and Brendan, she had told him no. She told how she wasn’t interested in the unexplained causes of the weather, since people didn’t seem to be finding the correct clues behind all the strange occurrences.
Hilbert had been toughening up his pokemon lately, and he was just at the Battle Subway the entire week, getting up to his fifteenth win-streak.
“I’m tellin’ ya,” he was saying as they were headed down the stairs for a quick glass of water. “Fifteen trainers beaten in a row, without a single loss! I must aim higher, and eventually, I can become strong enough to beat the Subway master!”
“Oh, the Subway Master?” Hilda took a glass and poured some water from the filter. She was glad it was warm water, for it was started to chill up in her room. “Hey, there’s a double battle challenge that you can do with Master Emmet. I bet I would be able to do it with you sometime?”
Hilbert looked at her and blinked. “Huh! You think your pokemon are strong enough yet?”
She gave him a look. “Hilbert, I’ve been training hard. Just because my pokemon spend their days training for acting and playing musical instruments doesn’t mean they’ve lost the strength and capability in them.”
Hilbert laughed. “You’re still gonna have to train A LOT!”
Before Hilda could reply, her mother came in from the backyard. She looked damp and cold, and she was carrying the small bathroom trash can. She stopped to face Hilda.
“Hilda, it’s drizzling outside. Both the Samurott are sleeping together on the patio under the balcony. Make sure you call them inside when it gets dark,” her mother sounded tired.
Hilda nodded. She cast a glance at Hilbert. “Dang, sleeping together? One day they’re gonna have their own little Oshawott.” She was thinking of asking her mother again about the roommates, and why she was offering her room for the man’s son without her permission.
But suddenly, the doorbell rang and a clap of thunder banged over the house and scared everyone. Hilda flinched and her mother gave a jump.
“The roommates!” She ran towards the front door, dropping the broom at Hilda’s feet.
“That was sudden,” said Hilbert, watching Hilda pick up the broom and set it aside. “Just picture it. Your roommates arrive one stormy night and right when they’re at the door, bam! The warning thunder booms at us.”
Hilda met his teasing gaze and grimaced. “Shut up!”
Hilbert chuckled. “I bet it’s a sign that they’re already gonna be bad news.”
Hilda and Hilbert made their way over to where Hilda’s mother just opened the door. There, in the pouring rain that was no longer drizzling, stood a tall, thin man dressed in a dark suit and a leather jacket. His hair was gray and wet from the storm, with a patch of baldness in the center, and he was everything Hilda had pictured him to be. Mr. Hutz was middle-aged, with the wise, experienced look on his face that showed he had been through a lot of tough adventures. Next to him was a large Conkeldurr, growling with uncertainty as it narrowed its eyes at the inside of their house. Hilda blinked. There was no sign of his son.
Hilda’s mom let out a huff. “Hello! I’m Nadine White. Feel free to call me Nadine or Mrs. White, though I’d prefer it if you call me Nadine. We’re all going to be a great bunch of people in this little house! I’m glad you made it.”
Mr. Hutz smiled through his bearded whiskers. Like Hilda had pictured, he had a beard several inches long, with a whiskery mustache under his nose. She was quite nervous at how much he turned out to look. It was as if her imagination had come true.
“Thank you, ma’am,” he had a soft, feathery voice, unlike the old, gruff voice that a man his age would be expected to have. “I’ve made my way over various parts of the forest to get here….but it’s all gonna be worth it.”
Mrs. White blinked and raised her eyebrows. “You walked all the way here? I – I thought we paid for a train to take you here!”
Mr. Hutz looked confused. “Hm? Train? Madam, you didn’t have to do that for me. Why, I’ll be glad to pay you back for the money you’ve spent anyway. Conkeldurr and I have ventured far across from Oplecid City to get here.”
“But….you could’ve….” Mrs. White’s disbelieved expression immediately recovered. She pushed away the discussion. “Well! I’m just glad you made it. Don’t you have a son, though?”
“Of course,” chuckled Mr. Huttz, suddenly taking his gaze off of Mrs. White, looking to the ground with a distracted smile. “My son…..he’s out in just the next town in Accumula. He’s resting the rest of his pokemon there, for they are all very tired from the long journey.”
Hilda and Hilbert exchanged raised looks. Of course they would be tired. Oplecid City! So that’s where they came from. That was such a long way, especially for walking! Hilda didn’t know if she even believed this guy, but looking at his Conkeldurr, maybe she could.
“Oh, we could’ve provided a rest area here,” chuckled Mrs. White.
“No, that’s alright, ma’am, you’ve volunteered enough. We just need a place to stay for the rest of this weather. In the meantime, we’ll be looking after ourselves just the same, and find some other place where we can all be safe from this desolate condition.” Mr. Huttz looked to the darkening sky. “Things ARE going to change, though. I’ll tell you that.”
Mrs. White, Hilbert, and Hilda blinked at him, all feeling the same uncertainty. Hilda decided it was almost time to let her pokemon inside now, but before she could excuse herself, she realized she hadn’t even introduced herself yet.
Mr. Huttz was already looking at her with an expecting smile. “Ah, and this must be your little lady, Hilda, huh?” He smiled, though he had his mouth closed so that Hilda couldn’t see any of his missing teeth.
Hilda smiled back. He already knew her name. “I’m Hilda, nice to meet you, Mr. Huttz,” she greeted politely, letting out a hand for him to shake.
Mr. Huttz took her hand and gave a strange quiver with it that Hilda hardly thought of it as a shake. “Hello, of course, nice to meet you!”
Mrs. White chuckled. “And this is a good friend of hers, Hilbert. He’s just sticking around for a little bit since he and Hilda like to train together sometimes, but he won’t be much of a bother.”
Hilbert chuckled. “Much,” he muttered and shook the guy’s hand.
Mr. Huttz just gave him a smile and a nod and didn’t greet him with any interested comment like with Hilda.
Mrs. White cleared her throat. “My husband is out at the Battle Subway. Usually, he helps Hilbert train with his pokemon there. But he should be home by tomorrow morning to meet you all. But how about you both step inside?” She stepped away from the doorway. “It’s getting awfully cold out here.”
Mr. Huttz smiled and nodded, letting his Conkeldurr enter first before stepping in and closing the door behind. Hilda realized how warm it felt in the house without the blowing winds from outside.
“Have a seat, please!” Said Mrs. White, nodding towards the couches. “You should rest before we give you a tour of the house. Would like anything while we wait for morning? Tea? Cocoa?”
“No, madam, I’m fine, really,” said Mr. Huttz calmly. The way he kept calling her mother “madam” made Hilda all the more suspicious. She noticed the way he was looking around the house with a strange, intent look in his old, blue eyes, as if he were expecting something to jump out and scare them. the way he tried to hide that expression with his queer smile made him look even more strange. He sat on the nearest sofa with his Conkeldurr growling and keeping to his side. “I’d just like a moment to rest—alone if you please.” He smiled with a nod at Mrs. White.
“Of course,” Mrs. White nodded back, looking relieved. “I’ll be in the kitchen, cooking up some soup for dinner. Feel free to come in and ask me for anything you want.” And she turned to leave.
Hilda gave one more look at the man and then turned to see Hilbert going up the stairs. He gave her a raised look and a nod to tell her to come up with him. She quickly made her way towards the stairs after he disappeared behind the wall, but then stopped as she heard a hiss behind her.
She turned carefully to see that Mr. Huttz was staring at something across the room with an intent look in his narrowed eyes. He was whispering, and she could see something was at the side of his mouth, held by his hand.
She winced. Was he smoking? He did smell strong of smoke when he had walked in the door. His Conkeldurr was on the other side, growling at something at the same direction.
Hilda turned and realized that he was staring over at the picture on the wall of Reshiram, a mere painting her mother had done on the day Hilda had been born. Hilda raised her eyebrows suspiciously.
“Conkeldurr,” muttered Mr. Huttz, sounding a little different. “Return…for now.” He summoned his pokemon back in its pokeball. Hilda winced. The pokeball had a strange black-purplish color she had never seen before, but he had put it in his jacket before she could examine it any further.
Mr. Huttz grumbled and then bent over to open up his suitcase. “Ah…yes.” He was narrowing his eyes satisfyingly at the strange object that was in his bag. Hilda winced at the way his face suddenly reflected a paler color from whatever the object in the bag was.
Hilda quietly took a few steps up the stairs and lowered to a squat, peeking through the railings of the banister so she wouldn’t be caught watching him.
“You don’t like it here,” Mr. Huttz seemed to say. “I’m sorry…I’ll ask the Mrs. To have that picture removed, if you wish.”
Hilda gasped. Remove the picture of Reshiram?! No way! That picture had always given her hope and a desire in life, whenever she needed it. Ever since she was a little girl, that picture had always been hung there, in the same place, and every time she gazed at it long enough, she would feel a certain magical power in just the picture itself, a power that seemed to touch her inner aura with the spirit Reshiram was supposed to have. Hilda had always felt safe and looked over whenever she felt alone and stared at that picture. She could NOT let it be taken off. It wouldn’t be the same anymore.
Mr. Huttz closed the suitcase and his face returned its original color. “Very well,” he growled, looking up to face the picture of Reshiram. “You do not scare me….”
Hilda was glaring. Who was this guy? Was he some kind of person that feared pokemon like Reshiram? If so, she had to tell her mom. They weren’t going to house some kind of radical, crazed man that could probably end up having the house on fire the next day.
She stood to hurry up the stairs, but heard another hiss.
“Hey! You, girl!” Mr. Huttz was calling her. Hilda looked down from the stairs and met the distant gaze of Mr. Huttz frowning at her. “Come here!”
Hilda held her breath. She couldn’t just ignore him. She bit her lip and started making her way down the stairs.
When she came up to his side, the man was gazing at her with focusing, narrowed blue eyes. he suddenly smiled in his polite manner and his voice spoke softly again.
“My dear, did I scare you? Were you wondering if I really meant to have that picture taken off?”
Hilda swallowed. She nodded.
Mr. Huttz chuckled. “I’m sorry, dear. I only said that to reassure…..my sign.”
Hilda winced. “Y-your sign?”
“Were you wondering what’s in my bag that I was speaking to?” Mr. Huttz leaned forward and opened up the bag for Hilda to see inside.
Hilda widened her eyes. She had been expecting some kind of pokemon, or some kind of device that allowed him to communicate with another person, but instead, all she was looking at, was a long, thin, glistening object—an an ice spear.
“It’s……just an ice spear,” she muttered under her breath.
“Oh no, my dear. It’s more than just that,” he smiled creepily and let his old, wrinkled fingers stroke the glistening clear spear. Hilda couldn’t take her eyes off it, though. The spear was as clean and clear as she had ever seen. So clean, that it even shone at her face, reflecting a shimmering silvery light that slightly lit up her face.
Mr. Huttz suddenly shut the bag. “Don’t stare at it too long!” He snapped. “Might I remind you…..it was once part of a pokemon, and if you stare into it too long, it will consume your soul.”
Hilda blinked. Was this man trying to scare her?
“Now go! Leave me be!” Huffed Mr. Huttz, turning to glare at the picture of Reshiram. “I am tired, and I need my sleep. I shall explain to you more about this…element and its strange connection with that picture over there.” He blinked his eyes slowly at Reshiram. “But promise me,” he turned to meet her gaze. “Please don’t let your mother know about what you saw in my bag. This is a very important item, and I can explain it to you when we’re in a better position.” He glared at the picture. “Can’t have THAT staring at me.”
Hilda looked at the picture. “You’re not going to….”
“Oh, no! I wouldn’t harm a delicate item in your own house! But! Promise me, my dear, that you wouldn’t have to exploit this valuable item in my bag just yet. I promise, I can explain it to you as soon as I can.”
Hilda nodded. She glanced at the bag, feeling her head starting to spin from the looks of the glistening spear.
That night, Hilda wrote everything she had felt about the roommates. She ended her diary entry, with an unfinished thought.
“I’m still wondering about the son…..I bet it’s just gonna bother me, knowing that he’s in the next town while his strange father is over here in my house. I bet I’d find out sooner or later, whether I want to or not….”
She lay in her bed, thinking. Mr. Huttz was already one of the strangest people she’d met. And he was keeping a strange object that he claimed had a strong dislike for Reshiram….it was all so strange. Hilda hoped to speak to him about it as soon as she can.
But just like she had written in her diary, her mind was focused on how she could meet his son. She felt it bothering her….until she found herself climbing out of bed.
“He still hasn’t returned,” she muttered, looking at the clock. 4:30am. She had the strangest feeling that she had to see him before he made his appearance in this house the next day.
Not knowing why, she took her coat and headed outside. Running through the drizzling rain that had calmed down, she made her way into the lonely route in the forest. Suddenly, she heard a voice and saw a shadow. She turned, and tripped, falling to her chin.
“Ugh!” She grunted, landing in a puddle of mud.
“Hilda! Are you okay?” Gasped a familiar voice.
She looked up at the shadowy figure that loomed in front of her. It was N.

A small group of Aqua grunts arrived at the base of the mountainous cave. To Brendan, it was like a mouth opening up, inviting him into a path of darkness that would overwhelm him.
The only people that accompanied him were Wally, May, Drew, Wallace, Brandon, Lucy, Prima Dona, and two Aqua grunts. Prima Dona was muttering under her breath of how stupid it was for the Aqua grunts to have gotten hold of Brendan without knowing what he was capable of. Apparently, she was the one controlling their desire for Xenox and the pokemon’s powers, and now that they understood what Brendan had in him, they were more aware of keeping a close eye on him and using him as a powerful source with the ice spear that they had.
Brendan huffed, eying the Aqua grunts from behind. The ice spear they were carrying was fake. No one but Prima Dona, May and Drew, Wally, and Wallace knew that. Brendan himself knew it too, for he could feel that the aura within the ice spear was nothing like the aura within Xenox. He knew Prima Dona was just tricking them….but why? He didn’t understand that if she wanted to control Xenox’s powers like the rest of them, she would trick them all into thinking they’ve got everything they needed. Now, they were heading over to the Cave of Kyurem, ready to summon the pokemon using the aura within the fake ice spear, and Brendan himself.
Wally turned with a worried look. “Brendan…..or whoever you are at the moment…..please, don’t let them hurt you. they are willing to use you to call out the ancient Kyurem and summon the last ice spear, using the aid of both you and the ice spear they already got.”
“I already understand that,” replied Brendan rather snappishly. “But they’re just gonna figure out that the ice spear they hold in their hands are fake.” He lowered his voice, stopping to let the others slowly walk ahead, muttering to each other. Wally stayed at his side and listened carefully. “If I hold the aura of one of Xenox’s Spears, then there are still two left out there. Team Aqua think they’ve got one of those other two, and now that they’ve found me, they just need one more. Thanks to Prima Dona, she’s told them that they can find the last spear through the call of Kyurem, the ice dragon that can summon the likes of ice and snow through a very peculiar pattern….I dunno how it works. But what I’m really confused about, is why Prima Dona is helping Team Aqua retrieve the last spear. It’s just gonna show that the one they have is fake when the summoning for Kyurem isn’t going to work.”
Wally raised his eyebrows. “Yeah…..we should ask her maybe.”
Brendan frowned. “Ask HER? have you seen the way she’s spoken to Drew or Wallace? Or Lucy! She’s been totally rotten to her while we were hiking all the way over here. I haven’t spoken to her once, though she has made some creepily polite remarks about me….how I’m so connected with Xenox and everything….”
Wally blinked. “I still don’t get much about Prima Dona. But Drew says that she’s trying to help May keep the fire Emblem pokemon from getting any closer to Xenox.”
Brendan felt a cold sensation beating in his cold, icy heart. He narrowed his eyes at the red glow in front of May as she held the baby Groudon in her arms. “That fire emblem…..I despise it.” He spoke with venom. Wally took a step back from his side. “If Prima Dona hopes to keep it from fulfilling its destiny, then so be it. I would NOT have any emblem pokemon destroying the likes of MY own aura. Not before I can destroy it first….”
Wally gasped. “Brendan! Don’t….you won’t harm the little Groudon, will you? It’s done nothing wrong towards you…yet.”
“Well, it better be under Prima Dona and that girl’s control,” muttered Brendan, feeling his fists stiffen up. “Because if it aims to destroy Xenox, and if it gets any closer to harming the entire aura that my body possesses part of…then I’ll--”
“Hey you!” Prima Dona had her head turned around, and her sharp, silvery eyes were glittering as she glared through the shadowy night at Brendan and Wally. “You two! Hurry your asses over here! Kyurem can’t wait all night!”
Wally immediately started walking forwards and Brendan narrowed his eyes back, slowly stalking after him.
Prima Dona’s gaze softened when Brendan came closer to her. “My sweetie, is there a problem? Sense something in the wind or anywhere that may interfere with our venturing into the caves?”
“No,” replied Brendan tersely, not exactly paying attention to the question. He was glaring at the shivering, whimpering Groudon in May’s arms as she stood next to Prima Dona with the Aqua grunts behind her. The poor little Groudon looked helpless and scared in the chilly snowfall around them, and as Bredan stared right at it, the pokemon looked even less harmless than a fly.
Prima Dona chuckled creepily and turned to face the mouth of the cave. “Well, we should get going then. Once we get to the right part of this cave, we can call for Kyurem and the pokemon shall arrive towards us, withholding the last Ice Spear it was told to retrieve.”
“Kyurem was that pokemon we met in the canyons, wasn’t it?” Asked Drew, wincing at the uninviting dark cave.
Prima Dona frowned. “Yeah, but that time, you scared it away and we all ended up hurtning it. now that we’ve summoned the very changeling who withholds part of the aura of Xenox--” she out a cold hand on Brendan’s shoulder “—we can call for it and tell it to seek the power of the last ice spear, and then bring it back to us.” A creepy smile crept her face and she looked at the two Aqua grunts.
The Aqua grunts smiled back. The male grunt spoke.“We would have the three spears in no time, and then we would be ready for the summoning of Xenox itself, to awaken the pokemon in our hands and let it choose us to stick by its side during the Wipeout.”
Brendan glared and even felt colder under the touch of Prima Dona. “No….the pokemon Xenox is part of ME, and must wake up to my side…when I come to its aid myself! There’s a difference if I come and awaken the pokemon with my own aura, rather than if YOU took all three of its missing spears and summoned it for yourselves.”
The female grunt smiled. “That’s right, changeling. But we still need YOU for the summoning. And if you don’t cooperate…..”
“….We’ll make sure you never see those pack of Changelings again,” added the male grunt, glaring at Brendan. “We’ll make sure they die in the freezing ice of their own island, like what’s happening to the pokemon in the north.”
Brendan felt his face stiffen and his heart grow cold. He felt an icy sensation rush through his veins, and his head suddenly felt dizzy with fury.
Wallace gasped. “My boy, you’re turning….despicably pale.”
“Brendan,” gasped May, “you’re as white as the snow—literally.”
Brendan barely heard them, but he didn’t care. He clenched his fists, his hands suddenly crushing ice that had frozen in the palms.
Prima Dona took her hand off his shoulder and gave him a quizzical look. “Hm? Rejected, are we? No one makes this little changeling feel angered!” She turned on the Aqua grunts with a look of fury in her eyes. “If anyone’s gonna summon Xenox in their own hands, it would be ME.”
Brendan suddenly flinched and snapped out of his angry state. He gazed up at Prima Dona. The way she had said “me” made him feel dangerously uncomfortable.
Prima Dona continued on. “I’ll have the power of Xenox with me,” she crossed her arms and her eyes turned a blazing, glimmering red. “You grunts are just gonna help me in the process. You make sure that spear of yours stays as close to this changeling as it can by the time we get to the bottom of the cave. If anything fails, I swear, Imma literally have your heads off.”
Drew and Wally both looked up at her with fear, and the Aqua grunts tried to hold her gaze without flinching. The male failed.
He whipped around and grunted. “Ugh! Get the flashlights,” he muttered.
The female grunt winced at him. “You’re the one who has them.”
“No I don’t, I told YOU to get ‘em!”
Prima Dona’s hair whipped in the wind. “You forgot flashlights?! Gahh! DAMN you! Fools! Argh!” she madly swatted her hand in front of her, barely missing the front of Drew’s face.
Lucy huffed. “Well then. I guess I’ll just have to….”
“No, you keep your psychic powers to yourself,” snapped Brandon, taking out a pokeball. “Regirock can lead us through these stony patterns in the cave.”
“Well, it better!” Growled Prima Dona. She turned to Brendan with a cunning smile on her face. “And this little changeling can lead us to the right place.”
Everyone turned to Brendan with expecting looks. The fire emblem pokemon buried its face in May’s arms, not daring to meet his gaze again.
Brendan just stared back with an unreadable expression. Of course he could track down the heart of the cave, the very place where Kyurem had once slept. The legendary pokemon was of ice and dragon, a legendary just like Xenox, though this legendary only had power over the snowstorms that had already occurred, and control cold weather patterns that were already occurring, not summon them itself. If Brendan was going to track down such a powerful aura, it would be easy, though he still had to find his way through the cave, which was supposed to be as dark as one’s closed eyes.
He huffed and stepped forward. “Fine then. Follow me.”

Following Brendan through the dark shadows of the gaping cave, Pikachu shivered in May’s arms as she held onto him tightly.
At the front, the two Aqua grunts kept behind Brendan’s back. Behind them was Pyramid King Brandon, with his Regirock at his side, crushing their way through the narrow passages through the dark, rocky cave. Pike Queen Lucy followed along quietly behind his back, with Prima Dona keeping to her side. May kept close to Prima Dona, keeping her eyes locked forward, focused on Brendan. Pikachu wondered how she must feel to be seeing her closest friend in such a state and not himself. She hardly paid anymore attention to Drew anymore, Pikachu noticed. He kept to the back of the group with Wallace at his side. Wally accompanied May’s side, but she didn’t talk to him as much. Whenever he would speak to her, she would either ignore him, or reply distantly.
Pikachu hadn’t been feeling comfortable in her arms lately. He could feel the way her mind was drifting farther and farther away, and becoming closer to Prima Dona. Something about the ice lady seemed to be enhancing May in a way that made her feel much more connected with her.
And Pikachu understood how he himself wasn’t supposed to listen to the way May and Prima Dona were trying to keep him from attacking the pokemon Xenox. He remembered Emblem’s words when he had spoken to him in his last dream.
“Keep away from May and that Prima Dona. She knows more than you think.”
The little Groudon just wanted to fulfill his destiny, and unfortunately, it was in the hands of Pikachu now. how in the world would he ever be able to defeat such a pokemon like Xenox? How powerful could the pokemon even be? He had never even seen it….he had never even witnessed its spirit in his own dream. Xenox had been the only reason his dreams were true and alive whenever he met with the baby Groudon on the other side of the world, but he had never even seen the pokemon for itself.
Pikachu wondered if he could be able to see Xenox in his next dream. Ever since his meeting with Emblem’s real dream spirit, Pikachu had been avoiding ever having to fall asleep and dream like that again, except when he had spoken to Pichu, through the aid of Dovanna.
That little Dovanna was something, Pikachu thought. When he had first found the pokemon in his dream, he realized it was as important as Xenox itself, able to find its way through the portals of dreams and reality. Not only had Dovanna explained that to him when he had first met her, but she also porved that she could allow him to step into the dreams of Xenox and let him become part of the pokemon’s dream so that it could become real. She explained that it was she who led Pikachu to the dreams of reality, and that it was she who led Emblem’s spirit in the same dream at the same time, to switch with Pikachu and awaken for real with the dream actually coming true. Dovanna was hoping for a better result if the emblem pokemon and Pikachu switched lives. She had told Pikachu that if he were in the body of the emblem Groudon, he could change the prophecy. But she hadn’t fully explained how. When she had finally come to him to reveal herself and explain what she has done and why she had done it, she only told Pikachu that he should just follow his heart.
That was when she had introduced him to the modified Pichu, a newly created pokemon made by the Johto scientists themselves. That little Pichu was Pikachu’s real connection to the other side of the world now. Pikachu could tell that pokemon the news of what was going on all the way here in Isotopia, and Pichu could let the others know of what’s come of May, Drew, and Brendan, though he knew the Pichu had to be careful of what he told the others. according to the little pokemon, Pichu had only let Oak, Meowth, Misty, and Gary know what had really happened to May, Drew, Brendan, and even Wally and Wallace. He wondered how they could be taking it, knowing that their old friends were trapped on some faraway island where they were on a quest to help the emblem pokemon fulfill its destiny—or keep it from fulfilling it at the same time.
Pikachu looked around at Drew and Wallace. They were the ones who wanted to keep him on his feet and do what he was meant to do, while May and Prima Dona were against the prophecy. Pikachu didn’t know what to believe. He didn’t know whether to do what the emblem pokemon was supposed to do and defeat Xenox in a real battle, or leave the pokemon alone and make sure it never woke up again.
Pikachu knew the real baby Groudon’s spirit was wanting him to fulfill the prophecy. If not….he would simply destroy his Ash and the rest of his friends that surrounded him at the moment.
Pikachu also knew that it probably was the best thing to do—to destroy the one pokemon that was terrorizing the world little by little, even in its sleep state. The little Pichu had been telling him news of how the areas around Kanto have been experiencing strange disturbances from the weather, and it wasn’t just happening in Kanto. Pikachu heard how there were pokemon from the snowy mountains that have even been found wandering around the most random parts of the regions, such as a Snover found in the middle of Sandgem Town. Pikachu wished Dovanna could tell him more, and explain further why she thought that if she let Pikachu and Emblem switch sides, it would be better for the prophecy of defeating Xenox.
Pikachu sighed, confused. As the group ventured into the dark caves, barely able to see pass their own noses through all the shadowy darkness, complaining groaning and yelling were constantly surrounding them all.
Prima Dona was nagging the Aqua grunts about how stupid they were to not have brought their flashlights like they were supposed to.
“Argh! Damn! If a rock doesn’t fall on top your guys’ heads by the time we get outta this hellhole, I’m gonna make sure a throw one at you for your stupid mistake of not bringing any flashlights!” Prima Dona whacked her hand at a rock that jutted down in front of her face from the ceiling. Pikachu would’ve expected her frail looking cold hand to have fallen off from the collision against the rock, but it didn’t.
Wallace chuckled behind. “Don’t hurt your hand there. Ice is as fragile as glass against rocks like these.”
Prima Dona shot him a cold gaze. “Oh, yeah! And that if you threw yourself against a wall of rocks, you would survive and crush them all just because you’re water type?”
Wallace blinked. “Didn’t mean it like that. Just saying that since you’re made of half ice, you ought to be careful not to let any rocks come in rough contact with you.”
“Oh, worried about me, are you?” She turned to meet Wallace’s full gaze. Everyone stopped walking to turn and watch. May stiffened and stifled a gasp as she watched Prima Dona’s tall figure glare towards Wallace. “Well, I’ll give you something to worry about! How ‘bout I shove you against a pile of boulders right now?!”
“Come on….we don’t wanna start a fight in this part of the cave,” mumbled the male grunt, turning to pull out a rope. “Hey, I bet the passages are less cramped if we make our way on the next floor. I think I see an opening through that hole up there.” He lassoed the rope towards a jutting boulder in the corner of a curved ceiling, where a small hole gaped at the top.
Prima Dona grunted. “We’re gonna have to all take turns. That hole looks awfully narrow.”
May huffed. “Well….I can go first. I don’t like climbing through things like this, so I just wanna get it over with.”
“May, you have your Glaceon,” Drew reminded her. “Perhaps let it use Ice beam around the hole to keep it from crumbling down when you climb through.”
May blinked. “Right! I’ll try.”
May threw out her Glaceon and the pokemon used Ice beam around the hole. May climbed up the rope and let Pikachu go through.
“Come on, Emblem,” she muttered. “You go first.”
Pikachu crawled through the hole with his body glowing red with anticipation. It met Glaceon on the other side.
Glaceon smiled coolly at him. “Sucks that we know who you are but can’t do anything about it,” spoke the pokemon in an apologetic tone.
“Aw….it’s fine,” replied Pikachu, shrugging. “They would never understand or believe it anyway.”
Glaceon chuckled. “It would explain why you’ve been so pleasant and innocent around everyone.”
As soon as May climbed through and the others made it after, the two Aqua grunts were the last to try and climb through.
Above the hole, May, Drew, Prima Dona, Wally, Wallace, Lucy, and Brandon all looked around into a chilly, open area where a frozen flat pool laid out to the left.
May picked up Pikachu and summoned Glaceon back in its pokeball. “Wow, it’s pretty up here….a little chilly, but much nicer than the bottom parts.” She looked forward where Brendan was standing by the pool’s side, looking across where it led into another gaping hole. “Brendan, are we almost there?”
“Argh!” Prima Dona stomped her feet and spoke in a low, hissing voice. “Listen up you all. You know that once we do get to the hearth of the cave, we must use the aid of that changeling, as well as the ice spear that those fools have.”
“But isn’t the ice spear fake?” Asked Wally.
Prima Dona gave him a glare. “That’s what I’m about to explain, you dolt!”
Pikachu listened carefully. Prima Dona spoke in a low voice. “Those idiots don’t know that the item they have in their hands is a fake. You think I want the summoning of Xenox to happen in THEIR hands? No! I’ve only given them the fake spear so that they can be distracted from getting the real spear out there. Now, I know the one of the real spears is trapped in the body of that changeling, and that he bears the aura of Xenox himself.” Prima Dona cast a proud glint over where Brendan was standing with his back turned towards them, still as a statue. “When the two spears are reunited, we can call the pokemon Kyurem and he can be guided to retrieve the last spear, and then we can all have the three missing spears to summon Xenox and call him to awaken in our hands. But since the second spear is a fake, it will not work that way. that is why when we do call Kyurem, I have made this dark witch swear to use her psychics correctly as to help along with the summoning,” she nodded towards Lucy. “She can use her psychics within the fake spear, and make it seem like it’s the spear of Xenox. That way, she can call Kyurem to aid the pokemon into finding the third and final spear—as well as the other missing one.”
Pyramid King Brandon and his Regirock both blinked at her. “So….apparently Kyurem’s supposed to find TWO spears out there? And you’re using Lucy’s psychics to make it seem as if we already have two spears with us so the call actually works?”
“Exactly!” Hissed Prima Dona. “The call for a pokemon like Kyurem isn’t strong enough with just one aura from a single ice spear alone. We need at least two, but since we don’t have two, Lucy’s powerful ‘mind control’ can help us with that. she’ll make it seem as if the fake spear is real, but when Kyurem is called upon, it can know to retrieve the other two spears.”
Prima Dona smiled and flashed her eyes, facing Lucy. “And make sure the pokemon knows to bring it to ME. I don’t want any spears in the hands of those useless Aqua grunts.”
Lucy huffed and turned away, focusing on the pool. “Whatever you say….” She mumbled with a hint of sarcasm.
Prima Dona just chuckled and waited as the other two Aqua grunts climbed their way through. They were in a middle of an argument about the way the male grunt had tied the rope.
“Well, if you’re so iffy on the way I’m handling things, why don’t you try lassoing by yourself next time?” Snapped the male.
“Alright, come on!” Yelled Prima Dona, facing ahead of her with a glare. She walked up to Brendan and put a hand on his shoulder. Pikachu watched as Brendan’s face looked up at Prima Dona with a look of concern. Prima Dona was smiling down at him.
“My dear, please continue to lead us the way.”
Brendan blinked and walked forwards, letting Prima Dona’s grip on his shoulder slip off. “We’re almost there,” he muttered. “Just follow this pool……until the ice thins out and becomes water.”
Pikachu was strangely tired. As it gazed around the cave, it witnessed several things the others couldn’t notice. There were strange carvings of sketches on the walls, and the rocks around them seemed to portray a strange shape that resembled pokemon or some kind of figure. Pikachu stared over at the glistening frozen pool of thin ice. there wasn’t a single soul alive in the pool. The ice was as desolate and empty as a deserted freezer. Pikachu shivered at the thought of ever falling through that thin ice, or becoming trapped underneath.
Pikachu let out a nervous growl in his Groudon body.
May smiled down. “Oh, don’t be scared, Emblem. We’re almost there…..”
Pikachu noticed the distracted glint in her eyes. she immediately looked away from him, hugging him closer. Pikachu saw over her shoulder that Prima Dona was focusing on him with a meticulous glare, uttering something creepy under her breath. Pikachu was aware of the way they must be feeling. They were getting closer to retrieving all three spears of Xenox—closer to summoning the pokemon itself. Pikachu felt the tension rise in his warm Groudon body as they walked on. If Xenox was ever summoned, Pikachu would have to battle it—and defeat it. The battle would have to be for real this time, not a dream, even though the dream would become real. The battle was prophesized to be real, and Pikachu was on its path.
Pikachu tried to avoid Prima Dona’s stony cold gaze and let himself fall asleep.
Awaking to the same, deathly wasteland up at Xenox’s mountain, Pikachu was back in his normal form. He felt good to be a real Pikachu again, in his own body, and he felt like letting out a bolt of lightning from his tail.
But Pikachu stiffened and held its breath as it saw the red glow of Emblem coming up to him.
“Hello, Pikachu,” Emblem sounded strangely happy. It smiled at him mischievously with his young Groudon face. “Getting closer to the heart of Kyurem’s cave, aren’t you?”
“Of course we are,” replied Pikachu, meeting the pokemon’s gaze firmly. “We’ve got Brendan with part of Xenox’s aura in his heart….and the aid of Lucy’s psychics for the call of Kyurem.”
Emblem chuckled. “Kyurem…..did you know that the reason why it’s even trapped on that island is because of Xenox?”
Pikachu frowned. “Obviously!”
“Well, one time Kyurem and Xenox had a battle. It was nothing serious, for Xenox kinda admired Kyurem. It was a pokemon of the Unova, originally from a place known as the Giant Chasm. Because this pokemon was ice and dragon just like Xenox, and even older than the pokemon, Xenox was interested in the way it let off such cold temperatures and the way it was able to control the cold weather its body gave off. Though it wasn’t as powerful enough to summon the harshest storms and create blizzards as powerful as Xenox could, Xenox thought that this pokemon could be a good use for the island of Isotopia and keep the icy spirits within island. It was a pokemon related to the powerful legendaries of Reshiram and Zekrom as well, so Xenox was entirely interested. It wanted to capture Kyurem and keep it in the island of Isotopia where it could roam with the ice spirits and keep the balance of the weather stable. So apparently, not only Xenox is in charge of the cold temperatures here, but Kyurem also.”
Pikachu huffed. “Yeah, but it’s Xenox that’s destroying the homes in the north. The weather’s getting worse for the pokemon even in here. pretty soon, that cold, deadly temperature destroying the north is going to spread farther and farther until it destroy this very island. Pretty soon, it will take over the world, and when Xenox ever does awake, it will all just go--”
“BAM!” Emblem finished off Pikachu’s sentence with a laugh. “You got that right! One peek of Xenox’s opening eye will send the world in a Wipeout. That’s why YOU must keep that from happening.” Emblem’s gaze became narrowed. His red eyes stared right into Pikachu’s. “Prima Dona…everyone that you’re with right now, they are so close to summoning Xenox himself. You need to do all you can to destroy the pokemon.”
Pikachu blinked, frowning at Emblem.
Emblem continued on. “Don’t destroy any of the ice spears when they are retrieved. They may contain the aura within Xenox, but it won’t be enough to totally defeat him. but when the real pokemon comes alive, make sure you defeat every last morsel of it. The entire legendary body of Xenox, the ice spears that are part of it, even Brendan himself.”
Pikachu widened his eyes. “But Brendan….isn’t there a way to free him from that aura of Xenox?”
Emblem shrugged. “It’s frozen his heart cold as stone. Wherever that spear is, it must be destroyed, even if it’s inside of him. you better be ready.”
Pikachu took a step back, feeling colder than the cold winds that blew between them.
“By the way….Ash is doing pretty well. Though they are still stuck on that island, they’ve met….a nice little girl that may just be the answer to everything…”
“A little girl?” Said Pikachu curiously. “Who?”
Emblem grimaced. “She goes by the name of Amira. Though only three years old…she seems very….intent, yet distant. She’s bound to help Ash…I can feel it when she speaks to me. Whenever she’s around me, I feel like there’s something special about her, as if she were some kind of angel or spirit of some sort.” Emblem winced and huffed. “I can’t really explain it…but she’s very good at bonding with pokemon. I felt comfortable the moment she took me in her hands, and I bet she can be a great help when they meet Mew especially.”
“Meeting Mew…” Pikachu sighed. “I wis I could be there to meet Mew with Ash again.”
Emblem chuckled and frowned. “Well, unfortunately you’re not! You’re stuck in MY world, doing what I should be doing! It’s too late! I wanna take part in what I have to do as well! But unfortunately, I can’t!”
Emblem started growling and standing on its two legs, looking ready to leap into the aira, and Pikachu watched as the snowy winds blew over the little pokemon, and its body disappeared into nothing. Emblem must have awoken from his dream, and Pikachu was left, dreaming up the rest of it.
Pikachu narrowed its eyes and looked up to the gray snowy sky. “Dovanna!” It called. “You led me into this dream, but WHERE are you?! why can’t you just let me and Emblem switch sides right now?”
Dovanna was nowhere to be seen, but the lonely winds echoed a cold, blowing reply.
Pikachu huffed and stood on all fours, looking around him quickly. He wondered if he could find his way to where Xenox slept….and see the pokemon for itself.
“Perhaps since this dream is Xenox’s as well, I can find it somehow myself,” muttered Pikachu, facing the top of the mountain. He didn’t want to battle it just yet, for he knew the battle must be in the real world this time, and not a dream. He had to defeat Xenox, the moment the Wipeout was about to happen.
But he just wanted to get a peek at the pokemon. He wanted to know what Xenox looked like. Running with all his speed, he dashed up the snowy slope of the mountain, nearing the cave at the very top that he pictured would be the home of Xenox.
Suddenly, there was a loud, terrible cry in the air, and the temperature dropped down to the coldest Pikachu had ever felt in his dream.
“Ahh!” Pikachu stood on his two legs and shivered, looking around, and up to the sky, where he saw a huge shadow pass over.
A growl came from deep within the cave just ahead of him, and a low rumble echoed through the mountain, shaking the slop Pikachu stood upon. A shadow emerged from the cave, and Pikachu could make out two glittering eyes. he couldn’t quite see it completely, but it appeared to be a glistening, metallic silver face that shone through the shadows, shaped as a ferocious dragon that was glaring at him with throbbing power behind its eyes.
“Emblem, wake up! Are you alive?!” May’s terrified cry suddenly awoke Pikachu from his sleep.
“Grou!” Cried Pikachu, looking around with a start. They were in an enclosed area, and at the center of the place was a tall, perfectly pointy cone-shaped boulder that jutted up about ten feet tall. A hole at the top of the cave let in the moonlight that shone from above. The place was shaking, and everyone around them was yelling with horror.
“Oh, Emblem!” May clutched Pikachu tighter, and Pikachu widened its eyes with horror at the sigh in front of them.
Pike Queen Lucy was standing in front of the pointy boulder with her arms spread out, and the moon shone on her and the boulder, revealing a purplish glow from Lucy’s body.
Prima Dona was by May’s side, and she held her shoulders with sharp, clutching fingers. May winced and whimpered in her grip, but Prima Dona was focused on what was happening before their eyes.
“It’s coming….” She uttered darkly.
The place was shaking even more violently now, and a roar was heard above. A shadow passed over the hole, darkening the cave or a second.
Then the entire ceiling collapsed, and rocks fell everywhere, except for at the top of the pointed boulder.
Pikachu cried and looked through the falling rocks around, and then blinked in horror at the sight as the rocks stopped falling. A large, familiar looking pokemon was hovering above them all, glaring with a dangerous sharp look in its eyes. It was the one he had just seen from his dreams, but it was also the pokemon they had attacked back at the canyons.
It was Kyurem.

Drew watched with a widened gaze as the pokemon Kyruem raised its head and let out an anguished cry.
Brendan was glowing and he was stepping up to the other side of the pointed spear, in front of where Lucy stood behind it. He faced up the pokemon and started glowing. In his hand, he carried the fake spear that Prima Dona had given the Aqua grunts. Both he and the spear were glowing with intensity. A light was shining from them towards Kyurem, giving off a sharp reflection towards the pokemon and making Kyurem seem to cry in pain.
Lucy opened up her arms and yelled something out in another language.
“Uttera buoyaca….!”
And the cave around them stopped shaking. A blinding blast of bright light exploded from all around Kyurem and the pokemon let out a terrible cry. The pokemon’s body disappeared into the void of brightening lights, and then the glowing went out. Kyruem was gone.
There was an awkward moment of silence, and then the female Aqua grunt stepped forward.
“Well? Has it gone to retrieve the spears?” She spoke with a slight tremble in her commanding voice.
Lucy turned to narrow her eyes at the Aqua grunt. “It’s gone…..and I’m sure it understands the sign.”
Prima Dona frowned. “You’re sure?” Her voice sounded tart. She stepped towards Lucy, eying her suspiciously. “What did you exactly do to Kyurem? Does it understand the bond between the changeling and Xenox?” She cast a glance over at Brendan, who was still standing, no longer glowing, but looking strangely pale.
Lucy’s eyes flashed. “Kyurem understands the power within Brendan, and that the missing spears are needed.”
“There’s only one spear left though!” Huffed the male grunt, snatching the fake spear from Brendan’s hands.
Prima Dona chuckled slyly. “Yes, only one more left. How can you be sure it’s gone to retrieve it though? Will it be back anytime soon?”
Lucy closed her eyes for what seemed like a long moment, and then suddenly flashed them open with a look of narrowed confusion. “Um….Kyurem’s gone. I mean…it’s out to find the missing spear, but it won’t return until it finds it, wherever it’s located in the regions.”
Drew raised his eyebrows and turned to meet May’s intent gaze. He let out a quiet gasp. “Then that means….”
“YOU SENT KYUREM OUT OF THE ISLAND?!” Prima Dona was screaming, looking taller and furious than ever.
Lucy held her place, and just stared back up at Prima Dona with the same, unreadable squint in her eyes.
Prima Dona’s eyes were a blazing red. “You were supposed to GUIDE it to the missing spears! By letting it know of Brendan and the spear we already had, it was supposed to be guided as to WHERE the missing one would be!”
“It is guided,” muttered Lucy. “It knows where to find it in the other regions.”
“But it was supposed to find it just like that, with a blink of an eye! It wasn’t supposed to PHYSICALLY search for the spears! It was supposed to summon them itself, and bring it right to us in a single moment! I can’t believe it! YOU’VE SENT IT OFF THE ISLAND!”
A crash of thunder boomed above them all in the open air as if to add more effect to Prima Dona’s rage.
Drew clenched his fists nervously. The Aqua grunts were staring at Prima Dona with fear, and Brandon, Wallace, Wally, and May all gave her intent looks.
Prima Dona whipped around, turning her back on Lucy, and swatted her hand to her right side, smashing down an icy rock that broke into tiny little pieces.
“Idiot! Fool…..I should’ve known…” Prima Dona was muttering.
Wallace blinked and looked to Lucy with a careful gaze. “It is mighty dangerous to be having a pokemon like Kyurem just roaming anywhere in the regions in search for what’s left of the spears.”
“It’s not just anywhere in the regions,” snapped Lucy, staring ahead and looking angry, though ashamed of herself. “It knows exactly where to find the last spear, though I’m not sure where…”
“You’re not sure where!” Prima Dona whipped around to give her another cold glare. “You idiot! You’re a psychic and you’ve sent Kyurem to search for the last spear, but YOU don’t even know where it is yourself! Somehow, Kyurem knows though! Bah! What logic B.S. you put up! How DARE you--”
“My powers are weak in such an icy, darkening area such as this!” Lucy snapped back haughtily, looking frustrated. “It’s really not my fault this had to happen!”
Prima Dona huffed. “Well, it happened! And you are going to pay for this, psychic!” Prima Dona’s thin spear in her left hand glinted. She turned to the Aqua grunts. “Let us return home for now….we have wasted our time in this desolate place, for apparently, it’s ruined the psychic’s ability to think correctly.” She glared at Lucy again, and Lucy glared back.
Drew watched with a focused feeling as Prima Dona turned, her eyes staring ahead of her, thinking. Whatever she was planning on doing next…was probably not going to be good for Lucy especially.
As soon as they all started to return to the hideout, the Aqua grunts decided to stop for a rest by a nearby cave after they passed a small forest.
Drew couldn’t sleep. The moon was a shiny sliver in the sky, and the stars looked so faraway and numerous.
He sat up and turned to see that May was lying with Emblem by her head. Both were awake up staring distantly as well.
“Can’t sleep?” Drew spoke quietly.
“Mm,” May sat up. “I wonder….am I really doing the right thing, keeping Emblem from fulfilling what it was prophesized to do? I….I don’t want it to grow up as the monster it’s supposed to be…”
“It’s not exactly a monster,” said Drew. “Xenox is the monster. Xenox is the pokemon that’s meant to cause a Wipeout anytime soon since it seems so close to waking up. Emblem is meant to save this world fro utter destruction by defeating Xenox. The only thing you—and Prima Dona are doing—is just making it worse for Emblem to fulfill its destiny. Would you rather have the world covered in snow and overtaken by endless blizzards, or would you rather see the little Groudon became a powerful hero to do what it’s supposed to do?”
May looked at Emblem with worried eyes. The little Groudon stared back at her with a low, whimpering cry.
“Oh…I don’t know!” May huffed, looking towards the sky. “Isn’t there a way to keep Xenox from waking up at all instead of just killing him? Emblem’s presence on this island is what’s CAUSING the awakening of Xenox! If Emblem never hatched, Xenox wouldn’t feel so disturbed!”
Drew blinked. May was actually right about this. “Well, if we get rid of Xenox, there would never be a single snowstorm or a drop of snow again….if we get rid of Emblem…” Drew looked over at the glowing baby Groudon. “……Then chances of Xenox waking up may rise anytime soon and nothing could be able to stop the Wipeout. Xenox may become disturbed by other things besides just Groudon, such as global warming. If anything is disrupting the occurrences of its snowstorms anywhere in the world, Xenox is still gonna get disturbed all the same.”
May sighed. “Well, I’m not getting rid of Emblem,” she smiled at the baby Groudon and took the pokemon in her arms. “I will continue to teach it to become strong, yet loyal. It will not end up becoming a destroyer. I actually can’t imagine the world without at least a little bit of snow every now and then, right?”
Drew met May’s soft gaze. The way she looked so tense reminded Drew of how much he used to admire her, and he longed to wrap his arms around her for comfort. But he knew she may not take it the same way at the moment. “Well…..what are you gonna do about it? You can’t just leave Groudon here on the island, whether it chooses to battle Xenox or not. Wasn’t Prima Dona hoping to get us all off the island? Didn’t she say we just needed to find Brendan and then she’ll help us find a way off this place with Emblem in our hands? We’ve found Brendan…and she seems to have forgotten all about it.”
“Well, Brendan isn’t exactly Brendan now that we’ve found him,” said May discouragingly. “And don’t fear Prima Dona. Whatever she’s up to must be for the benefit for us. She cares for us deeply, and she only wants what’s best for this island she’s so dedicated to.”
Drew winced visibly. That hardly sounded true. “Um….well, if you feel that way, then I’m not gonna stop you. But I certainly don’t trust Prima Dona like that.”
“Why?” May’s tone was quizzical. “She’s stuck with us all through our journey on this island. She’s actually tracked down Brendan for us, and now--”
“And now she’s willing to use him to summon Xenox in her hands,” said Drew darkly. “I’ll tell you what she really wants. She wants the power of Xenox in her own hands. You say she’s so dedicated to the spirit of ice within this island, and she aims for the most powerful source of this island. Well, she wants the powers of Xenox. That’s why she was so helpful on making sure Emblem wasn’t growing and becoming the strong powerful pokemon he was destined to be. She wants Xenox alive—and in her own hands. It’s as obvious as the look in her eyes. She wants power…and she’s using us to get it.”
May frowned. “How is she using US?”
Drew bit his lip. He was hoping to have had a nice, smooth conversation with May since he hadn’t spoken to her decently since she met Prima Dona and the fire emblem pokemon. But now she was starting to look uptight. “Well, not exactly all of us. She’s using YOU to keep Emblem from getting any closer to Xenox. And she’s using Brendan to help summon the pokemon and its spears. Obviously, she doesn’t find any use for me which is why she’s rejecting me so much.”
May blinked. “She’s not rejecting you. She’s just treating you with discipline because she thinks you’re not so aware of what’s going on. You’re believing that Emblem should battle Xenox and destroy the pokemon. Prima Dona doesn’t like that, just like she doesn’t like Wallace for bringing the egg to this island in the first place. And I don’t like that either.”
Drew blinked at her longing eyes. Though she was speaking to him with disappointment, Drew could sense that she was still hoping for the feeling of warmth and tenderness she used to have when they would speak to each other. he always seemed to know it whenever May felt the need to be with him. “You don’t like that I’m trying to do what’s best for us and possibly the rest of the world?” Drew spoke with intent, his eyebrows rising. “Don’t underestimate me, but I want to do what’s right. You can’t just take a pokemon that’s destined to do something big, and make sure you hold it against its will. It doesn’t matter what Prima Dona says, or how cute the pokemon is.”
“I’m not doing it for Prima Dona!” May looked ready to stand up and face him. her eyes were clouding up with anger and emotion. Emblem grumbled in her arms and wriggled free of her grip, looking uncertain. “I only want to get off this terrible place, and find the right place for this little Groudon! Just like us, it doesn’t belong here! thanks to Xenox and Wallace’s dream, it was brought here without a choice! It should have never arrived here, and neither should have we! I want to get OFF, without causing any trouble on this sacred place, which is why I care so much about the best for Emblem, and what it must do.”
Drew narrowed his eyes. Behind him, Wally was shifting in his sleep. But Drew kept a stern gaze on May. “I want to get off here too,” he replied angrily. “And if Xenox whipped us to this island, it must have been for a reason. I think we may have some purpose to fulfill. Emblem, obviously, is prophesized to destroy Xenox, which was why he was brought here by Wallace in a dream. But we….we may have a different significance for arriving to this island.” He thought about Brendan. “Perhaps…each of us were supposed to commingle with each of the spears….just like Brendan already has.”
May frowned, though she almost looked hopeful. She turned her angry gaze to look at the sleeping people behind them. “Hey, where is Brendan?”
Drew turned around with alarm and realized there was no sign of Brendan. The two Aqua grunts were deeply sleeping, with Wallace and Wally side by side next to Regirock, who slept by Brandon. But there was no sign of Brendan—or Prima Dona and Lucy.
“Prima Dona?” May got up and started looking around. Emblem growled nervously, sniffing the air. “Brendan?”
“Lucy?” Drew looked around and faced the outside of the cave. He had a bad feeling about this. He hurriedly stepped forwards and headed outside.
“Hey, where are you going?” May followed after him and the both of them looked around.
The land around them was flat and hilly, like a snow covered meadow. Bare trees stuck out here and there, and the falling snow around them seemed calm as feathers.
Drew suddenly heard a cackle. He turned to his left and heard Prima Dona muttering loudly on the other side of a lopsided boulder at the side of their cave. He couldn’t see her, though he saw Brendan, standing tall and stiff as a statue as he was surrounded by strange dark figures.
May gasped and noticed them better than he had. “Houndoom!” She hissed.
Drew and May peered around the boulder and saw Prima Dona standing in front of Lucy. The Pike Queen was standing with her back against the wall, glaring at Prima Dona as the Houndoom growled at her.
“Now! There’s a place I know….deep in the territory known as the Northernlands of this island, where sacred and holy things are in action,” Prima Dona was smiling evilly as she spoke. “The Northernlands have a very distinct temple at the center, where the most deepest of spirits live within. It is a place of spirits created by Xenox, where the aura of ice is at its strongest and thrives as alive as any living soul. There, you may be able to track down your silly mistake and find where Kyruem could be. Then perhaps you can change what you’ve done and try to guide it correctly to find the spear and bring it back as soon as it can…..to ME.”
Lucy huffed. “I know who you are, Prima Dona,” she was muttering, her lips barely moving. “I know what you want. I know what you’re up to. Don’t think I can play for you that easily.”
Drew winced and looked at May with confusion. He felt a stab of anger when she didn’t look back at him to meet his gaze. She was staring at Prima Dona intently with her mouth half open, looking stunned. Drew blinked. What did Lucy mean by “playing for her?”
Prima Dona narrowed her eyes and chuckled. “Well, I swear, my girl. if you DARE reveal your stupid knowledge like that, you will pay a price high as eternity goes on.” Prima Dona lifted her hand up in the air and her spear started glowing. “For now, just obey me and help me with what I want. You’ve made a stupid mistake, and you must change it before it’s too late. I want Xenox in my hand before Kyruem exploits the secret of its existence to the whole world. I wanna make sure that pokemon isn’t letting off any clues for people in the other regions to start figuring out where it had come from, and lead to finding out about the presence of Xenox. When this world awakens to the sudden occurrence of the ice dragon, it will be the first and last time they’ll ever set eyes on me as well.” Prima Dona’s red eyes flashed and Emblem let out a whimper near May’s heels.
Drew held his breath. What WAS Prima Dona truly up to? What did she want to do with Xenox? Was she really going to….destroy the world with it? he couldn’t think of anything else she could do with it…and next to him, May didn’t seem to be affected by the shock of what Prima Dona was saying. Her expression was blank and unreadable as she stared forward at the sight.
Drew and May watched as a purple glow lighted from Prima Dona’s spear and a form appeared in the sky, trailing down to the side of her heels.
“Meet my dear sweetie pie….Ghastleon…” Prima Dona cooed as the form of a purple, ghostly pokemon appeared by her heels. Drew widened his eyes with awe as it revealed a pokemon he had never before seen. Lucy was staring at the pokemon with a narrowed look. Ghastleon looked familiarly related to Eevee, and Drew could guess it must have some connection with Eevee somehow.
May gasped. “Ghastleon…I’ve never heard of that pokemon before….”
Ghastleon was hissing and fluttering its long paperlike strands on the back of its shoulders. It was a purple, ghost-like pokemon that was obviously a ghost type Eevee. It had large, deviously dark eyes that darted from Lucy to Brenda, and then even met Drew’s startled gaze with a ferocious hiss.
Prima Dona turned to face May and Drew. ‘Oh, my dears! How nice of you to join me! Hah! May, dear, how you like to meet my sweet Ghastleon? Might I remind you….he’s been with us longer than you’ve expected. He’s very sneaky, and invisible most of the time I’m around other people.”
Drew took a step back. Ghastleon was with them the whole time?! And invisible?!
Ghastleon hissed and fluttered its strands that blew in the wind.
“Now, Ghastleon…..take us…..you know where….” Prima Dona took her other hand with the spear and held it in front of her, aiming towards Lucy.
Ghastleon spat and a purple glow shone around the pokemon and the spear it had appeared from.
A shimmering light appeared from Brendan as well, and then overcame Drew and everyone else. with a yell and a snarl from Prima Dona and her Ghastleon, everything went blank and Drew felt himself whipped away.

The little dove pokemon was cooing its name in Misty’s head as she followed it into the forest.
“Dovanna…..Douu..Dovanaaa…” the pokemon’s voice was like a little girl’s.
“Wait….please….” Misty slowly kept after it, reaching out a hand towards the small fluttering white bird as it drifted farther and farther away.
A warm fresh scent wafted towards Misty, and she suddenly felt warm with happiness.
All her frustrated feelings and anger she had been recently feeling were all forgotten and washed away. She felt renewed again. She felt lively. She felt loving and herself again.
And the little dove pokemon, Dovanna, suddenly swept down and landed upon her fingers.
“Oh…” Misty smiled softly at the pokemon and brought it closer towards her. Dovanna’s sweet blue eyes were staring into hers with the same likeness.
Misty felt the loving charisma flow through her from this pokemon. The strongest feeling…was love. She felt all her feelings of love wash through her, cleansing her heart from any pain or unhappiness she had been through lately.
Ash Ketchum flooded back in her mind. Memories she had just spent with him, the way he had treated her since the night of the dance night, and their romantic dance and time together…before he had turned his back on her to leave for the Seafoam Islands. All the sweet feelings she had had before the hard times he had given her were flowing through her, and she suddenly missed Ash with a longing feeling she could never explain to anyone about.
But she gazed at the pokemon with a sad look. “You understand….don’t you?”
Dovanna was giving her a cooing cry, looking just as saddened and hopeful as Misty felt about Ash. Something was telling her that the pokemon was trying to give her hope, and a chance to feel for Ash again even though he was far away.
“He’s not as far as I think….” Murmured Misty. “He really does still care about me…..doesn’t he?”
“Doooo….” Dovanna murmured and its eyes gazed deep into hers, revealing a strange expression of unease.
As Misty looked into the pokemon’s eyes, she felt a sense of uncertainty. She suddenly felt like Ash was somewhere, lost and in trouble, at a place he wasn’t intended to be at. And with him must have been Red and Leaf, as well as his devilish Pikachu, who was probably making things worse for all of them. But what about…Brock? Hadn’t he come with Ash as well?
Misty gasped and backed away, letting Dovanna hover above in front of her as she held her hand back. Ash was in trouble, and his Pikachu was too. Something was going on—with both of them—and she had to find out what.
“Thank you, Dovanna…” muttered Misty gratefully. Somehow, the pokemon had sent the message to her. “I don’t understand how….but you’ve told me something….you made me feel…”
“Misty!”
Gary was suddenly making his way up to Misty from behind, noisily stomping through the bushes.
Misty turned and flinched as she realized Pichu was already standing right behind her heels, staring up at her with a curious look.
“Pichu!” She exclaimed.
“Dou…” Dovanna cooed smoothly and seemed to chuckle at Pichu.
Misty cast a glance at the little bird and then faced Pichu. “What….how did you get here?” The little pokemon was as quiet as a mouse it was, and its eyes just stared back at Misty with a focused, studying gaze. She had to chuckle at the little pokemon. For a Pichu, this little guy was as smart as a Xatu.
Misty faced Dovanna again, feeling the overtaking sense of love caress over her once again. The pokemon seemed to be calming her down as it beat its wings softly at her face, filling her with the sweet sense of refreshing aroma. Misty closed her eyes, and without feeling a thing, she slowly fell to the ground on her knees and lay to her side.
When misty awoke moments later, she found herself lying on the sofa of the living room of the Silph Company building. Everything was empty. She sat up with a gasp. “What happened?”
She had only remembered being lost in a state of happiness, then worry, and then a calming relief of more happiness once again.
“Pii!” Pichu suddenly peeked its head at her face, standing on the top of the couch behind her.
Suddenly, she noticed Gary appear and made his towards her right side, staring at her with a hard gaze. “Misty! What are you doing? Were you trying to catch that bird, or stalk it?”
Misty blinked and then frowned, regaining her senses. “Gary! You won’t believe it…but somehow, this pokemon told me what’s happened to Ash. I had this strange, strong feeling that Ash is stranded in a place he wasn’t wanting to be….he, Red, and Leaf are all in trouble and stuck with his devil Pikachu.”
Gary winced. “Um, okay? How’d you figure that out exactly?”
“I don’t know, but Dovanna somehow spoke to me in my mind.”
“Dovanna?”
Misty turned to the little dove that hovered by her shoulder. “This little pokemon right here.” She smiled at it. “Trust me, though. I was lost in the strangest, most happiest feelings when I was with it, and then I was able to see deeper into the pokemon and understand what it really wanted to tell me. Something has happened to Ash, whether you believe me or not.”
Gary blinked. He turned to Dovanna. “Hm…Dovanna’s your name, huh?”
“Dou…” unlike the way it had been gazing at Misty, Dovanna seemed to be eying Gary with a slight look of narrowed eyes.
“Pichu..!” Pichu jumped up and down, pointing at the dove.
Gary looked down and chuckled. He picked up the little pokemon off the back of the seat. “This little guy’s as focused as a psychic.”
“Where is Dovanna now?” Misty looked around, though she could see no sign of the bird.
Gary shrugged. “Dunno. I found you lying in the middle of the forest with Pichu loking over your head. I saw no sign of Dovanna, though, but I carried you back here anyway.”
Misty winced. “YOU carried me?”
“Why? Got a problem about that?” Gary was crossing his arms, giving her a sideways smile.
Misty met his gaze for a moment, feeling another sense of warmth run through her again and blushed. “No! But….I swear….Dovanna was telling me something. She made me feel…happy and that I could understand anything it was trying to say.”
“Did ‘she’ speak to you?”
Misty gave him a look. “No she didn’t. but I was feeling the strongest feeling that I knew what she was trying to tell me. And don’t make fun of me for assuming it’s a girl! I can tell it’s female. I’ve looked into its eyes and I understand what it was, and what kind of pokemon it is….somewhat.”
“Somewhat?” Gary was pressing on.
Misty huffed and stood up, smiling at him deviously. His face was an intent look of teasing, and she knew he was enjoying hearing her speak like this to him. “I know there’s no other pokemon like it….and that somehow, it doesn’t belong to our world. I don’t truly understand yet, which is why I must see it again. I…I think I’ve developed some kind of bond with Dovanna already…I can feel it in me. Something’s special about that pokemon…and I want to know more.”
Gary chuckled. “Well, so do I. But hey, I just got a call from Mary and she wants me selling more pictures online for you. She says the competition results will be in today, and she wants more pictures of you posted up before we find out who had the top votes.”
Misty raised her eyebrows and felt her heart race. “Angelica…” she hissed through clenched teeth. “Come on, then,” she took Gary by the wrist and pulled him over to the stairs, almost forgetting about Dovanna.
When Misty arrived in Gary’s computer room, she found that Jessie, James, and Meowth were in his seat, chatting about the pictures they were looking on the computer.
“Ooh, that’s an ugly one!” Giggled Jessie. “Delete THAT picture of Angelica!”
“Hey! What in the world are you two doing?” Gary stomped up to them.
“WAH!” They all yelled in surprise and got off the chair.
“Sorry! Here, you can have your desk back, we didn’t touch anything!” Said James.
Misty peered at the computer screen. “You guys are selling pictures?!”
“That’s supposed to be MY job!” Yelled Gary. “I’m supposed to be in charge of that!”
“Hey! we weren’t sellin’ anything yet!” Said Meowth.
“Yeah!” Huffed Jessie, crossing her arms. “Only deleting ones of Angelica that would actually make big fans. A girl like her doesn’t deserve such fame like I do!”
“You guys can’t be deleting anything!” Said Misty. But she couldn’t find anything else to say, for deep down, she truly didn’t want Angelica to get anymore famous than she already was.
Gary huffed, scrolling through the pictures of Angelica’s already sold pictures. He turned to meet Misty’s gaze.
“Well, the more pictures Angelica takes, the more you’re just gonna have to try to get even better,” he cast a quick wink at Misty.
Misty felt herself blush—again. “Why am I blushing a lot today?” She thought silently. Lately, ever since Gary had been spending more time photographing her as she competed all she can with Angelica, she had been feeling strange around him lately whenever they discussed matters about anything that involved each other. Her mind suddenly flashed back to the moment when Gary had picked her up asleep in his arms.
She suddenly raised her eyebrows. She grabbed his hand again and pulled him off the chair. Pichu stayed on his desk, watching them head towards the door.
“Grab your camera,” said Misty urgently. She turned to Team Rocket and narrowed her eyes. “Come on, I’ve got a good idea. We’re gonna need your guys’ help too.”
“Eh?” Meowth blinked as Misty handed him Gary’s camera.
“Um, Misty, what are you doing?” Gary was eying her as she bent down to brush her bare legs and straighten her shorts.
She looked at him with a raised smile. “I want you to carry me again.”
“Carry you?!” Though Gary spoke with surprise, there was no hiding the hint of excitement that glinted in his eyes.
Misty giggled and ignored the way Team Rocket snickered and start whispering to each other. “Yeah, just like you did when you found me asleep in the woods.” Misty blinked and sighed. “It would look sooo much better if we had Dovanna just hovering by your shoulder while you did, though. But…oh well. Carry me the way you did back in the woods. I want this picture to be taken and sold online, and then making it to the front cover of the magazine if I win it myself.”
“Uh! If YOU win it?” Laughed Jessie. “Well, that’s if YOU win. If I win, I’ve chosen a legit picture of me posing by a motorcycle with Wobbuffet. And THAT one is a picture that will sell.”
Gary huffed. “Well, I don’t remember taking that picture of you, but okay then.” He smiled mischievously and lifted Misty in his hands.
Misty felt her heart rush with anxiousness and exhilaration to be in his grip. She bit her lip to keep her from smiling too hard, and she gazed at him in his intent brown eyes. “Was this how you exactly picked me up? I wasn’t drunk over your shoulder or anything?”
“Hah! No, but hey, how ‘bout we add a little more pose to this? Instead of looking limp and sound asleep in my arms, you should let your head hang back and look excited and bad, like you’re about to have the craziest, most exciting time of your life.”
James jumped. “Ooh! And you should have one side of your tank top falling off!”
“James!” Jessie gave him a sharp nudge. “Don’t give THEM ideas!”
“Ugh, fine then, sheesh,” James started mumbling under his breath.
Gary snickered and Misty blinked, blushing again. “Well, perhaps maybe a little.” She smiled naughtily and let one side of her strap fall to the side, though not too far as to reveal anything. She just wanted to look attracting…and perfect on her front cover of her magazine. And she wanted Gary to take part in it as well.
Misty let her hand fall a little way back over his arms and smiled with a grimacing coolness. “Alright. Take it!”
Meowth snickered and held the camera up to his face. “Say ‘Pikachu!’” And he flashed the picture.
Later, by the time Misty was waiting anxiously for the results, she was standing by the window of her room, staring out at the streets. Snow had started falling, and she was utterly surprised. Snow had never fallen here in Saffron City before.
“Oh my,” she muttered. “Snow….I wonder how….”
“Douu!”
A familiar call sounded muffled from outside. Misty looked up and witnessed Dovanna flying pass her window, stopping by to give Misty a reassuring look that seemed like a smile.
“Dovanna!” Cried Misty, opening her window. A freezing draft blew in, making Misty shiver and wince. But as soon as Dovanna entered and fluttered around her head, Misty felt all the better again. She felt lightheaded and excited, and suddenly hopeful. “Oh, I missed you! I’m am so sure to win that competition now!”
The door suddenly opened and Gary walked in with Pichu on his shoulder.
Misty gasped and felt her heart race to see him. “Gary…..what’s up?” She tried to sound as casual as she could, but she couldn’t hide the obvious tingling of happiness—and love—that she felt when Dovanna was around her.
Gary glanced at Dovanna and raised his eyebrows. “Whoa, that’s unexpected! Where’d you find Dovanna?”
“She just flew in,” Misty giggled and smiled at the bird.
Gary made his way up to Misty. Dovanna cooed with uncertainty again, and Misty felt the pokemon back away.
“Dovanna?” She cast a quick glance at the little bird before meeting Gary’s gaze. She felt her heart race to be facing him again…..she almost wanted to feel lost in his stare and she longed for Dovanna to stick around again and fill the air with even more intriguing love and happiness.
Gary seemed pleased at the way Misty was feeling around him. He smiled satisfyingly back. “Such a neat smile…” Misty couldn’t help thinking. She almost understood why he had so many fangirls now….
“Hey, guess what?” Spoke Gary. “I was just through hell with Angelica, and she threw a fit when she found out most of her pictures got deleted.”
Misty snickered. “Oh boy. Did you tell her it wasn’t your fault?”
“Well, I would’ve turned Team Rocket in, but it seemed as if it wouldn’t make a difference anyway. If she were to get mad at Jessie, it would only make her try all the harder, competing against two girls now—both you and Jessie.”
Misty blinked. “But she is competing with Jessie.”
“No, Jessie is competing with HER. angelica thinks she has nothing to worry about with someone like Jessie since she’s still new. But with you, she’s making sure she stays on her feet. If she finds how much Jessie is trying to beat her though, she may just work harder to beat both you guys, and we don’t want that to happen. So I just told her I had no idea how I could’ve deleted the pictures myself since I hadn’t touched my computer since then, though I still had to retake all her pictures again.” He rolled his eyes.
“Oh, I’m so sorry about that.”
“And guess what? She made her first cover design just in case she won the competition.”
Misty felt her heart race. “Oh really?” She scoffed. “Lemme see.”
Gary held up the photo that he was carrying in his hand. “This one was just taken moments ago. She chose it, not me, and I wasn’t allowed to reject it.”
Misty dropped her mouth with astonishment. Dovanna had left the room, so all Misty could feel now, was the cold, chilling air from the window as well as her own feelings rot up and become filled with anger again. Angelica’s photo was of her and Gary, and she was on his shoulders, wearing a slutty but cute cat costume while smiling with naughtiness as she rode Gary’s shoulders.

Gary locked the door of the apartment and hung the keys on the door. He was exhausted from the competition meeting with Mary. Misty had one—no doubt, with Angelica in second place. Surprisingly though, to everyone’s surprise, Jessie had gotten the third highest amount of votes after Angelica. Of course, Jessie had been undoubtedly proud of herself, though she was only pushed to aim even higher yet since she knew how far and how close she had already gotten.
Gary turned to look around the shadowy apartment room and saw the clock. 1:00. He had gotten home late. Misty would arrive even later. The meeting had been just at the next town in Celadon where they were holding a grand opening of the spring festival, and Mary had announced the highest votes and winners over where the festival took place. There had been an extra amount of fans, and they had stayed at the place for almost six hours since they had arrived there at nighttime after Mary had received the votes. Also, Gary had met a number of his other fangirls that were at the festival, so he had taken a lot of his time interacting with them. many of the fangirls were there for him, he realized, for Mary had spread the word that when she would be announcing the votes at the grand opening, those who had shown up and entered a raffle would receive a free magazine with the winner’s photo on the cover page.
Gary gave a humored smile, turning red with embarrassment. He admired the cover photo that he had just recently taken with Misty, of him having to carry her in his arms and have her hanging limp and satisfyingly happy with him. And she had chosen to do that too! She had insisted she include Gary in her front cover, and Gary had been overall happy. He had been having strange feelings for Misty lately, especially ever since she had become suddenly popular. The way she posed and the way she smiled, even though it was all just for the magazines and for the snapshot of the camera, Gary could still see the true glint behind her green eyes and understand the way she really looked behind her expressions—and she still looked beautiful. Whether she was happy, angry, frustrated, confused, or annoyed, Gary felt himself especially admiring her in any way, and he was glad to be the photographer.
Blinking his eyes slowly, Gary decided he wouldn’t even take a shower. All he wanted to do was rest. He already had to get up at 7:00 in the morning…..to start their regular daily routines and warm up to get ready for modeling shows. Gary huffed and muttered grumpily under his breath, walking over to his room, ignoring the incredibly messy desk of Professor Oak’s as he passed by. Normally, they would be waking up at 5:00am to start breakfast and warm-up before preparing and practicing, but since the meeting wouldn’t end until the last of the fans dispersed and donated their money for the next show and pre-ordering the next selling magazines, Mary had decided to let everyone wake up at 7:00 to skim through their routine.
Gary passed by the last windowsill that was right by the door to his room, and noticed with a cold shiver that it was slightly open. Frowning, and irritatingly calling Professor Oak a forgetful idiot, he was just about to slam down the sill shut with the last amount of strength that he had. But then he blinked open his eyes as a strange sudden glow brightened over his eyebrows. Blinking around, he wondered if someone had shined a flashlight up towards him from below.
But looking down at the dark streets and the falling snowflakes, he could see nothing but shadows and blankets of thin snow that had just recently formed just the other day. There didn’t seem to be a soul around the anonymous city that had suddenly started snowing.
Gary winced. For Saffron City to be receiving snow was like having it suddenly start raining after a year-long drought. It had never happened before, or at least it had never happened all through Gary’s life. It was the most random thing to have happened, though not as shocking as one would’ve thought. Throughout the entire region, the weather really had been an ongoing gloom of thick clouds and cold atmospheres, and Gary himself was beginning to suspect Xenox more and more. He hoped the newly modified Pichu that the scientists had created would help them in their understanding of Xenox. Already, it had shown that it was as useful as can be to their research, for the little pokemon’s dreams showed connection with the pokemon Xenox, and that wherever it went in its dreams showed true, actual reality if it were to wake up. Gary wished he or his own pokemon could dream like that—dream their way into another place and whatever they do in their dream would become real as if they had really done it in the real world.
Ready to turn and head back to bed, Gary shut the windowsill, ignoring the strange light that shone over his eyelids again. He winced and just told himself that he was extremely tired, and was beginning to see things.
But suddenly, as soon as he shut the windowsill, a fist-sized snowball splat at the window in front of Gary’s face. He flinched and let out a quick yell.
“Ahh! What the--”
Gary leaned over the window and a shadow shot by at the bottom of the building.
Gary winced. He heard a familiar cry that suddenly made his ears ring with a melodic tone.
“Douu…. Dou…”
“Dovanna?” Gary ignored his lethargy and dashed towards the door, forgetting to grab his coat. Just earlier, he and Misty had been talking about the strange bird pokemon, what it could really be, and if it had any significance to Xenox as well. But Gary was set on catching it now, ready to confront it and bring it back to Oak for a closer examining.
Stepping out of the building, Gary stopped in his tracks and realized with a shock that he had forgotten his coat. He felt bitterly cold, and the falling snow was starting to blow an uncomfortable chilly breeze.
“Ugh….” Gary wrapped his arms around himself and already felt like he was going to freeze. He was just about to turn back until he noticed Dovanna’s small, birdlike shadow flutter pass by, heading towards the two houses in front of him.”Dovanna…” he whispered.
Struggling to hurry forwards, Gary narrowed his eyes at the cold wind that whipped around him.
As soon as he arrived at the front of the woods, Dovanna’s shadow suddenly disappeared into the trees, and Gary didn’t know if he would ever find it again anyways. The night was dark, though the moon shone just above him in the sky, casting shadows all around to confuse him.
Gary looked around and realized he was in the park of Saffron, where a tall beautiful fountain with a Lapras statue at the top was pouring out water from its mouth.
A sweet, cooing cry suddenly echoed passed Gary and followed through towards the fountain. Gary raised his eyebrows and stepped forwards towards the fountain.
He couldn’t see Dovanna anywhere, but to the right side of the fountain, a little girl appeared with a finger in her mouth. Gary turned at her sudden presence. She was dressed in a little white gown that seemed totally bad for the weather. The white gown was wrapped around her like a toga, and her hair was up in two pigtails with light pink ribbons. One hand was brought up to her mouth, where she was biting a thumb, and her other hand was hanging limply to her side, dragging a Teddiursa doll. She had big blue eyes, and she was staring up at Gary with a curiosity of a little child, for she probably wasn’t much more than three or four years old.
Gary just stared at the little girl with confusion in his eyes. What was a girl this small doing out here all alone in the middle of a snowing night? She could almost freeze to death out here. Gary himself wasn’t feeling good already.
“Um….hey there,” he turned to face the little girl. “What are you doing all the way out here on a night like this? Where are your parents?”
The little girl didn’t answer and just continued to stare at him with her finger in her mouth. The cold breeze blew over her pigtails and snow whipped passed her, but the girl stood still as a staute.
Gary blinked. “Um, would you like me to take you home? It’s pretty dang cold out here, and I gotta get to bed myself…..”
“Where Misty?” The little girl suddenly asked in her small, babyish voice.
Gary raised his eyebrows. “Misty?”
“You with Misty……where is she?” The little girl was looking at him with intent, taking her finger out of her mouth and clenching her hand into a fist. She almost seemed to frown at Gary. “You not with her?”
“Uh…not right now, I’m not,” Gary was wincing at this girl. “Why? What do you want with Misty?” He guessed this must have been one of her fans. He found it slightly funny to know that she had fans of all different sorts, from people of all different ages, and pokemon of all kinds. “If you wanna see her, you should be at the Saffron festival grand opening. It’s getting late, but she may still be there, signing checks for pre-ordered magazines.”
The little girl frowned. “I don’t want to see her! YOU do!”
Gary raised an eyebrow and laughed. “Huh? What’s that supposed to mean?” He crossed his arms and gave a sideways look at the girl. “You trying to patronize me or something?”
The little girl giggled. “No, I don’t do that.” She said innocently. “But I just wanna know. Why you like Misty so much? Why you take dat picture of her touching your butt?”
Gary flinched and winced. “What?!” He frowned at the girl. he did remember taking such pictures, though he wasn’t understanding why this little girl would just suddenly come up and question him like this.
The little girl broke out into a laugh and pointed at him. “And you was touching her too! You kissy her and squishing her hips! You let her climb on top of you and pretend you her Ponyta! Lookie!” The little girl took out the newest magazine with him carrying Misty on the front cover, and the girl flipped to a picture where Misty was on Gary back, dressed like a princess while Gary posed four-legged in a fluffy fiery costume with a stick in his mouth.
Gary winced and chuckled. “Actually, I’m supposed to be an Arcanine. Now come on, I’ll take you home. Where are your parents?”
The little girl frowned. “None of you business!”
“Well, then goodnight then, I’ll be going now. Take care of yourself in this weather,” Gary was just about to turn and walk away, but the little girl suddenly snickered and whack the magazine towards the ground.
“Misty don’t belong to you! Ashie Ketchum still loves her!” The little girl called out valiantly.
Gary widened his eyes and felt his heart race. He turned to meet her gaze again with an awestruck frown. “What did you just say?”
“Ashie Ketchum!” The little girl was smiling. “He still love her! He far away, but he still thinking of her! he wanna give her a kissy and let her ride his back too!”
Gary felt his head go dizzy with confusion. This was the strangest little girl he had ever met. “What are you talking about?! How do YOU know? Who are you?”
The little girl smiled. “I’ve talked to him, dat why. He tell me he still have feelings. He misses her. He wanna know what she up to, so I’ve come to check and see.”
Gary blinked. “What…you’ve seen Ash…?”
The little girl nodded, smiling. “I told him I can check on Misty for him, and see how she doing. And she not doing well—because of YOU.” She frowned at Gary. “You interfering with her relationship. You ruining her feelings for Ashie.”
Gary winced. “Okay, first of all, SHE broke up with Ash already, so it doesn’t matter who she flirts with, or what I do to her.” He couldn’t even believe he was discussing this with a little girl. “And second, how in the WORLD did you get all the way from Ash to here? Where is Ash exactly? Isn’t he on an island? Or are you just a spy, a little stalker that’s just making up false explanations for all this?”
The little girl blinked and giggled. “You’re funny. Your face is turning blue.”
Gary realized how freezing cold he was that he noticed how stiff his face felt. He blinked and frowned. “You didn’t answer me. How in the heck did you--”
“The world’s a big place, but things can work out if you know how to control them,” the little girl suddenly spoke with a low, devious voice. She was narrowing her eyes as she smiled at him through the falling snow. “Live your life, make the best of it…..but don’t ruin other people’s paths. Stay away from Misty, or at least stay away from what you’ve been doing to her. she don’t belong with you, and trust me. Ashie will know the truth of how she doing without him here.”
A cold, chilly breeze whipped between the both of them, and Gary felt his eyes blinded by the coldness. He stuttered and squeezed his eyes shut, and then opened them as soon as the wind cleared again.
The girl was gone. Gary could see her small footprints from her tiny feet just a few feet in front of him, though they seemed to look solid and firm as if she had never walked away. gary winced and saw no other signs of her footprints, except for the pair in front of him. The rest of the snow around them was smooth as a blanket. It was as if she had hovered off the ground, and blew away….

“Thanks, Yenko. I will take good care of it.”
Silver felt a tremor of excitement pierce through his heart as he received the robotic-like Larvitar from the scientist.
Yenko smiled at him through his blindingly shining glasses. “Yes, of course, my boy. You make sure you take good care of it, though. This here Larvitar has features of a steel type, able to resist the affects of ice that can freeze up its body. Its blood is like a potion from the Ice Spear that can keep it alive and thriving through the cold, powerful forces of the summoning Wipeout.”
Silver admired the robotic, metallic features of the Larvitar. To think such a pokemon was going to be his own pet made him smile with greed. Such a simple Ice Spear, and it’s produced an amount of power within the pokemon to modify their genes and let them withhold such a power like the Ice Spear itself. Silver wondered.....if only they had all three Ice Spears that were out there…then perhaps the power within the spears could create Xenox, or at least awaken it to summon the pokemon in their own hands.
“Where’s the spear now?” He asked.
Yenko’s glasses flashed. His eyes seemed to never show through those gleaming lens. “Aye…Misty took it back. She was the one to have gotten it first, from Sabrina. But it’s alright. The last pokemon we got to modify was this here Pidgey.” Yenko stepped aside and Silver saw the body of what looked a Pidgey sleeping in a tube where wires attached to its head. But Silver winced at the creature. Something about the Pidgey made it looked different. The feet had long, ugly looking talons that looked pretty deadly for a Pidgey. Its feathers looked rough and longer than normal, and it seemed so thin and firm as it stood there, eyes closed, still as a statue as the wires from its head attached to the sides of the tubes where it was receiving its blood.
“It’s still in the process of coming to life,” said Yenko carefully. “But already, it bears the features of the prehistoric Pidgey from millions of years ago.”
Silver raised his eyebrows. “Prehistoric?”
“The first pokemon of the early world were a little different than pokemon now days. Pidgey weren’t always this small and weak for defense. They used to bear powerful wings that could allow them to terrorize the sky and kill prey with their talons that used to be much more clawed and nicely sharpened.”
Silver let out a rude chuckle. “Pidgey used to be like that? Those useless little pokemon?”
“The first species of pokemon were a little different long, long ago. There are some prehistoric features of the old pokemon that remain the same though, such as Omanyte and Kabuto, for their fossils can still be found and brought back to life. But other pokemon around their time have eventually evolved, though their evolution has stayed permanent, and they’ve actually become a new species themselves, unable to reproduce the old species again. If you visit the old museum in Pewter City, perhaps you may find some useful information about prehistoric pokemon.”
Silver huffed. “I’ve never been interested in knowledge of the past but I guess I’ll think about it.” He looked at his Larvitar with interest, and glanced at the Pidgey. Prehistoric pokemon. Perhaps their features would help resist the Wipeout. There used to be much more constant weather patterns back in the old, old prehistoric days, and the pokemon had adapted to such harsher changes. Silver had heard of the regions experiencing more constant earthquakes. Now, the world had become less abundant in weather, and the regions had stopped moving around from such earthquakes. They had been in the same spots for hundreds and thousands of years by now!
Silver lay a hand on the Larvitar’s head. “I will call you….Robotar, for your robotic features and shining green skin.” The robotic Larvitar had strangely gleaming eyes that seemed to show no life, and almost looked fake. But they blinked right back at him, uttering a low cry to show that it seemed to have understood.
Silver took a bus over to Pewter City. It wasn’t snowing here, though the sky was still blank and thick with windy blowing winds all around. Stopping in front of the large Pewter City museum, Silver got out of the bus with Robotar in his hands.
He kept his eyes narrowed as he avoided all the stupid stares from the people around him at his strange pokemon. He even heard a lady behind him whisper, “Is that kid taking good care of his pokemon? That Larvitar doesn’t look so good….”
Silver just grunted and held Robotar over his shoulder. “S’all right, Robotar,” he muttered, entering the museum, escaping the chilly wind as he hurried up to the door. “You’re awesome just the way you are. I swear I’ll have you battling other trainers’ pokemon and kicking their butts hard after I take a little look around here.”
He paid the counter and entered the inside of the museum. He narrowed his eyes and pushed a strand of his long hair back. “Where could the prehistoric pokemon be?” All he saw when he looked around were just fossils of pokemon he had already seen. Aerodactyl, Kabutops, Omastar…..they were everywhere.
As Silver ventured deeper, he saw more signs of other fossils from different regions. But he wasn’t interested in fossils. Yenko had said that some pokemon that lived in the prehistoric just changed to their modern day features and never became the same pokemon as long ago.
Silver bit his lip, almost realizing that he probably wouldn’t find any information about Pidgey with monstrous talons, or prehistoric Sentret with dinosaur tails. He almost gave up hope, but suddenly, Robotar growled at the towering figure that loomed ahead of them.
“Hm?” Silver glanced at his pokemon as Robotar nuzzled closer to him, glaring at a replica of a large bird pokemon—Ho-oh.
Silver winced. “Ho-oh? Man, it’s been awhile since I visited this place. I sure don’t remember them having a model of Ho-oh here.”
Stepping closer to it, there was a rectangular board that read information about the way this rainbow bird had roamed the skies during the prehistoric times.
But Silver noticed an open book that was left to the right side of the board. Taking a closer look at the book, Silver saw that it was written with handwriting, with a feathery pen right over the top. He recognized the writing already.
“Lyra…” he muttered, a smirk creeping across his face. She must have left her journal here. But what could she be doing here? Why would she be so interested in prehistoric pokemon?
Silver let Robotar cling to his right shoulder and watch as he picked up the journal and started reading the top of the page.
“The Pewter City museum shows no info on prehistoric pokemon, though when I visited their library, I discovered some books that did explain the existence of ancient day pokemon. Only a few simple pokemon lived back in those days, though. Pokemon like Pidgey, Hoothoot, Rattata, and a few bugs. A small handful still lived during the days of Aerodactyl and the other fossils, and I’ve found some pretty interesting facts about their features back then. The Rattata had funny looking teeth, and they didn’t evolve to Raticate yet. but I read that as time developed, the Rattata started to change their features into more simpler, modern day looks and pretty soon, they were adapted to a much simpler environment and didn’t need such whacky features to keep them alive. Therefore, they became totally new species that look like today’s Rattata, though because they could no longer go back into the form of their old, prehistoric look, they soon developed other features to move on to another more complex feature—Raticate. As they began to develop evolutionary forms of their own to Raticate, they were still able to reproduce more offspring that were Rattata themselves.”
Silver chuckled. “Lyra wrote her own textbook in this entry.” He muttered. He read on:
“All in all, the prehistoric pokemon just suddenly changed a little to become the pokemon that they have been now, including developing their own evolutions as well. But they can’t go back to their prehistoric forms, as I learned, for they have gotten rid of the need to be the way they were back then. But this just tells me how much the world has changed itself as well. With less harsh weather conditions and less natural disasters as back then, the pokemon must have become more adapted to not having to face those conditions anymore, and have forgotten the physical features they needed to withstand things like that. It’s all so strange…..I’m glad this only went for the couple pokemon that used to live during the prehistoric times. This whole information on pokemon changing over time just confuses me and I think the changes happening now with Xenox and--”
Silver blinked. She stopped writing at this point.
“Silver?!” Lyra’s voice appeared from behind the corridor to the right of the replica.
Silver looked up from the journal and faced her coming his way. Robotar gripped his shoulder tighter and let a low growl.
“Silver, what are you doing with my journal?” She frowned and hurried up to him, snatching the book from his hands. She slipped it back in her bag and took the pen off the board.
Silver laughed teasingly. “I wouldn’t snoop through that journal even if I felt like it. seriously, do you just write boring stuff about what you learn?”
“No,” she replied tersely. “I write about my feelings too, but that’s none of YOUR business especially. What are you doing here?” She gasped. “What’s that pokemon? A….Larvitar?”
“Meet Robotar,” said Silver proudly, giving his metallic growling pokemon a scratch under the chin. “This was one of the scientists’ genetically modified pokemon to withstand the Wipeout. By using features of the old Larvitar like in the prehistoric, Yenko created this little guy with the blood of the ice spear and the long ago blood of a Larvitar when he remixed the genes of a regular Larvitar.”
“Yenko?” Lyra gave him a quizzical look. “You really shouldn’t be treating pokemon like that! it’s cruel to mess with their genes just to create what you want outta them! Even if it’s for their benefit! If the pokemon must withstand the Wipeout, you should probably leave that in the hands of Mew…..or Arceus.”
Silver narrowed his eyes. “Oh yeah? Come on, just think! I bet this Larvitar right here can kick ass in battle with its prehistoric features! Old pokemon used to be tough, just like what you wrote! They used to have higher developed features to help them withstand more extreme conditions, and if we bring the life back from prehistoric pokemon features, along with the blood of the Ice Spear, I bet we can make ‘em more powerful than Arceus ever created them!”
Lyra crossed her arms. “I don’t think the laws of nature will like that.”
Silver winced and laughed. “Oh Lyra, you and your childish beliefs. You still believe in those imaginary spirits of pokemon getting angered and sending curses? Come on! The only way pokemon can become powerful is if we MAKE ‘em that way. Can’t you see how weak wild pokemon are compared to trainers’? Pokemon need us, Lyra. And this explanation of the prehistoric tells me that they once used to be able to survive by themselves in their old, powerful forms, but since they lost that over time, they began to become weaker than they used to be. Now, it’s up to us to control them and make them the best they can be.”
Lyra huffed. “That’s not true, Silver. Pokemon aren’t meant to be controlled by people. They are meant to be partners in battle—like friends, not slaves.” She opened her journal and started writing. “Ever since people came into the world…I’m wondering if they may have a significance to WHY they’re here…and what they could mean to pokemon….”
Silver gave her a look. “Are you writing that down?”
Robotar suddenly growled and leaped off his shoulder, dropping on the floor between him and Lyra. Lyra gasped with surprise and closed her journal, facing down at the little robotic Larvitar as it snarled creepily and shook its body, waving its arms and scratching its stiff feet against the hard floor.
The Robotar looked up at Lyra and dropped to all fours, hissing and turning its eyes a darkening shady color.
Lyra took a step back. “Silver….do something about this—THING!”
Silver watched with humor as Robotar stuck its metallic tongue, looking ready to zap some kind of laser attack.
He bent down and picked up his pokemon. “Come on, Robotar, we can torture Lyra tomorrow maybe, after we get you toughened up.” He looked up at Lyra with a mischievous wink through his strands of red hair.
Lyra frowned at him. “I feel sorry for that pokemon. First, it’s created from poor genes and cursed blood, now it’s being looked after…by you.”
Silver stood up and met her gaze just a few inches in front of her. He felt tall now, standing with Robotar in his hands and gazing at her with devious smiling eyes. “Oh, I’ll take good care of this little guy, Lyra. Trust me….Robotar is NOT like any regular pokemon.” He petted Robotar and asked her, “So why are you even here though? Since when did YOU become interested in prehistoric pokemon?”
Lyra sighed. “Well, Professor Oak was just studying a little bit about it last year with Ash, Misty, and Gary.”
“Misty?” Silver raised his eyes. “Huh! She’s gonna get as rich as a snob sooner or later.”
Lyra narrowed her eyes. “This was before she got famous like she did a few weeks ago, and before she even enrolled in the modeling agency. They were all studying about prehistoric pokemon, and the changes they have made beyond the theory of evolution. I was starting to take interest in this, for I feel as if the world itself is changing, and I feel like the pokemon may start to change too.” She suddenly looked at him with careful intent. “Think about it. Xenox. The long-lasting cold weather that’s been going on for like…..over a month now? the world is changing, Silver….I can feel it. Especially since it started snowing in Saffron. It NEVER snows in Saffron. Something’s happening, and the idea of such a pokemon coming out to end it all….I think there should be a logical counter for this strange occurrence, and that pokemon themselves must have to change to adapt to these changes made by so-called ‘Xenox.’”
Silver huffed. “They are changing! Look what we’re doing to them!” He held Robotar in front of her.
“Ugh!” Lyra took a step back from the snarling pokemon. “I meant NATURALLY change, like they did from the prehistoric! I believe that if we humans interfere with whatever the pokemon are going through, it may just upset…you know….nature somehow. Not to mention…..I saw a little something back there that made me leave my journal for a second.” Lyra peered around behind her with a concerned look.
Silver followed her gaze where she stared over at the corridor she had arrived from. “What? What did you see?”
Lyra suddenly looked at him with a smile. “Oh, nothing. I’ll be going now, if you excuse me.” She started walking away.
“Hey!” Silver called after her, wincing. Robotar hissed after her. “What DID you see?”
But Lyra was walking in a fast pace and she had already disappeared behind a tall glass of a Cradily fossil.
Silver huffed and stepped through the right corridor. “Fine then…” he muttered.
As he made his way down the hallway, looking around until he came to the next room, he saw nothing but books everywhere. This must be the library. It was empty without a single soul creeping around. The lights were off, and only brightness from the hallway shone through.
Letting Robotar walk by his heels as he looked around, Silver suddenly caught a glimpse of a pink sparkle just behind the shelf in the distance. Gasping, Silver hurried up to the shelf, taking out a pokeball from his pocket. He was sure this was what he thought it was.
Suddenly, there was a sharp, painful cry that screeched through the library. Silver whipped around and ran over to where the cry came from.
“Oh no…Robotar?!” He cried, looking around for the little pokemon.
He stopped in his tracks at the front desk. Nobody was sitting on the chair, though something small and glowing hovered above, just behind the unmoving figure of Robotar. Silver widened his eyes in horror. There was Robotar—his metallic little body smashed and broken like a wrecking ball had hit him. Instead of steam fuming from him, the bluish blood substance from the Ice Spear leaked around his broken parts, dripping around the desk.
Silver slowly looked up to see the glowing figure that had done this. There, hovering above the chair, just a few feet in front of him, was the pink Celebi, staring at him with narrowed, angry eyes. They looked more than just angry—they had a hint of disappointment and shock. The pink Celebi uttered a tingling, musical noise and then dashed in front of Silver, making him jump back with surprise. The pink Celebi lowered down to the floor, and zapped the dripping blood substance around the desk until the entire spill glowed with a pink light, and disappeared.

“Slowbro! Use Surf!” Cried Red, commanding the recently caught pokemon.
Slowbro just yawned and gave Red a lethargic, silly smile.
“Ugh, we’re never gonna get off this island,” muttered Red, looking down at his feet and kicking a rock.
The rock rolled pass Slowbro and at the front of the splashing waves.
Ash watched with a sinking feeling as Pikachu circled the pink Slowbro with glittering eyes.
“Piii…ka..”
Slowbro turned to glance with wide, curious eyes at the little pokemon. “Slooo?”
“Pikachu…don’t…” Ash didn’t know what to say to it. Every time he told it what to do, it would probably just make it worse.
And everything Amira had told him had all begun to make sense now. Pikachu really wasn’t himself—he had the soul of the fire emblem pokemon trapped within him. the real soul of Pikachu was trapped in a baby Groudon’s body, far, far away in an island near Xenox’s, a so-called island Amira had called “Isotopia.” The only thing left that was confusing to Ash is how the little girl had known about that—and if there was any way to break this curse that has befallen Pikachu.
Leaf huffed with frustration at Red and turned to Ash. “Hey, where in the world did that little girl go? Wasn’t she just sleeping with Pikachu last night?”
Ash sighed and shook his head. “I really have no idea. Maybe she decided to just leave us or maybe she’ll come back later on with a surprise…who knows?”
Leaf crossed her arms. “That is the strangest girl I’ve ever met. She acted like she knew everything! I mean, seriously! What would SHE know about what happened to Pikachu?”
Ash turned and saw that Pikachu was backing away from Slowbro with a glinting look in his eyes, sparking with tenacity. He was about to strike, using Lightning Strike.
“No! Pikachu!” Ash was just about to run forward and take the attack himself, when suddenly, the wind blew softly between them all and a voice called from behind.
“Emblem! Don’t hurt it! Come here!”
Ash, Red, and Leaf turned to see that Amira had appeared from the trees in the forest, dragging her Teddiursa doll alongside her. Pikachu suddenly dashed pass Ash with a growl and hopped upon her shoulders.
“Amira!” Gasped Ash, feeling the strange sense of charisma he always felt around the little girl.
Leaf had been holding Smoochum in her hands and she frowned. “Oh great, what have YOU come back for?”
Smoochum puckered its lips and made kissing noises as the pokemon blinked its eyes at Amira.
“Yeah, and where have you been?” Red stepped up to Leaf’s side.
Amira giggled. “Why….I was out exploring a lil, that’s all,” she said innocently. “What have YOU all been doing? Ah! Training a Slowbro, I see!” She giggled. “Well, just to let ya know, you’ll never get anything outta a pokemon like that. you’ll almost get NOTHING from the pokemon of this island.”
Ash blinked. “What do you mean?”
“They never wanna leave this island,” said Amira carefully. “Those waves out there are known as the Swallow Waves, and they either scare them and somehow recuperate the pokemon’s minds to stay upon this island, or the pokemon are just drawn to the strange aura that wafts around this cave…known as the Telling Cave.”
“The Telling Cave?” Spoke Red.
“There’s a cave at the very center of this island that may perhaps help you,” said Amira, scratching Pikachu’s chin. “The Telling Cave is known for the strange spirits that still stick around it. when pokemon or people die on this island, the cave is said to swallow up their souls and keep them safe before they get washed away by the Swallow Waves.”
Leaf grunted. “Then why isn’t it called the Swallow Cave?”
Ash stiffened at her tone. The way she said “swallow” reminded him so much of what he had witnessed her do to Brock on their first terrible night. He kept his mouth tightly shut and held his breath as he listened to Amira.
The little girl smiled. “Unlike the Swallow Waves, the Telling Cave keeps the spirits alive and thriving deep within. If you have been a bad soul, then your soul will get washed away in the Swallow Waves when you die, where your soul is lost and washed out far into the sea where it can never be heard from again. but if you go to the Telling Cave, your spirit shall roam alive and live a life…..just on the other side of this world in a new place.”
“If dead-dwelling spirits are in that cave,” Leaf sounded a little nervous, “then why should we bother going in? how would that help us?”
“The Telling Cave only has good spirits. Those Swallow Waves, though, are said to be swirling with the unwanted bad spirits, which is why the pokemon fear leaving this island. Yet, no pokemon ever venture into the Telling Cave. The Telling Cave is also sacred and gives the pokemon the feeling of uncertainty to enter such a place teaming with spirits. But we must go in…..for that’s the only place that may help you leave this island as well.”
“If she’s right,” Ash said, turning to face Red and Leaf, “then we probably don’t wanna leave this island by sailing upon the waves again, even if we were able to. It‘s no wonder that my Lapras didn’t want to leave this island when I tried to command it to.”
Red nodded, wincing at Amira. “Well, what would happen if we did sail upon the Swallow Waves?”
Leaf muttered under her breath, “then our souls would be confined to the dead spirits that splash our faces?”
Amira sighed and looked up at the sky. “Perhaps…..but you don’t wanna take chances. Those Swallow Waves brought you to this island, and they are most likely to keep you here. The unwanted spirits that control those waves may become angry and fight you if you try to escape that way. So come on! Lemme take you to the Telling Cave where we can probably find another route outta here. It‘s…it‘s like a tunnel way underwater. It can lead us anywhere out of this island, though the spirits within the cave can be helpful to us as well…”
Leaf frowned. “How would a cave in the middle of an island help us find a way outta the island? This doesn’t make sense! I bet you’re just leading us into a trap, little girl!”
Ash widened his eyes at how fierce Leaf looked as she glared down at Amira with her hands on her hips. Her white hat was tilted forwards to shadow her frowning eyebrows.
Red and Ash met each others’ gazes, wondering what had come over Leaf. Ash found it strange for Leaf to feel this way as if Amira’s presence brought nothing but irritation to her. Maybe she couldn’t feel the warm charisma that wafted from Amira when the child was around them….
Amira didn’t seem to be affected by Leaf’s scary gaze like a child her age normally would. She faced up at Leaf with a firm look in her eyes, her expression unreadable. “Well, if you wanna be that way,” Amira was saying, “you might as well let your own soul get washed up with the rest of the spirits of the Swallow Waves.” And with that, Amira turned around, dragging her Teddiursa doll with her. Pikachu rode her shoulder, looking back at them with a deviously satisfied grimace on its face.
As Ash watched them disappear behind the trees, he clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes. “Come on. Scary cave or not, we probably should follow that girl. She may be our only hope.”
“Yeah! Our only hope of ever winding up stuck in a cave like cavemen!” Leaf snapped, glaring at him. “I think she’s bluffing. Who does she think she is? How does she KNOW all this stuff? She doesn’t LIVE here, so how would she know?”
“Leaf…” Red put a hand on her shoulder, trying to face her with a soft gaze. “We don’t know how she knows all this history, but we do know that she couldn’t be lying about it. Just think. A girl HER age would never be able to think up all the information we had learned from her. She must just naturally know somehow, that’s all. She wouldn’t have been able to come up with such a lie in the first place since she’s only what? Three years old?”
Leaf looked at Red. He did have a point. “Well, maybe she isn’t three years old!” Said Leaf. “Maybe she’s in disguise, and that she’s probably just an illusion this island’s trying to show us. Maybe she’s really a hundred-year old gypsy that’s trying to trick us and lead us into a trap!”
Ash chuckled. “Leaf, you have some imagination, but if you can believe that, then why couldn’t you believe that Amira could be onto something when she’s leading us to a cave that most likely to somehow help us off this island? I don’t know about you guys, but I’m following my Pikachu. Something about her seems to just calm Pikachu down, and I wanna see more of that. There’s something really weird about that girl, and maybe we should keep a close watch on her….”
“Ash is right,” said Red, stepping forward. “I’m going after her. We should ask her more about Brock also. Perhaps she’ll have an explanation for that.”
Ash blinked and couldn’t help looking at Leaf, who had crossed her arms together.
“Oh please,” she huffed. “I bet she’ll just make up a story that Brock’s soul got eaten up by zombies that came from the trees, wanting revenge for all the fruit he was taking. B.S. I’ll follow you all, but I’m not going to believe a word she says.”
Ash, Leaf, and Red followed along the path Amira had taken. Red had said he was sure he knew where the cave was, for he might have passed by it when he was exploring the island with Leaf the day they had met Amira.
As they followed along the trail, Ash and Red couldn’t help discussing their strange feelings around Amira. Clearly, the little girl hadn’t affected Ash, but Red had some strange feelings as well.
“I feel like I can have hope when I’m around her,” said Red, almost blushing. “Just like the hope Leaf gives me just by existing next to me, I feel an even stranger, stronger feeling that ANYTHING can happen when Amira is around. I know it sounds a little cheesy, but that’s the best I can describe my feelings when I’m around her.”
“Same here,” added Ash, not taking his gaze off of Leaf in front of them. She was walking fast with Smoochum on her shoulder. The little pokemon was smooching its lips around, trying to sense any sign of Amira or Pikachu. “And it’s strange….a few nights ago, Amira disappeared and never showed up again, until today. She wasn’t exactly clear on where she had been though, and I bet she will never be if we tried to press her on.”
Red nodded. “She seems to stick to the point extremely well, unlike any other girl her age. Hah! I wish Leaf could be that sophisticated. She’s always changing her mind and wandering off the subject, confusing herself and everyone she talks to!” He spoke out loud for Leaf to hear him.
Leaf was muttering to Smoochum with a grumpy tone, and just turned to give Red a glare before turning back away to continue speaking with Smoochum.
Red snickered.
Ash suddenly saw a small white figure in the distance. His Pikachu was running around the jutting rocks and as Red, Leaf, and Ash neared them, they were standing in front of a large, perfectly circular cave that looked like a tunnel sucking in through the darkness inside.
Ash came up to Amira. “Is this is?”
Amira nodded. “Mm-hmm. It scary. I don’t like it….but we must go! Hold my hand!” She held up her little arm towards Ash and he found himself holding it without hesitation. But he raised his eyebrows. Amira’s hands were as cold as a snowy night.
Red sighed. “You said pokemon don’t like to enter this cave either?”
“Well….Pikachu doesn’t seem to be scared,” said Amira nervously. “Look! It’s running around the front, looking excited! I wish I could feel its happiness! But I guess that’s ‘cause the fire emblem pokemon isn’t supposed to be scared of anything. Leafy?” Amira turned to Leaf, who was standing a distance behind them, looking nervous and frustrated as she stared firmly at the cave. “Leafy, you should put da Smoochum in its poke ball. It don’t wanna see the cave either.”
Leaf turned to the shivering pokemon on her shoulder and rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say, princess,” she muttered, summoning the pokemon back in its poke ball.
“Well then…” said Amira cautiously, looking like a scared little girl holding her parent’s hand tightly. “Let’s go in.”
Ash kept his eyes alert as they ventured into the strange cave. All around them, the walls seemed to be lines with a tall, bumpy pattern that didn’t seem to look crooked or sloppy like most caves do. The air inside was strangely warm, though, and after an amount of time wandering farther inside, Ash realized how good the cave felt, with the warm heated temperature that wafted around them.
But no one said anything. Red and Leaf didn’t talk to each other, and Amira didn’t speak to him. Pikachu seemed to keep to the front, as if leading the way, and even he seemed calm and mesmerized by the surroundings in the cave. Though there wasn’t much to look at, Ash felt a strange sense of nostalgia the deeper they got. He felt as if the spirits were watching them, and he felt as if he could just fall asleep as he walked on, and still feel like he was still alive and moving for real in his dream. He felt totally connected with the aura in this cave, and for a long moment, his mind was focused on the warmth of the cave that pretty soon, he almost thought he could hear distant voices of the spirits muttering to him.
At last, Amira giggled. “Funny pictures,” she pointed to the side where carvings of stick people and funny shaped pokemon were drawn.
“Hey, no person’s ever lived here before, have they?” Asked Red. “The spirits drew those, didn’t they?”
Amira nodded. “The spirits did that.”
Leaf suddenly turned around with a look of anger in her face. “Okay, look! What exactly are we looking for in this cave?! I think we’ve been walking for hours and we’ve found nothing but more passageways and tunnels! This is totally stupid! We should have never listened to you!”
The cave suddenly rumbled over the sound of her yelling voice.
Ash gasped and found himself clutching Amira’s hand tighter.
Amira frowned and held her finger to her lips. “SHHH! You’ll distract the spirits in here! They don’t like living souls passing through! We must be as QUIET as we can if we wanna make it through here!”
“What happens when we do make it through?” Asked Red.
“Well, this cave leads down under like an underwater tunnel way,” Amira explained. “The opening at the other side of this cave are limitless. We can find ourselves climbing out of anywhere. That’s why we must keep quiet and respect the spirits’ home around us, so that they can direct us to the right way.” Amira slowly blinked her eyes, and Ash figured she must have been very focused on trying to communicate with the spirits. Her blue eyes looked dazed and tired, and she looked ready for a nap. “The spirits are trying to speak with us…” she murmured. “And if we listen closely, we can eventually understand them and listen what they want us to do. We must pay attention in this cave…for it’s not called the Telling Cave for nothing.”
Leaf frowned at the little girl and crossed her arms. “Well, I don’t hear any voices in this cave! I don’t hear a single sound except for the breathing of my own nose! You must just be daydreaming too much. The heat’s probably getting to your head since you’re way too young to be in a place like this.”
Ash felt his heart race. He didn’t dare speak to Leaf as her leaf green eyes glared with fury at Amira. Clearly, she probably couldn’t hear the spirits because of her arrogant attitude on her surroundings.
But Red spoke to her with a hint of humor in his voice. “Keep your mouth and your eyes and heart open, Leaf. Don’t listen with your ears, listen to your heart. I bet if each of us has heard anything, it’s probably been different for all of us?” He met Ash’s gaze.
Ash nodded. “Amira, you’ve actually heard voices?”
The little girl nodded, biting her finger.
“Well…..I thought I could hear something faint, though I couldn’t tell what they were saying.”
Red nodded. “The farther we got, the more I heard louder and louder whispers…until they did sound like faint voices.”
Amira gasped and her face lighted up. “That’s exactly how the Telling Cave is supposed to work! The deeper your mind becomes, the deeper you’ll find yourself in! Right now, you’re all just following ME, because Pikachu and I are the only ones to hear the spirits.” She smiled proudly and glanced over at Pikachu, who had stopped just a few feet in front of them, standing on its two legs, as still as a statue. It’s body wasn’t even glowing, and Ash wondered what could be going through his old buddy. “But pretty soon, when the spirits are open too each of your own minds…..you may each be told a different sign.”
Ash raised his eyebrows. “You mean….we my have to split up in this cave?”
“If the spirits want you to,” replied the little girl. “This cave is home to many spirits of the past. If a living soul enters inside, that living soul must listen to the spirits that truly belong here. And they must listen to the guidance of the spirits in order to ever find their way out of this cave. If you don’t listen to the spirits, then your soul will just be an unwanted intruder to this cave and the spirits may keep you walking on and on forever in this cave until you die.” Amira suddenly sounded fierce. She was staring straight at Leaf. “You may never find your own way out if you never listen to the spirits. This is their place, and if you’re here to interfere, you better take their advice and listen to them if you don’t want to be stuck here forever.”
Leaf blinked and frowned. “Hey! It’s not my fault it’s all a blur to me! I’ve been nicely quiet like the rest of you! Why can’t I hear anything?”
Red gave her a sideways look. “Maybe they don’t like you as much, or maybe you’re just not listening carefully, like you always do.”
Leaf glared at him and grabbed his arm to link with hers. “Well, if I don’t hear a whisper in my head in the next hour, I’m just gonna stick to Red’s side and follow wherever he’s going to get outta here.”
“It may not work that way, Leaf,” said Ash, getting a bad feeling about this.
But Amira just smiled. “Okay! Whatever you want! Come on, we should move on. Pikachu looks like he’s onto something.”
And Pikachu was suddenly crouching on all fours, looking around with a narrowed look of curiosity. Then, without another word, the pokemon dashed forward and was running through the tunnels ahead.
“Hey! Pikachu, wait!” Ash instantly ran after his pokemon. The others followed behind and they all ran through the depths of the cave as Pikachu led them through tunnel ways that shrank and expanded all around.
“Ow! Red! My ankle-- ow!” Leaf was still linking with Red, and had stumbled over a small rock.
Ash turned and saw that they had both stopped to kneel down at Leaf’s ankle and he and Amira were running farther away from them.
“Red! Leaf!” He called and stopped. He looked forward and gasped. “NOO! PIKACHU!” He yelled desperately. His voice echoed eerily through the cave.
“Heyyyy!” Amira grabbed his hand and squeezed it hard. “Don’t yell! The spirits don’t like the living souls to be yelling!”
“But Pikachu--!”
“It must’ve spoken to the spirits and has found it’s own way,” said Amira carefully. “Don’t worry. When it finds its way out, I’m sure we’re all gonna find it once the rest of us find our own ways out.”
Ash squeezed his eyes shut in frustration. “Ugh, so that means we’re all gonna HAVE to split up eventually?”
“Well, assuming that we all listen to the spirits sooner or later, then yeah. The spirits each speak to us individually, each telling us different signs. We must each follow our own voices we hear-- if we ever do get to hear them. If we don’t hear them, and if we stay together the entire time, then that means the spirits aren’t talking to us, and we’ll just wander this cave without the aid of the spirits to help guide us outta here.”
Ash’s heart sank. He turned to see that Red was slowly coming over, holding Leaf at his side as he helped her limp up to them.
Red huffed. “So Pikachu’s lost now, huh?”
Leaf groaned. “Ugh! This is totally unfair! I bet the spirits hate me already! If they really DO exist, they must reject me because now I’ve got a sprained, bleeding ankle!”
Ash winced at the nasty cut that wound around Leaf’s left ankle. “Oh great…we could really use Brock’s aid right now.”
Red gasped. “Brock! Could his spirit be in this cave if he died?”
Amira shrugged. “Who Brock? I dunno him, but if you keep your heart open for the spirits of the cave, maybe you can find his! The spirits in this cave are good, and the only harm they will do to you is ignore you if you don’t listen closely enough for them.”
“Argh! Well, I’ve been trying to listen!” Leaf growled, scowling at Amira. “And what has happened now? I’ve got a broken ankle! And we’ve lost Pikachu also? How inspiring! You know what, I think this is all YOUR fault!” She stood up to her full height, letting her ankle hold herself as best as she could.
Ash widened his eyes as Amira looked up at Leaf’s angry gaze with a straight face.
Leaf spoke in a mad tone. “Because of you, we’re stuck in this cave that just goes on forever! Pikachu’s lost again, and this time, we probably will NEVER find him!”
“But if you listen to the spirits you can find your--” Amira tried to speak, but Leaf cut her off.
“Oh, screw the spirits!” She yelled furiously.
Ash flinched and Red looked up at her with shock.
Amira let out a small gasp but held her gaze.
Leaf went on. “I don’t think there’s anything here but rocks and walls! The spirits are just your imagination, little girl, whether you hear them or not! I bet that’s why they all sound different to us! It takes time for us to develop illusions after traveling in this cave for so long, of course we’re going to start hearing our own voices in our heads, and be lead to do crazy things like split up! We’ll never find our way out of here, and the only way we can get out is if we just stop listening to you!”
“Leaf….” Red stood up. “Another reason why you shouldn’t yell is because of the weak ceilings around us….can you calm down for a minute?”
But before Leaf could reply, a rumble started to shake around them. The cave was shaking and suddenly, the ground below them collapsed until they were all falling through the air.
“WAHHH!” Ash thrashed around. “Amira! What’s happened?!”
“Oh, don’t worry!” the little girl sounded more excited than scared. “It’s just a natural cause! All caves crumble around like this! The spirits don’t get mad at you this way!”
“ARGHH!” Leaf groaned in frustration. “Smoochum! Use Ice Beam!” She threw out her poke ball and Smoochum popped out, falling with the through the air. The little pokemon blew out a powerful attack of Ice Beam around them, covering all the rocks with a freezing ice that connected them together and let them all land on the linking glaciers before they hit the ground.
Ash hit his side on the ice with a grunt. “Ow….ugh, hey! Nice going, Smoochum!” He thanked the pokemon gratefully as it stood on a nearby jutting rock that was covered in ice.
The Smoochum cooed back happily, and then suddenly widened its eyes with shock. “SMOO!” The pokemon started thrashing around and jumping, looking around with terror.
“Smoochum?” Ash raised his eyebrows.
“Quick! Summon it back in its ball!” Cried Amira.
“Huh?” Leaf returned it back, and suddenly, the ice all around them crumbled into little pieces that melted within a second. Ash and the others fell a few more feet and hit the ground below the jutting lopsided rocks.
Amira huffed. “You see?! The spirits don’t like living souls of pokmon interfering with their cave like that! You mustn’t do anything like that again, unless the spirits tell you to!”
“You say we should’ve just let ourselves fall to our deaths then?!” Leaf nearly yelled again.
“Guys!” Red stepped forward before anyone could start arguing again. “Before we do anything else, perhaps we should rest right here.” He looked around. “I dunno about you, but I’m bushed. Amira, is it safe to sleep in this cave?”
“Oh, yes of course,” said the girl delightedly. “Dreams are the best way to get more connected with the spirits…..we really should actually dream as much as we can.” She got up to brush her dusted white dress.
Ash blinked. “Sleep…here? Hehe, I still don’t feel comfortable sleeping in a place like this.”
“Huh!” Grunted Leaf, giving him an indignant look. “Scared of the ghosts in this cave?”
“No, I mean I’m scared of the ceiling falling on us like that again,” said Ash, giving her a humored smile.
Amira giggled. “Well, I’m sure the spirits will let us awaken if anything like that happens.”
Leaf frowned at her. “You and your imaginary friends. My gosh, I’m so glad I’m a single child.”
Red laughed. “You were worse than her, Leaf.”
Leaf ignored him. “I swear! If I have a nightmare, I’m blaming it on my good old Gengar, not the spirits of this cave!”
Amira giggled. “Actually, Gengar is supposed to eat your nightmare up so you DON’T remember it.”
“Oh, whatever!” Leaf sat down with her back against a tall boulder behind her. “I hope you don’t cry if YOU have a nightmare. I wanna get a good sleep here so that I can enjoy the rest of my miserable time wandering through this pointless cave.”
“Mm….” Amira’s smiling expression faltered as she watched with sadness as Leaf crossed her arms and closed her eyes, scooting closer to the left where Red stood, pressing her nose against his legs.
Red looked down at her and then looked to Ash and Amira with a raised look as if to tell them, “what else can I do?”
Ash watched with a sinking feeling as Red got down to sit by Leaf with his arm over her shoulder, sleeping with his head leaning on her forehead.
Amira giggled. She looked at Ash and spoke as soon as they quickly fell into a deep sleep. “How cute. Don’t you still wish you can be that way with someone?”
Ash glanced at Red and Leaf, distracted by thoughts of Leaf as a cannibal. He probably shouldn’t have to worry about Leaf ever attacking Red, even if she were a cannibal like he had seen, but if she was that vicious to tear up Brock like that….she probably wouldn’t be less vicious around Red if she ever caught him alone like Brock had been….
He turned to Amira with a worried gaze. “Hey….can you promise not to tell Red or Leaf this? It’s been on my mind for a while since we first arrived here.”
“Mm…” Amira met Ash’s gaze with a straight, trusting little girl’s look.
Ash told her about what he had seen Leaf do that night Brock had gone to explore the island, how he had witnessed the terrible sight of Leaf’s shaodw devouring Brock’s like a predator and a prey.
“They were only their shadows….” Ash spoke in a low voice. “But how can I be sure what’s true?”
Amira listened with a look of horror on her face that Ash had never seen before.
“Oh, my gosh…” she suddenly wasn’t meting his gaze, her eyes gazing out in a distant clouded expression.
“What?” Ash pressed. “What could it mean? Did-- did she really attack him like that?”
“I don’t know….I’ve heard of certain….forms of spirits called Shadows.”
“Shadows?”
Amira met his gaze intently. “THE Shadows. I hear they are meant to play tricks on you, and pretend to do things that you really didn’t do. Like, see my shadow right there? If that was THE Shadow of mine, it would be able to act out things that I’m really not doing, just to trick the rest of the world around it. They aren’t dangerous or anything-- they just like to play tricks….very serious tricks that can confuse people. I’ve only heard of them….but I’ve never known for them to truly exist….at least not in this world…”
Ash blinked. “Oh….well, perhaps a pokemon could be controlling the Shadows? Maybe that was caused by a certain pokemon on this island playing tricks on me?”
“No! No pokemon can control the Shadows!” Hissed Amira quickly. “No….the Shadows are only controlled by….by an element known as dark matter.”
Ash blinked at the girl with interest.
Amira bit her finger. “But…you really don’t need to know about dark matter. At least, not yet. You should sleep now…” She yawned. “I’m getting awfully tired. It’s been such a long time since I’ve felt a warmth like this in this world.”
Ash watched as the little girl kneeled down to lay on her side. She blinked at him with bright eyes. “Sleep next to me! Come here!” She waved her Teddiursa doll at him.
Ash glanced over, making sure Red and Leaf were both still asleep, and then came over to sit by the front of Amira, realizing how tired he was himself. The warmth of the cave felt nice, and he felt like he could fall asleep and sleep on soundly forever. But he knew he couldn’t let that happen.
“Amira…I’m sorry about the way Leaf’s treating you. I think she’s just frustrated with everything we’re going through. We should be at Mew’s island by now, and we should be uncovering the secrets behind Xenox already. But we’ve been stuck here for a while now, and I think she’s just getting worked up and tired of everything we have to go through.”
“Mm….” Amira blinked uncertainly. “I hope she doesn’t lose hope in here. Right now, she needs hope and belief more than ever if she wants to get outta this cave. If she never hears the spirits…..that won’t be good for her. The spirits won’t just come to her eventually. She has to keep listening and hoping for help from the souls within this cave, and then realize she needs her own way to go if she wants to escape this cave ever again.”
Ash blinked. “And Pikachu….? I’m sorry to keep asking you all these questions, but I’m just wondering how Pikachu could be coping with all this right now.”
Amira said nothing for a moment, and then answered, “As the fire emblem pokemon, Pikachu probably has the deepest connection with something as ominous as the Telling Cave. I can see into its dreams…if you want me to.”
Ash looked at her. “You can do that?”
Amira smiled. “I can see into anyone’s dreams,” she spoke quietly. “You want me to prove it? I can experiment you tonight and tell you what I saw.”
Ash chuckled. “No thanks, I already believe you. Please…..check on Pikachu, just to make sure. I am curious about…what it dreams about as well. You said Emblem‘s soul can meet with Pikachu’s soul in the same dream? I’d really like to know what’s going on between them….and where Pikachu is-- especially since he is in the hands of….May, Drew, and Brendan.” He still couldn’t believe what May, Drew, and Brendan were really up to by now, and it was all thanks to Xenox.
Amira smiled. “Okay. Good night, then, Ashie. Sweet dreams.”

Drifting off to a deep sleep under a lopsided rock that jutted from the ground of the cave, Emblem let his Pikachu body curl up and close its eyes.
The next thing he knew when he awoke was that he was wandering the lonely snowy mountain of Xenox, though this time, the place looked unfamiliar and a little less high than before.
“Huh?! Where am I?! I’m supposed to be getting CLOSER to Xenox whether I’m a Pikachu or not!” He growled, looking around urgently. In his dreams, he was back as his original baby Groudon form, but every time he dreamt, he was getting closer and closer to the top of Xenox’s mountain, and he had been meeting Pikachu’s soul as well in the dream, making sure that Pikachu was on the same level of the mountain like he was. Pikachu was going to be the one battling Xenox for real anyways-- not him.
Suddenly, a figure in the distance of the falling snow appeared. It was Amira, blending in ever so well with her white dress. As she approached closer towards him, her body suddenly hovered and the snow blew around her, with the whiteness blending in with her pale body, turning her into an even paler white until she dissolved and transformed into a smaller form-- of a baby Dovanna.
Emblem narrowed his eyes. “About time, Dovanna.” It was no wonder he had always felt so comfortable when Amira was around him and everyone else in his waking world. Amira still portrayed the obvious aroma of charisma that made him feel the same way he felt around when she was Dovanna. Though he still didn’t understand everything about the strange pokemon, he knew Dovanna was a big part of his dreams that connected with the real world and Xenox.
Dovanna giggled. “Yeah, well, I was just speaking with Pikachu at the higher part of the mountain. Ashie was curious on what was happening with him and the rest of his friends in Isotopia.”
Emblem frowned. “Why couldn’t you just bring Ash into this dream so he can meet his own stupid Pikachu for real and find out things himself?”
“Well, pretty soon I’ll think about that,” said Dovanna, hovering a little closer towards Emblem. Her wide blue eyes were still bright and upcoming through the blinding falling snow. “Right now, he must dream with the spirits of the Telling Cave around him.”
Emblem huffed. “By the way, WHAT IN THE WORLD AM I DOING OVER HERE?!” Emblem yelled up at the little bird. “I’m supposed to be closer to Xenox’s cave at the top! I’m supposed to be keeping up with Pikachu! If I can’t defeat Xenox in the real world, then I at least wanna find my way as close to that pokemon as much as I can in my dream. Why am I all the way down here now?!”
“Relax, you’re not that far down this mountain,” chuckled Dovanna. “I’ve brought you down here TEMPORARILY for a reason. Have you been wondering where that little friend of Ash, Red, and Leaf had disappeared to?”
Emblem narrowed his eyes.
“Poor Ashie thinks he’s seen Leaf eat him up like a cannibal,” Dovanna spoke with a sad tone.
Emblem blinked. “Seriously? He thinks Leaf is THAT vicious?”
Dovanna giggled. “Well, he saw her shadow anyway….so I’ve been getting a very terrible feeling of the ominous Shadows that…..exist in another world.”
“The Shadows?” Emblem winced.
Dovanna explained the strange significance of the Shadows’ effect on the world. “They come from only…..the fifth dimension, if you’re on the fifth part of this world. But…I have never known for them to have existed in this world…..” Dovanna’s expression suddenly looked scared and she looked ahead of herself. “Maybe the portals…they may have broken yet again….”
Emblem rolled his eyes. “I don’t know what the heck you’re talking about, but WHY have you brought me here? You were just saying something about Brock?”
“Oh, yes! Well, Brock isn’t totally dead as Ash thinks he is…..though he actually has been attacked by something terrible, and is on this very mountain himself. I’ve seen him on my way up to Pikachu, and heard his voice calling from a cave just a little ways down from where Pikachu was located. It turns out that his soul is taken to this very dream since he has been in his sleeping state for a long time.”
“Where is he?” Emblem suddenly felt intriguingly curious. “Is he alive?”
“Apparently so……his spirit is in this dream so he must be alive somewhere in the waking world…..but he must be in such a state that he’s left asleep in this dream for more than he should be. Come, follow me.”
Emblem followed the little bird through the blinding snow. Even down here, the snow was as blinding as a blizzard. Emblem heated his body up with more warmth, glowing with a brighter red. He was thankful he was himself in his dreams.
Dovanna arrived at a cave just a few minutes later, though to Emblem, it seemed like it had taken an hour or so. The cave was a tiny hole in the cliffy wall next to the ledge they stood on, about the size of Emblem himself.
“If Brock’s stuck in that cave, it’s no wonder he really can’t escape this dream then,” muttered Emblem, squeezing through the hole into an open space that was filled with warmth, though not at all as warm as the Telling Cave he slept in the waking world.
At the corner of the wide space, a man was huddled with his eyes closed, wrapped in a green blanket.
Dovanna giggled. “Brock? I’ve brought Emblem. He’s in his real form right now.”
And without opening his eyes, the man looked up from huddling in the blanket. Sure enough, it was Brock. He was staring straight at Emblem with his squinted closed eyes.
“Emblem! Oh, nice to see that you’re what you’re supposed to be-- a little Groudon huh?”
Emblem gave a low growl.
Dovanna laughed. “He can understand you in this dream.”
Emblem huffed. “Where have YOU been? What exactly happened to you?”
Brock sighed. He shifted in his blanket. “Well….it’s a little hard to explain, but that night I had ventured out to explore the island a little, I heard a strange cry around the cliff that I stopped by. I thought it was Leaf, for I thought I saw her shadow creeping around from behind me. But then I thought I caught a glimpse of Mew-- it’s small shadow slipping through the trees of the forest. Curious, I followed it to see if it really was Mew. The shadow lead to the other side of the beach, where I heard the cry again. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the waves just rose out of nowhere, and before I could take a single step back, I was washed into the currents that were swirling around me as if to suck me in towards their vortex. It all happened so fast….I became unconscious before I could understand what had happened to me.”
Dovanna blinked and lighted on the ground next to Emblem. “What you saw, Brock, was a mere Shadow spirit of Mew. It wasn’t Mew itself. The Shadow mst have tricked you into nearing the Swallowing Waves so that your spirit could be washed away and trapped within the deadly waves that surround this island.”
Emblem gasped. “So does that mean you’re dead?”
Dovanna huffed. “No, I already told you. Brock can’t be dead, or else his soul wouldn’t be here. It wouldn’t even be able to dream, for it would be in another world where the dead go. It would be washed over with the other souls of the Swallowing Waves. But he must be alive to be able to dream his way into this dream. His body must still be alive somewhere….out there in the ocean….”
Emblem frowned. “The Swallowing Waves didn’t kill him?”
“Maybe I must have escaped….” said Brock, his eyes looking more focused. “Maybe something could’ve saved me through the Swallowing Waves and I must be lying unconscious elsewhere, in a dream I havent awoken from yet. I tell you….I’ve been stuck in this cave-- stuck in this dream-- for quite some time now.”
Emblem blinked. “Is there anyway we can help you?”
Dovanna was shaking her head, looking worried. “Oh, I don’t know! Brock can’t awaken to know where he is! And until he does know, we’ll just have to wait!”
Emblem turned to Dovanna. “Hey, we can keep him alive in here! If this dream with Xenox is enough to come true into the waking world, then if he’s well taken care of in his dream, perhaps he’ll become better wherever he’s lying at the moment in the real world.“
She met his gaze. “That’s what I’ve been doing. I’ve only brought you here now since you’ve finally entered the Telling Cave and can communicate with the spirits. Unfortunately, you won’t be finding Brock’s since he hasn’t died yet, nor has he entered the cave, but perhaps I can let Ash and the others see him here in this dream…”
Brock suddenly cleared his throat. “Um, Dovanna? You tell me that Leaf isn’t exactly behaving herself? That from the way she’s been treating the cave around her is just going to push her chance of ever communicating with such spirits?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Well…you might want to send me to her first. If she won’t listen to you, then perhaps I can come to her in a dream and let her know what has happened to me, and the significance of the dreams that are controlled by you yourself.”
Dovanna gasped. “Oh no….please don’t let anyone know that I am going around, messing with the connection of dreams. I don’t want anyone to get angry or fear me for what I am doing, I’m only doing this for the good.”
“Hm,” Brock nodded. “How did the visit to Kanto go? Were you missed?”
Dovanna laughed. “Well, duh! Of course I was.”
Emblem flashed her a frown. “So you DID disappear! Ash and the others were wondering where you had suddenly gone to the last few nights after they met you.”
“I was visiting Misty and Gary back in Saffron,” explained Dovanna. “I wanted to make sure Misty was still remembering Ash the same way he was trying to remember her. I can feel a tension between him and that girl, even though they are far apart. And that’s why I escaped for a little to arrive in Saffron and check what’s going on. I don’t want anyone breaking that tension.” Dovanna narrowed her eyes. “Especially Gary.”
“But what good is that going to do?” Asked Emblem. “Why must you stalk other people just for the sake of Ash and Misty?”
Dovanna smiled. “I believe the feeling of love can help with this whole dream portal. The reason why dreams come alive is because of a strong belief, sometimes through the strong belief of love. Dedicate your love to something you dream for, and it may one day come true, in the reality world, and break through the dream portals to actually become not a drea, but something that’s real and come true.” She looked out the hole. “This is what I believe may help with the aid through Xenox’s dream. The reason why Xenox’s dreams come alive is because somehow, its dreams break through the portals of reality and become real in the real world. It doesn’t need the power of love in the air to influence it. That’s why I want to make sure that Ash’s love for Misty can flow through, even from a long distance. Perhaps the influence of love can break the portals of Xenox’s dream and make it so that Xenox too, can only make its dreams become a reality if the pokemon can love something that strong.”
Emblem huffed. “I believe a pokemon like Xenox has no love. It’s heart must be as cold as this dang mountain.”
Dovanna sighed. “I’m afraid Ash’s relationship with Misty isn’t going well….” a mischievous smile crept across Dovanna’s face. “But he did mention other girls.”
Brock suddenly lightened. “Other girls?! Like who? Oh, I didn’t know Ash could be a player!”
“Hah! YOU don’t know, Brock? You accompanied him through almost all his journeys, according to him! He’s been with May, and Dawn, and Iris as well!”
Brock calmed down and chuckled. “Oh, right! Haha, what? You’re gonna try and stir up a little thing between him and those others?”
“Well….I want the tension of love in the air to be as strong as possible so that I can break the portals of Xenox’s dream,” said Dovanna. “It’s terrible for such a pokemon to have such a power in this world. It even lead to the death of the beloved Groudon.”
Emblem growled.
Dovanna went on. “If Xenox’s dreams could just be a little less powerful as to NOT break through the portals of reality and not become alive, then it would probably be easier for all of us….and for the prophecy to be fulfilled. I must make sure Ash can love. Not just love pokemon, but learn to be in love. He needs a girl. And since I can’t find my way to the Isotopia island….I can try and see Dawn or Iris first.” Dovanna smiled and looked out the hole.
Brock chuckled. “Well, I hope you succeed in your urge to make Ash find true love. It’s about time that guy understands what it’s like to love someone.”
Emblem sniffed. “Well, enough on the whole love conversation. Are you gonna take me up the mountain so that I can catch up and have a word with that Pikachu that’s living my destiny?”
Dovanna sighed. “Fine! Gee, you’re so indignant.” She gave him a mischievous look and turned to Brock. “You take care, though. I’ll be back. I hope when you get better here, you can eventually awaken at least once from where you are so we can try to see how we’ll rescue you.”
Brock huddled in the blanket again. “Yep. Thanks, Dovanna.”
Emblem glanced at Brock, and then at Dovanna. He sensed these two must have discussed a lot since they met each other, and that Brock may even know some things about Dovanna that could be useful. But Emblem wasn’t interested right now. All he wanted to do was catch up to Pikachu in his dream, and then continue his journey to escape the Telling Cave and find Mew in his waking world.
Dovanna flew through the blinding blizzards with Emblem under her.
“You know,” she called, raising her voice over the blizzard, trying to lighten up the mood between them, “I think if only you legendaries could learn to find true love, the tension can be so much stronger!”
Emblem huffed. “Well, too bad! It doesn’t work that way when you’re a super strong pokemon like that.”
Suddenly, a blast of light appeared in the sky, and Emblem stopped in his tracks. He looked up with a start, trying to see through the blinding snow.
Dovanna was fluttering with shock at the sudden light. The light suddenly turned a dark black color, and it was sucking Dovanna in.
“DOVANNA!” Cried Emblem, rising to his two feet.
The little bird cried in terror. “WAHH! WHAT’S GOING ON?!”
Trying to pull away from the spiraling dark vortex in the sky, Dovanna flapped rapidly and cried violently. But the vortex was stronger. Dovanna disappeared into the spiral, and instantly, Emblem’s vision of his dream went blank and he woke up with a painful start in the middle of the Telling Cave.


Far across the region, on a hidden, sacred island, a lady was cackling with satisfaction.
Prima Dona had a strange crystal ball as she stood in a mirrored hallway of a temple. The crystal ball was a dark, spiraling color. “Thank you, Lucy. Psychics do come in handy.” She was speaking with a snicker. “Now….my sweet little birdie…..you can return to resume your little duty. Find that boy’s girlfriends. Infect them with your love. Infect them…..with my darkness.” She etched her long skinny finger across the spiraling dark crystal ball and a red line drew from behind where her finger traced. The call of Dovanna echoed from the ball, and the dark spiral from the ball disappeared altogether.

“Amira’s gone! Again!” Red looked around with alarm at the sound of Ash’s terrified voice.
“Red! Leaf! Have any of you seen Amira?” Ash was standing, looking all over the cave. “She was just sleeping next to me!”
Red got up quickly, accidently letting Leaf’s head fall to the side of the rock.
“AHH! That hurt!” She complained angrily, opening her eyes to glare up at Red.
“Sorry--” Red looked down and winced to see how cracked and red Leaf’s eyes looked. “Hey, did you even get enough sleep?”
Leaf scowled at him and got up. “No,” she replied tartly. “I guess my dreams about so-called spirits kept haunting me and waking me up.”
Red laughed. “Anything interesting? I barely remember what dreams I had. I never remember a single dream I had when I sleep unless it’s got to do with something I’m focused on, like my first pokemon journey almost ten years ago.”
“Guys! Should we find her or just wait here?” Ash was urgent.
Red looked at him. “She might come back like she did the other day.”
“Yeah, but that took like a few days,” grumbled Leaf. “I am NOT waiting in this crap place for another minute. I wanna get OUT.”
“Well, first of all, did anyone have any dreams that could’ve told them something?” Asked Red. “Anything that could help at least one of us get outta here?”
“No,” replied Leaf quickly, crossing her arms.
Ash blinked. “Well….I did have some kind of dream, but it just seemed like a regular lost dream I would usually have if I were stuck and nervous in a place like this.”
“Oh?” Said Leaf hopefully.
Ash looked up. “I dreamt I was in this strange island. It was snowing everywhere, and the snow was so blinding and freezing that I almost woke up feeling the same coldness in this heated cave. But then…..I met my Pikachu. He was back and himself again, with the original, real, happy look in its eyes again. He ran up to me, ever so happy to see me again, but then….as I caught it in my arms,” Ash’s face suddenly looked troubled, “he transformed, turned into the body of a little red monster….a real baby Groudon, no larger than a Pikachu like himself.”
Red raised his eyebrows. “Interesting. Did you see May, Drew, or Brendan on the island?”
Ash gasped. “No….” his voice was suddenly distant. “But….I did meet three people. After Pikachu turned into that…Groudon, he ran away into the air of the snowstorm and disappeared in the blinding blizzard above the blurry gray clouds. Then three figures stepped down from where he had disappeared. They all looked alike from the distance I could see them, all the same height, though as they came closer, and hovered lower towards me, I realized two were guys and the middle one was a girl. I felt bedazzled as I stared up at each of them. Then I was bewildered as I realized the guy on the right was Brendan himself.”
Red winced, listening carefully.
Ash went on. “The other two…..ugh, I can’t remember who they were!” Ash looked down at the ground, wincing his eyes in frustration. “I swear, when I saw the other two in my dream, I knew exactly who they were! Darn! I can’t remember now! but I do know they weren’t May and Drew like I would’ve expected. No, these other two were people I knew—people WE both knew. Ugh, if only I can remember……but anyways, they were stepping forwards towards me, each with their eyes closed. Then suddenly, they all opened their eyes at the same time…..and that’s what scared me the most after Pikachu. Each of their eyes—they all looked the same, identical to each others’, though at the same time….they all looked like eyes I’ve never seen before. Like….like some kind of pokemon’s eyes or something.”
“What exactly did they look like?” Asked Leaf.
“They were a dark blue, sharp gaze, and their eyes looked as if they were about to shoot out lasers or something. They were glinting, and devious, yet somehow curious as they stared at me. Light started shining inside as they opened their eyes, and I realized…..each of them bore the aura of each of the three missing Ice Spears within them.”
Red gasped. “I got it!”
“What do you mean?” Leaf turned to him.
“Brendan’s possessed in the trance of Xenox, right?” He said.
Ash nodded. “According to Amira, she’s spoken with Pikachu on the island of Isotopia in her dreams and Pikachu tells how Brendan’s been taken over by one of the three Ice Spears and that the spear has bonded within his own body, taking over his soul to freeze his real heart and allow part of Xenox’s aura to take over him.”
“That’s it! if Xenox’s aura is contained in each of the three spears, and one of them has entered Brendan’s then the other two missing spears are seeking other bodies to commingle with, so that each part of the aura in the spears can be alive in a real body!” Red was sure of himself. “The other two people in your dream must be souls that the other two spears might be willing to take over next! One spear already has Brendan, now the other two need to find somebody.”
“Huh!” Leaf was studying him. “Mr. Know-It-All, what do YOU think will happen when the three spears commingle with three souls?”
Red gave her a sideways look. “Well, just like what Brendan’s doing right now, they probably will all have the urge to head north, towards wherever Xenox’s island is located.”
“It’s in the Barren Islands,” said Ash carefully. “And what I don’t get, is how Brendan thinks he’s just going to make his way there if he’s on another island where the waves surround it from chances of entering or escaping the place. Maybe he’s just going to walk on water and rise out of the sea like a legendary or something?”
“Who knows,” said Leaf. “All we have to worry about right now is ourselves. Finding out about people on a faraway island that possibly doesn’t exist is pointless at the moment. We gotta get out of HERE first.”
Red huffed. “Well, I bet Amira would know! That little girl knows everything….somehow.”
“Hah! Well, she’s not here now, so I guess we might as well go on without her!” Leaf stepped forward with a proud smile on her face.
Ash blinked at her. “What? No! we’re not leaving without Amira. She could have the answers to almost anything!”
Leaf met his gaze. “Well, it’s not nice to just venture off without telling anyone. If she’s wandered off on her own again without letting us know a single thing, then that’s just her fault.”
“Maybe she’s spoken with the spirits and they’ve told her it’s time to follow her own way,” suggested Red with a shrug. “She did tell us that the spirits will be telling each of us our own signs, and that we could be on our own ways in no time, whether the rest of us know about it or not.”
Ash sighed and looked crestfallen. “Darn it……Amira….”
Suddenly, there was a rumble ahead of them, just behind where Ash was standing. A strange echoing coo sounded through the cave, as if some kind of Hoothoot were inside.
“Is—is that a pokemon?” Red winced.
Suddenly, a scream echoed from above them and Amira came falling down out of nowhere, landing on top of Leaf’s back, making her yell and fall to the ground on her bottom.
“Owwww!” Leaf yowled. “You! What in the world--?!”
“Leaf!” Cried Amira, still clinging onto her shoulders. “You guys!” Her eyes looked wide with terror and she looked ready to cry.
“Amira!” Ash ran over to her side. He helped the little girl up.
Leaf immediately gave him a haughty glare for helping the girl behind her, and not herself.
Red chuckled with humor and helped Leaf up himself.
Leaf brushed herself and glared at the little girl. “So! Where have you been this time? Exploring the cave and deciding to show up out of nowhere without even telling us where you were going?”
“It was totally uncalled for!” Cried Amira desperately. She was shaking as Ash held her hand. “I can explain!”
“Well explain!” Leaf pressed.
“Leaf!” Ash gave her a look, and Red blinked at how protective he looked at the little girl’s side.
“Wahhhh!” Amira grabbed Ash’s leg and sobbed. She never looked more childish. “It was scary! I was sleeping! Everything suddenly became dark…..and I was sucked into a hole in the sky!”
Red narrowed his eyes. “Where were you exactly? Was it a dream from the spirits?”
“I was…..I was…” Amira’s eyes looked clouded with shock and she didn’t know what to say. She was shivering with fear and she could control herself. She gave up and started bowling. “Wahhh! I don’t want to! I don’t want to!” She yanked her hand from Ash’s grip and started running towards Leaf with her head looking down and sobbing.
“Huh? What--” Leaf widened her eyes with confusion, and suddenly, Amira leaped onto Leaf again, upon her chest like a predator pokemon. Leaf fell on her back and Amira had her pinned to the ground, punching at her and throwing an angry fit.
“NO! NO! NOOOO!” Amira was screaming.
Ash and Red were staring with utter disbelief for a moment, and then Red suddenly stepped forward. “Hey! Amira! What’s your problem?!!” He tried to grab the child and pull her off from attacking Leaf, but the girl was amazingly strong. She yanked her arm furiously away and kicked back, barely missing Red’s face with a strong force that could’ve had his nose broken.
“Ahhh! Get her OFF me! Help!” Leaf was screaming in pain as Amira continued to shake her shoulders and bang her roughly against the ground like an animal.
“WAHHH!” Amira’s cry was full of rage and desperation.
Ash stepped behind. “Amira, STOP!”
Ash spoke with such anguish that the little girl suddenly gasped and let Leaf’s shoulders go. The little girl’s eyes suddenly blinked and looked clear blue again as she stared ahead of her, holding her breath.
Leaf dropped down with a grunt. A red scratch marked the left side of her cheek, with three red lines slashed across. Red couldn’t believe what he had just seen. He immediately bent over to pull Leaf from Amira as Ash helped the child off of her chest.
As Red faced Amira, he suddenly noticed another distinctive change about her. The ribbons in her pigtails, they were black. Weren’t they a light pink before? He blinked, trying to spot any other strange changes about her. Nothing but the clouded look in her blue eyes and the black ribbons were different. Her skin was still as pale as an albino and her hair was still its light brown color.
“Amira, what’s wrong?” Ash spoke calmly. “Did you have a bad dream you’d like to tell us?”
“It WAS a dream….” shivered Amira. “But then….SHE came.” Amira narrowed her eyes and stifled back a sniffle.
“SHE?” Leaf clenched her fists and looked ready to charge. “Who is SHE?! You’re never clear on what you try to tell us! I think you should just leave us alone and--”
“SHUT UP!”” Amira suddenly faced up at Leaf with a look of anger that neither Ash or Red had ever seen before. Amira pointed a little finger at Leaf. “You don’t understand the significance of the spirits around you!” Amira’s gaze suddenly faltered and the little girl looked sorry. “Now…..because of her….you will never understand the spirits again.”
Red winced. “What are you talking about? Who is the ‘her’ that did this?”
“ARGH! LOOK WHAT SHE DID TO ME!” Leaf was rubbing a side of her neck with a wince, and Red gasped as he saw an ugly dark red bite mark a little to the side of her throat. “YOU BIT ME! YOU SCRATCHED ME, YOU LITTLE--”
“WAHHH!” Amira dashed passed between Leaf and Red, her cry echoing in the cave ahead of her. She disappeared into the shadowy depths of the cave in the distance.
“Amira!” Called Ash. He ran after her. “Waaaait!”
“Ash, where are you--?” Red frowned as he watched Ash disappear after her.
Red was just about to charge after them himself, but Leaf grabbed his arm and growled. “Argh! Forget it! I am NOT going anywhere near that little girl again! She is nothing but a BRAT!”
Red huffed and met her gaze. “We need to look after Ash! He wasn’t supposed to even be with us, but since he is, we better keep him safe with us!”
Leaf pushed Red away and let him go, turning around with her arms crossed.
Red felt his heart ache to see her miserable like this. He didn’t want to be pushed away from her, no matter what the deal was. He put a hand on her shoulder and tried to speak in a careful voice.
“Leaf…I’m sorry with what just happened to you. Really, I DON’T believe Amira would ever do that…there must have been something wrong with her at the moment. Perhaps….her dream did something….or this cave has affected her in some way. I can feel a strange tension around us since the moment we stepped in.”
“Oh yeah? Well, I don’t feel any different in this cave than any other crummy old cavern!” Leaf didn’t turn to meet his gaze. “This place feels no different than Mount Moon, or Mount Silver, or any other dumb old cave we’ve been through-- except for the fact that there aren’t any pokemon here.”
“Well….this cave leads to more than just underground passageways to other places. We could be far under the earth, nearing the core closer and closer, for all we know. That’s why it’s so warm here.”
“Well, why can’t I feel anymore than the heat? Why can’t I hear or feel any spirits like I’m supposed to?” Leaf looked into his eyes with a hint of longing and sorrow. “I really am trying to open my ears and listen…..I really was trying to find something in my dream and see if I can look into myself and feel anything. But……I just can’t. I’ve really tried, Red, I really have…”
Red looked at her with understanding. He knew it when she was being serious with herself. “Well….maybe we should continue on. We’ll see if you can feel anything, and if not……I’ll have you by my side, whether I have to find my own way or not. I won’t leave you.”
Leaf blinked and gave a slight smile. “Thanks…” she winced again and rubbed her neck. “Ugh, the only thing I can feel right now is just pain and annoyance. When I find Amira again, I swear…”
“Don’t think about Amira,” Red put an arm around her shoulder and started walking forwards with her at his side. “Just listen to the spirits around you, and try to find answers. Listen to your heart, listen to your surroundings.”
Red and Leaf continued on the ongoing cave, walking straight through all the different tunnel ways. As Red listened to the spirits around him, he realized that the voices really were beginning to become more clear. Pretty soon, he almost heard his own name speak.
“Red….Red!”
Red gasped and stopped. It had been a mere whisper in his ear.
Leaf looked at him and blinked. “What is it? You hear something?”
Red said nothing. He didn’t want to ruin his hearing of the voice.
“Stay away……stay away…..” The voice was menacing and hissing. Red felt goosebumps crawl up his skin.
Leaf sighed and looked away. “You hear something, I bet.” she muttered. “It’s not fair….I don’t hear anything. I don’t hear anything at all.”
“She’s not the one…..she isn’t safe…..stay away……stay away….from her…..”
Red felt his heart race. At his side, Leaf was edging away from his grip. She pushed his arm from gripping around her shoulder and walked away, looking down.
Red continued to hear more voices join in until his ears felt buzzing with voices.
“Stay away……stay away…….”
“The darkness will rise within…”
“Darkness will freeze your heart……”
“Stay away from her…..”
“Stay away from the darkness…..”
A terrified scream suddenly broke Red from his thoughts. He whipped his head to the left and realized Leaf had walked off all the way towards a large trench to the left. His vision was blurry, and he thought he could see Leaf standing over the edge. He shook his head violently, clearing his mind and snapping his vision into focus. When he looked up at the edge of the trench again, Leaf was gone.
Red’s blood ran cold. “LEAF!” He ran towards the edge of the trench and stopped, looking down with horror. The trench was as deep and dark as he had ever seen, and there was no sign of Leaf.
A strange cry murmured through the trench from below, and then Leaf’s scream was suddenly heard.
“HEEEELP!”
Red saw that she was clinging on desperately to a jutting rock at the edge of the trench, off to his left.
“Leaf!” He immediately dashed towards her, but right as he took a step, a snarling whisper echoed in his ear, making him flinch, and then the rock collapsed. Leaf fell down into the trench with a faint, echoing scream.
Red felt all the life drain from him as he stood there with awestruck disbelief. “Leaf….NOOO!”
A voice swished a hiss in his head. “Let the darkness swallow her……stay away….from the darkness……from her….”
“GAHHH!” Red squeezed his eyes shut and yelled out in frustration. He dropped to his knees and tore at the rocky ground, cursing in anger. “WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?! IS THIS HOW YOU ADDRESS YOURSELVES?! GET OUTTA MY HEAD!” He rolled to his back, feeling a strange pain twist inside his head. He cried out in pain. “LEEEEEAF!”
Suddenly, a bright light sparked from the trench behind. Red panted, letting his mind clear, and then suddenly got up and turned to look behind. A pink glow shone from the trench, lighting up the entire darkness.
A white light was hovering just a few feet from Red, above the trench. Suddenly, the pinkish glow faded from the entire trench, and the darkness swelled up again. The white light went out, and hovering in its place-- was the pokemon Mew.
Red was breathless. He stared at Mew, wide-eyed and somewhat thankful. Mew stared back at him with curious blue eyes, murmuring a sweet cry. Its tail wiggled underneath, and the little pokemon made its way towards the right, heading down the trench in a sideways diagonal.
“Mew….” whispered Red. “Wait….” He stepped forward and found himself heading down the darm trench, letting the pokemon guide his way down.

“I’ve feared for this moment to come…..you must truly be the one,” Denmario was speaking to Zan in his warm, open-spaced cave. Two other Sawsbuck accompanied him from behind. Blanca and her two fawns, Penelope and Sebastian. Kidneys, who was still with them, stood by Zan’s side with the same concerned look as everyone else.
Zan couldn’t understand what everyone could be so worked up about. He had had a strange dream, of him wandering through a strange, cold darkness, and then he had met a strange shadowlike figure—that had summoned fire before his eyes. He couldn’t even make out what the dark shadow even was, but when he had woken up, there was the fire, summoned right in front of his nose. The fire had been put out immediately with the dry brushes and blanket of large leaves, but half the camp had been destroyed. The Sawsbuck were angry with Zan, and Denmario had already sent out scouts to look out for any sign of a safe route to start their migration. They were ready to leave their home—and head west nearby the desert resort.
Zan had been more than ashamed of himself, for he knew how frustrated the Sawsbuck must be to have half their home on the meadow destroyed by their new guest, for things had already been bad before. The Sawsbuck lived alongside the wild forest of Mistralton City, not too far from the Celestial Tower in which Zan had been captured in the hands of Team Plasma. But now, Denamrio was speaking to him of a strange myth that had come to him as a prophecy, when he had spoken to their star-sighted ancestors in the sky of how the strange “firebringer” was to come for their herd and help guide them through the warmth and power of fire through their journey across the treacherously cold region.
“See, not too long ago,” spoke Denamrio, looking out behind them at the night sky where the stars seemed to numerous and distant, “I received a message from the Starsbuck. The Starsbuck are the long ago Sawsbuck that used to live in this world, and have passed on to a life above, somewhere out there in a new world, living amongst the stars. They still communicate with us through dreams and send us messages to warn us of our surroundings of the future, and from one of our former Starsbuck member, I was told that we will be faced with a threat like no other, a threat that not even Reshiram nor Zelrom could handle. There will be a change in the world that will cause our herd to move on, and as we move on, we will be guided by the arrival of a strange firebringer pokemon. The firebringer pokemon was said to be a child of a mysterious pokemon—known as the X-Psi-Eye pokemon.”
Zan widened his eyes. “The X-Psi-Eye?”
Blanca sighed. “There’s been rumor going around that a strange pokemon is roaming the lands, restoring homes through the aid of the Muskateer Trio. You know that the Musketeer Trio is known for protecting pokemon and battling off humans to keep from harming our homes, right?”
Zan nodded.
“Well, a mysterious pokemon, known as the X-Psi-Eye, is said to have been a messenger, created from the stars themselves, with a strange psychic power that can bring together the bonds of pokemon and people. This messenger, the X-Psi-Eye pokemon, has been told to roam the lands, giving each pokemon a blessing or a curse, to either be in the aid of the Musketeer Trio, or in the hands of humans themselves.”
Kidneys shivered. “Huh! I hear the X-Psi-Eye can see into the minds of people and pokemon, and control prophecies that we hear. It somehow works with the stars to shape the lives of the future, and some say the X-Psi-Eye pokemon may even be as powerful as to change time both in the past and future. Scary to think about it.”
Sebastian blinked. “I also heard it travels with a mysterious Archen at its side.”
Zan met the Deerling’s gaze. “Archen?”
Penelope gasped excitedly. “Ooh! Isn’t that the Archen never evolves, though it is as strong as any Archeops can be? Because it travels by the X-Psi-Eye’s side, it was granted the power of a sidekick for the Psi pokemon, nd helps it track down enemies or signs for the pokemon to pay attention to.”
Denamrio grunted. “But when our ancestors spoke to me, I was told that this X-Psi-Eye had a child of its own…..or at least created one itself. This child was supposed to be a messenger of Reshiram—a messenger of fire. The child was supposed to guide our herd’s path by the summoning of fire…..”
One of the Sawsbuck behind him spoke. “Perhaps the firebringer was supposed to guide us through all the deathly snows that have been affecting the region around these parts. The fire that the child brings must be like our key to making it through our journey west.”
Zan was frowning. “But how can I be the child of the X-Psi-Eye?! I’m just a regular old Zorua! A pure DARK type! I should have no connection with this…. ‘X-Psi-Eye’ pokemon whatsoever!”
“Hey! No one ever said what type the X-Psi-Eye pokemon was!” Said Kidneys.
Zan winced. “It HAS to be psychic if it’s got any ability at all to see into the future and the minds of everything.”
Penelope gasped. “Maybe you’re not really a Zorua.”
Zorua turned to flash a frown.
Denmario cleared his throat. “Well, I had no idea whatsoever myself when I first saw you. But you say you had a dream that you saw a figure summon fire right before you?”
“Yes—the figure did that, not me.” Replied Zan.
“Well, that doesn’t make a difference. When you awoke, the fire was just summoned front of you just the same, without a trace of that dark figure. Clearly, your dream had broken through the world of reality, and turned out to come true itself. Fire was summoned before you, and just like the prophecy said, the firebringer would be a child of the X-Psi-Eye, able to control the summoning of fire through its psychic connection with Reshiram.”
“But I have no psychic connection with Reshiram!” Zan protested. “I’m NOT psychic!”
Denmario looked at the little pokemon in the eyes. “If you’ve dreamt something like that, to the point when your dream actually happens and becomes real, then you have the powers of the X-Psi-Eye pokemon, and since you have summoned fire, you must be the child that the pokemon bears to have the connection with Reshiram itself.”
Zan narrowed his eyes. “That doesn’t make sense. I bet anyone could’ve dreamed of something like being able to control fire, and then woke up to fire in front of their faces that had come out of nowhere. It doesn’t mean the dream itself created that fire, though! It could’ve been coincidence!”
“That’s why I’ve decided to run a test on you,” said Denmario carefully. The old Sawsbuck was gazing down at him with wise, careful eyes. ““Tell yourself to dream of a lighted fire path through this long-lasting snow and cold weather. tell yourself to dream of you bringing forth the power of fire itself from Reshiram, clearing our path and guiding our herd to a safe place by the ruins of the desert resort. If you awaken, and find that you’ve created a safe path for our herd in the woods, then you must truly be the fire bringer child of the X-Psi-Eye pokemon.”
Zan blinked. “So…..you want me to simply make myself dream of me summoning fire from Reshiram to create a path in the woods for you to follow safely towards a home in the west?”
“If you really do dream of what you desired yourself to,” said Denmario, “then you must have the powers of psi, for you would be able to control the dreams for yourself to have, through the very works of psychics. Then, if you awaken and see that what you had dreamt had really came true, then you must truly be a child of the X-Psi-Eye pokemon, able to bring forth fire from the very pokemon of Reshiram.”
The other Sawsbuck behind Denmario were both staring intently at him. “If you really are the bringer of Reshiram’s fire, then you must be a blessing given to our herd, to help us fight our way through this weather condition for a better future and home.”
Zan looked down. “Well…I’ll do what I can…..I doubt it, though. I’ve always believed myself to be a child of two long lost Zoroark somewhere far away into the mountains.”
Penelope was looking at him with a studying expression. “Hmm…..mom, the X-Psi-Eye can’t be a Zoroark, can it?”
“No dear,” said Blanca softly. “No one even knows what the X-Psi-Eye pokemon is…..though some say it may be a Gothitelle, a merely tall, dark figure that wanders the land with a strange Archen at her side. No one’s even seen the X-Psi-Eye pokemon, though traces of its business through shaping pokemon’s homes through the aid of the Musketeer Trio have been proven for its existence.”
“Not to mention the dreams we’ve been receiving from our Starsbuck ancestors,” added Denmario.
Kidneys sniffed. “Ah, you guys and your Starsbuck. I wish Zebstrika believed in the same thing. We don’t even have our own belief of ancestors, so we don’t receive any specific dreams, unless they are from specific pokemon like the Musketeer Trio themselves or something.”
Zan huffed. “Well, if I’m the child of a so-called ‘Gothitelle,’ then you guys owe me big. I’m not gonna risk my life being recognized as a legendary fire bringer of Reshiram without a reward for this.”
Kidneys chuckled. “I’ll be there for you! Hey, how ‘bout I sleep next to you tonight and you dream a meadow of Zebstrika running under the thunderstorm of Zekrom, and include me in the dream? That way, when I awaken, I can feel as if I really had run through the thunderclouds of Zekrom?”
Suddenly, a bellow was heard from the outside of the cave. Denmario and his two Sawsbuck behind leaped over Zan and exited the place.
“Oh dear….that sounds like Terrel, returning from his scouting,” murmured Blanca.
Zan and the others left the cave and followed Denmario over to where he and his two guarding Sawsbuck addressed a pair of wounded Sawsbuck.
“Terrel? Shar?” The leader looked at them both. “What happened? Did you find anything?”
“Humans!” Hissed the taller Sawsbuck, panting with anger and frustration in his eyes. Both of them looked exhausted and hurt, with both their white fur plastered in bruises…and blood. “There are humans scouting the edges of the wild! We mustn’t near Mistralton City! They are contaminating the borders with their stench!”
Shar, the smaller, more wounded looking pokemon, huffed. “It’s not Team Plasma-- these humans are construction workers working on some kind of destruction that’s terrorizing the borders! It already looked like they had part of a building done!”
Denmario narrowed his eyes and shifted his strong hooves. “Why in the WORLD would humans try and build anything for themselves in a state like this?”
Blanca stepped to his side. “My guess is that they must be facing the same utter destruction to their own homes just like us. Their houses and dens aren’t naturally built by the world itself, for they are man-made and more prone to destruction by weather. They must be trying to find a way to build an even powerful feature for themselves to withstand the worst of this condition.”
“Well, they CAN’T just take over what belongs to us!” Denmario looked angry. “The pokemon of the Musketeer Trio shall be angry, and the powers of the X-Psi-Eye will punish them through the works of psychics.”
Kidneys turned to Zan. “Perhaps as the child of such a pokemon, you can bring forth the fire of Reshiram to rid these humans!”
Zan frowned. “I’m telling you. I’m NOT the child of any X-Eye-Psi, or whatever.”
Penelope smiled and Sebastian snickered. “It’s X-PSI-Eye, not X-Eye-Psi,” he said.
Zan rolled his eyes. “Whatever.”
“But what happened to YOU guys?” demanded Denmario. “How did you get all beat up like this?”
Terrel and Shar looked at each other and narrowed their eyes. Terrel grunted. “The humans saw us watching them, and sent out their filthy pokemon to battle us. Shar and I tried to battle furiously as we can at these humans and their pokemon for ever interfering with OUR territory, but these pokemon were pretty dang strong and whooped us.”
Shar huffed. He winked an eye out of pain.
Denmario grunted. “Well, go ahead and rest. I’ve addressed this newcomer to the rest of the herd,” he gave a nod toward Zan. “He may possibly……be the child of you know who.”
Zan reluctantly met Terrel and Shar’s eyes. Terrel raised his eyebrows with interest. “Ooh, this little thing? Hehe, I’d be surprised if he can do more than let out an Ember attack.”
Zan’s fur bristled and he met the larger pokemon’s gaze with a challenging look.
Kidneys laughed. “Hey! I’ll have a kick in your face when this guy dreams me up a big field where I can beat Zekrom in an electric race!”
The sky rumbled above them and Zan got a cold feeling in the inside rather than the coldness that aired around him. A Tranquill soared the sky above the meadow and called an eerie shriek that pierced the air.
“It appears to rain anytime soon,” growled Denmario. “Kidneys, get outta our camp and return to your own family. The rest of us shall gather in the dens that are available.”
Zan felt ashamed all over again, and he turned to see the reluctant look on Kidneys’s face.
“Naw, fine then,” Kidneys gave Sebastian a nudge on the bottom. “See ya, buddy.”
“Hey!” Sebastian turned and met the Zebstrika’s gaze with a mischievous look.
Kidneys turned to Zan and winked. “Good luck, and have the best dreams you can!”
Zan chuckled uncertainly. “Hah…we’ll see.”
“Bye, Kidneys!” Called Penelope as the pokemon dashed across the meadow to leave with a speedy, lightning bolt run.
As soon as all the Sawsbuck gathered in the three remaining dens, Zan decided to sleep in the one closest to Denmario’s cave above. Blanca, Penelope, and Sebastian still volunteered to look after him, though Zan didn’t want to sleep anywhere near the Sawsbuck in case he woke up with another surprise that would destroy the other half of their camp again.
Zan slept in the corner of the large den, alone in a small nest. It wasn’t as comfortable as the one Blanca had made him, but he didn’t care. All he wanted as for his ankle to feel better so he could leave this place and head towards the mountains, opposite of where he would be taking the Sawsbuck if he were the so-called fire bringer pokemon.
Zan sighed and went to sleep. He tried to imagine himself in a form of the X-Psi-Eye pokemon, able to summon fire from the pokemon Reshiram. Zan drifted into a deep sleep, finding himself traveling through the form of his imagination. He was awake in a dark forest where quiet snow was falling around. He was wandering through the tall, crowded trees where silence pierced the air.
“This quietness is creepy,” thought Zan, narrowing his eyes as he was drifting through the woods. He thought he could almost hear his own thoughts louder than the air around him. He couldn’t even hear his footsteps-- he realized he was hovering above the ground and floating through the woods like some kind of ghost. “Am I the X-Psi-Eye pokemon? Or the child of it?” He was supposed to be the child of the pokemon, with the ability to summon fire.
Suddenly, he felt his body glow and give off a small amount of light from around him. The trees around allowed him to see his own shadow through the little bit of light that was given off. He stifled a gasp. His shadow wasn’t a Zorua-- he was the same dark figure that he had seen in his other dream, when fire had been summoned.
“What-- what am I?” He thought, staring right at his shadow. “WHO am I?”
He closed his eyes and tried to let himself glow with a brighter intensity, until a blast of fire erupted in front of him. He opened his eyes to a narrow, gazing at his reflection that he could see through the dancing brightness of the flames. Zan felt his heart race. He was a human. A mere boy, dressed in dark blue and black rags like the native children he used to dream about when he dreamt dreams of himself living in the mountains with his never-met Zoroark family.
“A human…” Zan blinked as he stared into the reflection of his human face and human features. His skin was dark and smooth, his eyes the same, glinting red gaze of a Zorua. Behind him, he still had his own black fluffy tail, wagging behind him in the reflection of the flames.
“I wonder….” his mind was spinning. “……if I really am the child of the X-Psi-Eye, would it make a difference if I were in the form of a Zorua…..or a human? Which am I originally? A Zorua…..or a human boy?”
Suddenly, the sky clapped a scary loud bang of thunder. Zan gasped and the flames of fire disappeared within seconds as the fierce winds blew and the blizzard rained a terrible hailing storm. The hailing rain turned into a fierce snowstorm blizzard that knocked Zan down and blew him across the forest.
Zan yelled with pain. He had never intended this in his dream. He tried his best to summon the fire and think of Reshiram through his mind. But the snow was overpowering. He felt both his mind and body weaken under the overpowering blow of the freezing blizzard.
How could such snow ever become this strong as to win over power summoned from Reshiram itself? Zan tried desperately to call out for Reshiram’s help. He couldn’t defend himself, and he had no idea how to become a pokemon again. He felt helpless. He let the snow cover up his body and suddenly drifted off into unconsciousness, hoping that this dream wouldn’t become real, and that he could hopefully wake up safe in the den as a Zorua again……

An eerie cry shot through the forest. N looked up at the darkening thick sky. The stars seemed less vibrant in the midst of all the thick black clouds.
He looked down to Hilda who stood at his side, facing the landscape below them.
“It’s a Tranquill,” he muttered, hearing the cry again.
Hilda blinked. “Tranquill? All the way here near Accumula Town?”
“Most of the northern pokemon are migrating their way here to the south or west where it’s less cold,” said N, narrowing his eyes at the thought. “This whole thing with the strange weather conditions are getting more than just ominous…..”
“Of course it is,” said Hilda tartly. “The new roommates that have just moved in have had their house broken down over a simple storm. I bet Tornadus could be angry with us.”
Despite the humor in her voice, N knew she was being serious. He had found her wandering through the route in front of her hometown of Nuvema, and she claimed to be heading for Accumula and find that son of her new roommate, Mr. Huttz. N stopped her and had forced her to explain herself for being out on such a night, and she had managed to tell him everything, constantly repeating herself that she barely knew why she was all the way out here.
Now, he had brought her to the dream yard, where he took her to the top of the building to watch the sunrise. They had been discussing what had been going on with the both of them since their last encounter up at the Ferris Wheel in Nimbasa City almost six months ago.
They had both gotten caught up in their discussion of how Hilda had met her roommates, as well as excelling in her pokemon musicals and selling magazines like crazy, and how N himself had been noticing many of them, and even taking interest into reading some himself.
The sky in the horizon was beginning to brighten up. N looked over at Hilda’s troubled expression as she looked down from the building, rather than out towards the breaking dawn. He decided he should start explaining to her of his reason for being out like this.
“Well, I guess I should be telling you why I’m out here myself,” he said quietly.
Hilda looked up and met his gaze. “Oh yeah, hah. Guess I forgot to question you so roughly like you did to me.”
N gave her a sideways smile. “I’m worried about my worst enemies’ safety as well, you know.”
Hilda huffed and twitched a smile. “Well, don’t. it wastes your time thinking about what other weird things Team Plasma worries about.”
N chuckled. “Well…..don’t underestimate me, but I’m here because I had to rest my own pokemon from their long travel to this place. They’ve had a long journey…..and this was the last town with a pokemon center…”
Hilda gasped and jumped back. A look of horror sparked in her eyes. “No way……you’re a liar….”
“Do I lie?” N raised his eyebrows and looked closely at her. Her blue gaze bore into his own eyes as he gave her a serious look. “I may be devious and clever, but I don’t make up false explanations for the heck of it. I prefer to find other ways to fool people rather than just taking the easy way of simply lying.”
Hilda huffed. “You CAN’T be Mr. Huttz’s son! Wha-- how is that--”
“Listen,” N put his hands on her shuddering shoulders. “I never said I was his son. I just said I was traveling a long ways with my pokemon, and just happened to come upon this town and heal my pokemon. Mr. Huttz and I were just together until that very moment.”
“But….what could Mr. Huttz be doing with you?” Her eyes betrayed what she must already know about the man. “Why would he tell me you’re the son he’s traveling with, if he knows you aren’t even his son?”
“Mr. Huttz is a specialist on pokemon mythology. He’s spent his entire life researching the mystery under the creation of the Unova, and the significance of Reshiram and Zekrom. Ever since these strange weather conditions and unlikely occurrences of snow here in Unova, he’s been wanting to study more about what the pokemon of the region could be up to. Something’s causing the strange disturbance in the atmosphere, and he wants to know about it. I, myself, have been traveling alone, away from Team Plasma, trying to figure out the same mystery and uncover some things that even Team Plasma don’t know yet.”
“You’re barely making any sense,” said Hilda. “If you’re trying to uncover what the pokemon of the region could have to do with this strange ongoing weather, then why must you and Mr. Huttz come all the way here to my town and pretend to need a new place to stay?”
“Because we do,” said N carefully. “See…..back in Oplecid City, a huge storm had kicked in. The people were terrified and homes were being destroyed. The storm was said to have crashed over all the way to Mistralton City as well. Mr. Huttz and I were at the Celestial Tower at the time, so we weren’t home to see our own city and cabin destroyed. Mr. Huttz had encountered the very pokemon Tornadus itself.”
“Tornadus?! Mr. Huttz really battled it?”
“More like, the pokemon was battling itself,” said N. “We were following against the wind of the storm, and headed up to the Chargestone Cave. Right at the front, we encountered Tornadus itself, and for the first moment, we thought the pokemon was causing the terrible storm that was destroying the entire area, but apparently, as we took a closer look, we saw that the pokemon was actually suffering from the storm itself. It was fighting the storm itself, not summoning it.”
Hilda widened her eyes. “It was fighting the storm that it didn’t even summon? What did cause the storm then?”
“That’s what Mr. Huttz and I were trying to figure out,” replied N, looking out to the horizon. “Apparently, there could be something out there stronger than even the legendaries of this region. Mr. Huttz and I wanted to track down that certain something. There could be a pokemon that not even the Unova region can have control over. There could be yet, another pokemon stronger than Zekrom and Reshiram themselves. Mr. Huttz and I are trying to find out more.”
Hilda looked down. “The other regions are experiencing the same problem too.”
N nodded. “You told me about Ash Ketchum’s dance night and how a handful of his friends suddenly disappeared out of nowhere.”
Hilda sighed. “Yeah, and there was snow left in their presence. Apparently, that snow contained evidence of a strange pokemon DNA that we have never recorded before…and their blaming that a certain pokemon called…..oh what was it called? Xenox. They think some pokemon called Xenox is behind all the crap that the regions are going through. I don’t really believe some pokemon no one’s ever seen, nor had proof of existence, could just suddenly turn up at the most random time and start torturing us with bad weather conditions.”
N raised his eyebrows. “Well, you never know. You never know when you could’ve done something accidental in this world, and then nature just sneaks around to punish you for something you don’t truly understand about.” He turned to meet her gaze. “See, when Mr. Huttz and I were in Mistralton City, we lost a handful of pokemon that we were trying to care for in the absence of Team Plasma.”
“So apparently, Mr. Huttz is part of Team Plasma,” mumbled Hilda, somewhat disappointedly.
“Well, not exactly. He’s kind of a lone worker. He isn’t exactly on Team Plasma’s side, though he isn’t against them either. He thinks that our ways are quite useful, for we seek to free pokemon and use them for their true existence, and Mr. Huttz wants to study the way pokemon have a significance to the world. The region of Unova was created out of the power of Reshiram and Zekrom….and now that there’s a strange disturbance in the air, Mr. Huttz and I want to figure it out. When he met your mother, he accepted the generous offer to stick around this place and see what we can find.”
Hilda was staring at him carefully. “Well, what about those pokemon you guys were looking after?”
“The ones back in Mistralton? Unfortunately, the blizzard destroyed part of that tower, and the Celestial Tower is halfway to becoming ruins now.”
A look of horror sparked in Hilda’s eyes.
N continued. “I lost one of my newly caught pokemon as well…..a Zorua I found off the coast of Oplecid.”
Hilda gasped. “You caught a Zorua?”
“I found its egg, actually,” N suddenly narrowed his eyes. “It was by a river near Oplecid City, and I swear….it was the strangest looking egg I ever found. I had no idea it was a Zorua egg, and when it hatched, I compared its egg to a real Zorua’s egg….and it’s egg was totally different from that of a Zorua. Yet….it still hatched into a Zorua. This is pretty much the biggest idea that sparked Mr. Huttz and I to conduct our research on what kind of pokemon could be out there that hasn’t been discovered. We looked over the Zorua’s DNA, and found that it was the same as any real Zorua, though it contained a gene that we’ve never seen in any pokemon before. It had a trace of psychic within it.”
“A Zorua that is part psychic type?”
“Not psychic type, but it did possess a gene as if it had been part of a psychic type. Perhaps one of its parents was psychic…..the closest pair we got to with a Zoroark was a Gothitelle. It could be possible that a Zoroark and a Gothitelle created the Zorua, which was why it possessed some kind of psychic gene within it.”
“But….even if a Gothitelle did breed with a Zoroark, it would have no affect on the hatchling. The child would be as normal as a Zorua could be, without a trace of its mother.”
“That’s why Mr. Huttz and I were so intent on figuring it out. After I lost the Zorua in that storm, part of the reason why we wanted to continue our research elsewhere, was to not only see what we can find, but also to track down that Zorua.”
Hilda chuckled. “Yeah, how would you find the right Zorua? You got some kind of tracking device or something?”
N blinked. “Sort of….”
Hilda gasped. “The spear!”
N flinched and looked at Hilda. “What?”
“Mr. Huttz had a strange Ice Spear hidden in his bag!” Hilda looked intent. “He didn’t want to show it to us, but when he saw that I spotted it, he decided to show it to me, though he wasn’t exactly clear on what it was even for. He just said the spear was telling him to remove that special picture of Reshiram in my house! Apparently, the spear doesn’t like Reshiram. Why is that? What’s with that spear?”
N blinked. “The spear…he showed you the spear…..” He narrowed his eyes. “That spear…..it contained DNA of a pokemon that has never been traced before. It’s been our secret, and we’ve never told anyone. don’t be telling anyone about that spear, you got that? I’ll know.”
Hilda looked a little troubled at his sudden tone. “Um…..okay. I won’t. But what do you want with it? Why is Mr. Huttz so keen on hiding it from everyone?”
A rustle in the trees suddenly made N flinch. He gasped and grabbed Hilda’s hand. “Something’s coming.”
Hilda winced. “What now? I don’t see anything.”
“It doesn’t want to be seen. It roams the land, seeing into the minds of people and pokemon, and controlling thoughts and the future. I can sense its presence. We have to be careful.”
N lead Hilda off the building, creeping down towards the exit of the dream yard.
Hilda was wincing. “What is it? Where are you taking me?” She hissed.
N kept his eyes narrowed around them. “The X-Psi-Eye. It’s a pokemon Mr. Huttz and I discovered during our research of the weather patterns. It hasn’t hurt anything yet, but we know it’s capabilities are deadly. I can feel its presence like a storm.”
But suddenly, Hilda jumped back and gasped with shock. “Oh, my gosh!”
N looked down at what she was staring at. There, lying in front of the both of them, half buried in snow, was a little boy, rapped in a thin, furry black rag, and out from behind, a black tail stuck out.
Hilda cupped her mouth. “I know exactly what this is….”
N huffed. “Zorua…..”
Hilda bent down and tried to feel the boy’s pulse in his wrist. “He’s….still alive.”
Suddenly, the boy shot his head up, gave Hilda and N a terrified look, and then shot up, dashing away into the woods, not looking back. N was staring after the little boy with a look of disbelief. The eyes of that boy….he recognized them well. It was his own Zorua he had lost.

A flock of Swanna took off to the sky from the whipping waters of the fountain in Opelucid City. Iris watched with a sad feeling as they all disappeared high into the sky of thick gray clouds, heading south.
“More like west, actually,” said Iris, staring after them. “All pokemon are headed towards the warmth nearby the desert resort……even the ice types! I can’t believe it….”
“Axew!” Kax, the hatchling of Iris’s beloved Haxorus, shook excitedly on her left shoulder and waved after the Swanna. “Axew! Axew!”
Iris sighed. “I thought if we returned here to Unova, the bad weather would stop. But unfortunately, nothing in the sky seems to have changed since we arrived here.”
The sky above them rumbled and Kax shivered. It let out a nervous little cry and huddled closer to Iris’s neck.
Iris giggled. “Alright, Kax. We better head back to the gym. Looks like another storm’s coming up…..again.”
Iris headed back to her gym in Opelucid City. As she and Kax walked through their quiet, once-purified hometown, she realized with a sad feeling how much had changed since she and Cilan only left to meet Ash in Kanto for the dance night. The developed, high-tech and neon-colored city that had become so widely popular with tourists and new pokemon battles for their gym had turned into a mere disaster when they had returned.
It had only been a week since she and Cilan had returned all the way back to Unova from the region of Kanto. Their exploration of the region had them learning so much about other new pokemon, as well as the strange occurrence of weather conditions that had never happened in the region before. Now that they had returned back to Unova where Cilan would depart to his own gym in Striaton, and she herself had come back to Opelucid, the both of them had discussed over the Xtranceiver how bad the weather was for even here, especially in her own city. She had been crushed and utterly shocked to see that her own hometown had been destroyed by a terrible blizzard that swept through the entire town. And her old friend, Drayden, had even told her how only a few days later had the same blizzard swept over to the cities of Icirrus and Mistralton.
Most of the destruction hadn’t affected the stronger, better developed buildings of the city, though near the downtown part of the city, where the homes were more old fashioned and rustic, there had been much more utter destruction to the buildings. Many people and pokemon had moved from the city, fleeing to the places where the storms were least likely to hit. And since Iris had returned to her city, she had already noticed how less populated and quiet the place had become.
When she had discussed everything with Drayden, she had told him all about what she had learned in the Kanto region, though instead of mentioning Xenox, she mentioned the DNA of an undiscovered pokemon in the snow of Yuen City, as well as Red’s mysterious dream.
“You sure that DNA wasn’t from any of our own pokemon?” Drayden had asked her.
“Nope. Ash has probably seen every pokemon there is in the world, and none of his pokedex couldn’t record a thing on the DNA found.”
Since then, Drayden had been telling how Team Plasma had been found in action over at Mistralton, where traces of Thundurus had been found. Team Plasma were said to have done nothing with the pokemon, for they claimed even Thundurus itself was suffering from the terrible blizzard that swept over.
Iris had also heard of how people were starting to find places in the wild for an expansion of their cities since other towns were said to have been destroyed almost utterly by the storms. When Iris had heard about this, she was furious. She hated the idea of people pushing their way through more and more pokemon territory just to expand their destroyed city.
Just thinking about it made her fume and she said to herself, “If they want to find a better place to build their cities, they should clean up their own area and start constructing there! If they keep interfering with pokemon territories, I bet the Musketeer Trio shall be angry with them…”
“Axew….” Kax muttered in agreement.
Arriving at her gym, a strong cold wind suddenly blew over her, making her gasp and stop in her tracks.
“Whoa, that’s cold!” She hissed through clenched teeth.
“Axew! Axew!” Kax was suddenly jumping on her shoulder, and pointing up to the sky at a strange figure that had appeared above by the clouds.
Iris looked up with a start and widened her eyes with awe. There, jumping across the clouds with a faint bellow, was the pokemon Cobalion, bounding magnificently across the thick gray clouds.
As the pokemon let out another echoing bellow, Iris suddenly felt strangely alone. No one was outside with her to see this sight—not a single soul in her city. She was staring up at the great iron will pokemon, unsure if it even knew if it noticed her. Perhaps it decided to make its appearance over her town, knowing there would be barely anyone left to even witness it. iris dared not to shout out to it, and she gently grabbed Kax with a hiss.
“Shh, Kax! Quiet down…please.” She looked back up at the Cobalion that had suddenly landed on the highest tower built in the city. “I wonder…..am I seeing things? Is that really the pokemon?”
“Axew!” Kax refused to be calmed at a sight like this. Cobalion was known to calm the hearts of pokemon, though her Kax seemed to be clearly enjoying the sight. Kax was crying and calling out with glee at the pokemon, and it wasn’t long until Cobalion turned its mighty head and met Iris’s gaze. Iris stiffened as the stern gaze of Cobalion looked right into her eyes. Even from a distance, she could see how hard and firm the pokemon’s expression was as it stared right at her. unlike Kax, Iris had a tense, nervous feeling as the pokemon stared right into her. she didn’t feel safe around this pokemon at all—she wasn’t meant to anyway.
Suddenly, the sky rumbled and a quick lightning flash lighted the clouds. Kax flinched and Iris let her heart jump with surprise as she held her body stiff and facing towards the pokemon. She didn’t want to take her gaze off it, though at the same time, she didn’t feel safe looking right at it.
Cobalion finally let out what sounded like a snort, lowered its head with its gaze still focused on Iris. The wind blew from the pokemon towards Iris, and she thought she could hear a voice in the cold draft of air.
“Come…..follow me…..I was looking for you…..” the voice was deep and faint. Had Cobalion really spoken to her? Staring up at the pokemon, Iris was almost sure the voice was from the pokemon itself.
Cobalion rose its head up again, and then shot away with its back turned towards her, riding up into the sky and disappearing in the clouds.
Iris stood frozen. The voice…..it told her to follow it. It had said to have been looking for her. She would’ve been standing out there for another five minutes, lost in thought, if the rain hadn’t suddenly started drizzling down from the rumbling thunder above.
“Ugh….come on, Kax,” she held the little dragon type upon her shoulder and opened up the door to the gym. She gasped with shock as she realized it was lock. She started banging on the door. “Drayden! Let me in! it’s me! Hurry up! It’s raining!”
As soon as her banging grew louder and louder, the clouds suddenly gave out a huge clap of thunder that made Iris scream with shock and Kax flinch with surprise. “Drayden!!!”
The door opened and she stepped in immediately.
Drayden’s Haxorous closed the door behind her and grunted. Drayden was standing just a distance away from her, with his arms crossed as he gave her a humored smile.
“Well, someone’s excited about the rain!” He teased.
“Rain doesn’t scare me!” She spat, throwing herself to sit down on a black sofa nearby her own sleeping Haxorous. Kax jumped off her shoulder to join its mother. “I….saw something, that’s all.” She closed her eyes, feeling exhausted already.
Drayden came over with an interested look. “Oh? What did you see?”
“Ha, you wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“Hey, come on. I’m Drayden. I believe anything YOU say, you know that.”
Iris opened her eyes and met his gaze as thunder rumbled outside again. “Well…..I saw…at least I think I saw….Cobalion. it was leaping through the clouds and it landed on a building just a few blocks down. it—it stared right at me. It was actually scary, to be honest.”
“Well, of course you would have the right to be scared if you saw a pokemon like Cobalion,” Drayden sat on the sofa in front of her. “Though it may protect the territories of pokemon, it has little love for people and would be willing to attack any human they feel deserves it. you’re lucky it just left you alone. Your Kax at your side was probably the reason why it saw how good of a trainer you were. I bet Kax was happy to have seen it?”
Iris glanced at her little Axew, now sleeping soundly by its mother, Haxorous. She chuckled, remembering the journey she had had with Haxorous when it was an Axew. She had been with Ash Ketchum for his first journey in the Unova.
“Kax sure seemed delighted to see Cobalion,” she replied. Then her gaze faltered and she turned back to Drayden. “But I’ve got a big feeling about this. I was sure the pokemon spoke to me. It was staring right at me—right into me—and then I thought I could hear its voice.”
Drayden raised his bushy eyebrows. “Eh? It spoke to you? Hm….that could mean something, but are you sure you just weren’t hearing things through the freezing wind?”
“No! I swear it spoke to me. I don’t just hear or see things for nothing. It told me…..to follow it. It has been looking for me….”
“Hm, mighty interesting thing for a pokemon to say,” said Drayden, sounding a little humored.
Iris frowned. “You believe me, don’t you?”
“Well, of course! I’m just saying….you really shouldn’t listen to everything you see or hear, no matter whether it came from a pokemon or not. What if Cobalion could be leading you into a trap? It hates humans, remember that.”
Iris raised her eyebrows. “Well….I don’t know. But I feel this may mean more than what Cobalion feels about humans and pokemon. This city is pretty much a ghost town with so little humans now….I don’t see why Cobalion would want to punish people of this city in particular. I’m in control now, so I’m making sure no one’s doing any construction along the borders of other pokemon territories, so the Musketeer Trio shouldn’t be mad at me for anything.” She looked up at Drayden with a determined look. “I believe the pokemon could be giving me a sign, or a warning of some kind. I might want to listen to it and see if it shows up again.”
Thunder clapped and Drayden chuckled. “Well, definitely not during a time like this, unless Cobalion wants you to commit suicide. You should stay in here and get some rest. You still look bushed from your trip to Sinnoh.”
That night, as Iris lay in bed, she was aware of the presence of Cobalion, lingering around the city, waiting for her to come out and follow it.
“I must find that pokemon….” She thought silently. “I was sure it had spoken to me….”
The rain had stopped and the night had grown as still as statues. The stars in the sky looked faded and decreasing each night the clouds grew thicker. Iris wondered if something could be out there, something even more powerful than pokemon like Thundurus or Tornadus to actually rid the world in utter destruction.
The thought of Thundurus struggling against the recent blizzard seemed surprising to Iris. She thought of Xenox. Ash had mentioned how the discovery of the unknown pokemon had sparked interest in Professor Oak and the others back in Kanto. The DNA had been unidentified by all the pokdedex that Ash had, and the unpopular myth of Xenox seemed to make more sense each day the days grew colder and shadowy. It was as if a dark force was overcoming the entire world, filling region after region with anonymous occurrences. May, Drew, and Brendan were already missing. Red had had a mysterious dream. Dawn, Barry, Paul, and Lucas had each experienced a somewhat logical explanation in the past of how the dimensions could’ve shaped these conditions—possibly.
Iris herself, knowing that she had come from Unova, was sure that such a faraway region would have no idea of the ongoing weather happening in the other regions. But apparently, Unova was experiencing it as well. Apparently, Unova seemed to be in the worst condition. Cities were getting destroyed and people were becoming more active in finding a way to counter this effect of weather. Pokemon homes were getting destroyed off the coast, and Iris had even received a phone call from the gym leader in Nimbasa of how her roller coasters had broken down and were struck by lightning. The Ferris Wheel had literally fallen over in a recent storm they had had, and now, people were reconstructing a safer place for the Ferris Wheel, somewhere located in the forest between Mistralton City and Anville Town.
Iris was devastated for Undella City as well. A flood had come over the land, flood nearly half the place of its buildings and resorts. She had felt as if somehow, the pokemon within the region were angry at them, and perhaps Zekrom itself could be weakening Reshiram. A pokemon as powerful as Zekrom, one that could summon electrical storms and the dark forces of pokemon power, could be defeating the pokemon of fire and warmth that could provide over the Unova.
Suddenly, a rumble sounded over the rooftops of the gym. But it wasn’t rain. Iris sat up in her bed and peered out the window. She caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure flash across from the top of her gym towards the next building. “Cobalion,” she thought.
“Follow me……..now…..or forget about it……..” the deep, intriguing voice was in her head again. “Follow, or forget…..”
Iris watched Cobalion leap across the buildings, heading away again. She immediately got out of bed, not bothering to dress out of her hot pink pajamas. Cobalion was speaking to her. And it wanted her to follow her, or ignore it altogether and never bother listening to it again.
She didn’t bother telling Drayden where she was going, whether she was going to be back soon or not. He would understand where she had gone, no matter how long it was.
Passing by Kax, she realized the little Axew was still wide awake. Cobalion must’ve woken it up, she thought. Kax suddenly jumped with glee and leaped up to her shoulder.
“Axew! Axew!” Kax cried happily, hugging her head.
“Ah! Kax!” She whispered, taking the pokemon and comforting it in her arms. “Shh, you got to be quiet. You wanna come with me to see Cobalion?”
“Ax! Axew!” Kax nodded excitedly.
“Kay, let’s go!”
Iris stepped out the door, grabbing her dark coat and wrapping herself tightly around it. The night was still, though the air was as cold as the Cold Storage. “Ugh, this weather gets anymore colder, the world’s gonna freeze….” She realized how true her words might even be.
She hear d a faint bellow out in the distance around the city, and turned to her right. Cobalion was headed west, towards the direction to Icirrus City. She ran through the night, following its cry and the strange feeling of the pokemon’s presence somehow guiding her.
Pretty soon, before she knew it, she had arrived in the Moor of Iccirus.
“Oh my!” She gasped. “We’re in the Moor of Iccirus already!”
“Ax…..ew….” Kax was glancing around nervously. The place looked even more lonely and desolate in the nighttime, as well as the tremendous effect the swamps received during such winter seasons.
“And to think it’s not even supposed to be winter anymore,” muttered Iris carefully as she looked around for any sign of Cobalion. She saw a flash in the distance through the trees ahead, and she raised her eyebrows with hope. She didn’t want to call out its name, for the fear of angrily startling the pokemon.
She took a step forward, and then suddenly heard a new cry through the air. Looking around, she suddenly felt like something was watching her.
Something was creeping up to her from the trees to her side. Slowly turning around, Iris was ready to scream as she saw a dark shadowy figure approach her, looking ready to jump out and attack.
“Iris!”
She immediately calmed down as she realized the person who had stepped from the bushes was only Cilan.
“Cilan!” She gasped, still more than surprised to see him. “What in the world are YOU doing all the way over here? Shouldn’t you be back in Striaton?” But then she huffed again and raised her eyebrows. “Oh, wait! Don’t tell me that Striaton’s experienced an extreme overcast that caused a destruction in that town.”
Cilan narrowed his eyes with humor and laughed. “No! Of course not. Striaton’s fine, compared to the other cities up north. It’s still as cold and thickening as the other regions, though there haven’t been anything like floods or tornadoes suddenly appearing.”
“Then why are you here?!” She huffed.
“Well…..Bianca and Cheren can explain,” he turned to address their old friends who had suddenly shown up through the shadows.
“Axew!” Kax jumped at the sight of the two. He was excited to see them both.
Iris, on the other hand, was not as delighted as she should have been. She was hoping to have found the pokemon that was calling her, and somehow end up speaking to it heart to heart herself. But here she was, seeing people that didn’t even belong here.
“Iris!” Bianca hurried up excitedly. “You’re out here too? No way! Don’t tell me it’s the same reason we are!”
“Um….I don’t quite understand why I’m out here myself, but why are YOU guys all here?” Iris crossed her arms and looked at them carefully.
Cheren pushed his glasses against his face. “Well, you see……just the other night, I thought I had a dream. I was traveling through the caves of Mistralton, until I had suddenly encountered the pokemon Terrakion itself. Terrakion was speaking to me. It was telling me to keep up and follow it, or just give up and ignore that it even spoke to me. Well, I would’ve ignored it if it really were a dream as I thought, but when I woke up—sure enough, I was lying there, all the way in Mistralton Cave.”
Iris widened her eyes.
Cilan laughed. “No kidding! This guy called me on the Xtransceiver, telling me he found himself all the way in Mistralton Cave, where he wanted me to visit as fast as I can so that he can explain. He said it was important.”
Bianca giggled. “I had to tag along. I saw Cilan wandering out in the middle of the night, looking like he was up to something secretive. I followed him without him taking any notice, until I got lost.”
“Of course, Bianca, you would,” said Iris with a sigh.
“Well, I saw something!” Bianca’s eyes were suddenly wide. “I was just passing over the Driftveil Drawbridge with Cilan all the way in the distance, ahead of me. Something suddenly shot from under the bridge, and it was glowing from below. I peered below, and there I saw it. It was the pokemon, Keldeo. I thought I was just seeing things, until suddenly, I was leaning too far to get a better look. The night had been windy, and suddenly, this huge wind just blew me right over the edge. I tried to scream, but I could barely hear myself over the thundering winds whipping pass me as I fell.
“But before I hit the water to who knows how terrible my death would’ve been…….I found myself landing on a small, pony-like pokemon that galloped across the sea, taking me over to the shore. The pokemon was dashing over the waters so fast, I couldn’t even get to regain my senses from the shock and see what it was. When it finally arrived on the borders pass Driftveil, it hovered above me, looking into my eyes as the pokemon Keldeo itself. And as I gazed up at it, it seemed to be giving me a longing look as if it wanted me to stay with it. Before I could even think, the pokemon had just vanished, disappearing as it ran away into the night.”
Iris blinked. “So this one didn’t speak to you to follow it?”
Bianca shook her head. “But it did send me the same feeling. I think it needed me. And it made me want to see Cheren even more. Perhaps he had experienced something similar.”
Cilan spoke next. “Yeah, me too. Before I was about to find Cheren, I sat in bed, studying the strange relations with Musharna and the dreamworld. I was wondering how Cheren could have actually dreamt something up, and awaken to the same place that had taken place—unless he sleep walked of course, but I wanted to see what else could’ve explained it.
“Suddenly, my Pansage was suddenly acting up, dashing from tree to tree and ripping off branches, as if trying to find something hidden in the leaves. I told him he would destroy our part of the gym in no time, but then that’s when I suddenly realized there was a pokemon within the trees. Virizion had suddenly stepped forward, and it gave me the cleverest look…..before leaping out the window and guiding me to find Cheren.”
Iris found this all very radical. “Okay! So apparently, each of you all had some strange encounter with each of the Musketeer Trio, and now you’ve all found each other. I bet the reason why Cobalion brought me out was just to come out and meet the rest of you guys.”
Cilan chuckled. “Well, aren’t you happy to see your old friends again, Iris?” He was looking at her with a polite smile. “Ash’s dance night was barely enough time to see everyone again.”
Iris met his gaze for a moment, and huffed. “Yeah….I guess.”
“Oh, Iris! I’m glad to see you too!” Bianca sounded delighted. “And Kax! He’s growing every time I see him with you!” She stepped forward to give Kax a hearty pinch on the nose. Kax cried with happiness and raised its arms. “You’ll be a Fraxure in no time!”
“Well, guys….” Cheren was looking out to the horizon, narrowing his studying eyes. “I think we ought to find each of those Musketeer pokemon together now that we’ve found each other. I don’t exactly understand what those pokemon want us to do, but we should get going.”
“Right,” said Iris, nodding. “I bet it has to do with all this strange weather condition that’s starting up a tension with everyone here.”
As the four of them searched the Moor of Icirrus, Iris realized how eerie and quiet the moor was during such a climate like this. It was even worse than the regular winters that flowed through the place.
As Iris and the others stuck together, listening for any sign of the pokemon, they each discussed how their own cities had been dealing with the extreme atmosphere. Bianca had told how Hilda had some new roommates moving in her own house because their own home had been destroyed out in Opelucid. Iris even added how Opelucid had been like a ghost town lately, with barely anyone living in their own homes and wandering around town.
Suddenly, a howl sounded through the air, and Iris and her friends froze.
“What’s that?” Cilan looked around. “That sure sounded like a Houndoom.”
Iris gave him a look. “Houndoom don’t live around these parts, smart one.”
Cilan smiled at her. “Well, during a time like this when pokemon are moving around out of confusion, who knows what we might find?”
“Look! A falling star!” Bianca was pointing up at something shining in the sky, just a distance above them all.
“A star?” Iris turned to gaze at the strange glimmering light that had suddenly fluttered above. As it hovered closer down, meeting the beam of moonlight that was shining down towards it, Iris realized that it was a mere body of a strange, bird like pokemon. She gasped. “It’s….a bird of some sort.” She had never seen a pokemon like this before. It was pure white and glowing with bright whiteness from its feathery body, and the center of its forehead was a distinctive light pink smudge. Its eyes were blue and so innocent looking, Iris thought the pokemon would just suddenly make everything all better around them.
As soon as the bird had hovered down, a strange feeling wafted through all of them before anyone could ask questions. Iris felt happy and safe as she gazed into the eyes of this little pokemon, and Kax made out what sounded like a purr at her neck.
“Dou….” The pokemon cooed a soothing, sweet melody from its throat and suddenly flew away, heading towards the dark trees.
“Wait…..we should follow it,” murmured Cilan in a daze. “I think it wants us to follow it.”
“Of course….it’s so cute,” Bianca was beaming with admiration, though her spirits felt just as calmed and careful as everyone else’s.
Iris, without saying anything, took off immediately after the pokemon. She heard Cheren call her name to wait up for the rest of them.
But Iris was hardly hearing anything. She only had her heart and mind focused on the pokemon that had made her feel so uplifted.
“Oh, little dove-like pokemon,” her thoughts echoed in her head. “Where are you? WHAT are you? I must know……”
She suddenly stopped in front of the river of the moor. She looked around. She was sure she had seen some kind of glitter twinkling around this area. Where was that little glowing dove?
She longed to call out its name, but she had no idea what it was.
“Ax…..axewwww,” Kax looked calm and tired as it looked around longingly for the little dove.
“Oh, where did you go?” Iris murmured, looking around the swamp. The river was caressing gently to the right, and she felt like she could fall into the freezing cold water and feel nothing, if she knew she would find that little dove pokemon.
“Iris!” Hissed a voice from behind.
Iris turned with a dazed look in her eyes. Cilan had stepped forward with a hopeful look.
“Did you find it anywhere?” He asked softly.
She stared at him as he made his way up to her side. “No….not yet.”
Suddenly, the water in front of them swayed and something bubbled underneath. Iris and Cilan gasped with hope.
A small pokemon rose from the water in front of their eyes. it wasn’t the little dove, but it was the little colt pokemon, Keldeo. Its blue, swaying eyebrows flowed gently in the wind with its small red mane. The little pokemon let out a cute, gentle cry, looking like a little prince of noble pokemon.
Iris found herself smiling. “It’s you, Keldeo.”
“Mrrrr….” Keldeo was hovering with the airy wind, and galloped its way towards a strange dark object floating on the other side of the river.
Cilan gasped, smiling. “A boat!”
“You’ll guide us to that little dove, won’t you?” She gazed hopefully at Keldeo as it started pushing the boat towards them. It gave a little whinny, urging them to climb aboard.
Iris and Cilan sat in the boat, holding each other’s hands without knowing it. both of them felt strangely bedazzled at the thought of seeing the little dove.
Keldeo galloped along the river, pulling the boat behind it. Iris looked forward, feeling safe and thankful to be in Cilan’s grasp as he held her tightly against him in the boat.
As Keldeo took them forwards in the river, Iris found herself enjoying the night that had suddenly become so dreamy around her. Keldeo was letting out a bluish glow for all of them, and the stars seemed to be shining brighter. She slowly found herself drifting off to sleep on Cilan’s shoulder.

“Argh! Not again!” Barry threw the remote down on the couch with frustration. He got up and walked towards where Dawn was staring out the window at the dark sky.
“TV acting up again?” She asked with a sigh.
Barry crossed his arms. “Psh, I bet in the future, they will invent television so that you won’t need a screen or a remote to work it. It can be atmospheric, like created in the air in front of some glasses on your eyes, or something!”
“Hah! You wanna think about the future, deal with the present right now. So far, I feel as if the world is drawing to an end already…..”
“Oh, you’re just still downhearted about Azelf never responding to your calls,” Barry gave her a hearty nudge as she gazed out at the window with an uncertain look. “Come on! Paul and Lucas are still out there! And I bet they aren’t giving up.”
Dawn huffed. “Well, they sure haven’t called me or anything yet.”
The both of them were at the rest house in near Lake Valor. When Barry, Dawn, Lucas, and Paul had arrived back in Sinnoh, they had decided to split up and try to communicate with the three lake guardians—Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf. Barry and Dawn had gone to Lake Valor with the red gem that Dawn had received from Lucas since his first encounter with Azelf, while Paul had ventured out to Lake Acuity to find Uxie with the other part of the gem Lucas given him, and Lucas himself had taken the last gem to go to Lake Verity, where he would try and summon Mesprit. Knowing that the three of them had each of the gems contained in the red chain, Barry knew that if the three lake guardians were summoned, the three of them must all meet together and connect the red chain for Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf to combine and summon Dialga and Palkia themselves. Of course, they weren’t planning on doing that, which was why they had decided to split up. They only wanted to speak with each of the three pokemon and look for answers regarding the strange condition that has been occurring in the atmosphere. Because each lake guardian had an important role in keeping the world in balance through will, emotion, and knowledge, they were sure to hold answers with what was happening and if Xenox itself was really out there, planning something ominous.
But unfortunately, Azelf hadn’t turned up, even after numerous tries of coming out to the lake and using the power of the red chain. Dawn had tried using the gem by herself, Barry had tried using the gem by himself, but nothing. Azelf was as unresponsive as a rock. Barry couldn’t even feel the strange sense of spirits he had always felt around the lakes. The place seemed as empty and simple as any other lake.
Barry blinked and gave an uncertain gaze. “Hm…..come to think of it actually, don’t you notice how empty the lake feels? As if Azelf isn’t even there?”
“Azelf has got to be there,” said Dawn. “Remember long time ago when Team Galactic invaded the place and Cyrus took Azelf in his own hands? The entire lake had been dried up. Nothing left. That was because Azelf’s presence was missing. But now, the lake seems as full and fine as any lake can be. It hasn’t even frozen at this temperature. Azelf must be there somewhere, whether we feel it or not.”
Barry sighed and crossed his arms. “Well, if Azelf is there, maybe something’s wrong with it. It hasn’t responded to the part of the red chain…..I wonder if anything’s going on. Perhaps something’s happening to Azelf itself, which is why the world is experiencing this unbalanced condition.”
Dawn nodded. “Just what I’ve been thinking! They do say that if Azelf is defeated, the world would be in a frozen state of immobility, with no will whatsoever.”
“Just like Professor Oak’s theory of Xenox!” Barry was frowning. “That old poet says when it awakens, the world will suffer in the Wipeout. But that’s barely logical! I mean, I know they’re getting closer to evidence of its existence, but how does it prove evidence of what it’s capable of?”
Dawn chuckled. “Well, I bet if Xenox causes such a terrible disaster of blizzards, I bet it would be powerful enough to harm Azelf and put it through a state of utter suffering coldness. If something like that ever happens to Azelf, then the world will experience the real wipeout of immobility.”
Barry huffed. “The only pokemon that can cause such a Wipeout to the world would be Arceus….or Gaiyah.” He felt a strange tension flow through him as he mentioned the earth pokemon of the world in its fifth dimension. Memories of Gaiyah flooded back to him…..memories of the fifth dimension came back to him. Thoughts of Kaira…….who was now the real Dovanna herself……stabbed Barry’s heart like a cold spear.
Dawn was staring at him, and noticing his sudden intent expression. She gave him a hopeful look. “Hey, come on. I bet Kaira’s looking down at you from the fifth dimension right now, just telling you to keep being your annoying, headstrong self and never give up.” She had a teasing tone to her voice. “It’s what would make her proud!”
Barry shifted a little, and then turned around, lost in his own thoughts. “Yeah…..I guess.” He suddenly didn’t feel like talking anymore. What if part of the reason why Azelf wouldn’t speak to them was because he was around? He could never forget the terrible moment he had with Mesprit long time ago, and how that moment had affected him deeply later on. The fifth dimension had given him another chance…..but it didn’t mean that he was truly forgiven…..
Dawn watched him go with a sorrowful expression. Barry knew she didn’t like to see him so down and out of hope for himself. “Barry……tomorrow we can try to summon Azelf together. We’ll find the pokemon at the lake when we’re with each other this time. Just give yourself hope. We can do this.”
Barry looked up. “The red chain may not even be enough,” he suddenly said.
Dawn tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
“If Azelf isn’t responding to its part of the red chain,” Barry turned around to meet her gaze, “then maybe there’s a force in the air that’s keeping it from tracing it in the first place. It’s natural for the red chain to summon the three lake guardians, so if it isn’t working, there must be something in the air keeping it from reaching them.”
Dawn blinked. “Well, if that’s true, how are we going to find that out?”
“I don’t know!” Barry turned away in frustration. He was tired of stressing about the same thing every day. “Lemme get some sleep. I’ve been awake all day and night, trying to research as much as I can about not only the lake guardians, but atmospheric pressures and the works of psychics. I’m confused with all the different possibilities that could be keeping Azelf from our reach. I need to shut down for a moment.”
But as Barry lay in the cold drafty room of the resting place in the Valor Lakefront, he found that he couldn’t sleep at all. Thoughts of the fifth dimension were suddenly coming back to him, keeping him up and distracted more than ever. he twisted and turned on the couch, shivering in the blanket. It was extremely cold outside, and he could feel the wind through the walls of the house. Dawn was asleep on the couch right next to his, and was sleeping in a fluffy blanket with the warmth of her little Buneary.
“Ugh…..Kaira…..” He muttered, staring straight ahead as he lay to his side, narrowing his eyes and shivering. “If you have any idea…..if you see anything that’s going on from the fifth dimension, please tell me. Please come back to me…..” Barry closed his eyes and tried to dream.
He awoke in a grassy field, wondering if he had been here before. For a moment, he thought he saw the figure of Kaira, standing there in a distance, staring at him with green, calm, dazed eyes. Her light pink gown blew slowly in the gentle wind that blew around them. her hair was as thin and light brown as it had been last time he saw her as a human. Her skin was as pale as the feathers on her Dovanna form. Though the weather was as cloudy and gloomy as the real world, Barry felt enlightened and relieved to be seeing his true love. It had been so long….
“Kaira…..” He was running across the desolate field towards her. As he reached her, she smiled and the both of them hugged, and Barry let himself loose in the trance of happiness and relief to be near Kaira again. her tender, loving spirit pierced his heart more than she would’ve ever done as a Dovanna.
“Oh, Barry….” Her soft voice whispered in his ear. “I’ve missed you….”
Three years ago, Barry had departed the girl that had once moved into the town of Twinleaf with a deeply unsocial and lonely attitude. Kaira had moved in next door to Lucas and Dawn, though she had never wanted to talk or make friends with anybody. She would either ignore them or give a quick, shy response. Some even believed she had selective mutism.
But it wasn’t selective mutism. Kaira had once been the pokemon Dovanna of the fifth dimension, the pokemon that kept the balance of love in the world and kept balance with all the feelings of love to enter the fifth dimension from the world of earth itself. That was, until the love within her had all been drained out and defeated by the powers of Prima Dona. Prima Dona had once defeated Kaira as a Dovanna, and she had transformed from a vibrantly majestic pokemon, to a frail, lonely girl that was called Kaira. She had been sent through the portals to the first dimension on earth, where a man named Theodore found her and adopted her, bringing her into Twinleaf Town with him. she had never made any friends, nor was she social with any people, or even pokemon. She even had a strange disorder when she met any pokemon, and was unfortunately scared to be around them.
For weeks, Kaira had looked as miserable as the loner outcast she was. Dawn and Lucas thought her strange and a weirdo like everyone else, though to Barry, she was as normal as any person her age could be. Barry had been the first to meet her and welcome her to Twinleaf, and he was the only person she had ever gotten close to as a friend. She talked, laughed, and even felt herself around him, and even though he hadn’t noticed it the first time, she had even almost developed a feeling of love for Barry. But her feeling of love was distracted by the idea of Barry always being around Dawn. Apparently, she believed he and Dawn had a “thing” going on between each other, and had grown secretly jealous.
But eventually, after getting whipped through the powers of each of their own dreams, Barry, Lucas, Dawn, Kaira, and even Paul had found their way to the fifth dimension where they were to fulfill a prophecy to save the world in its fifth dimension form, in order to save their world itself. They were to bring back Gaiyah, the earth pokemon of the fifth dimension. But Gaiyah had been split to two pokemon—the angel Haloana, and the devil Impasar. Paul was prophesized to bring forth Impasar, Dawn was to bring forth Haloana, while Lucas was the fire to combine them both and recreate Gaiyah to restore peace and balance in the dimension, ridding the world from the terrible darkness that Impasar was giving it. But Dovanna, the love pokemon, was needed to summon the angel Haloana first. There was a pokemon in the fifth dimension, known as Phandolia, a silvery unicorn pokemon that was the bringer of peace and goodness that kept the balance of good hearts in the world. Not only Phandolia was needed though, there had to be the love pokemon, Dovanna as well, and in order for Kaira to become Dovanna again, she had to learn to love. Eventually, her bond between her and Barry had increased, and she had found her way to love again. they had brought together the angel pokemon Haloana and the devil pokemon Impasar, recreating Gaiyah itself.
In doing so, they had defeated Prima Dona—or at least they thought they had. She had been created from the devil pokemon Impasar, out of dark matter, millions of years ago. She was seeking to fulfill the need of her creator, and allow darkness to enter through to the fifth dimension, for whatever affected the world on earth, affected the fifth dimension’s side. The last time they had seen her, was when they were traveling through the portals back to the fifth dimension during the creation of Gaiyah.
But those thoughts of departing Kaira right after Gaiyah had been created were all forgotten at this moment. Barry was happy and utterly bewildered to be this close to Kaira again.
“Oh, Kaira……I’ve missed you too…..” but suddenly, just when he was about to let her go and look right into her eyes, she started glowing. Barry let go and stared in confusion at her. “Huh? Kaira?”
She transformed from the human girl, to a ten foot tall, majestic and beautiful dove-like legendary, the pokemon Dovanna. She had her eyes closed, and as she opened them to gaze at Barry with the warm, tender loving green gaze, she suddenly faded away into the air.
“Dovanna…..Kaira?! Wait! Come back!” Barry felt desperate. Why would Kaira just come to him like that, and just leave him without a word?
Suddenly, the place around Barry seemed to give off a blink.for a second, everything was blank, and then suddenly, the field blinked into focus again. “Huh?!” Barry looked around in confusion. He felt his heart start to race. He suddenly felt dizzy, like his dream was finally ending.
But suddenly, he snapped into focus again, though he could see himself, or understand where he exactly was. But he felt like he was there, either dreaming, or awake and lost.
“Barry….” Kaira’s familiar, calm voice suddenly echoed through his head. He suddenly felt the strong warmth of her presence.
“Kaira?” He spoke through his thoughts, though it still seemed as loud as it would’ve been if he had spoke aloud.
“Barry…..the portals of the dimensions are weakening…..” Kaira’s voice was faint, though Barry could understand clearly of how sorrowful she sounded. “Pretty soon, I will be unable to speak to you through dreams again…..things will be different….”
“W-what do you mean?” Barry felt his heart leap, wherever it was. he could see himself, though he didn’t exactly understand the state he was in right now. Everything around him was blurred, and then suddenly dark black and blank. He could only hear his and Kaira’s voices. “You’re saying I won’t be able to dream of you again?”
“Your dreams….they probably won’t find their way into the fifth dimension…..” Kaira was speaking with careful intent. “Remember that when you dream….your dreams go somewhere, and take place in the fifth dimension, in a place known as Lluyan. The portals though…..something’s weakening them. things from the fifth dimension may find their way through…..and even come to the other dimensions as well. Dreams may not take the same pathway if the portals are breaking. You must figure this out……you must discover what it is that’s disrupting the inner forces of your world…..and breaking through the fifth dimension.”
Barry’s mind was suddenly fading away, but he was longing to speak some more. “Wait….the portals are breaking?”
“The portals are slowly disintegrating; somehow, they must be restored….” Kaira’s voice was fading away. “If the portals are broken……the fifth dimension can have an unwanted effect on your world…..you must stop it.”
“But…how? What’s going on?....Is Xenox….real?”
“Xenox….” The name echoed around Barry, though the voice didn’t exactly come from Kaira.
But when Kaira spoke, it was full of hope and clearness. “I love you, Barry…” Her voice was vibrant. “I want to always see you as much as I can…..I want us both to be safe. Whatever’s destroying the portals between our dimension…you must figure out what it is. This time, not even the lake guardians are able to help you….alone. you must look within….and figure things out for yourself before--”
But the dream had suddenly stopped. Just like that, Barry was suddenly dragged from his dreaming trance, suddenly awakening in the room of the resting place. He gasped and sat up, panting quietly. What had just happened to him? that was the strangest dream of Kaira Barry had had yet…..
She had mentioned something about the portals being destroyed. Just like any other dream he had shared with Kaira, he had felt like it had truly happened, as if he had actually traveled to another place and had met Kaira once again. He missed her dearly….and he hadn’t been able to speak to her since the whole incident at the dance night had happened. But now, he felt like he had barely gotten to speak with her.
Stepping out of the couch, letting his feet touch the cold floor, he crept over to get a glass of water to clear his thoughts. His mind was spinning as he walked through the house. If the portals between this world and the fifth dimension were broken…..who knew what could be capable of entering this world? Barry couldn’t imagine pokemon like….the angel and the devil pokemon ever making it to earth……or pokemon like the three messengers of the angel and devil coming here—again. barry would never forget the exciting moments he had spent with Chibu, a pokemon from the fifth dimension that had come to their world, seeking Kaira for the pokemon Dovanna. He missed the pokemon dearly. But he knew there was at least one pokemon that would always remind him of Chibu. Rowan had created his own pokemon out of the creature’s DNA, mixed with the genes of a Clefairy. Casavon was still back in Twinleaf, safe in his lab.
Walking pass a mirror, a figure of Kaira stood there, staring right at him as he passed by.
Barry flinched. “Huh?!” He suddenly felt his heart race with astonishment. He whipped around to glance at the tall mirror once again, making sure he hadn’t seen Kaira’s own reflection in his own world.
“Am I still dreaming?!” He thought rapidly. “Or have the portals broken to the point that Kaira herself has even entered to have a better talk with me?”
Gazing back at the mirror, Barry saw nothing. But suddenly, a glowing figure was fluttering behind. The pokemon was white, and it was a small as a Starly, with wide blue eyes that stared right at him with a happy gaze.
Turning around with utter awe, Barry saw not baby Dovanna, but a mere little girl, staring up at him with…..the same blue gazein her eyes, and the same white dress that wrapped around her, holding a Teddiursa doll in one hand. She was tiny, probably no more than three years old….but right when Barry looked at her, he gasped and raised his eyebrows. “You….”
The little girl giggled. “Hello, Barry.”
“You……”
The little girl giggled again. “Aren’t you surprised how I know your name?”
“Of course you know my name!” He gasped, taking a step back, staring at her with a wide-eyed gaze. “Y-you’re….”
“My name’s……Amira,” the little girl spoke carefully.
“No it’s not!” Cried Barry. “You’re not fooling me! I know you! you’re Dovanna—baby Dovanna! Kaira’s little hatchling! Aha!”
Amira flinched and narrowed her eyes. “No, I’m not. I’m no baby…..” she looked cute to be angry, upset for the way she hadn’t managed to fool someone this time.
Barry was blinking with confusion at Amira, and then let out a snicker that turned to a humored laugh. “Haha! Hey, you really tried to make me think you’re some kind of unknown, random little girl? You turn up at the middle of the night to see me! What do you want…Dovanna?”
Amira glared at Barry through a few strands of hair in her eyes. To Barry, she looked almost exactly…..like a little girl version of Kaira. Despite her darker brown hair and blue colored eyes, her face and expression seemed to remind him so much of Kaira. But Amira didn’t look right to be frowning at him. She seemed like such a child that would look so nice to smile. Amira huffed. “Hmph…..don’t you DARE call me Dovanna. My name’s Amira. I’ve come to bring you a familiar friend….Barry.”
Barry raised his eyebrows. “What? Me? A friend? Who? Hey! Can Dawn meet you too? She’ll be so happy to see you again……it’s been such a long time since we’ve seen you—I thought we lost you!” Barry remembered how baby Dovanna had followed them through the portals when he, Lucas, and Dawn had returned to their home back in the first dimension of Twinleaf Town. But Barry had never expected baby Dovanna to turn into a human. The last time he had seen baby Dovanna, was when it fled his grasp and flew out into the unknown world, roaming the earth as one of the first pokemon to come from the fifth dimension. Now, here she was, in the form of a real human child, staring right up at Barry with challenging, playful eyes.
Amira giggled. “Oh, Dawn! I miss her too…..of course she can meet me! But that can wait until later. You’ve got other important things to do.” Amira was slowly circling Barry, and he kept an intent eye on her as she stared back at him as if to observe.
“How….how did you ever become a human? Are you sad? The reason why Kaira ever became a human was because she was sad….”
“Oh, I am not even close to sad as mommy was!” Cooed Amira. “No! I’m perfectly happy. Why? You think humans are a symbol of sadness, and that I should just become one if I lose my love? No, Barry. I looooove my life.”
She stopped in front of him again after one rotation. As Barry stared into her eyes, he felt a strange, charismatic feeling, similar to the feeling he would feel around Kaira. Except this feeling was more intriguing, as if there was something anonymous and mysterious about the way he felt around this child. He felt happy, yet curious, about the strange girl in front of him.
Suddenly, Amira blinked and clapped her hands. “Cassie! Come here!”
From behind the right corner of the hallway behind Amira, a pinkish glow shone. A pokemon hovered down the hall, making its way towards Barry, squealing with delight and cute happiness.
Barry gasped. “Casavon!” It was the pokemon Rowan had created from Chibu’s DNA! “Wait—what are YOU doing here? Why have you brought it all the way here?” He looked at Amira with shock.
Amira giggled and pressed her fingers to her lips. “Shh……you talk so loud! You’ll wake up Dawn……”
And Casavon happily danced around Amira as the child stared at Barry mischievously. Barry stared back in a trance, and watched as Amira slowly transformed back into an even smaller figure, until she was in the shape of a baby Dovanna again. She spread out her wings, and the room around Barry disappeared.

The room was glowing with bright intense light just down the hallway behind Dawn. Sitting up on the couch, Dawn awoke, wondering if the early morning light had suddenly become bright for once after many long weeks. But then she turned around, realizing the light was coming from the hallway behind her.
“Huh? Barry?” She looked over to the right and realized his couch was empty.
“Bun?” Buneary sleepily yawned and blinked its little eyes at Dawn.
“Hmm……something’s up. Come on, Buneary, you better get back in your pokeball.” She summoned her little pokemon back in its ball and got off the couch, heading towards where light seemed to be blinking from the hallway.
Dawn kept her eyes alert and focused on the light ahead of her. “Barry? Are you there? What’s going on?”
Suddenly, the light went out. The hallway was as dark as the shadowy night outside. Dawn gasped and stopped in her tracks, suddenly feeling afraid of the dark. She heard a thump on the wall. “B-Barry?” She tried not to sound scared. She was almost eighteen, though she felt as if she were still the scared little girl that feared being alone in the dark.
Suddenly, a whisper sounded across the hall. A pokemon suddenly flew over her head, making her gasp and hold her breath.
The pokemon hovered in front of her, and glowed vibrantly. The pokemon’s eyes were gazing right into Dawn, looking as happy and gleeful as it had been when Dawn had last seen this little creature.
“Oh….my…..” Dawn was breathlessly happy.
“Dou….” The little pokemon in front of her was a white dove.
“Dovanna….baby Dovanna…..” She was more than surprised to see that the little pokemon was still alive. The moment they had found that it had followed them back into their own world, the little pokemon had escaped to roam free in the wild of the world, and had never returned since. It was already more than three years since she had last seen baby Dovanna fly away out of Barry’s hands and disappear into the woods, sounding as free and happy as a lark.
“Dou…..” baby Dovanna still looked the same—same size, shape, same white glow and blue, happy daze in its eyes. It rose higher into the air, and spread out its wings, suddenly disappearing in the blast of bright light that started to glow from around its small body.
“No…..stay here…come back…” Dawn felt lightheaded and longing for the little pokemon’ presence. She held out a hand, wanting to grab at the light and fetch out the little dove that had disappeared. But suddenly, the light faded….suddenly turning into a strange, light purple. Something else was glowing behind the light, and from the left side of the wall, another pokemon figure was hovering towards Dawn.
Dawn stared with awe and felt her heart lift with awe. It was Azelf.
Azelf let out a calm, whispery breath and closed its eyes. The red gem upon its head glowed, and Dawn gasped as the gem in her pocket started to rise above her own head. Azelf reopened its eyes again, and Dawn immediately felt everything around her go blank.
When Dawn reopened her own eyes again, she found herself lying on a hard surface, where the air seemed still, yet chilly. Voices were speaking around her. Something was growling.
“She’s alright?”
“She’s awake!”
“Hey, Dawn!”
Dawn blinked and let her gaze clear. She was panting. Barry was at her left side, peering down at her with a look of excitement. A strange shape was hovering next to him, but as soon as she stopped blinking, it seemed to have dashed away.
“Hey, you okay?” Barry spoke. “You blacked out as soon as we found you.”
“Wha--?” Dawn sat up. “What happened? Where are we?”
“You’re in the center of Iron Island,” said a familiar voice.
Dawn felt her heart lighten and she smiled, turning to look behind her with a gasp. “Riley!”
The tall, darkly dressed steel type trainer was making his way over to them with his partner Lucario.
Dawn rose up, feeling dizzy all over. She felt like she had been tossed around in a rapid storm for hours. “Oh, Riley!” She gave him a hug as he came up to her with a warm smile. “It’s been…..way too long.”
Riley chuckled. “Only a year. I did see you in your last contest match in Rembort Town.”
“Well, that’s still too long ago,” she let him go and sighed, smiling. “I haven’t been in a contest in Sinnoh for ages.”
Next to him, Lucario was staring up at her with a growl, though his focusing, warm expression showed how happy he was to see her too.
Barry laughed behind them. “Hah! Well, you guys seem relieved already! I’m still worked up about what had just happened to all of us.” Barry looked up at the sky. The clouds were still covering up with a dark gray gloominess of dawn.
“What happened?” Dawn turned to Barry with a concerned look. “I met Azelf last night! But….you’ll be more surprised at who I met before that.”
Riley crossed his arms and focused on Dawn with a studying glint in his dark eyes. “The young Dovanna from the fifth dimension, wasn’t it?”
Dawn turned with a surprised, but calm expression. She would expect someone like Riley to understand the strangest things. “Yes….how did you know?”
“I told him, that’s how!” Barry stepped forward to Dawn’s side. “And guess what? I met baby Dovanna too. She brought an old friend to me, all the way from Twinleaf.”
And suddenly, from behind Barry’s head, a pink, oval-shaped pokemon with jutting spikes on its four sides, hovered above Barry with a playful, mischievous expression in its tiny, button eyes.
Dawn gasped. “Casavon!”
“Ca-CHII!” The pink little pokemon glowed with pride and let out a blast of pink light at the rocks towards Dawn’s feet. Lucario let out a suspicious growl.
“Hah! Hey, careful there, Casavon,” Barry took the little pokemon from the air and held it in his arms. “Don’t destroy the island with your fifth dimension powers.”
“Well……Barry did also tell me a little more of the fifth dimension as well,” remarked Riley in a quiet tone.
Dawn remembered how they had once met Riley in the fifth dimension as well, but it had only been in the region of Lluyan, where Riley had only been in his dream state. While he was asleep in this world, his dream spirit had awoken in the trance of a dream, appearing on the other side in the fifth dimension, meeting both Dawn and Lucas in the region of Lluyan. But Riley had barely kept up with them on their journey. He had only done as much as he can to help them get through the region of Lluyan during the moments when he could dream to be with them.
Dawn turned to Riley with a mischievous smile. “I bet you still remember your dreams of meeting us for real. I bet it was the best dreams ever.”
Riley chuckled and met her gaze warmly. “Well, it sure was memorable.” He looked up at the sky with a narrowed look. “But we must find that little Dovanna pokemon that you guys know of. Barry’s told me a lot of baby Dovanna since I found him suddenly upon this island.”
Barry nodded. “Apparently, baby Dovanna’s teleported us. I don’t know why…..but hey! You said you met Azelf afterwards?”
“Yes,” replied Dawn. “Azelf was the one to teleport me, actually. I bet baby Dovanna helped guide it to me though. It sure looked longing and confused….”
“Well, believe it or not—Dovanna appeared to me as a little girl!” Barry’s eyes were wide and full of shock.
Dawn blinked and winced. “What?! Really?”
Riley was even looking at Barry with a concerned gaze. Clearly, Barry hadn’t told Riley about this yet.
Barry looked at both of them and huffed. “Yes! She was like….three years old or something! A real human child. At first, I thought she was Kaira as a little girl….but that just made me recognize more of how much she looked like baby Dovanna. She was wearing a white dress, and she had the same happy blue eyes as baby Dovanna. I swear! She called herself Amira—but I know she was baby Dovanna.”
Dawn and Riley blinked at him like he was crazy.
Dawn snickered and almost said something teasing, but Riley spoke first.
“Well, whether she was human or not, I’ve found traces of baby Dovanna upon this island. It spoke to me as well, before it left, leaving a strange glow where Barry suddenly appeared at out of nowhere.” Riley and Lucario both looked at each other, both sharing the same thought. Riley nodded and turned back to Dawn. “We should find that little bird of yours. Perhaps it wanted something from you…..for it has let the likes of both of you appear here with me.”
“What about Azelf?” Asked Dawn. “Do you think it could be here?”
Barry raised his eyebrows. “Is the gem of the red chain with you?”
Dawn gasped, reaching into her pocket. “Oh yes, it is….but it was glowing and seeming to almost take action when Azelf appeared.”
“Well, keep that with you,” said Riley. He stepped forward with a studying look ahead of them. “Lucario will feel the island for any aura of baby Dovanna or the Being of Willpower. He’ll guide us to whatever he finds.”
Barry chuckled as he watched Lucario growl and close its eyes, putting its hand to its chest and listening closely to its surroundings.
He cast a playful look at Dawn. “You know, I’m more excited to see that baby Dovanna again rather than Azelf. I bet it could have more answers than even the lake guardian itself.”
Dawn chuckled. “What? Just because you thought it was a little girl? What do you want with a little child?” Her voice was teasing.
Barry frowned and Casavon hovered above his head, staring curiously at Dawn with mischievous button eyes. “I didn’t THINK it!” Barry snapped. “I’m not open-minded enough for something as random as that! I really did see her as a child! She was pale like Kaira, with the same blue gaze in her eyes as her baby Dovanna form! And she called herself Amira….”
Before Dawn could think of what to say, Riley was suddenly looking at her.
“Are we ready to go?” His eyes were narrowed and intent.
Dawn blinked and then nodded. “Yep. We are. Let’s go.”
They followed Lucario through the rocky slopes of the island. Dawn found herself doing a lot of climbing and hiking over trail after trail, wounding their way around endless numbers of rocks.
Barry had Casavon hovering above his head like a little guardian. The pink pokemon was so much like Chibu and the angel messengers in many ways. Dawn found its little button eyes most fascinating. They were tiny and spread apart its horizontally oval shaped body, with a small mouth in the middle below them, with two tiny fangs that poked out like a Clefairy’s. At the bottom corners jutted out straight jet-like spikes that helped it point its way through the air. The little pokemon was irresistibly cute, though Dawn wondered how much it would mean if anyone out there in the world ever found the little pokemon and identified its genes as a fifth dimension pokemon. She wondered what would happen if Professor Oak ever got hold of it.
“He’s already onto Xenox, isn’t he?” Said Riley carefully. They were just discussing the consequences. “I bet he could see the pokemon as an element of a faraway world, and use it to twist and turn what he already knows about Xenox.”
Barry looked at him. “Does that mean he’ll blame the fifth dimension for all the weird occurrences through Xenox? With its dreams and everything?”
“Who knows,” shrugged Riley. “I barely knew about Xenox myself until you told me. It all began to sound logical though, for Lucario and I have been trying to track down the strange aura in the air that was somehow causing this weather disturbance.”
Dawn raised her eyebrows hopefully. “Did you ever even find an aura?”
Riley said nothing for a moment, and then finally took his eyes off Lucario, facing the ground as he walked on. “Yes…..there was an aura in the air. Something definitely was causing this terrible gloom in the sky, and all the random storms and blizzards occurring off the coasts of every region. But Lucario and I could never exactly figure out what it was. Every time Lucario and I tried to look in the aura of the snow and the air around us….our minds would get frizzled. I would feel a strange coldness shoot through my own aura, as if the aura in the air was fighting back at my own when I tried to uncover its identity.”
Dawn and Barry looked at each other with interest. Dawn felt a spark of hope in her heart.
“Oh, wow!” She suddenly remembered something. “Barry, remember how back in Saffron, Misty, Ash and the others had found a strange Ice Spear from Sabrina?”
Barry nodded. “Yeah! Sabrina mentioned something about looking into the Ice Spear, and how it would somehow freeze her soul whenever she tried to get a closer look into it.”
Dawn looked up at Riley. “That obviously must have something to do with the Ice Spear. Then that means Xenox IS out there in the air, somehow destroying our world slowly….”
Riley nodded, studying her with an unreadable expression. “Clearly, the aura in the air—whatever it is—doesn’t want to be known. And it’s using its cold spirit of ice to keep us from finding it. The only thing Lucario and I know, is that the aura that’s causing this whole disturbance and theory of….what you guys were calling ‘the Wipeout,’ is made of pure blankness….and ice.”
Dawn couldn’t help saying out loud, “Xenox….” Every time she thought about the pokemon and its significance to life made her own heart shiver enough. The thought of a sleeping pokemon, slowly having nightmares that were affecting the world in the form of snowstorms and cold weather, was distrurbing. And the thought of that pokemon ever waking up soon, causing the whole world to disappear in a deadly attack of ice, was anonymous.
Barry seemed to be feeling the same way as well. “Hey, what did Lucario exactly find just now?” He looked forward to where the pokemon had suddenly stopped at the top of a small, jutting rock. “Did it find baby Dovanna, or Azelf?”
Riley glanced at Lucario. They had all arrived to a strange part of the island, where they neared the edge of a cliff that was probably stories high from the rapid ocean waves below. Snow had already seemed to be falling from this part of the island, which surprised Dawn since it hadn’t been snowing at all from where they had last been.
“He senses something….” Riley was speaking in a low voice. “Let me see….”
Dawn watched as Riley stepped forward, closing his eyes and letting his arms stick straight at his side. A cold air blew over them all, blowing a vast amount of snowflakes through Riley, Dawn, and Barry.
“Ah!” Barry and Cassavon jumped back in annoyance.
Casavon let out an irritated, “Ca-chaaa!” and tried to whip its body around, trying to whip at the flakes with its jutting ends.
“Where in the world did this snow come from?!” Barry said aloud. “Just five minutes ago, we were trudging dirt and rocks! Now there’s snow everywhere!”
Dawn huffed and shivered. “It must be Xenox! It’s aura must be strong in this part! I bet it’s slowly coming closer to waking up each time the wind gets colder!”
Riley opened his eyes and stepped back. Lucario was growling, suddenly crouching on all fours.
Dawn stepped closer to Riley’s side. “What’s wrong? What happened?”
Riley held her shoulder with a narrowed gaze. “I can’t make out the aura clearly in this weather. There’s a strange aura that’s blocking it—the very one that’s keeping Lucario and me from reading it. It’s blocking our sight form anything else around us.”
Barry gasped. “Xenox is not letting you feel other pokemon’s spirits?!”
Riley huffed. “Apparently so…”
Suddenly, a blast of white light appeared above Lucario, making the pokemon growl and jump back, hurrying back to Riley’s side with a snarl. It whirled around, facing the light with a challenging, studying stare.
“Oh wow…” Dawn was staring in awe at the white light.
Azelf appeared from the spiraling vortex, hovering forwards with its eyes closed. As it stopped, a familiarly small pokemon fluttered from behind it, suddenly filling the air with a warmth that pierced through the coldness and touched everyone’s hearts with a happy, charismatic feeling.
“Baby Dovanna!” Cried Dawn.
Even Casavon let out a delighted squeal, and Lucario suddenly looked dazed.
Riley was staring at the little bird as it fluttered around Azelf, dancing with a happy gaze in its blue eyes. “Douuu!”
It gave out a happy cry and flew towards Riley, hovering in front of his face just an arm’s length away.
Riley was staring back at the pokemon with a dazed expression. His eyes were full of awe, and unblinking.
“Riley?” Dawn said quietly, looking up to see how bright and shining his face was in front of the glimmering dove pokemon.
“Dou…..” Baby Dovanna cooed and closed its eyes. in response, Azelf, from behind, opened its own eyes and swished its three tails all at once.
The red gem immediately flew out of Dawn’s pocket and hovered above Azelf’s head. The pokemon let out a quiet soft whiser, and a bright light shot out above them all.
Dawn looked up into the sky, and she could see Lucas standing at the shore of Lake Verity, and Paul by the lakeside of Lake Acuity.
“Lucas! Paul!” Barry tried to call out their names, but they couldn’t hear them.
Suddenly, baby Dovanna reopened its eyes and flapped its wings. A blinding light shot from the sight in the sky above them, and blinded all of their gazes at once.

The air was suddenly moving rapidly around Paul. One moment, he was staring out at Lake Acuity, almost thinking he had a glimpse of Uxie, rising through the misty snowfall in the distance. But then the light had suddenly brightened upon him, as if Uxie had shot forward. Paul had stumbled back, nearly falling over, as he squeezed his eyes shut and held his arms out to resist the sudden shot of air that blasted from the distance.
When he reopened them, Uxie was shining in front of him, eyes closed. The red gem on its forehead was glowing, and the gem that Paul kept in his pocket suddenly rose and hovered above the pokemon. Uxie was glowing with intensity, until it let out a soft whisper, and the light suddenly intensified all around and made Paul’s vision go blank.
Paul suddenly regained consciousness. He found himself lying on a tree branch, blinking into another shine of light. For a moment, he had thought his vision had gone blind after seeing Uxie react like that. But he was lying on a tree branch, looking around with narrowed eyes at the place he was in.
The area was a flat land of dirt, where there seemed to be a few buildings here and there. A road cut through the side of the tree he was in, leading over a hill towards where there seemed to be even more houses. Paul blinked and frowned.
“Where am I?” He thought, studying the place carefully. He thought he recognized part of the area, for the air smelled of smoke and had an air of slight warmth, compared to all the other places he had been through lately. Everywhere he went, places seemed to be in the same state of coldness. The world seemed to get colder and colder each day. Lake Acuity had been freezing, and he felt like an Eskimo trying to trudge through the top of Mt. Coronet to reach the top.
But now, even though the sky was still the same blank gray gloom, the air seemed to be heated with a strange atmospheric warmth that slightly flowed in the breeze. It had been a long time since Paul had felt that warm feeling of a summer breeze, and this was as close to warm as the air could get. He felt strange, as if having some kind of déjà vu.
Suddenly, the place around him rumbled. A splash was suddenly heard in the distance, and Paul turned to realize that he was just a distance away from the ocean, not too far from some kind of beach.
Above the branches, a creepy snarl sounded all around. Something jumped out of the trees, and a small shadow escaped from above, disappearing into the tree behind. But then Paul’s tree suddenly shook, and something suddenly crashed from above.
Looking up with a start, Paul almost thought it was some kind of pokemon falling through, but then the shadow became bigger, and a body collided with him over the shoulders, making him fall off from the tree.
“Argh!” Paul yelled in confusion, pushing the body off of him. He turned with a frown, and then widened his eyes in surprise at who it was.
Ash Ketchum grunted and sat up, brushing his dirty shirt, which looked dusted and ruffled, as if he had been through a rainstorm, and then tossed around in dirt. His hair was ruffled, and he didn’t have his hat.
“What the…..” Ash was looking around him, and as soon as he made eye contact with Paul, he stifled a gasp and flinched. “Paul!”
“Hmph,” Paul was surprised to see him too, but he stood up and looked down at him with narrowed eyes. “Of course…..you have to turn up at the most random time for me again.”
“What are you talking about?” Ash sounded urgent. “What are YOU doing here? What is this place, actually? I swear! I was trying to find Pikachu, caught up in that tree when I just randomly climbed my way into this place but--”
“I barely know where I am myself,” said Paul, looking around with uncertainty. “But dealing with you about it isn’t probably going to help me. I’m going to take that road to town, and see what place this is, and figure out how I got here myself.”
“Wait a minute!” Ash sounded annoyed. “Aren’t you curious about how I got here? Or tell me how YOU got here?”
Paul turned with a frown. “Why should I? I have no interest in what you’ve been up to, and you should mind your own business on what I’m trying to do.”
Ash narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. “Hmph….I’ll tell you anyway, though. See, Pikachu and I were stranded on an island with Red and Leaf. We suddenly met this…..girl—Amira….and she helped guide us through this cave that lead through underground tunnels. We split up…..and I was following Pikachu and Amira, and then eventually, we came to this opening that lead to the beach back there.” He nodded at the beach behind him in the distance. “I couldn’t find any sign of Amira, so I tried to keep Pikachu under control until we figured out where we could be…..but Pikachu suddenly—started glowing. And then it just ran off. I tried to follow it….but I lost it just now.”
Paul huffed. “Well, it’s not my fault.”
Ash frowned. “I never said it was!” He turned red. “Sheesh, what’s your problem when it comes to encounters? Can’t you at least take interest in something that doesn’t have to do with yourself?”
Paul said nothing and continued to glare at him. He almost thought about just simply walking away again, but Ash started blabbering on again.
“Oh, come on! Why don’t you tell me about what YOU’VE been up to? How was Azelf, and what happened before you found yourself winding up all the way over here—wherever this is?”
Paul huffed. “Damn….” He muttered, looking away. “If you insist…..I was just observing a strange pokemon in Lake Acuity…..until I just suddenly got trapped in a storm of snow and bright light, suddenly whipping me all the way over here.”
Ash raised his eyebrows with interest. “Whoa…..did you see Uxie?”
“I saw Uxie…..” Paul narrowed his eyes, trying to recall. “But I thought I had seen another pokemon as well. Through the blinding light…..I thought I had caught a glimpse of…..what looked like a white dove.” He winced, remembering everything clearly. Before the light of Uxie had become so intensifying, he was sure he had caught sight of what looked like a little dove wounding its way across the water. He couldn’t make out what it had been, for Uxie had started glowing in the distance, distracting him from the strange pokemon.
Ash laughed. “It was probably a Wingull, or a Snover.”
Paul frowned. “It wasn’t a Wingull—it was too small for that. And I just said—it was like a white dove,” he turned on Ash with a look of irritation. “How would that relate to a Snover? Do you know anything about pokemon?”
Ash suddenly fumed. “Hey! Who’s the fool that—ugh, you know, forget it,” he turned and faced the road that lead over the hill. “I’m gonna find Pikachu. I saw it flee towards the trees this way, and I’m gonna go see if it’s made its way into the next town. You do what you want….I’m going to see if I can catch Pikachu, or find that girl, Amira.”
Paul etched a sly smile on his face and walked forward, keeping to Ash’s side as they headed down the path. “Your Pikachu doesn’t sound like it’s changed from its devilish attitude. You better find it before it destroys the city that’s around here.”
Ash just frowned, muttering.
Paul remained quiet by Ash’s side as they walked on, and thankfully to Paul, Ash kept his mouth shut. They didn’t speak as they entered the city, until Paul suddenly saw the sign of the place they were in.
“Cinnabar Island?” He winced. “If that isn’t the most random place to be in…..”
“Oh, wow!” Ash gasped. “I knew it! We’ve really found our way into Cinnabar Island! Amira was right!”
Paul turned with another frown towards Ash. “This ‘Amira’ girl, who is she exactly? You sure seem intent on how special she was to help you guys.”
Ash blinked. “What are you talking about? Amira’s smarter than you know.”
Paul chuckled. “I don’t even know her at all.”
Ash fumed. “Well, then don’t ask questions. I bet you’re not even interested anyway.” He walked on, refusing the attempt to start another argument.
But Paul was teasing him now, and enjoying the way Ash seemed to be hiding that red blush on his face when Paul had mentioned Amira himself. He grabbed Ash’s shoulder with one hand, stopping him. Ash turned and faced Paul’s grimacing smile.
“What?” Ash winced back and pushed Paul’s hand off his shoulder, giving him a raised look.
Paul just chuckled. “You’re funny,” he muttered.
“What?!” Ash clenched his fists. “If you wanna tease me about something you don’t even know about, then--”
“Ooh, you guys look so cute arguing with each other like that!” Squealed a little voice.
Paul and Ash turned to see a little girl skip up to them, carrying a Teddiursa doll in her hand. She had her dark brown hair in pigtails, up in pink ribbons. She had a bright, happy daze in her big blue eyes. Her skin was as pale as her white dress that wrapped around her, similar to a toga.
Ash gasped and turned towards her. “Amira! Your ribbons! They’re pink again….”
Paul blinked. He frowned and crossed his arms. “Huh…” he grumbled. “So this is the Amira girl you’re all over?”
Ash turned and returned Paul’s gaze. “Yes, this is Amira. She helped us all, before we all split apart. Apparently, she experienced a strange nightmare from the spirits underground in the caves, and she couldn’t recognize me for a while.” He turned back to the child. “But hey…..Amira, you look like you’re back to normal now. I mean, you look happy again and….your ribbons are pink.”
Paul watched as he touched a strange of ribbon that hung behind her head.
Amira giggled. “Of course they pink! I love pink.”
Ash sighed. “Well, whether you noticed it or not…..they were black for a moment.”
Amira gasped, looking somewhat shocked. “I hate black, though.”
Paul blinked and just shook his head, rolling his eyes. Who was this girl? She was probably no more than three years old and according to Ash, she had been the one to have helped guide him, Red, and Leaf through the caves underground. It was all strange to him.
Amira suddenly turned her gaze towards Paul. “Hey! Who is that?” She pointed over to him with a small finger.
Ash turned and chuckled. “That’s Paul,” he said carefully.
“Ooh! Is he your best boyfriend?” She said excitedly.
Paul kept himself from flinching. What in the world was this girl talking about?
Ash gave a sharp wince. “What?!”
Amira giggled. “Haha! I saw you two playing under the tree! You leaped on top of him! And then you two were walking together down the road! You looked like really good friends.” She gave Paul a mischievous smile and started skipping around them.
Ash kept his gaze on her, looking deliberately confused. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I fell on him by accident!”
“Ashie and Paulie! Sitting in a tree!” She started to sing.
“Oh, cut that out!” Ash huffed. “I’m serious, Amira. I’ll take your doll away and throw it out at sea, I swear.”
Amira stopped and suddenly looked at him with a gasp, raising her eyebrows. She turned to Paul, who was gazing at her with a narrowed look of disgust.
“Who are you anyway?” He finally spoke. “What are you doing all the way out here, helping people seven times your age?”
Amira huffed. “I’m helping Ashie!”
Paul glared. “Your parents could be worried about you, you know.”
Amira huffed at him. “My parents don’t tell ME what to do!” She rudely turned her back on him and spoke to Ash. “When we got lost in the cave with Red and Leafy….but I don’t think Leafy…can make it….”
Ash gasped. “Leaf? She won’t make it?”
Amira looked up at him carefully. “The spirits don’t like her. There’s something in her…….something disturbing to the spirits.”
Ash stared with awe.
Amira huffed. “But it’s not her fault, don’t worry. Maybe we can help her!”
Paul sighed and turned away. He had no idea what was going on, and he didn’t care. He had to find some way to get off this island and back to Sinnoh, and he grumbled angrily at how long that was going to take.
Ash looked at him, noticing the wary look on his face. He turned back to Amira. “Um….perhaps we should explain everything to Paul. He doesn’t exactly understand everything that’s happened. And I’ve got to find Pikachu too.”
“You go explain to Paulie!” Amira giggled. “I’ll go find Pikachu!”
Ash looked at her with uncertainty. “But….you sure you know your way around Cinnabar Island?”
“Of course I do! I can track down Pikachu in no time! Trust me!”
Paul couldn’t help letting out a humored smile. The thought of just simply trusting this girl and letting her do her own thing like she already was made Paul admire her tough, but pathetic attitude.
But Ash just sighed. “Well, okay. But I’m coming with you.”
“No! you and Paulie need an alone time together,” she winked at him playfully with her little girl smile.
Ash widened his eyes and glared. “For the last time, we are NOT boyfriends, dammit!” He looked completely frustrated.
Paul just eyed him, keeping his irritated thoughts silent. This little girl was a real bugger.
Amira just laughed and skipped away. “Bye-bye! I should probably leave for the real moment to happen! I’ll tell ya when I find Pikachu!” She headed away down the road in the distance.
Ash and Paul watched her go with a look of confusion.
Paul chuckled. “Pretty amazing girl, isn’t she?” He muttered with a hint of sarcasm.
Ash huffed. “Shut up! You don’t know her…she’s smarter than you think. Trust me, I bet she’ll really find Pikachu.”
Paul kept his gaze narrowed on Ash as he passed by him.
Ash turned to meet Paul’s gaze with an irritated frown. “Well? Don’t you want me to tell you more about everything?”
Paul said nothing and just glared.
Ash huffed and turned away, walking towards a house behind them.
Before Paul followed him, he turned to glance one last time at Amira before she disappeared. The little girl was bounding towards the trees, where the path lead to a woodland area. Suddenly, Amira stopped in her tracks and started humming a sweet, happy tone. She was starting to glow.
Paul raised his eyebrows. Amira was hovering above the ground, and her body suddenly dissolved in the midst of the bright glow until she shrank into the form of what looked like a little white bird.
Paul held back a gasp of shock. Amira had transformed into the bird he had seen fly across Lake Acuity. She shook away the glow and flew away into the trees, cooing a sweet musical tone in the form of the dove-like pokemon she was.
Paul turned with a start to see if Ash had seen her. But he still had his back turned, and he was slowly walking farther away from him. Not bothering to call out his name and tell him about his explicit sight, Paul kept up behind him, alone in his thoughts. If he had seen it correctly, Amira must not be a three year old human child at all. She wasn’t even fully a human herself.

It was raining tremendously outside the city of Saffron. The night was dark, and the storm was thunderously loud, blowing all the trees and everything it can pick up. Not a single soul dared to go outside, and all the wild pokemon had fled to the safety of their homes underground, or anywhere inside trees or caves they could find.
Lyra sat on her desk with the windows shut tight, writing in her journal with intent. The rain poured like a waterfall on the roof of the apartment, and she felt as if the entire building would wash away with the storm.
“Dear Journal,
It is raining tremendously hard right now. Just as I predicted before, the weather was going to get worse, and then it was most likely going to snow here in Saffron as well. As far as I’ve heard, Saffron has never gotten snow. But this whole weather complication and the theory of Xenox…..it’s really starting to seem all true.
Just the other day, I was making a visit to the Pewter City Museum, trying to see what I can learn from the information on prehistoric pokemon. Unfortunately, when I bumped into Silver at the time, he already had a genetically created pokemon with him! Those scientists are already creating their own pokemon to resist the weather! The pokemon he had was a mere Larvitar, though it looked more like a possessed evil robot made out of force and fakeness from the scientist’s hands. To think that the thing shared blood from Xenox itself…ugh. I feel terribly sorry for it.
Apparently, Silver was trying to find out a thing or two about prehistoric pokemon, discovering how they had adapted to such weather conditions that used to be much more fatal and difficult back then, millions of years ago when the earth was still young. I was also especially curious of how the earth within was changing with time, and how it was adapting to the weather changes itself, in a time like right now.
But before I met him with the pokemon, I had stumbled upon something very peculiar….and believe it or not, it turned out to be a little Celebi—the pink one, and the very pokemon Silver was still chasing after. It was there, all alone in the library, looking around curiously at all the books as if it were a little customer itself. I dared not to make a sound to scare it, but it noticed me soon enough anyways.
Surprisingly, the pink Celebi wasn’t scared. It just stared at me…..gazing at me as if studying me. For a moment, I was locking eyes with the super rare pokemon, wondering what could be passing through its mind, I was hardly breathing.
Suddenly, the pink Celebi glowed and told me to go away. I don’t know how…..I didn’t even hear its voice or anything, but somehow, I knew it was signaling me to leave it and leave the museum at once.
Startled and confused, I left without hesitant. And that’s when I caught Silver, holding my journal at where I had left it sitting on a platform in front of the huge Ho-oh replica.
But since then, I’ve been thinking about the pink Celebi. I have no idea what it could be doing…..but I believe it may have significance into what’s going on with this world. Celebi are said to appear only during peaceful times, and that it may bring dead pokemon back to life……..
I believe it has appeared to guard this place—along with the rest of this world. If pokemon are to die of the possible incoming Wipeout by that terrible Xenox, I could see no other reason why Celebi would appear at such a time, as to help protect the forests of pokemon, and perhaps….restore them back to life. I believe it must be some kind of messenger for the world, and that this particular pink Celebi is seeking pokemon in need during such a time to help any wild pokemon out there that is suffering from this unwanted condition. But I bet it can do more, though. I bet once the whole Wipeout comes…..the pink Celebi may keep itself alive somehow…..working through the forces of time. I bet this pink Celebi is a pokemon of the future, ready to go back and save the past right now, from ever encountering this drastic change of the Wipeout so that the world at the present can live on towards the future that the pink Celebi came from itself.
Ugh, time is so confusing. If this Celebi was really from the future though, I could only predict it’s traveling back to this time to help save it and save the pokemon from the Wipeout. I sure hope it will succeed though.
If Xenox is meant to destroy all pokemon and everything of the world until there’s nothing left but ice, then perhaps that would have a drastic effect on Celebi too. In my mind, I have made up my own imaginary defense against this. I think of a certain element that’s keeping Xenox’s power in balance, two stones to be exact. One stone is white, one is black. The black one controls the balance of its strength, while the white one controls the power of its dreams’ strength to break through portals, and cause the strange occurrence of its dreams becoming real. The black element……I picture it as a stone that I’ll call….the Black Ebony. The white one, because it controls the power of inner, mental power of its dreams and everything, I’ll refer to as the White Crystalline.
But the Black Ebony and the White Crystalline are separate, and if they are commingled together, they may create what I’ll call the Silver Jewel. (Haha, I’m so corny at making up names) If the power of Xenox’s physical strength towards the world in the Black Ebony commingles with its inner spirit in the White Crystalline, the Silver Jewel will be as powerful enough to upbring its power of the Wipeout. Those two pearls that I imagine—the Black Ebony and the White Crystalline—and what I fantasize, holding its power within, so that when the pokemon Xenox is awakened, the Silver Jewel must be completed and commingled in order for the Wipeout to really work. As long as the Black Ebony and the White Crystalline don’t mix, pink Celebi may still have a chance to save all pokemon from death when the Wipeout does come. The Silver Jewel must not be present when Xenox awakens.
Of course, this is just a belief I’ve made up—though it IS based on logically true events. Xenox will awaken soon, for I can feel it, and I no longer theorize it. there are three Ice Spears that are out there—each that was once part of the pokemon. Misty already has one. Those three Ice Spears are what contains the power of Xenox’s aura within each, and if they all combine together, the pokemon Xenox will truly be summoned. I can feel it rising like a sun, except this pokemon is a frozen sun, one that will awaken to banish the world with endless, terrible snow. Each day, Xenox is slowly awakening…..showing signs in the world already that it is on the verge to waking up to the real, full Wipeout. These storms that terrorize the regions are an obvious example of its distraction in its sleep, to suddenly wake up one day and cause destruction in the world.
I can feel it rising in me…..one day, the pokemon world will never be the same again……

“Argh! That will be the last time I trust you with a pokemon!” Yenko was yelling at Silver furiously. Silver had brought in the disheveled body of Robotar, who was like a broken, abused robot.
He faced up Yenko with a narrowed look. “I swear…..” he muttered. “It wasn’t my fault.”
“Well, pokemon that we modified must be handled under our care at all times!” Shouted Yenko, taking the body of Robotar and throwing it in the trash can. “From now on, our creation will be well protected by me and the other sceintists. Not you, those blundering idiotic Team Rocket, or those famous, self-conceited supermodels from Cerulean.”
Silver raised his eyebrows. “Actually, sir, Misty and Gary still have the Pichu in their hands. I’d fetch it back for you if you want--”
“Nonsense! I could care less about the Pichu. Even though it’s been created with the blood of the Ice Spear, I highly doubt there would be any significance if it survived the Wipeout. It’s barely got any more powers than a regular Pichu. The only use it’s got is that it can withstand the ice storm, though it can’t do anything else besides that.” He turned to the Pidgey floating in the tube. “This here Pidgey, though, has the distinct features of the prehistoric pokemon it used to be. When it does survive the Wipeout, it will bear the functions of what the powerful prehistoric creatures used to. It can rule the world with its long ago functions, and choose to roam the planet with its powers against the deadly Wipeout storm.”
Silver huffed and watched as Yenko turned to switch on the heater for the tube. “The pokemon is merely alive now…..though it must take a few weeks for it to survive correctly when it comes in contact with the world. DON’T touch it, or any of the machinery around it!”
Silver glared back as the scientist focused a stern gaze on him. Yenko seemed offended by the selfish look in Silver’s eyes. He grunted and turned away, heading to the other room. “You may spend one more night in this lab….but by tomorrow, I’ll have you and everyone else who aren’t scientists—out.”
That night, Silver sat by his bedside, thinking deeply. He silently complained about all the things he was missing with Robotar, and that he could’ve trained the little pokemon do be his most prized monster, a beast that would conquer all other pokemon with the powers of its prehistoric but technologized robotic features.
He also thought about the pink Celebi that killed it. His heart burned at the thought of the pink Celebi. He had been trying to capture that pokemon. He had followed it all the way here, to where it arrived in Kanto. He was hoping to do more than train it hard when he caught it—he was hoping for it to win Lyra’s attention…..and admiration.
He lifted his head up, gazing at the dark window of his room in the lab. Lyra was something special. Even though he never showed how much he cared for her, he felt deeply intrigued and uplifted whenever she was around him. She had spirit, she had hope. She could teach him many things about how to deal with pokemon. He had wanted to catch Celebi—a pink Celebi—and dedicate it just for her. He remembered how she had rejected him when he had almost mentioned that, but he still felt that she truly would feel a difference towards him, if only he had his hands on such a pokemon that could rise the spirits and liven up even dead pokemon.
He stood up, heading out of his room. His mind was spinning with all the different reasons why Celebi had done such a thing to Robotar.
“It’s supposed to bring dead pokemon back to life,” thought Silver angrily in his head. “Why did it purposely destroy a pokemon like Robotar?”
But he knew the answer. Robotar was no pokemon—at least it was no naturally created pokemon. The scientists had messed with its genes and injected blood of the Ice Spear…….and perhaps that could’ve stirred Celebi. But what was it about the pokemon Robotar that made Celebi actually want to destroy it?
Silver headed down to the lab kitchen where the modified pokemon slept in their glass tubes. He made his way over to get a glimpse of each of the pokemon that had been created by the scientists. There were about ten, Silver counted. Including the Pichu with Misty, there were ten all together. Each of them were different pokemon of each species, some from Johto, some from Kanto. Silver eyed a strange looking Heracross in a rectangular tube. Its eyes were closed, and its color was a strange light blue as it slept with wires injecting its head and heart. Silver noticed how large and shapely its horn was. It was about the size of its own head. He guessed it must be a prehistoric feature of the long ago Heracross. The blood from the spear must contain strange powers that just reopened those old, long ago genes…..somehow.
The last pokemon Silver stopped by was the prehistoric Pidgey. It was the smallest after Pichu and Robotar, though it still looked one of the fiercest. Silver admired its curved, deadly looking claws that were almost half its size. Its feathers looked more straight and rough, and Silver could no longer doubt that it must be a much more powerful Pidgey than its regular species. He wondered……what would these pokemon do to the world once they were the last ones living after the terrible Wipeout? Would there be people strong enough to control them?
“They were going to try modifying a human as well…” muttered Silver to himself, suddenly remembering what Yenko had discussed with him earlier. “Yenko said after the rest of these pokemon are all fully charged and awakened, the scientists will experiment a real human….and inject the blood from the Ice Spear. Wow……imagine a human bearing the blood from a pokemon as powerful as Xenox itself. A person that can survive even its Wipeout…….ugh!” Silver crossed his arms, feeling like kicking one of these glass tubes over. “So stupid that Yenko wanted to kick me outta here before they start the experiment! I will miss it!”
But then Silver narrowed his eyes and smiled. “Well, I don’t care what Yenko says,” he muttered deviously. “I’ll be back to witness the formation of a modified human that shares the blood of Xenox. I’ll even speak to the human…let it know how important it is and what it’s capable of.” Silver snickered. “I wonder……will the human be a guy or a girl?”
Suddenly, there was a deep bump against the glass of the tube to his left. The Pidgey was shifting. Its eyes suddenly blinked open, and Silver froze as he made eye contact with the little pokemon. Its eyes were a strange purplish color—purple on the left side and blood red on the right.
Silver swallowed, feeling strangely nervous. The pokemon was hovering in the tube with its head still connected to the wires that lead to the top of the tube. The Pidgey spread its wings, about a four feet wingspan. The wings were majestic for a Pidgey’s, and nicely lined with elegant, stern feathers. A deep rumble came from within the tube, and Silver felt as if this pokemon contained a power no other pokemon had had.
A crash sounded from the back of the tables of tubes. Silver flinched and arched his head over the Pidgey’s tube, and gasped as he saw that the Furret tube had been tipped over. He heard an earsplitting cry, and immediately dashed over to see that the Furret was lying on the ground, with bubbling liquid substance from its tube, leaking all around its body. The tube was in pieces, and sparking with electricity from the wires that had been yanked off its head.
There, hovering above the Furret, was the small, glowing body of pink Celebi. The pokemon shot downward, giving the Furret a bite on the ear that suddenly turned the pokemon a pale color until its body was frozen like ice. The Furret’s eyes were lifeless and dead.
The pink Celebi gave out a sorrowful cry as it looked down upon the pokemon it had just struck. It slowly turned to meet Silver’s gaze. Silver stared back at the pokemon’s cute, babyish eyes. They looked clouded with sadness as Celebi locked eyes with him.
Silver dared not to breathe. The pokemon was right there, hovering in front of him, just an arm’s reach away. He could tell the Celebi had done this out of reluctance. It hadn’t wanted to kill, but it had.
Silver felt a strange feeling around this pink Celebi. He still had the biting urge to catch it. He dashed forward, reaching out a hand to catch at the pokemon, for he had no pokeballs, and he was barely thinking straight.
“EEEEE!” Celebi let out a little squeal and shot back, escaping Silver’s swat. It immediately dashed over to the next tube and kicked it over. The Caterpie that had been resting in there fell to the floor with a sharp crash, and the pink Celebi zapped it with a powerful shot of Magical Leaf.
“No!” Cried Silver. The Celebi was dashing over all the tubes, freezing each of the modified pokemon with a crying call.
Silver turned around. “Yenko!” He ran back to fetch the other scientists. Opening the door to exit the lab kitchen, he got the most surprising scare of the night. The body of Yenko suddenly fell forwards from the door to the hallway. Silver yelled and pushed the body off with shock.
“Oh my…..” He widened his eyes at the sight before him. Down the hallway, bodies of each of the scientists were hung on the walls, all frozen, some with their eyes still open with paralyzed fear. They were all dead.
Silver looked around at the pink Celebi who had done this. What was wrong with it? Was that…..even Celebi?
“Ciiiiii!” Celebi was suddenly hovering over the last tube at the end of the room—the tube that contained the prehistoric featured Pidgey.
“No! Not the Pidgey!” Silver hurried over to the Celebi, with a look of the aftershock of what he had just witnessed in the hallway.
Instantly, Celebi broke the tube with a punch of its little fist, and the Pidgey suddenly rose out, crying in a fierce, deadly cry. It was the only pokemon in the lab to be fully alive now, and it looked obviously angry. It hovered towards the ceiling, glaring at pink Celebi and Silver below it.
Silver just stared up at the Pidgey with awe. The Pidgey was glaring down with its red and purple eyes glinting like the devil’s. Instantly, it let out what sounded like a squawk, and let out a powerful Wing Attack, aiming towards Silver.
“Ahh!” Silver cried in pain as he blew over to the side of the room, hitting his back against the bookshelves.
“Ciiiii!” Celebi dashed the next attack that the Pidgey struck at it, and Silver watched with a blurred vision as the powerful Pidgey chased Celebi, both pokemon the same small size, despite the wingspan of Pidgey.
Silver felt dizzy with pain, and squeezed his eyes shut as another blast of wind blew at him from the Pidgey’s fight. From above the bookshelf, something cold and glistening fell in his hands. Even in the dark, Silver could clearly see the silver-clear Ice Spear of Xenox. He held it in his hand, staring down at it with a blank look.
Suddenly, he looked up with a start at a terrifying yowl from the Pidgey. It was headed towards him, like a jet plane, with its beak sharp and pointed, ready to stab him in the heart.
Silver squeezed his eyes shut and prepared for the worst.
But suddenly, Celebi shot at his side, and let out an attack of Leaf Storm, getting the Pidgey lost and whipped up in the powerful attack of leaves. The Pidgey squawked and fell back, hitting the ground.
“Chi!” Celebi grabbed the left shoulder of Silver, and he felt himself hovering with the little pokemon. Celebi let out a strange psychic attack, and then fled the lab, heading towards the exit, hovering quickly up through the tunnels underground.
Silver heard an earsplitting cry once again from the lab, and the entire place blew up behind them as the Celebi fled towards the top.
The next moment Silver woke up, his mind was as blurry as he had ever felt. He felt himself surrounded by a warm blanket of leaves in the branches of a tree. Something was shining at his side, cooing in a soft murmur.
He gasped and flinched away from the pokemon. It was the pink Celebi. Images of what he had just been through with it suddenly sparked in his mind again, and he felt scared. He no longer had the urge to capture such a pokemon…it had even killed the scientists. The entire lab was utterly destroyed. Everything inside--all gone to waste. Even the pokemon and people.
Silver couldn’t bear to look at Celebi, thought he still felt the strange charismatic feeling that the pokemon always bore. The pink Celebi was gazing at him, blinking sad, sorry eyes at him, as if to say, “I’m sorry for everything you had to see…..I’m here to make it all better now.”
Celebi’s tiny fairy-like wings fluttered as the little pokemon hovered in front of Silver. It let out a longing cry, and tried to hover towards Silver, almost looking as if it wanted to smile at him.
“No….” Silver crawled back, raising his eyebrows. “Stay away from me….WAH!”
Silver suddenly slipped off the branch and felt through the air. He heard a cry from Celebi and felt his body hover just an inch above the ground before he collided.
Silver dropped as soon as Celebi hovered his fall. Grunting, he looked up to glare at Celebi, and then suddenly widened his eyes. The pokemon was gone. He could no longer see its pinkish glow up in the trees. The woods were as silent as it would have been at night.
The sky was a bright but blank gloom with gray clouds—another typical day, Silver thought. Looking around, he remembered having the Ice Spear with him…..right before leaving the destroyed laboratory.
“Crap….where is it?!” He hissed, feeling his pockets and looking around. He looked up with a frown. That Celebi must’ve taken it, or left it in the lab to burn and destroy with the entire building. “But wait….it couldn’t destroy such an element, couldn’t it?” The Ice Spear was part of Xenox, or at least the DNA of a very powerful pokemon.
Suddenly, there was a rustle in the trees behind. Silver turned and saw that Ethan had entered the woods, and was meeting his gaze with a concerned look.
“Silver? Silver! What are you doing here?” Ethan looked surprised.
Silver just blinked and narrowed his eyes. “Well…what are YOU doing here?” He didn’t exactly want to suddenly blurt out everything he had just gone through with a pink Celebi.
Ethan looked around with an alert, confused expression. “I thought I saw Lyra wandering around in here…..I was wondering what she was up to. She seemed to be following something--”
“You were following Lyra, huh?” Silver glinted his eyes mischievously.
Ethan met his gaze and frowned. “She was following what she thought was pink Celebi,” he remarked carefully. “I came in with her, and then lost her when she just suddenly hurried on without me. She disappeared all of a sudden.” He narrowed his eyes. “Have you seen her?”
Silver blinked and laughed. “Nah, I haven’t seen her. You probably won’t believe what I’ve seen…..”
“Well, tell me everything while we come back to Saffron,” Ethan turned, ready to leave. “I’m going back to see Misty and Gary before they get ready for their concert. Tell me what’s been going on with you.”
And so Silver discussed everything with intent about how he had met the pink Celebi in the lab, and that it destroyed the entire place. He spoke with seriousness, making sure Ethan believed him.
Ethan was nodding, looking transfixed. “Wow…that does…not sound like Celebi.” He turned away, looking down with a look of uncertainty.
“Well, it’s true,” said Silver rather snappishly. “Pink Celebi was there, and I can swear it. It destroyed the entire lab.”
“Hmph…maybe it was angry with the way pokemon were being created by people and not by the natural world like they should.”
“Well, why would it actually destroy them?” Silver remembered his Robotar with a pang of sympathy. “Seriously, I could’ve been with a lot of adventures with that pokemon….”
By the time Silver and Ethan reached Saffron, Silver thought about everything he had to tell Misty and Gary, as well as Team Rocket. They all needed to know about the pink Celebi, and that the scientists’ lab was gone and destroyed, with all their work put to waste. Pink Celebi could even be after Pichu soon, considering it was a genetically modified pokemon as well.
They met Misty, Gary, and Team Rocket by the fountain in Celadon. To Silver’s annoyance, they were barely listening to him.
“Oh great!” Misty was rolling her eyes. “Check this out! Angelica’s made top four in the best costume votes.”
She and Jessie were glaring at a magazine over James’s shoulder.
Jessie huffed. “She thinks she’s so special….look how far I’ve made it within only a few weeks!” Jessie giggled at herself. “I’m already in third place, and it won’t be long until I pass up HER!”
Misty chuckled and gave a sideways look. “Well, you may pass up her, but you’ll never win as much popularity as me.”
Jessie let out an offended gasp and laughed. “Oh just watch me! I bet you’re scared—I know it!”
Silver glanced at both of them, wincing visibly. Apparently, Misty had changed a little. She and Jessie were blabbering like conceited females.
Gary was reading the same magazine and he snickered. “You guys wanna see scared, check this picture of Molly at the showdown last night. She freakin’ tripped on her way down the purple carpet!”

“Ooh, lemme see!” Jessie came towards his side and Misty laughed.
“Poor Molly,” she said sympathetically, though she was rolling her eyes and smiling.
Ethan chuckled and looked at Meowth. “I bet this is taking up a lot of your time, huh?”
“Eh!” Meowth shrugged. “Modeling is like our new theme now.”
James looked up from the magazine and gasped. “Ooh! We should develop our own motto before Jessie appears to make her way! Prepare for trouble! It’s Jessie, ready to walk down, her glittering style, making audiences crumble….” He added meekly, “with awe.”
Misty turned to flash a wince. “What? No way!”
Silver huffed. “Well…when you guys are ready to listen, I’ve got something important to say…”
“Oh, yeah!” Gary looked up from making fun of pictures with Jessie. “Silver’s here. Let’s see what he’s got to say about those bozo scientists! Have they made anymore pokemon out of wood, or mechanics?”
Silver met his gaze and glared, though he didn’t feel as surprised. It was typical Gary.
Silver just explained everything he had just told Ethan, and he watched as each of their gazes turned to astonished, wincing stares.
When he was finished, they just blinked at him.
Silver blinked back. “What? Do you believe me?”
Gary looked at James, and James turned to Meowth, who spoke first.
“Um…..you mentioned that pink Celebi did all this……”
Misty interrupted with a frown. “And you said it took away my Ice Spear?!”
Silver frowned back at her. “Who said it was YOUR Ice Spear?”
“Oh! That’s totally unbelievable!” Jessie huffed, looking annoyed. “Celebi’s a sweet little cutie pie! It would NEVER attempt anything like that!”
“I’m tellin’ ya,” said Silver simply, glaring at them all. “You wanna see the lab for yourself, go ahead. What I saw last night was no B.S.”
Gary raised his eyebrows and gave a tired smile. “You’re B.S., though.” And he and James both snickered.

Silver fumed at Gary and clenched his fists. “Idiot, I’m no more shit worth it than YOU are.”
Jessie laughed and pointed at Gary. “Ooh, he speaks the truth, you know.”
“Hey!” Misty stepped over to Gary’s side with her arms crossed. She had a grimace on her face. “Gary’s an awesome picture stalker. Especially for me.”
Gary gave her a wince. “You callin’ me a stalker?”
“Of course she is,” Ethan chuckled, walking up to Silver’s side. “Anyways, Silver and I are going to find Lyra. You guys haven’t seen her by any chance, have you?”
Meowth blinked and looked at James. “Nah, we haven’t seen the twerp with the big hat. But we’ve seen….lots of other things lately….ugh.” Meowth gave an exhausted expression, casting a glance at Jessie and Misty.
Silver rolled his eyes and turned away. “Like I care.”
Gary gave him a wince and put an arm around Misty, smiling. “Well, we should get back to the park. Mary will be expecting us soon.”
Ethan flashed a gaze from Gary to Misty. “Hey, since when did you two get engaged?”
Silver winced and turned to look at Gary proudly with an arm around Misty.
Misty’s eyes went wide and she turned red. “What?! What the hell are you talking about, Ethan?! Since when did we say Gary and I are going out?!” She sounded flabbergasted.
Ethan chuckled. “I don’t know, calm down! it just looks like it, that’s all. And I’ve seen pictures of you guys lately also.”
Jessie chortled innocently. “Oh, they’ve got pictures all right. But so do I! you should see some of my pictures with James here.” She gave the blue haired rocket member a nudge.
James gave a quiet groan. “Oh yes, she’s been taking some enhancing pictures,” he sounded nervous as he tried to force a smile.
Silver blinked and rolled his eyes. “Nice, good for you. I bet I’d love to see them.”
Misty laughed and gave Jessie a hearty shove. “You’re just trying to copy my pictures with Gary!”
“Yeah!” Gary added with a mischievous glint in his eyes. “You know Misty and I look sexy together! You jealous!”
Jessie whirled to give a raised glare at Gary. “Oh, so you’re talking sexy pictures, huh? Well! I’ll rub a poster that Mary just submitted of me and James! The two of us are drop dead in that picture! We’re THE SMEX!”
Silver muttered under his breath, “Such conceited jerks…..”
Misty and Gary laughed, clearly not hearing him. “Oh we’ve seen that!” Misty turned with Gary linking her arm, and cast a clever look behind her. “But you’re still more than welcome to show us anyway, Jessie.”
A goth dark haired girl suddenly walked up to Jessie’s side. It was Angelica. She was chuckling with a smile on her face.
“You guys wanna see sexy, check out my new magazine Mary’s selling out now.” She said with a conceited tone.
Jessie flinched and turned to glare at her. “Ugh! YOU!”
Angelica giggled and walked away, her head held high. “People are gathered at the park already. They’re all hovering over MY scenes though. You guys are comparing each other, why don’t you take notice of who the REAL superstar around here is?” She passed by Misty with a narrowed glare and whispered, “I’ll expect to meet YOU there, especially.” And she gave Gary a teasing smile and winked before she walked on.
Misty glared after and fumed. “Ugh….I’ll show you.” She let go of Gary’s arm and stormed after her, stomping her way pas Silver, muttering under her breath.
Silver turned to watch her go. Gary and the rest of Team Rocket followed after her. Jessie was blabbering and complaining to James. “Oh, if she beats Misty, I’ll still have two to compete against!” She whined. “Ugh! Either way, it’s gonna be sooooo hard!”
“Really?” Muttered Silver, eying her. “I thought you said you were beautiful and ‘sexy’ enough.”
Meowth sighed and turned with an exasperated look towards Silver and Ethan. “Eh, here it goes again. we’ll see ya twerps later.”
As soon as they disappeared, Ethan was shaking his head with a sideways look. “Dang, I’m not surprised about Team Rocket…..but what’s gotten into Misty? I mean….she was tough and headstrong, but she was never THIS conceited. Gary too! I thought he had changed for the better…..but it looks like he’s going back to being a jerk all over again.”
Silver huffed and narrowed his eyes. “I dunno,” he answered quickly. “They’ve all been the same to me. I hate ‘em all. So where should we find Lyra?”
Ethan raised his eyebrows, looking a little taken aback by Silver’s rough words. “Well…..since Misty and the others haven’t found her, we should probably go back to the Silph building where Professor Oak is.”
Silver huffed and noticed Ethan was holding a magazine in his hand. he could see part of the picture at the front of Misty riding Gary’s shoulders, looking happy and outgoing. But he noticed a picture inside the book. “Whoa…is that a picture of Misty and Jessie….kissing?”
Ethan opened up the magazine and peered at the page. “Um….yeah, hehe, I guess so. It says ‘top model makes out with prep queen to make Angelica jealous.’”
Silver crossed his arms and gave a sideways look. “So the rest of the world knows how Misty, Jessie, and that Angelica are all competing and jealous of each other, huh?”
Ethan chuckled, flipping through the page, eying the news and pictures it showed. Lots of them were of the same people—Misty, Jessie, Angelica, some even of Gary. “Apparently so.”
Silver shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Typical fame from such foolishness. If I wanted to be that famous, it would be for more WORHTWHILE accomplishments, like mastering pokemon of the entire world.”
Ethan laughed. “You sound like Ash crossed with a parent.”
Silver frowned. “It’s true! Who wants to get famous for doing nasty, inappropriate things like THAT?” He focused his gaze on the magazine.
Ethan shrugged. “Modeling’s not nasty and inappropriate.”
“I meant all the gossiping and mushy stuff going behind all of it,” muttered Silver. “That kind of fame messes with your head. They ought to be back to their old ways, chasing after pokemon and trying to focus more on the intent…of Xenox. The whole world could suffer anytime soon that pokemon wakes up, and they’ll be behind the curtains, giggling and admiring how beautiful each of them look.”
Suddenly, a crash sounded from the alley to the right of the fountain. Ethan and Gary turned to see that there was a shine from behind the dumpster. Silver turned to peer closer at the alleyway. There, hovering from behind the trash cans, was the pink Celebi. And from behind it, Lyra suddenly appeared form the nearby dumpster.
“Lyra!” Cried Ethan.
Lyra looked around. “Silver…..we were wondering where you had gotten to,” she spoke quietly.
Silver winced. “What? What are you talking about?”
Celebi muttered a low, sweet cry and glowed brighter. Lyra spoke again. “Well, pink Celebi told me to wait in the woods while it went back to fetch you. it was headed back for the lab. After it got hold of you…..it lost its place where it had last left me—partly because I had gone out to have a word with Ethan since he had followed me into the woods. But then I lost him again as well after getting a glimpse of Celebi’s return again. Apparently, Celebi had left you on the tree to go find me, but then when we came back for you, you disappeared.”
Ethan stepped forward. “Lyra, you said that Celebi was gathering you, me, Silver, Misty, and Gary all together?”
“Yes,” said Lyra. She looked around. “Aren’t they all here? I thought this was where they were holding the magazine sale.”
Silver huffed. “Yeah, they all left to where they’re having it at the park. They didn’t take any interest in seeing pink Celebi or noticing you.”
Lyra blinked with uncertainty. “Hmph, that’s weird. Well……we can’t wait for them now. Celebi?” She looked up at the little fairy-like pokemon in the air. “Will you take us? We can always come back for Misty and Gary later.”
Silver winced and spoke louder. “Later for what?! What’s going on? Where is Celebi taking us?”
But the little pokemon had already nodded and spread its little arms. From its chest, a sharp, dazzling glow poured out, and the Ice Spear that Silver just had was hovering in front of its face.
“Hey……the Ice Spear…” Silver stared in awe as Celebi hovered it over its head. Then it let out a quick little cry and teleported with them all.

“That’s Amira!” Cried Barry, pointing at the little girl in front of him, Dawn, and a strange tall man with a Lucario. “That’s the girl that had turned into baby Dovanna!”
Amira stared up at them with a nervous blank look of a little girl. She had a finger in her mouth as she gazed up at them all with nervous, curious eyes. She had been trying to search for Pikachu, but when she had gotten to the other end of the island at the beach, she had stumbled upon a familiar friend—Lucas. Of course, Lucas had no idea of who she really was, and didn’t know at all that she was baby Dovanna herself. But she had fraternized with him and helped him from the shores of the beach where he had been washed upon. He claimed that he was just at Lake Verity a few moments ago, until Mesprit suddenly appeared, teleporting him to appear out of nowhere. She introduced herself as Amira, and explained how he was at the island of Cinnabar, where Mesprit must have wanted him to teleport since it knew of Ash being here, in close contact with Mew like Mew had wanted.
Lucas had been confused and curious on how much Amira had known about Ash, but she just told him that she had met him here as well, and he had told her everything of his journey, and how Paul himself had wound up here just like Lucas had.
Just now, she and Lucas had just witnessed Dawn, Barry, and the strange guy that called himself Riley. But before they could explain their presence, Barry had already blurted out how he and she had already met before.
Amira just pretended like she didn’t know. She stared at them with a confused little girl look, but in her head, she was silently cursing at Barry. “Ugh! You’ve still never learned to shut up! You’ll blow my cover! No one but the boys must know that I’m the baby Dovanna……”
Dawn and Riley just looked at each other. Lucario was standing at Riley’s side, growling suspiciously at Amira. But the little girl didn’t fear the pokemon. She knew he could read her aura.
Dawn huffed and gave Barry a look. “Oh, come on! Baby Dovanna is probably back in the fifth dimension by now. Even though the portals are closed, I bet something’s happened within the three years we last saw it.”
Barry just laughed. “Hah! What are you talking about? If you’ve come here from the fifth dimension, you’re stuck here! Kaira’s still told me about how baby Dovanna has been out there all this time….” He gazed down at Amira. “And even though she never told me of baby Dovanna becoming a child, I can see it myself anyway! This is baby Dovanna! I saw her turn into that pokemon herself, on that night at the resting place in Lake Valor before we got to Iron Island!”
Amira bit back a stinging reply. She pretended like she was scared, and that she had no idea what was going on. “No one must know….” She thought silently.
Dawn blinked and looked at Amira. “Aw, look! You’re scaring the poor little girl!” She faced Barry. “And if Kaira has never even mentioned such a thing to you in a dream, then why would you assume that this is really baby Dovanna? Kaira would’ve told you!”
Barry blinked, looking a little confused. “Well….I haven’t been able to dream with her correctly lately…..she’s been pretty vague since the strange moment at the dance night….”
Riley was studying Amira hard. Amira stared back up at him, her eyes intent. She knew he could read her aura. She knew both he and Lucario knew who she really was.
“Please, oh please!” In her mind she was begging. “Don’t tell anyone about me…..yet.”
Luckily, Riley seemed to understand her mind, as well as her aura. “Well, if this little girl is such a changeling, she means no harm right now,” he said, turning to Dawn, Barry and Lucas. Lucas still looked a little sickly from being washed up by the waves. “I say we just treat her like the little good girl she is.”
“And let her guide us to Ash,” said Lucas, looking at Amira. “You said Ash was on this island?”
Dawn gasped. “Ash? Ash Ketchum?!”
Amira nodded, a smile lighting up on her face. “And Paul too! he says he from Lake Acuity, though he got teleported here like the rest of you guys!”
Dawn blinked with awe. “So the three lake guardians all teleported each of us to this place…..”
Barry huffed, looking ashamed. “Well, I wasn’t teleported by a lake guardian. I was teleported by that little girl…..and then we were all teleported from Iron Island by baby Dovanna—who is the same as that girl!”
Amira skipped away, taking Lucas’s hand. “Come on! Follow me! I know where Ashie is!”
Thankfully, they all followed Amira without question. And it wasn’t long until Amira found Ash and Paul in front of the pokemon center, arguing. She gigged, admiring the way the two treated each other.
She met up with them and let them all happily reunite with each other in shock and relief. She smiled as Ash and Dawn hugged each other, looking surprised and thankful. Even Paul seemed surprised, though he tried to hide his happy expressions and still kept the quietest.
“I found them over by the caves at the beach!” Cried Amira, jumping up and down. “And I found him at the shore of the beach.” She pointed at Lucas, who was still wet and tired.
“Huh!” Barry had his arms crossed. “I’m tellin’ ya…..she ain’t no little girl that’s just stumbling upon us.”
Ash gave Barry a questioning look. “What are you talking about?”
“That girl is a pokemon!” Barry pointed at Amira with a frustrated look on his face. “Come on! Why won’t any of you believe me?!”
Dawn gave a huge sigh and Ash and Paul just blinked. Amira shied away and put a finer in her mouth again.
“Am I a good pokemon?” She asked in a nervous tone, pretending not to understand. “Is Dovanny a cute pokemon?”
Barry laughed and rolled his eyes. “Of course! Dovanna’s a sweet little pokemon….a LOT like you.”
“Come off it, will you?” Dawn snapped, giving him a humored look. She turned back to Ash. “Anyways, what brought you guys over here? I mean you, Ash. Are you the only one here?”
“Well,” Ash met her gaze, “Amira said Red should show up any moment now, but Leaf….”
Paul cleared his throat. “Before we get into confusing detail on all that, we met a few stowaways ourselves.”
Amira looked up hopefully at Paul.
Dawn blinked at him. “Hmm? What do you mean?”
Ash chuckled nervously. “Out of nowhere in the pokemon center when I was healing my pokemon, the strangest thing just happened.” He looked a each of their gazes carefully. He told them what Amira was expecting him to say. “A pink Celebi appeared in the pokeball that I carried, the empty master ball that I used to use for….possessed old Pikachu. And suddenly, believe it or not, it summoned Lyra, Silver, and Ethan.”
Everyone looked at him with disbelief.
Paul stepped back and opened the door to the pokemon center. “You don’t believe us……see for yourself.”
And from inside the pokemon center, a glowing pink Celebi exit the doorway, hovering in the air over to Amira, giving her a happy, excited look.
Amira giggled. “Chelbi! I missed you!” She gave the pink Celebi a hug.
Everyone, including Barry, all stared at her with awe. When she let go of Chelbi, Lyra, Ethan, and Silver stepped forwards with solemn looks on their faces. Unlike Dawn, Barry, Lucas, and Paul, they didn’t seem enlightened to be reunited with their old friends again. They looked studying and exhausted.
But Lyra managed to smile and nod at them all. “Hey, you guys. Unlike most of you, I was expecting to be teleported to this island with Silver and Ethan. The pink Celebi, Chelbi, explained everything to me.”
“Huh?” Ash gave a look of confusion. “Why ARE we all on this island?”
Lyra crossed her arms. “I’ll explain everything to you all.” She cast a glance at Amira, who was feeling tenser and tenser by the second. She had been planning this arrival, and she was ready for her secret to finally come out—or at least part of it.
A cold wind blew over all of them, and Amira ruffled her nose at the smell of smoke.
“Let’s go in the pokemon center!” She squealed. “It’s too cold out here!”
She ran inside, with everyone else following behind, already chattering with each other about what they had been through before suddenly arriving here. Amira turned to see that all, except Lyra, Ethan, and Silver, were discussing their confusion and all they had been through before arriving here.
“Okay,” said Lyra, sitting down with each of them on the couches in the corner. “When I met Chelbi, everything became more clear to me.” She smiled at the pink Celebi. “It told me everything I needed to know.”
“Hey…..” Ash blinked with uncertainty. “Before you get into detail, just remind me of how everything’s going on back in Saffron, with Misty and everything. I…..I really do miss her.”
Dawn and Silver shot him concerned glances, but Lyra just nodded. “Sure, I’ve got a lot to say about that too!”
Lyra ended up talking a lot about everything happening back in Saffron. Apparently, Misty was getting more and more popular, along with Jessie—or “Jesserella.”
Amira listened closely and quietly, observing every little detail going on. Ash looked crestfallen and distracted at the thought of Misty suddenly becoming stuck-up and rude, and that she seemed to be having a hard time keeping up with all the modeling and shows going on.
All the while, Amira braced herself for when Lyra would explain the whole concept of the pink Celebi—Chelbi. Amira already knew the pokemon, and it had been a while since she had communicated with Chelbi. And only Chelbi knew her secret of a pokemon from the fifth dimension, for Chelbi was a time traveler, and was a Celebi of the future.
“The future!” Ash widened his eyes. “So…how far in the future did that Celebi come from?”
Lyra blinked. “Chelbi’s time traveled to this moment from about 50 years in the future. But…..that doesn’t exactly mean we will survive the Wipeout until then.”
Ethan looked at her. “What are you talking about? If Chelbi’s alive 50 years later from this time, then the world is still thriving and somehow, we must’ve overcome the Wipeout maybe.”
“Well, not exactly,” Lyra smiled as Chelbi cooed and nestled in her arms. “Your see, Chelbi’s traveling back to this moment because in the future, the Wipeout really does take over, and everything—all our regions and everything we’ve seen existing in this world, will all disappear under the terrible power of ice. There’s nothing but snow and everything—all living organisms on earth, including pokemon, shall die.”
A silent expression crept over everyone’s faces and Amira felt the cold draft from outside drift through them all.
Lyra went on. “But there ARE a few survivors. Those modified pokemon that Yenko created, including the Robotar Silver had, and the prehistoric Pidgey, are one of the last ones to live on the planet. Apparently, Chelbi was able to travel back to that time to witness the future. It realizes how terrible the modified pokemon are becoming. Xenox roams the world, even freezing Arceus itself.”
Riley gasped. “The god pokemon? No way…….Xenox defeats even Arceus itself?”
Lyra nodded. “Like it’s prophesized in the myth, Xenox will awaken and cause an entire Wipeout for the world, defeating every pokemon and living thing in the world. Not even Arceus can stop it. Luckily, Chelbi had time traveled to witness it in the future. It saw how Xenox was treating the world, and that the modified pokemon were becoming more and more powerful to serve Xenox as the new god pokemon—as the pokemon of earth. The modified pokemon were dedicated into freezing the earth’s core just like Xenox had frozen the entire world above. The planet would soon be all under Xenox’s power and control, lost in a deathly planet of cold ice. The planet would be pretty much good as dead.
Chelbi couldn’t bear to see Arceus in its frozen state. Though the pokemon was only frozen out there in space, it was far from ever breaking free to save its own pokemon and planet from Xenox. The only thing Chelbi could do, is make sure nothing like the Wipeout would ever happen. It time traveled back here, and Chelbi’s just beginning its job. It started out by destroying the modified pokemon and anything that was in the process of creating any, including the scientists. Then, it had to stop Xenox. And it needed the three spears—each of them, not just one.” Lyra glanced at the Ice Spear in Ash’s hand. He was holding it on his lap, for he had been the first person Misty had even shown it to. “So far, Chelbi’s found one. It needs the other two, and then when all three Spears of Xenox are united, Chelbi can summon Xenox with the force of auras within the spears.”
Ash gasped. “And then the fire emblem pokemon can destroy it.” He looked at Chelbi carefully. “So that’s why it brought us all here. It wants to summon Xenox where Emblem is ready. Emblem’s trapped in Pikachu’s body rather than on that Isotopia island, so this is the only place where Chelbi can summon Xenox.”
“Yes!” Lyra suddenly looked intent. “And also, the island of Isotopia is totally off limits—remember that. Nothing can find its way in pass the surrounding weather and waves, and nothing can find its way out.”
Amira perked her head up. “Unless they travel through magic!” She giggled.
Though everyone just gave her concerned, humored glances, Amira really meant it deep down. She knew who she was. And Lyra was nodding.
“Yes…..apparently, Xenox’s dreams can touch the portals of reality.”
Here, Lucas, Dawn, Barry, and Paul suddenly grew focused.
Lyra continued. “Anything Xenox dreams can reach the portal and not be a dream anymore, but something that will truly happen. Its inner aura of ice can freeze the portals and break through with such cold strength, and become real in this world. But usually, all Xenox dreams of are just endless weathers of snow and cold, which is what secretly controls the winter months and the endless snow in places like Snowpoint. But that’s also how Pikachu and Emblem switched souls. Xenox must have dreamt it. It feared the emblem pokemon……. But that is NOT why it switched Pikachu’s life.”
Ash winced. “If Xenox didn’t attempt to change places between Pikachu and Emblem, then who did?”
“There’s a pokemon out there…….called Dovanna,” Lyra was speaking low.
Dawn, Lucas, and Barry all gasped and looked at each other in horror. Paul even looked surprised.
“See! I told you!” Barry suddenly jumped up.
Amira remained quiet, and exchanged a worried look with Chelbi as the pokemon laid in Lyra’s arms.
Lyra was looking dazed. “Dovanna….is a strange pokemon from the fifth dimension. It doesn’t belong in our world. But Chelbi told me that it’s met it, and that Dovanna is just lost and unable to break through the portals of dimensions to come back to its real world. But! Dovanna was the main cause of this whole switch with Pikachu and Emblem. Because Chelbi needed to summon Xenox as far from its home as possible, in hopes of getting a better advantage to defeat it, Chelbi picked the island of Cinnabar, where fires are most common, as well as the psychic powers of Mew itself…….and it was seeking help from Dovanna. Dovanna switched lives with Pikachu and Emblem so that the fire Emblem pokemon could be here, where it would start the battle with Xenox.”
Amira swallowed, and felt relieved when no one but Barry flashed her a suspicious look. Lyra may know about Dovanna…..but she would never know Amira herself was baby Dovanna. She cast a wink at Chelbi, silently thanking it for not exposing that part about her.
“Dovanna….” Dawn breathed. “Oh, we’ve got a lot to tell you about that pokemon…”
Ethan glanced at them. “You’ve seen it? Or met it before?”
Barry met his gaze. “Much more than that. But we’ll tell you later! Lyra……how did you know all this?”
Lyra chuckled. “I just said! I’m no psychic—Chelbi was the pokemon to suddenly come to me and tell me everything through the voices of psychics.”
Silver narrowed his eyes at Lyra and spoke for the first time. Amira realized he had even been more quiet than Paul since his arrival. “And you’ve been writing a lot in your journal too….”
Lyra suddenly gasped. “Oh! So you HAVE been reading my stuff!” She glared at Silver. “Oh well….apparently, everything I write…..seems to come true.”
Barry laughed. He pointed at Lyra and yelled out, “Witch!”
“No, really….” Lyra was staring at Chelbi with a daze. “When I wrote that I felt snow coming soon in Saffron City, it was the day before the first day we had snow fall in Saffron. And when I wrote my feelings about prehistoric pokemon, and how their powers may help even the strongest pokemon survive something as bad as the Wipeout……that was when Silver showed up at the Pewter City museum with news of a Pidgey modifying its prehistoric features as well.”
“Strange…..” Riley was eying her. “Lyra, you may even be a foreteller. You may have the gift of controlling the world within through writing and developing your own imagination….”
“Or the portals of the fifth dimension could be breaking,” said Paul, looking serious. “The fifth dimension is where all our thoughts and dreams go to and become alive, like a real world. One can dream overnight, or keep a certain hope or desire alive in their own mind, and then that strong feeling or dream can find its way to form in the fifth dimension, and live a real life there.”
“Sweet,” muttered Ash. “I could be a pokemon master already in that dimension.”
“That must be how I get everything I write in this journal come true,” said Lyra, slipping a small pink notepad from her pocket. Chelbi sat up and peered at it curiously. “When Chelbi met me, it also helped me realize the fifth dimension and its significance, for that was the region where Dovanna had come from. And surprisingly enough…..this journal must have came from the fifth dimension as well.”
Lucas widened his eyes. “How?”
Lyra shrugged. “I didn’t focus too much on that part….but I know what’s going on now.” She looked at each of them with a serious expression. “Xenox IS a real pokemon, whether 10% of the world believes it or not. It WILL awaken soon, and when it does, all will be lost. Already, pokemon of the regions are taking action.” She turned to Dawn, Barry, Lucas, and Riley sitting together. “The lake guardians are a main part of keeping the world in balance. Instead of summoning Dialga and Palkia, they’ve brought you guys here, knowing that you all especially, have strong contact with the fifth dimension and the ways of the world.”
Amira turned to see them nod. She could never forget the journey they had gone through in the world on the fifth dimension side, and how she had accompanied Kaira—the real, first Dovanna—along with them.
Lyra turned to Ash. “Ash, your Pikachu bears the soul of Emblem. Mew wanted you all to arrive here, for the preparation of Xenox.”
“But there must be another reason!” Ash was wincing. “Why didn’t I receive a dream from Mew myself? Why was it Red?”
Lyra blinked slowly. Chelbi murmured and toyed with her book in its hands. “Chelbi says Mew is preparing for the angel risers of the world.”
Ash widened his eyes. “Angel risers?”
“Yes. When the Wipeout comes along, Mew will prepare all the good pokemon and people of the earth to become surviving spirits that will roam the world in another dimension. It must have chosen Red as one of the angel risers that will become one of the chosen survivors in case the battle with Xenox fails….”
Amira let herself drift in her own thoughts.
“Only Barry, Paul, Ash, and Gary can know of my changing identity……as well as Lucario.” Thought Amira silently. “I would have Drew know as well…..but he’s out of reach for now. Ugh….Xenox’s dreams are so confusing. I can’t teleport myself to that island when I want to. but there’s still one more out there I need to find besides Drew….” Secretly, she was planning on seeing Cilan anytime soon. She had teleported him and Iris to this island just a few days ago, and had left them by the enclosed cavern not far from the Cinnabar mansion. She was planning on gathering all the people Ash had been acquainted with, and was trying to restore the love he had for all his partners—Misty, May, Dawn, and Iris. So far, she had gotten Dawn and Iris here, but May was at the faraway island to be in contact with.
Amira knew that the tension of love was strong. she was a pokemon of love, and though she may be only a hatchling, she still had almost as much significance as Kaira had as Dovanna herself. Amira felt the tension in the atmosphere freezing within, besides just the climate. Xenox's dreams were interfering with the air through its powerful dreams, and Amira felt if the power of love can become strong enough to take over it, then Xenox's dreams could be weakened and defeated. She was staring at Ash, eying him closely. He had a spirit stronger than all the others around him. Of course, every single person around her here had a heart strong almost like no other, but Amira could feel Ash's burning determination deep down inside of him. The boy had feelings for pokemon, and his desires of being a pokemon master had really shown in the fifth dimension. She could feel how much it could be affecting her world.
And if only he could feel the power of being IN love, Amira could feel he could cause a great tension in the air that could help with the defeat of Xenox's dreams. That was the other reason why she had gathered so many people here.
"Misty still needs to come though...." She thought silently. "And Iris......crap! I need to check on them soon. So far, no one must know my real secret-- until the time's right for them all to figure it out for themselves."
Amira spoke aloud with a sigh. "Well, Xenox will only fail if we dont keep our hopes up! I know that we still need the two other spears, and in order for the spears to truly summon Xenox, they must be commingled with a human form."
everyone turned to raise their gazes at her.
Lyra looked interested at this. "The spears must bond?"
"Ciii!" Chelbi was nodding, looking at Amira with a happy gaze.
Amira nodded carefully. "They must bond with a strong human with strong feelings. One has already bonded with Brendan, simply because he has been stabbed by it in the island of Isotopia. The other two.....must be decided on who to commingle with. And I think Mew could do that."
Far away, on the region of Unova, Amira knew that there was one pokemon in particular, known as the X-Psi-Eye, and she had given birth to a changeling herself, a Zorua that contained the fire of Reshiram. Amira knew well that pretty soon, Zan himself must be present when this took place. She was planning on Zan to use the powers of X-Psi-Eye when the last spear commingled with a certain being.
Ash was blinking at her. "How do you know all this?"
For once, Barry kept his mouth shut and gave her a rhetorical look.
Amira just smiled. "I'm a changeling as well...."
"Oh! You must be a spirit from Xenox's dream, or a time-traveler like Chelbi too, huh?" Lucas suggested.
Amira shrugged and smiled.
lyra chuckled. "I could think of know other reason....but we should get some rest. It's getting dark, and tomorrow we still have to search for Pikachu."
"I could only guess Pikachu's gone in the mansion of Mewtwo here," said Ash quietly. "Now that Mew's planning on such a summoning for Xenox, and choosing its.....survivors, I could only see Pikachu-- or the Emblem pokemon-- making its way to get ready with Mew once the Wipeout begins."
"Right," Dawn nodded. "We should get started there tomorrow."
Amira had drifted off to sleep the moment it got quiet. She let herself dream, dream about the balance of the world, and everything she planned to do to save it.
She was flying through the lonely mountain of Xenox, and then suddenly, she felt herself collide towards the ground. As a baby Dovanna, she screamed in a soft, terrified cooing cry, for she felt like she was some kind of magnet being drawn to the ground.
She hit the snow, feeling a dark sense of dread overcome her, and she looked up to see a terrible shadow stare down at her. It was Prima Dona.
"Hmm-hmm, my dear," she was chuckling evilly. By her side, a strange girl Dovanna had never seen before rose up from kneeling at the lady's side. This must be May, she thought.
But May had a dark look on her face, and she looked mad. While she stared down at baby Dovanna with hatred, Prima Dona was chuckling evilly. She rose a finger and pointed towards baby Dovanna, and Dovanna felt a painful jab of darkness and evil enter her. She screeched and cried at the terrible feeling. Was this how her mother felt like when love was washed from her?
but this was more than love being drained. Instead, she was getting a newer, much more terrible feeling that was taking over her.
Prima Dona snapped her fingers, and baby Dovanna's vision blacked out. She felt blind.
"Close your eyes, oh precious one," muttered Prima Dona evilly. She had a black stone in her hand. "And when you awaken yet again, your aura will guide you under my powers. Fetch the humans for the summoning of Xenox. There must be three. We've already got Brendan......find the rest." The black stone cast a shine in Prima Dona's icy hand. "And when you do......make sure they suffer the same fate Leaf has." She added in a dark voice, "all must be under MY hands when Xenox is summoned."


On a faraway region, a pokemon was travelling through the air, invisible to the living world. Something was drawing it near the underground channels of Kanto, where a lab had been destroyed.
The pokemon felt aura and power rise from the chemicals, as well as the scent of what smelled like ice and blood. There was a drop of the blood from the Ice Spear before the entire underground place had been destroyed, and the soil mixed in with the blood and chemicals, creating an awful stench for the invisible pokemon.
the pokemon rolled in the soil, absorbing the blood potion. Slowly, the pokemon came into sight, and was seen as the pokemon it was-- Genesect. Genesect had been through a lot-- created by Team Plasma themselves and designed to be the most powerful pokemon a human could create. But just recently, it had been in a drastic fight that caused its existence to almost cease. That night of the terrible storm near Mistralton City, Genesect had escaped Team Plasma's grasp, ready to see the world and explore as the pokemon it was. It's mind was programmed to read the secrets of the world within....and it was receiving a call, somehow feeling guided to meet a certain pokemon up in the lands of Unova.
The pokemon had been a Gothitelle, and she had spoken to him with a strange language, though being Genesect, it understood anything and communicated back.
"Pokemon of humans...." Gothitelle was uttering. "I ask you of a favor. You were created out of matter and mere human hands, weren't you?"
"Pure human hands, my lady," addressed the Genesect in a flat tone.
"Bring the darkness of Xenox out. There must be some way to conquer this....overpowered pokemon...."
Genesect nodded, its gem-like eyes flashing. It understood what she was wanting. It read her mind like a psychic. "I will find my way.....Madrid."
Gothitelle chuckled slyly and disappeared. Suddenyl, in its place, another pokemon was appearing.
But the pokemon hadn't been any Unova pokmon it new. It was a pink Celebi. The pokemon had struck Genesect, thinking it was a danger to the world. Genesect had barely been able to fight back, and in no time, the pink Celebi had gotten it invisible to where it almost had no contact with the world it was modified and created in.
But now Genesect felt itself obtain a power like no other. It suddenly felt able to go through anything-- do whatever it wanted-- summon whatever it wanted, through anything it preferred, whether it was psychics, sorcery, or magics. it could feel an aura of the strongest pokemon in the world flourish through the inside of it.
A superbug had been created.

The Northernlands were a dark, lonely field of snow and tall, sturdy buildings. The place was like one of those lonely old ghost towns that were found near mountaintops and snowy resorts. The city Prima Dona had taken them in was a place called Tallick City, and she said this was the farthest city that reached the northernmost part of the island. Apparently, the ice has always been deadliest the closer it was to north, though Tallick City was said to have been a city blessed with the strong power of steel, with every building made of steel to resist the harshest climates at this point. The temple at the very center of the place was said to have also kept the city thriving, and even though the weather was getting worse especially at the north, Prima Dona was suspecting the temple was weakening somehow as to have let so many people and pokemon die off or migrate their way towards the south.
The temple was called the Temple of Jiraja, and the temple had been created out of Xenox’s dream when the pokemon had been dreaming of a strength that was able to withstand all powers of ice-- the strength of steel. The city of Tallick was the only place to contain steel type pokemon, and unlike the rest of the island, the steel types were never converted to the ice spirits. These steel pokemon were like outcasts, and they roamed the part of the island where no ice spirits bothered them, and they never bothered the ice spirits. The city of Tallick remained unbothered and continued to keep its place alive through the defense of steel and the powers of the Jiraja.
But now, since Xenox was stirring more and more in its sleep, May saw that even the city of ice and steel was even weakening. The buildings still stood strong and tall, though she could feel a strange loneliness that pierced around the place that seemed to chill her every time a cold blow of wind blew over her. Prima Dona had used Lucy to teleport only herself, May, Drew, and Brendan and the Pack of Changelings to this city, where they would find their way to the Jiraja, and try to summon Xenox from that point. Prima Dona would call upon Kyurem and when it gathered all three ice spears together, she would begin the summoning of Xenox, in which she planned on having it take place at the top of the Jiraja. Because the temple was the most sacred place of ice spirits that kept the city in resistance to ice itself, Prima Dona knew that it would be the best place to summon Xenox when it finally awakened.
They pressed on the city, with the wind blowing coldly in their faces. May held onto Prima Dona’s hand tightly like a little child, and Prima Dona’s skin felt even colder than the wind around them. They were following the Jiraja Pool, which trickled all the way up to the temple. The pool never froze, for within the water flowed auras from the temple that kept its strong resistance to ice, and stayed a flowing rush of river water.
In Prima Dona’s other hand, she carried with her not only her own ice spear, but a stone, a strange gem she had found from the bottom of the river pool. The stone was as black as the starless night sky, and May could never forget the feeling she had felt when Prima Dona had first showed the stone to her. Calling it the “Black Ebony,” Prima Dona explained how it contained a power that controlled the inner strength that Xenox possessed.
“This Black Ebony was created from the very force of Xenox itself,” Prima Dona had said. “I can feel its aura within this stone as powerful as I can feel fire burning on my skin. This rock was just recently created. Xenox is reaching farther into our world, and is showing more signs of contact day after day. This mere Black Ebony was created out of the strength and power Xenox possesses. All the moves and battling strategies the pokemon is capable of using-- it’s all contained in this stone. Just by being so powerful and violent on the outside has caused the formation of this Black Ebony to withhold all that power, and has been created here where the ice spirits are most active in the pool of Jiraja.”
May had sighed. “Wow…..it feels as if we know so much about Xenox from its powers and inner capabilities, everything that it’s doing to the world…..but yet, we still have never even seen the pokemon or had a glimpse of what it really looks like.”
Prima Dona chuckled. “My dear, you are right. That, by the way, will change and you’ll get to see Xenox in no time. I promise……when Kyurem arrives with the three spears, we will get to see Xenox in its dreams BEFORE it appears in the real world through the powers of the Ice Spears.”
May had become totally transfixed. The thought of seeing Xenox…….the power to control such a pokemon through the three Spears….and the stone element in Prima Dona’s hands that allowed her to hold the very strong powers of Xenox…it all made May feel dazzlingly proud, and unstoppable. May felt as if she could do whatever she wanted, and accomplish all she dreamed of, if she stayed by Prima Dona’s side. She could never let this powerful lady down.
May breathed with awe, staring into the stone. “But…..we need humans, don’t we?” She murmured. “Besides the three Ice Spears alone, those spears must commingle with humans, don’t they? Just like one has already commingled with Brendan.”
“Well, if they commingle with a specific soul,” said Prima Dona carefully, “then the spears will have even more control for Xenox, depending on the being they combine with. If they combine to a being with strong, determined, unstoppable inner feelings, then that spear would enhance the inner feelings of Xenox so that the pokemon is even MORE strong and determined on the inside.”
May’s mind sparked, and she was suddenly remembering a certain someone with those traits. Ash Ketchum. He was one of the bravest, most determined people she had ever met. She could never forget the moments she had had with him when she had first started her pokemon journey so long ago.
Prima Dona etched a smile on her face, looking as if she were reading her mind. “You know of someone like that, don’t you, my dear?”
“Oh yes, an old friend. But…..he’s far away and I don’t know if he’s even close to where the other Ice Spears are….”
“Oh, that doesn’t matter, my dear! This is why we’re here for the Jiraja temple. We must make sure Kyurem finds each of the two remaining spears, and when it does find it, we must communicate through dreams and help it commingle with the right soul before taking the spear back to the Jiraja with the others. So far, we’ve got your dear little Brendan. That guy has amazing strength within him that I haven’t seen in any other. He seems a lot stronger than he looks.”
May chuckled. “Brendan’s even worse than Ash when it comes to physical competitions, like arm wrestling.” She blushed at the sight of seeing both Ash and Brendan in an arm wrestling match, or in some kind of physical fight against each other. Even Brendan’s pokemon were incredibly strong because of him. May could help but add, “Hehe, I wonder how it would be like to have both guys fighting physically for me…”
Prima Dona smiled evilly at her conceited tone. “Well, my sweet, that’s exactly what we need. We need to find the strongest souls of all-- someone who is strong physically, like Brendan, as well as someone who is strong on the inside as well, with inner feelings and beliefs that could break through the portals of dimensions and come true someday. Also, we need a third soul, one that contains the real side of Xenox. We need a soul that can keep Xenox’s true spirit the way it is, such as a soul that is truly dark and evil. We need a soul that’s so true to evil that when the ice spear commingle with that soul, the inner spirit of Xenox shall be even more stronger and confined to the darkness and evil within its heart.” She raised her eyebrows hopefully. “Do you know anyone in particular like THAT?”
May blinked. She honestly didn’t know anyone in particular that was so dedicated into evil. She had no evil friends…..unfortunately. Even people like Team Aqua…they didn’t seem fully confined to pure evil to the point that they would be totally unstoppable.
But then a spark of hope appeared in May’s heart. She was looking up at Prima Dona herself-- a being made of pure darkness, a soul created by evil and dark matter, far away on the other side of the dimension. Prima Dona herself-- was true evil. May smiled with a narrowed look. “Prima Dona,” she had said innocently. “Aren’t you a real soul made of pure darkness? Nothing can ever change you, for you are what you are-- an unstoppable sorceress of dark and evil. If YOU could combine with one of the Ice Spears, then you totally could control the inner spirit of Xenox.”
Prima Dona chuckled slyly. “Oh, my dear! If only it were that simple! You see, I want to control Xenox-- as a pokemon of my own. And I certainly can’t become part of its aura AND summon it to serve me at the same time-- it just doesn’t work that way. It’s like….having the remote control of a toy car control that car by itself. It can’t happen, there needs to be another controller for that remote, in order to make the remote control the car itself. This is what I want from the Ice Spears. The souls that commingle with the Ice Spears will become my remote control for Xenox. Each inner strength they possess in their souls will be withheld and controlled excessively by the powers of the Ice Spears, and when Xenox is summoned, the Ice Spears will uplift the powers of the souls to extend Xenox’s own strength within itself as well. That way, when I summon it as a pokemon of my own, it would be able to serve me the way I want it to be, and rid this despicable world in the unstoppable power of…..the Wipeout.”
May’s eyes flashed, reflecting back Prima Dona’s jeweled gaze. She understood exactly what she meant. “Will I still be alive when the Wipeout comes over?”
“Oh, of course! You see, when the three souls combine with the Ice Spears, we need a soul of physical strength, like Brendan already has, we need a soul of inner strength and strong feelings, and we need one of just pure evil. After we summon Xenox and have it withhold those power of the souls within, I will have this Black Ebony to control its powers once it uses them. I can tell it to choose who to specifically keep alive during the Wipeout. There is another stone out there, known as the White Crystalline. That stone controls its use of inner feelings, and I can yet, control that as well.”
“The White Crystalline….” May uttered quietly.
“The White Crystalline and the Black Ebony must combine,” said Prima Dona darkly. “Together, they will become the Silver Jewel-- an element that shall contain BOTH the power of Xenox on the inside and out. It will truly be the controller of Xenox when it summons the Wipeout. I shall use it to make sure the Wipeout goes as totally as planned. You, my dear,” she turned to cast a wicked grin, “shall be my little aid to survival. You’ve helped me so much along the way. You’ve kept that nasty little Emblem out of my way, and now, it’s as harmless as a flea.”
May nodded. She was right. The little pokemon was nothing more than Pikachu, for May had discovered its true aura when Prima Dona had finally let her in one of her dreams with Xenox. “Prima Dona, I’m glad I got to realize who you really are, and what you really do know,” she said in a low, grateful voice. “You’ve known all along, haven’t you? You’ve known all along of why Emblem isn’t really Emblem, and that the power of dreams had caused it to truly switch lives with Pikachu, all the way on the other side of this world.”
Prima Dona chortled. “Well, that was actually done by the foolish attempt of that wimpy little Dovanna girl.” She frowned with disgust and then smiled proudly. “At least she’s under my power now, every time she sleeps and dreams.”
May remembered how Prima Dona and her had first met the little dove pokemon, who had too, come from the fifth dimension like Prima Dona had. Prima Dona had drawn the little pokemon towards her through the dream they had with Xenox, and the pokemon had been cast under a spell of the Black Ebony. The Black Ebony controlled the dark power on the outside of Xenox to affect the little pokemon so that it had the ability to infect others with the strong dark power. Even though Dovanna wasn’t fully evil on the inside, the Black Ebony had allowed the pokemon to at least have the ability to be as strong and evil as desired. The pokemon Dovanna had even already infected Leaf, overcoming her with a dark power that would have the girl ready to infect her friends and pass on the darkness. May understood the way Prima Dona would be trying to get that other dark spirit to bond with one of the Ice Spears to strengthen Xenox’s evilness when the pokemon was summoned.
“Dovanna is like a virus in the world now,” chuckled Prima Dona. “Just one bite you get from the little pokemon when she’s in her dear infant form,” Prima Dona grimaced. “It shall be enough to pass on the darkness. When enough souls out there are as possessed as Leaf, then we can get to choose which is the most strongest, and then we shall guide that being through dreams and use it in the summoning of Xenox.”
May nodded with a smile on her face. “Prima Dona…..do you think I could serve the third Ice Spear? It will be much more simple to just have me serve Xenox in the commingling of Spears. And it will lessen the chance of Dovanna’s identity being revealed.”
“My dear, I don’t want YOU in the commingling of Spears!” Prima Dona let a hand rest on May’s head. She was gazing down at her with a raised, expectant gaze. “I wanna have you with ME when the summoning of Xenox takes place.”
May gasped and felt her heart lift. “Really?” Be with Prima Dona? Accompany her and even get to control Xenox herself with the powerful sorceress?
“Oh, of course! I always give gratitude in those that accompany me and help me with any of goals. When Kyurem gets closer to this island, we shall meet it through the portals of dreams.” Prima Dona spoke carefully now. “We will be at the top of the Jiraja temple, and you and I shall fall into a state of dreams…..where we will actually use the power of the Black Ebony and the White Crystalline to help us journey through the very island of Xenox-- for real.”
“The stones can really do that?”
“Oh yes. Once we find ourselves in Xenox’s mountain in our dreams, we can use the power of Dovanna to help us breakthrough so that we actually do wake up in Xenox’s very mountain for once! And with the power of the Black Ebony and the White Crystalline, we can surely make it through the terrible force of Xenox’s island….and even make it to where NO living soul has ever made it before.”
May breathed. “Wow…..so the time’s come to actually have us able to make it to the Barren Islands…”
“Of course. Thanks to the weakening portals in the air due to Xenox’s dreams, thanks to dear little baby Dovanna, and thanks to these stones-- which were created out of aura within.”
“Lyra wrote about those stones…..didn’t she?” May could tell that there was something special about Lyra whenever she traveled around with her journal. It had come from the fifth dimension itself, and even created by Prima Dona.
“Hmm-hmm, yes, when I created that journal for her…I didn’t let her find it in the middle of the Bell Tower for nothing. Though it was an accident for me to leave it there, I knew that when it was in the hands of Lyra, I could trust her. That girl has imagination. Whatever she wanted to write in that journal will truly come to life in the fifth dimension just like anything else anyone writes and puts great thought into. But writing in THAT particular journal would allow her imagination to break through the portals of the fifth dimension, and even come alive in this world. Thanks to her….I’ve got the Black Ebony, and pretty soon, I will have the White Crystalline…”
And so, May continued to travel on with Prima Dona keeping to her side at all times. With Drew quietly following behind, Pike Queen Lucy at Prima Dona’s other side, and Brendan in front of them with the pack of Changelings, growling and sniffing around the surroundings for any sign of danger, May felt truly unstoppable. She would never let Prima Dona down, and she would make sure things would go as planned. She will make sure the Emblem pokemon in her arms was kept under her control, and that the missing Ice Spears were well taken care of for Kyurem to find it. Thoughts of ever venturing into the Barren Islands soon, with Prima Dona at her side, and venturing in its own cave…..ready to summon the sleeping pokemon and awaken it under their control, it was all so mesmerizing to May. She looked on forward with a determined, unblinking glint in her eyes. The world would be Prima Dona’s…..and hers….
They suddenly stopped at the front of the temple where the dark sky loomed even higher over the tall, deadly looking spikes at the top of the building.
It didn’t look like a temple at all—it looked more like a treacherous dark castle that loomed over the entire place like an evil witch’s place.
May couldn’t help hugging Emblem tighter as it whimpered in nervousness. She stared up blankly at the castle. She did not want to go inside.
Drew chuckled and stepped up to her right, staring up with a raised look. “Kinda like one of those knight castles where goblins and monsters live inside. The place looks controlled by a witch—and I wouldn’t guess it as Prima Dona herself.”
May turned to glare at him, clearly not taking his humored tone as a joke.
“Hey! what do you think you’re talking about?!” She snapped out loud, making Prima Dona turn around to glare at both of them. “Prima Dona’s no witch! She’s a strong, undefeatable lady who’s going to make things better for us all!”
Drew flinched. “Huh! You kidding me?! How do you expect THAT?”
“Oh! You’re so questionable!” May set Emblem down at her feet and glared at Drew with irritation. This whole time they had been with Prima Dona, Drew had never appreciated her help or even looked happy to be with the ice lady. And May was tired of it. “How could you not see that having a pokemon like Xenox under our control could mean a lot to this whole world?! Because of Prima Dona, a book was created. Because of the particular book, the Black Ebony and White Crystalline were created! Because of those stones, we can CONTROL the whole Wipeout when Xenox finally comes alive!”
Prima Dona broke into May’s objection before Drew could say anything back. She stepped in front of Drew’s surprised face, and smiled at both of them.
“My sweets, it really isn’t a perfect time for an argument. The spirits around this place are strong, and because I have an element in my hand that’s most powerful of all elements, they might act a little disturbed.” She turned to grin at May. “Try not to feel scared if you see anything creepy in the temple, like a reflection of you suddenly splitting in half.”
“Oh!” May flinched and gave a shocked, terrified expression.
Lucy mumbled and looked at her fingers. “Try not to feel scared for the rest of your life…..when this is all over.”
Prima Dona whirled around to glare at the Pike Queen. “What’s THAT supposed to mean?!”
A Mightyena that had been sniffing at Lucy’s heels turned to glare and utter a low growl at Prima Dona before slinking away towards Brendan, who was staring with a stony gaze at the temple.
Lucy just met Prima Dona’s gaze with the same look of hatred. “Nothing,” she muttered. “Just saying that I feel this place is much more powerful than you’ll least expect it to be. The spirits aren’t friendly to such auras like yours….don’t think it will let someone like you pass through so easily.”
At once, Prima Dona let out a loud, angry scream and smacked Lucy’s face with the back of her cold, bony hand. the force was so hard that Lucy whipped her face to the left and bent over with a hand on her cheek, hiding the painful, twisted look on her face.
May and Drew stared up at Prima Dona with unblinking, terrified looks, and even Brendan turned to glance at Lucy, and then Prima Dona’s furious gaze.
The wind around them blew with a sudden intensity, and May heard an echo from the high top of the temple. A rumble cracked, and May suddenly felt the cold drops of rain—and then small bits of hail.
Prima Dona growled as the Mightyena and Houndoom began to howl. Brendan was glowing, with the Ice Spear in his hands brightening with intensity. He turned to face the temple again, uttering something that sounded like a different language under his breath. Suddenly, a crash of thunder erupted from all around and Brendan and his changelings dashed towards the large black door of the temple.
Prima Dona huffed and stepped after him. “It’s gonna be more than just hail!” She yelled snappishly. “This is the temple of Jiraja, where ice spirits are most active. We will experience the strangest things when we least expect it!”
May stepped forward after Prima Dona, ignoring the surprised look Drew shot her. She looked back when she heard Pike Queen Lucy cursing.
Drew was slowly making his way to her side. “Lucy…..the spirits won’t like Prima Dona, will they?”
Lucy huffed. “Her spirit may be made of pure ice…..but there’s a darkness in it as well. A darkness that the spirits won’t be able to tolerate.” She met May’s staring gaze for a second with a haughty glare, and then looked towards the inside of the temple. The place was dark and swallowing as a cave. “Though the spirits may not be able to defeat her, there may be yet, another unexpected cause they may be planning…”
A sudden anguished scream came from the inside of the temple as if contributing to Lucy’s warning.
May whipped around and ran inside without thinking. “Prima Dona!” She cried.
“Grouuu!” Emblem hurried in after her, and Drew and Lucy stepped inside the dark temple, which suddenly seemed to brighten up once they stepped in.
The doors shut behind them, and May found herself in a rich, ancient and sacred looking place.
Around her, the walls seemed stern and dark, and the floor was metallic. There were stairs behind a strange tall female statue that had arms open with shards of what looked like ice extending around them. The place was unbearably cold, and May felt like she had been locked in a freezer.
“P-Prima Dona?” She shivered, picking up Emblem for warmth. Even the little pokemon looked cold and shivering.
Drew and Lucy looked around.
“Where’s Brendan…?” Drew muttered. There seemed to be strange figures roaming around the cold room, but May could see that they were only the pack of changelings, scattering around and sniffing each of the strange statues that stood in corners of the large place.
A terrible squawk sounded from the front of the stairs, behind the tall ice lady statue.
May hurried around it and realized that the stairs were spiraling upwards towards the top. At the foot of the stairs though, was a nasty looking female Mandibuzz, hopping around an Ice Spear and a stone that May recognized immediately as the Black Ebony.
“No!” May glared at the squawking bird that was squawking like an idiot. “Shoo! How DARE you! Where’s Prima Dona?! What have you done to her?!”
May bent to pick up the Black Ebony, but before her hands could reach it, the Mandibuzz let out a screaming cry and pecked at May’s hand with a jutting sharp beak.
“Ow!” May cried, jerking her hand back. She glared at the Mandibuzz and the pokemon glared back. May stood up and pointed at the growling bird. “Emblem! Use Flamethrower!”
“Goruuu!” Emblem huffed out a powerful attack of flames towards the bird, and instantly, the Mandibuzz jumped back and fluttered its wings towards the attack, making the flames fade like smoke in the air.
“Huh?!” May was confused. Suddenly, the air around them blew so coldly that May whined and shivered. “Oh, it’s so cold! Please! Use Flamethrower!” She glared at the Mandibuzz as it starting squawking angrily at Emblem, scaring the little pokemon and flapping its ruffled wings in the cold air.
“FOOL!” The Mandibuzz spoke in a rampaging, pissed off shriek.
May flinched and Drew and Lucy looked at the pokemon with shock. Emblem jumped back and cried.
“Prima Dona?!” May couldn’t believe her eyes—or her ears.
“ARGH! HOW DARE YOU LAUNCH THAT POOR, USELESSLY SHITTY ATTACK ON ME!” The Mandibuzz was glaring up at her with red, familiar piercing cold eyes. May could recognize those eyes anywhere—she couldn’t believe how blind she had been.
“Prima Dona!” She wailed, bending down at the bird. “Oh my gosh, what happened to you?! it can’t be! You can’t be a useless old Mandibuzz especially right NOW!”
“Who says I’m useless just ‘cause I’m a damn old Mandibuzz?!” Squawked Prima Dona with fury, jutting her beak towards May’s nose.
May flinched and stood up, looking ashamed as she rubbed her nose with a painful wince. “Ow….”
Prima Dona huffed and whirled around to glare at everyone that stared at her. she focused on Drew first. “What?! What you staring at?! Foolish boy…..DARE TO LAUGH AT ME AND I’LL SLICE YOUR HEAD OFF AND TURN IT TO AN ICE BALL WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON XENOX!”
Prima Dona looked hilarious in her state right now, and to be demanding for world power for the strongest pokemon made her look even more wimpy. But Drew knew better than to let his laugh out. May herself didn’t feel humored at all. She felt a burning anger in her heart to see such a person like Prima Dona in this state. If anyone dared to laugh at her, she’ll certainly make sure they got more than just their heads off.
Lucy crossed her arms and stared down at Prima Dona with a narrowed gaze.
“I warned you about the spirits of this place. They don’t accept such dark and foreign auras that they have no control over in this world.”
Prima Dona turned on Lucy with a twisted look of fury. “TURN ME BACK TO MY REAL FORM, YOU LOUSY GIRL! YOU’RE THE PSYCHIC HERE—SO HELP ME IN THIS DAMN LOUSY STATE!”
Lucy raised her eyebrows as a cold wind ruffled her dark hair. “I certainly have no power in a place like this. If I turn you to normal, the spirits will just simply fight back and make you an Mandibuzz again—or something worse.”
May narrowed her eyes. “We’re not going to let anything else worse happen here now,” she said fiercely.
Prima Dona whirled around to watch May with a glare as she bent down to pick up Prima Dona’s spear and the Black Ebony.
“Hey what you think you’re--” Prima Dona was ready to scream again before May stopped her.
“I’ll take control of this until you return to your regular form again,” said May seriously, with a look of determination.
Prima Dona hissed and flapped her wings. “I’m not letting YOU summon Xenox for me! And I am NOT going to see Xenox in a state like this! Let’s get outta here right now!”
“That’s not going to help anything,” said May darkly. “Kyurem will fetch the other two Spears, and if we don’t call it back, it will just roam the world, and Xenox may be summoned at the most random place where it will be too late to have the beings commingle with those spears to have control over its powers. We must make it to the top—and find Brendan first.” She looked to her left at the stairs. A small group of Mightyena trekked up the large stairs. “I bet he’s already making his way to the top right now, where he will be in greatest contact with his other part of his aura—Xenox.”
Prima Dona ruffled her feathers and gave a low, ungrateful and pissed off grumble. She turned to Lucy with narrowed eyes of hatred. “This stupid curse isn’t permanent, is it?”
“It’s not a curse,” said Lucy. “The spirits are just showing their unwelcome to you, that’s all. You’re lucky you’re so lucky to ice, or else they wouldn’t accept you in this place at all. But no, you won’t stay like this forever. Once you step out of this place, you will be your normal….real…..self.”
May narrowed her gaze at how unwilling Lucy sounded to mention that. She looked down at Prima Dona. “And remember,” she said severely, “once we enter our dreams and find ourselves to Xenox’s island, you won’t be a little old Mandibuzz anymore.”
Prima Dona just rasped with hatred and shot towards May, landing on her right shoulder with a strong, painful grip.
“Whatever. Don’t fool me with sorry, apologetic words! Just hurry up and get this over with!”
And she clutched her claws into May’s shoulders even harder to make the girl wince and walk on.
May didn’t even look back to see the look of disbelief on Drew’s face as he and Lucy followed her from behind, watching as she carried a whimpering, nervous Emblem in her hands, and Prima Dona upon her shoulder as an Mandibuzz.
Though Prima Dona’s grip was painful and digging into her shoulders, May didn’t let it bother her. it gave her a burning feeling of pain, and kept her warm from the unbearable cold around them.
May walked on with a mad look of determination. In her arms, Emblem was trying to give her a hopeful, longing look, as if to calm her down and think about what she was doing.
“Grouuu…..”
May just gave a single glace at the little Groudon and narrowed her eyes.
“What?” She muttered. “You can’t tell me what to do. I’m in control over you. There’s nothing you can do about, especially since we’re this far.” And she looked forward, her eyes sharing the same angry daze as the pokemon on her shoulder.

The temple of Jiraja was filled with ghostly, cold spirits that wafted around the air. Brendan could fel the aura of ice become extremely powerful the higher he and the pack climbed up the stairs.
Sometimes, the stairs straightened out and led through strange rooms that contained pictures hung on the walla or lines of statues that resembled crosses between humans and ice pokemon.
“They are called giinkas,” said Zopphiro, standing by Brendan’s side. “They are none but a myth, and there are never to have been any such real thing as a giinka wandering around the world. They are just a childhood tale, like fairies or goblins.”
Brendan nodded, eying a giinka that looked like a cross between a Glaceon and a teenage girl. The creature carried a sword and had icy looking ponytails that were related to that of a Glaceon.
He narrowed his eyes and felt the cold breeze blow over him, feeling the presence of the spirits.
“But the portals of the world are changing,” he muttered darkly. “Because of the strong breakthrough of ice and Xenox’s dreams especially, the portals between dreams and the real world are becoming weaker, and pretty soon, it won’t just be Xenox dreaming things to life.”
Another Mightyena joined Zopphiro’s side and growled. “Of course…the power of portals can freeze with the strong aura of ice….especially from an aura like Xenox.”
“I feel we must summon a warning to Xenox….” Said Brendan, turning away from the giinkas. “Remember that the fire emblem pokemon is the main cause of Xenox’s disturbances. Its presence is what is stirring the pokemon to awaken. If we must summon it under our will for Prima Dona’s control, then we must make sure it doesn’t awaken before the summoning.”
Zopphiro turned its stern gaze to meet Brendan’s frozen pale eyes. “We must destroy it tonight……before we get any closer to the top of the temple. Even if Xenox does awaken in the hands of Prima Dona, we don’t want the fire emblem pokemon present in any way.”
Brendan thought about Emblem, and how it really wasn’t the soul of the fire emblem pokemon, but the famous Pikachu from Ash Ketchum who was all the way back in Kanto. But Xenox didn’t know that, and the power of the fire emblem pokemon was still just as strong whether it had the real soul within or not.
But Brendan suddenly thought of the girl that was protecting it. May seemed very determined in keeping the emblem pokemon safe in her hands—or at least she used to. Brendan could feel the girl’s aura, and how it seemed to be getting closer to becoming frozen in the power of ice. Prima Dona was enhancing her spirit, and it didn’t take magics to make someone fall and become fooled by another one’s power. She had simply done it through the works of plain cunningness and trickery. Brendan could see that May didn’t even care for Emblem’s protection. She just wanted to make sure it stayed clear from Xenox, and that she would do whatever it took to keep it that way.
Brendan turned to the pack as he walked on forwards. “Who said we were serving Prima Dona? We’re not summoning Xenox just for her sake. We want the aura of Xenox alive so that we can bond together with the pokemon ourselves. And if Prima Dona’s gotten the emblem pokemon under control with the help of….May…..we should be safe.”
“But the power of dreams….” Growled Zopphiro. “Xenox could dream up such things that could destroy anything coming its way. I bet it feels the others’ presence nearing it now.”
“The others will be all right,” muttered Brendan, climbing up the stairs that had started to lead upwards. “As far as I can feel it, Prima Dona’s aura is almost as strong as ours’. And if she is to have May accompany her, then I could only believe that May too, will be accepted in the aura of ice for Xenox.”
“But what about the others? What that psychic, Lucy? Or Drew?”
Brendan narrowed his eyes. “Prima Dona or the ice spirits can decide what happens to the rest of them.”
The stairs seemed to never end. Another hour had passed and Brendan and the pack felt like they were going in circles, though deep down inside, they all understood the way of the temple. The spirits were confusing them, testing their true capabilities and auras. The spirits twisted and turned the dimensions of the stairs so that they really were winding up in certain places they had already been or places they didn’t recognize. But Brendan and the pack kept onwards, with the pack sniffing constantly around the rooms and scenting the real pathway to the top.
Suddenly, Brendan found his way into a hallway of mirrors. The stairs were still heading upwards, and all around them, the walls were all lined mirrors, some that stretched and let in more room for more reflections, some that were small and lined against each other so that the same reflection portrayed multiple times
Some of the Mightyena and Houndoom of the pack growled and lowered their heads at their reflections, their fur bristling.
Brendan dared not to look at his own. Every time he even tried to glimpse, the Ice Spear in his hand would shine against the mirrors and bounce right towards his eyes, blinding his sight from seeing anymore than a peek.
But Brendan could see other reflections in the mirrors. He saw strange dancing figures of thin, ghostly creatures that looked like people and ice giinkas. They even seemed to be in a world of their own. Each mirror seemed to possess different sets of spirits all wafting around each other. Brendan sensed that they must be getting close to the top of the freezing cold temple.
They stairway grew faint and echoing. The mirrors seemed to have the spirits murmuring and singing a low, melodic tone.
But suddenly, a crash broke through the air, and stopped the noises in the air. Brendan flinched and stopped walking, clutching the left side of the stairway.
Zopphrio lowered his head and growled, signaling the rest of the pack behind them to stop.
Brendan looked around. the mirrors suddenly looked empty and portrayed their own reflections only. Brendan huffed and looked away, squeezing his eyes shut as a blinding shine of light reflected back towards him from the Ice Spear.
Next to his left, a tall wide mirror suddenly glistened. Brendan turned, avoiding a glimpse at his own reflection. The Ice Spear was almost shining in his eyes, but Brendan strained his eyelids to get a good look at what was happening with the mirror.
A snowstorm suddenly occurred in the reflection of the mirror. Behind them and anywhere that mirror reflected, the same snowstorm occurred in the other mirrors. Though there was no such storm going on in the temple where Brendan stood, the snowstorm in the mirror looked as real as all the other identical reflections portrayed it.
Brendan could no longer see his own reflection or the packs’.
The snowstorm looked as if it were taking place outside, in a dark, starry night where the stars actually seemed numerous and glistening in the pitch black sky. Instantly, Brendan knew that particular place was not in the island of Isotopia, for the stars were always either scattered or unnoticeable, or not present at all
Suddenly, something shot through the sky. It seemed like a shooting star, or a comet.
A figure was suddenly hovering from the light that the comet gave off, and was making its way towards Brendan and the pack.
Brendan stiffened and felt his frozen heart start to beat with uncertainty. The figure appeared in the shape of a star coming right towards them in the reflection of the mirror, and when he turned, he could see no such shadow coming towards him from behind, except from the reflections of the other mirrors’ perspectives that reflected the snowstorm and the shadow from the starry sky.
Brendan turned to the mirror beside him with wide eyes. The form of the shadow became clear now, and it was none other than the pokemon he had felt as if he would never see in all his lifetime. It was Jirachi.
The pack barked and growled loudly at the coming pokemon. Jirachi was hovering from the sky, coming closer and closer towards the front of the mirror, as if ready to escape the reflection and become part of the real world. Its eyes were closed, as well as the real eye at its center. Snow crashed around it, whipping over the pokemon as if trying desperately to keep it from getting any closer. But Jirachi remained as sturdy and still as it hovered down closer. It was a pokemon of both steel and psychic—and it had a special power of granting wishes—a power that had a strong connection with opening portals of dimensions.
But why had it suddenly come down at this time? Though Brendan had no idea about how when he had first met it himself when he was a regular trainer back in Hoenn, he still understood the aura of this pokemon. It was only supposed to awaken every one thousand years to grant wishes for a week……and this was not the right time it was supposed to awaken.
The spirits of ice were suddenly whipping around Brendan, and he felt their cold power as strong as the winds in the reflection. The spirits seemed to fighting Jirachi as well.
“It’s gonna break through!” Yelled Zopphiro, crouching on its heels and glaring at the pokemon. “It’s really going to break through, and it will have entered the island of Isotopia through the portals of dreams and reality! STOP IT!”
Brendan clenched his teeth. “What’s going on?! Why is it in the mirror though?”

Jirachi suddenly stopped when it was just an arm’s distance away from in front of Brendan’s face. It opened its eyes and gave a curious look at Brendan with small, button eyes.
As Brendan looked back into the pokemon’s eyes, he realized these mirrors possessed a strange power that allowed one to see into any reflection desired—whether it was the time, another dimension, or a dream.
Jirachi’s eyes were open though, with its real eye remaining closed at the center. It was ready to break through the portals through the mirror, and enter in the island of Isotopia.
Brendan narrowed his eyes at the pokemon. “What could YOU want to do with this island, huh? Would you even be useful enough as to actually grant wishes for souls like Xenox? Or Prima Dona’s?”
“Jiiii…..” Jirachi’s small voice uttered a low cry as it tilted its head at Brendan.
Suddenly, Brendan felt himself being thrown back by the icy cold wind that blew towards him. He heard voices yelling in his head as the spirits seemed to overtake his body and keep him from staring at Jirachi.
Immediately, Brendan fell himself thrown to the floor, hitting his head painfully against the stairs. Instantly, his vision blurred and he saw stars. He suddenly drifted off into a cold, chilling, unconscious sleep.



Waking up in a cold, desolate land that seemed even more chilling than the temple, Brendan realized he was upon the mountain of Xenox itself. The place felt more open and lonely than the spirit-filled place of Jiraja.
But Brendan could find no trace of the pack of Changelings with him. He felt as lonely in the mountains as a single star in a sky. The wind blew breathlessly cold around him. usually, whenever he dreamed of his path upon the mountain of Xenox, his pack was always accompanying him. and although even they alone weren’t enough to actually get a glimpse of the sleeping pokemon in its den at the center of the mountain, they were at least most successful in trudging their way through the snow and blizzards in their dreams as they got closer to the pokemon in both their dreamworld and their real waking world.
Above him in the pitch black sky, Brendan could see no stars. But suddenly, a familiar flashed pierced through the sky and he heard cackling. The sound echoed eerily throughout the mountain, filling the blizzard with even more chilling feelings.
Hiking towards the call of the sound, Brendan suddenly saw that Prima Dona’s tall, ice-blending figure standing near a silver glistening boulder that jutted out of the snow. To her side was May, and in her arms was the fire emblem pokemon.
Brendan narrowed his eyes at them all. What were they doing? Why had they brought Emblem here?
A mighty roar shook the mountain, and Brendan had to crouch down on his knees as he watched Prima Dona and May with a ice piercing glare. Something was happening, something that was disturbing Xenox even more.
Another shot blasted through the sky and Brendan looked up to see a shape hover down.
“Jirachi,” he growled, already knowing. The figure of the pokemon was hovering towards May and Prima Dona, and Prima Dona was cackling with a creepy, echoing jitter.
But as soon as Jirachi finally stopped in front of them, hovering like a small little star, Prima Dona’s gaze immediately changed to a scowl.
“Fool!” She yelled at the pokemon. “Have you got no sense of control? You’re not supposed to be awake yet, my little one.”
May huffed and glared at Jirachi. “But since you are…” she spoke with a tenacious dread that Brendan hadn’t heard from her before, “you might as well make use to us as best you can now.”
“Jirrr…..” Jirachi shivered in the wind that blew around them and gazed at them with scared, saddened eyes.
Prima Dona chuckled and gave a glance at the shivering Emblem in May’s arms. The pokemon was staring up at Jirachi with wide, frightened eyes.
Prima Dona turned with a grimacing smile at the wish pokemon. “You’ve broken through the portals of reality, haven’t you? I bet Xenox’s power of ice aura was so strong that it awakened you from your long sleep, hmm?”
“Jiiiiiii…..” Jirachi trembled and tried to turn and fly away, though the confusing blizzard whipped all around and kept it hovering in its place.
“Your power of steel—they allow you to have such a break through with ice. And the powers of psychic….they allow you to break through the portals of the dimensions. With both the power of steel and psychic, you will be able to make it through the island of Isotopia, and break into the place of the Northernlands, in the very temple of Jiraja.” Prima Dona smiled. “I could sense your coming presence……I knew there was more than your power to have broken through though.” She narrowed her eyes. “The powers of ice are weakening as well. Not only is Xenox weakening he forces of the world, but by doing so, Xenox has been weakening itself at the same time. It’s become less powerful for the blizzards and storms that surround the island of Isotopia. Pretty, pokemon will be able to come and go WITHOUT using the portals of dreams like my dear May here has.”
May narrowed her eyes with the same envy. “We can’t have forces of other pokemon in the outside world become resistance to Xenox’s powers like you have. Therefore…..we must do something about it—before we summon the pokemon in its wake.”
“Grouuu…..” the little Groudon growled in May’s arms.
Prima Dona flashed her hand in out to the left side of her. “Jirachi…grant me a wish,” she spoke sweetly and creepily. “Grant me a wish…….make sure we succeed in the coming of Xenox. Make sure we find the right souls to bond with the other two spears…..just as Brendan has had.”
Brendan felt his own stiff cold heart tighten at the sound of Prima Dona’s words. There would be others? There would really be other souls that will bond with the other two spears out there that shared the same aura of Xenox within?
Brendan watched with a sickening feeling as Jirachi started to glow and scream with pain. the little pokemon threw its head back and yelled, “Jiiiiii-yahhhhhh!” Its flowing strands to the side whipped around and Brendan could see the real eye in its center trembling with the urge to stay closed.
“Goooouuu!” Emblem had an angry look Brendan hadn’t seen on its face before, looking irritated and struggling to escape May’s grip.
May gasped and frowned down at the little pokemon. “What are you doing?!” She snapped haughtily. “Stay still! Or I’ll have you thrown into the depths of the Jiraja temple when we wake up!”
Next to her, Prima Dona was smiling with utter satisfaction. Her face glimmered brightly at the brightness Jirachi was giving out as it cried out in pain and despair.
“Be patient, my sweetie,” she let her left hand rest upon May’s head as she kept her gaze fixed on Jirachi thrashing in front of her. “Pretty soon we shall find the correct souls…..and we will have them bonded with the Ice Spears in no time.”
May looked up at Jirachi with an evil frown. “Jirachi will take us to the other two souls?”
“Jirachi will help the other two find their way here,” said Prima Dona evilly. “And then we will keep their souls saved in this place. In our waking world, when we finally reach the top and receive the remaining Spears from Kyurem, we will have their souls in here ready to bond with the Spears. Brendan shall be here as well. Brendan and the others will form the three soulkeepers that will have bonded with the three Ice Spears upon this mountain.”
Brendan rose up to his feet, letting the wind blow over his head and towards Prima Dona and the wailing Jirachi. To think that he and the other auras would be bonded here in this very mountain to summon Xenox….
“But!” Prima Dona made Jirachi stop glowing and focus its wide-eyed gaze on her. “Make sure we find the White Crystalline first. We need both the power of the Black Ebony and the White Crystalline to make sure we can break through this dream when we need to! After we’ve gotten all the souls gathered here and bonded with the Spears, we must break through this place as a dream so that we actually do wake up in this place in the real world, with the power of both stones to help us survive when we really are upon the island of Xenox.”
May flashed her eyes and nodded at Jirachi, wincing and ignoring the flinch Emblem gave in her arms. “Make sure we are guided correctly. We need the White Crystalline, and then we need the right souls. That way, we’ll have Xenox under our power. Leaf is still out there, isn’t she?”
Brendan’s heart sparked with déjà vu at the sound of that name.
May continued to speak. “Leaf is still possessed with the dark power of baby Dovanna, and she will remain that way until the right dark soul is found for the third Spear. Make sure she finds the right one!” May glared fiercely at Jirachi. She added darkly, “I bet Ash Ketchum is one of the strongest souls though. He may be right for one of the spears, so if he’s meant to commingle, make sure it happens. I wanna get to see him though……before his real soul freezes away.”
“Grouuuu!” It was almost as if Emblem was saying, “Noooo!”
Jirachi started to glow again, and it cried out in terror. All around Brendan, the wind blew all over his body and made him feel powerless alone as the only aura of Xenox out here. Xenox’s real body and soul seemed so far away, yet still so close. Brendan fell himself fall over again, but this time, he hit his head softly in the cold snow, and his vision remained awake, though dizzy with all the shining light form Jirachi in the distance, and the snow whipping all over the area.
Suddenly, behind him, Brendan felt the presence of another soul. He had fallen to the heels of another human, and he could feel the soul as hot and darkening without studying it. he looked up and rolled to his side, slowly standing up to meet the gaze of the girl that stood behind him. she had brown hair like May, except hers was longer and flowing as it blew fiercely in the wind. She had a white hat on, and she didn’t have to hold it on her head as she stood in the midst of the storm, staring at him with strong, narrowed green eyes…..of dark evil.
“Brendan,” muttered the girl in a dark voice.
From behind, Brendan felt the stares of May and Prima Dona.
Prima Dona’s gaze was bewildered and angry, and May widened her eyes with surprise.
“Leaf!” May ran up to Brendan’s side with Emblem in her arms and stared at the girl with awe.
Prima Dona slowly followed behind, her eyes pierced and focused on what was in front of her, and what was behind her. “So! What are YOU here for?!”
Brendan met Prima Dona’s gaze with a blank expression. He didn’t know if Prima Dona was talking to him or Leaf.
But Leaf spoke with fierceness. “Why have you had to ask a pokemon for a WISH like this?!” Leaf sounded angry. “You don’t think I can find the right soul myself without the help of magic?!”
Prima Dona chuckled. “Well, now you can. Jirachi’s powers are enough to break through the island of Isotopia, as well as dreams of Xenox as well. Its steel and psychic abilities have allowed it to break into the dreams of Xenox, and now we can use it to help aid us.”
“Well, I’ll find the dark soul before you know it!” Screamed Leaf, her voice screaming over the whipping wind all around them.
“Well, that’s just great then!” Prima Dona yelled back, smiling valiantly. “Make sure you do as you are wished! Jirachi!” Prima Dona turned back to the pokemon. “Guide us to the White Crystalline! Now!”
“Jiiiiii!” Brendan watched as Jirachi screamed with terror and blasted a light from its real eye.
May gasped and grabbed Brendan’s arm, a habit Brendan recalled that she used to have when she was startled or nervous. But this time, her eyes were narrowed, hiding her fear. “Jirachi…..what’s going on? Are you doing it right?”
Suddenly, Jirachi shot to the ground and the island shook under the little pokemon’s hard collision, but Brendan felt it was more than just Jirachi that stirred the place. The wind around them was whipping like crazy, like it had never done before in his dreams. Something was wrong.
“ACHH!” Prima Dona yelled in frustration. “Jirachi what--”
May and Prima Dona were suddenly blown to the ground, and Brendan was pulled down with May’s grip still on his arm. He looked up to wince at May. “What are you….”
“Brendan…” May’s expression suddenly looked freed from the intent glare she had kept with Prima Dona. Her eyes were longing and staring into his through the storm. “I know you may not remember everything we had been through before you were possessed, but I want you to know that I’m glad to have gone through what I had gone through with you. Even though your soul’s been captured and frozen, I hope you succeed in the summoning of Xenox like I hope to.”
Brendan gazed back in May’s eyes, feeling a strange feeling that made his cold eyes soften. He didn’t know what it was, but it was starting to make his heart seemed to melt a little.
But suddenly, a fierce windswept at May face and made her scream.
He grunted and looked up with a wince, seeing that Jirachi was lying in the snow, giving off a blinding amount of light that was pulling Prima Dona towards it.
“RAHH! MAY! HELP ME!” She cried, angrily thrashing and fighting the sucking vortex.
May screamed and Emblem suddenly escaped her arms, running towards the right, away from the light.
“Emblem, GET BACK HERE!” May let go of Brendan’s arm and immediately, she was pulled in after Prima Dona. They both disappeared in the blinding light, and the bright vortex exploded with a force that sent a whipping, spiraling amount of snow to join the air of the blizzard. The mountain was quiet again with only the sound of the echoing snowstorm.
Brendan’s eyes were in awe at what had just happened. He slowly rose up again, not bothering to brush all the snow that had gotten on his jacket. He turned and saw that Leaf was still standing behind him, glaring at him with her arms crossed.
“Hmph! Fools! All of them!” She huffed. “They may get their wish….but for now, Jirachi has managed to escape and break through this dream towards where it had desired to go before meeting their silly attempt.”
Brendan raised his eyebrows. “They’ve awoken back in the temple, haven’t they? And Jirachi’s gone back with them?”
“Yep,” Leaf suddenly looked humored. “Prima Dona thinks she’ll just get what she wants when she wants. But unfortunately, she forgot that if you wake up from your dreamworld, the whole dream place just goes away and you’re back where you were. Jirachi may have granted her wish, but it has awoken afterwards, where it was asleep in the temple of Jiraja. Prima Dona and May will have to wait for their wish to take place until the next time both they and Jirachi will sleep.”
Leaf suddenly took a step back from Brendan with a look of determination in her eyes. “But I can still do my job! I must find the dark soul for the third spear…..whether Prima Dona has wished it or not.”
And with a blast of one more shocking blind light, Leaf disappeared in the midst of swirling snow and spiraling glow. Brendan was alone in the mountains once again.
But Brendan knew he wasn’t exactly alone yet. Emblem was still dreaming, and was still part of the mountain. He could sense its burning aura hurting his chest like a candle near a finger. He had to find the pokemon, especially before it got any closer to Xenox.
Running through the lonely mountain lands, Brendan suddenly found the red little Groudon headed towards a cliff that rose far up into the sky, climbing the rough ice-glazed rocks that jutted from the cliff.
Climbing after the little pokemon, Brendan kept his eyes narrowed and his spirits cold and alive in the blinding blizzards and ice that whipped around him as he climbed up the cliff.
Suddenly, he stopped and looked around. Emblem had disappeared, but he felt its flaming aura nearby.
Brendan saw a glimpse of a small hole just a few feet above him. He could feel Emblem’s aura burning from the cave. Climbing up and squeezing through the hole that was barely larger than him, Brendan found himself in a small, darkened enclosed place……where a campfire was burning in the center of the cave. Behind the fire sat a man with closed eyes, wrapped in a dark green blanket. In his lap laid Emblem, sleeping soundly.
Brendan couldn’t believe his eyes. He groaned and let himself weakly fall from the hole to the ground of the cave. “Ohhhh! Damn! Fire?!” How could have he not felt this before?! Fire! Here on Xenox’s mountain.
“Well, hello Brendan,” the man still had his eyes closed, though he had slowly gotten up, letting Emblem rest on the ground behind the fire. Brock came to help Brendan stand up. “Wow, you’re obviously freezing cold. Why don’t you come sit by the fire and warm up?”
Brendan immediately snatched his body from the man’s grip. “Hell no! What are you thinking?! Who ARE you?!”
The man laughed and looked ashamed. “Oh, yeah! Huh! I forgot! You’ve bonded with the Ice Spear, haven’t you? That’s right….here I’ll have this fire outta your way.” He turned and threw the huge blanket over the small campfire, making the entire warmth of the fire disappear. Brendan felt suddenly relieved, though he was still glaring at the body of Emblem.
Brendan pointed at the little Groudon with a fierce gaze. “That pokemon……what do you think you’re doing with it? You’re not helping it reach the top….are you?”
The man chuckled. “Of course not. Why, I’m stuck in this little place myself until I’m revived in the real waking world.” He turned to Brendan with his strange closed eyes. His expression was friendly. “And Brendan, you seem much more distant than I expected you to be.”
Brendan glared at the man. “How the heck do YOU know my name?”
The man chuckled. “I’ve been stuck in this cave for a while, and from baby Dovanna, I’ve learned of everything that’s going on, from Ash Ketchum in Kanto, to the disturbances in the Sinnoh and Unova regions, and even about the happenings in Isotopia from what Pikachu has told me.” The man turned to the body of Emblem. “This is Emblem for itself, you know. This isn’t just a little Groudon with Pikachu’s soul, it’s Emblem for real now.”
Brendan gasped and realized he had been so stupid. He stared at the body with an awestruck gaze. “But…..how could May have had it?!”
The man chuckled. “Well, Pikachu’s real soul is farther up in the mountains in this dream world by now, though Emblem had remained stuck down here with me. Apparently, May stumbled upon him when he was trying to wander along the borders, trying to make it higher in the mountains to catch up with Pikachu. She and Prima Dona were planning on taking its real soul through the dream to wake up with them in the island of Isotopia.”
Brendan winced. “But why did it escape their grip when they were about to awaken in their real world?”
The man sighed and looked down at the pokemon with sorrow in his closed eyes. “Well….it didn’t exactly know that they were headed back to the island of Isotopia. It thought Jirachi was taking them to where Prima Dona was going to have her wish granted-- where she would find the White Crystalline so that she can make this dream become real and have the souls united and bonded with the Ice Spears to have Xenox’s power awakened and under her control. I guess it really was better for Emblem’s real spirit to avoid going anywhere with Prima Dona anyway, whether it will take it closer to the mountain of Xenox or not.”
Brendan mumbled under his breath, feeling overwhelmed.
The man turned to Brendan once again, with a serious gaze in his narrowed, closed eyes. “Brendan…..my name is Brock. You should remember me, but unfortunately, the spirit of Xenox is keeping you from remembering anything. But I promise, I can explain everything that’s happened to me, and what I know from baby Dovanna.”

“May! Wake up!” Drew yelled over a sudden blast of cold air that wafted through the room around them. May was twitching and grumbling with frustration in her sleep, and looked more like she was awake and fighting a force with her eyes closed. Her legs kicked back furiously and Emblem slept behind her, growling and twitching with the same agitation. Whatever was going on between the two was definitely some kind of nightmare.
He, May, Prima Dona, Lucy, and Emblem had fallen asleep at the foot of the stairs before they had started the pathway upwards. Prima Dona had insisted on sleeping with the spirits, despite the cold temperature inside.
But Drew hadn’t dared to try and fall asleep in a cold and desolate place like this. The temple was like a freezer, and he couldn’t have fallen asleep even if he had wanted to. Surprisingly enough, Lucy and Prima Dona managed to ignore the bitterly cold air, but to have May easily fall asleep was enough to distract Drew even more. He could sense her closeness for Prima Dona growing like an evolving pokemon. She had changed, and Drew could feel it in her. The way she looked at him now days wasn’t the same, and she always had some kind of strange glint in her eyes that didn’t show her natural, outgoing spirit. She was….almost like Prima Dona herself. She was whiny and difficult to talk to, only happy and laughing at things that only Prima Dona found funny. She didn’t even see, to be her sweet self around Emblem anymore.
And Drew always thought of her night after night. Before, he hadn’t even tried to talk her out of following Prima Dona around and taking her side. He had been upset with the way she was planning on using Emblem, to keep the little pokemon from fulfilling its prophecy. But now, he had thought that May had just gotten worse, and had even become more like Prima Dona herself. Now, even if Drew tried to talk to her, she wouldn’t even meet his gaze or respond politely. She seemed to hate him just like Prima Dona did.
“It’s all my fault,” Drew was muttering as he stared down at May’s twitching body. “If only I had tried harder…..and talked to her more…..she probably could’ve thought twice about the things she was doing with Prima Dona.” Every time Drew saw the two of them sleeping side by side together, he sensed a strange feeling pass between both of them within, and that they could have been going through even more together in their sleep than they had in the waking world in front of everyone else. Prima Dona could be working with May and showing her much more about herself when the two of them were asleep, sharing dreams.
Drew winced, looking down at the ground. If only he could find his way into their dreams…..find his way into the mountain of Xenox to see what was going on. But the aura of Xenox only had souls that were part of its own dream enter in as their own dreams, and Drew himself had nothing special against Prima Dona but an annoyance. She didn’t need him for any particular use of summoning Xenox. She wouldn’t want to bring him into her own dream so that they could share what happened between them in the mountain of Xenox. Drew’s heart sank when he knew that May wouldn’t either.
Suddenly, a loud, nasty screech came from Prima Dona as she perched on the left banister of the stairs behind May. She squawked and beat her feathers loudly, suddenly opening her eyes with a piercing fury of hatred. Instantly when she opened her eyes, a blast of light shone from all around her, blinding Drew’s gaze from seeing her body clearly.
Drew winced and took a step back, wondering if Prima Dona was suddenly overcoming the power of the ice spirits and changing back to her real form.
But suddenly May let out a yell and shot up to stand on her feet, facing Drew with wide, open eyes.
“May….” Drew gazed at her softly and carefully, trying to read her expression.
“YAHHH!” Prima Dona thrust out both her wings and appeared in the blinding glow of light until a pokemon was suddenly hovering above her.
Drew gasped and gazed at the pokemon. It was Jirachi. He recognized it immediately before its form came into complete view.
Behind him, Lucy awoke and stood, facing Prima Dona and the little star pokemon with a glinting gaze.
Prima Dona cackled, twisting her Mandibuzz face into an evil, devious expression. Jirachi was trembling with fear as it glowed above her.
May joined her side, stepping over Emblem as it awoke, looking up at the shining light nervously.
Suddenly, May started growing as well. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, and when she reopened them again, Brendan suddenly appeared from behind the glowing light around Prima Dona. He had the Ice Spear in his hand, and a White Stone clutched in his hand.
Drew widened his eyes at the stone. “The White Crystalline…..”
“That’s right, my foolish child!” Prima Dona whipped up her wings and stood tall upon May’s shoulder. The light faded around her, and Jirachi was hovering up with a crestfallen look on its face. “Nice to see that you managed to catch on quickly.”
“What happened?” Drew demanded, stepping up forward with a look of hatred. “What did you do to May and Brendan in your dream?!”
“Hah!” Prima Dona just cocked her head back and broke out in laughter.
May glared at Drew and huffed. “Oh come off it!” She snapped. “Prima Dona only wished her to find the stone and get what she wanted. Thanks to Jirachi, we will have our wish granted now, and we will have the power of the Black Ebony AND the White Crystalline to help aid us through the mountain of Xenox.”
“What?!” Drew glanced at the poor Jirachi and gave Prima Dona a look of hatred. “I thought we were headed to the top of this temple to summon Xenox! Why would we need the power of the stones?”
“Because I want Xenox to awaken in its own mountain where the White Crystalline and Black Ebony can become the Silver Jewel! That can only happen once we reach its very cave, and when the Silver Jewel is created, the Wipeout will be all under our control.”
Prima Dona turned to snatch the stone out of Brendan’s hands. She held it up in the air towards Jirachi. “By the powers of aura and sorcery….I seek vengeance for Xenox!”
And Jirachi threw its head back, flinching and crying in pain as it spread its tiny arms and a blast of light blinded them all, making Drew’s vision spin until he found himself outside, looking down at two hundred feet below where the city of Tallick spiraled under his dizzy gaze. He was at the very top of the temple of Jiraja.
Cold snowing wind whipped all around him, and he could barely stand still. The top of the temple was a platform, with tall spikes jutting straight up towards the sky with statues of dragon pokemon lined around the bottom. Just above their heads, the tip of the sharp ends of the jutting spikes poked above. Drew felt as if he could look up into the high sky and let himself become sucked into the spiraling vortexes of whipping windy snow.
Hands gripped his shoulder and he flinched, but relaxed a little when he noticed Lucy’s low voice.
“The force is terribly strong up here…..” she murmured darkly, her eyes flashing around. Her dark hair blew in the wind and blended in the black night. “Something’s coming….something that’s stronger than all of the spirits combined…..”
Drew gasped. “Prima Dona’s not summoning Xenox, is she?!”
“AHA!” Prima Dona was suddenly at their right, hovering in the storm with a look of disgusting satisfaction on her face. She looked like a dirty, messy old gargoyle fighting against the wind. At her right stood May, and Brendan at her left. This time, she had both the Black Ebony and White Crystalline in each of her hands. Jirachi was still hovering above Prima Dona, looking lost and scared with wide-eyed disbelief at what it was controlled to do.
May clutched Emblem in her arms and she had a look of hatred on her face as she glared towards Drew and Lucy.
“Fool!” Prima Dona cackled. “Xenox won’t be summoned in this terrible excuse of a temple! No! Xenox shall be summoned and awoken from where it’s at right now! With the power of ice spirits at this part of the Jiraja, I will obtain the other two Ice Spears….then with the power of Xenox’s dreams, I shall take the Spears and use the right souls out there to commingle with them both.”
Prima Dona fluttered to the left and landed on Brendan’s shoulder, and even though Drew could tell she kept a firm, painful grasp, Brendan’s eyes and expression remained the same hard glare. The Ice Spear in his hand was glistening brightly through the storm. “This mere soul,” spoke Prima Dona, “will no longer be alone. There will be others to bond with the other Spears yet….”
“Grouuu!” Emblem kicked and tried to escape May’s grasp.
“ARGH!” May stomped her foot and glared at the pokemon in her hands. “Emblem…..LET THE POWER OF ICE TAKE OVER!” She faced the sky and held up the little Emblem pokemon. “There’s nothing this little monster can do against you!”
Drew watched helplessly as Emblem trembled in May’s hands as the fierce wind whipped all around it.
“May! Don’t!” He cried, stepping forward. But suddenly, a rumble in the air made him stop and gasp.
Lucy growled and Prima Dona let off of Brendan’s shoulder. The Ice Spear in his hands was glowing with intensity, and Jirachi was crying fearfully in the air.
Suddenly, a blast of light shot from the Spear, and Prima Dona was blown back with an angry squall. May grunted and fell forwards from the light behind her, dropping Emblem in front of her with the wind blowing him farther away.
“Groooo!” The little pokemon tussled in the snow against the wind and Drew hurried over to pick it up.
“It’s alright, Emblem,” he reassured the little pokemon.
“Drew, give it back!” Screamed May angrily, facing up at him with a look of fury on her face.
The sky blasted with a glow that reflected from the Spear. Brendan was suddenly hovering above the ground, stiff as a statue as he withstood the blizzard whipping around him. A cry split the air and a pokemon suddenly appeared from the reflecting light.
Prima Dona shook from the snow and stood on her long legs. She cracked a screeching Mandibuzz cry. “Yeahhh! Come forth! Hurry up and bring me those Spears!”
“Errrrraaah!” Kyurem’s strange deafening cry thundered from the light and the pokemon suddenly emerged from the light from the Spear, crashing out with a mighty thrust like a Gyarados suddenly emerging from the sea.
Drew recognized the pokemon from their last visit all the way back in the canyonlands. Kyurem was huge, icy, and monstrous. He stared through the blinding blizzard with awe at Kyurem. If Xenox was a hundred times worse than this pokemon, as to actually cause a Wipeout that would kill the entire world, than Drew had a sickening feeling about when the time would come for him to actually come to face Xenox. How would they ever defeat it……?
“With the power of Spears and souls!” Prima Dona’s crackling voice pierced through the air almost like Kyurem’s cry. the creepy Mandibuzz was flapping around the bottom of where Kyurem was fighting the powerful blizzard. “Kyurem!” She was glaring up at the pokemon. She suddenly turned her fierce gaze on Brendan, who was hovering to the ground with his Ice Spear no longer glowing. “Well?! Where are the other Spears?!”
Lucy stepped at Brendan’s side with a hand on his shoulder. “The paths have changed,” she raised her voice while still portraying the same hint of quietness.
“AAGGHH!” Prima Dona beat her wings. “What do you mean?!”
“Apparently, something’s blocked Kyurem from reaching the Spears!” Lucy was staring up at Kyurem as the magnificent legendary hovered around Jirachi, eying the little star pokemon closely. Jirachi looked less scared than it had been, and it was thoroughly spinning and gazing back at Kyurem with little, curious eyes. The noisy, fierce winds whipped all around the both of them.
“WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!” Prima Dona was furious. “WHY COULDN’T IT FIND THE SPEARS?!”
“It tried……but a strange force blocks it.” Lucy’s eyes flashed through the storm. “I can see that it’s been affected by powers that have actually fought its presence from coming any nearer to the spears.”
“Ahhh, NOOOO!” Prima Dona beat her wings as hard as an Mandibuzz could flap, and the whipping snow started to swirl around her.
Drew gasped. He turned to look at May, who was holding Emblem with an angry look of disbelief. “But how?!” She cried with a hint of a complaining tone in her voice. She looked ready to throw down Emblem with despair. “We are so close! It was WISH for Kyurem to find its way to the Spears! Has Jirahchi done something?!” She glared up at Jirachi with a fierce scowl.
Brendan’s eyes suddenly narrowed. “I know where Spears are, though,” his voice was so low and muffled by the snowstorm that Drew barely heard him. “There’s still a chance to get the other Spears…..as well as the souls that shall become confined to them.”
Lucy was nodding. “He is right. It’s still all part of the wish.”
“What are you talking about?!” Prima Dona screamed. “I want my Spears NOW! What’s supposed to happen?! There’s no need for Kyurem to show up right now! it’s got no spears!”
“I know!” May was frowning and speaking in a whiny tone. “Prima Dona, do something!” She stomped her foot like a girl. “It’s freezing out here and we better make use of our time up at this place!”
Drew narrowed his eyes at Prima Dona, then at May. He was annoyed—though more with May. He was used to Prima Dona and understood her problem, but May had no good reason to be acting like this for anyone’s sake. “Look closely at Kyurem!” He yelled, still facing her. “It’s circling Jirachi. Perhaps it’s getting a little something out of the wish pokemon, and figuring out what’s going to happen next! If Jirachi’s sworn to be the pokemon to grant all wishes, then it must be doing its job!”
May was facing Drew with a wide-eyed look of disbelief.
Drew pressed on. “Something else must be happening, and pretty soon, you’ll get your dirty wish in no time!” His eyes were burning at May, and Drew could feel his own burning hotness sear through the blizzard and strike May with a stabbing ferocity. He was angry, frustrated, annoyed, and desperate at the same time. If this dang cold blizzard hadn’t been whipping up, Drew felt like he would’ve burned up and exploded.
“Gllllaaaaa!” Kyurem whipped around from facing Jirachi and swooshed its tail over May and Drew, making them all fly over to the edge of the temple.
Drew clung onto Emblem but lost his grip as he grabbed for a jutting Spike before he tumbled off the edge to his death.
May screamed and shot up. “Emblem!” Drew could see her angry gaze on the little pokemon. She dashed forwards to pick it up, tripping again.
Emblem cried and tried to run from May’s aim, but she had fallen forwards again and had gotten hold of the little Groudon. Drew heard the little pokemon wail in despair at the howling wind.
“What are you doing with it?!” Drew yelled, struggling to sit up on his knees to glare over at May. Her face was scowling as she tried to grip tightly at Emblem in the wind as she lay on her stomach.
“GLLLLLAAAAA!” Kyurem whipped out its ice-powerful wings and the air seized in bitter coldness. Drew suddenly felt the blizzard around him soften, and less snow started to blow around. But before he could feel any relief yet, he realized how cold the air was getting. The temperature had dropped down to what felt like a negative one thousand. Drew was suddenly extremely cold, colder than he had ever felt. He felt like he would turn into an ice sculpture in seconds. He narrowed his eyes and saw that the coldness was wafting from Kyurem’s wings.
“GAHHH! I’M COOOOLD!” Prima Dona yelled angrily. “What is going on?! Why is it facing May?! Kyurem! I’m over here! I was the one who summoned you!”
“No you weren’t,” Brendan stepped forward. “I was.” His Ice Spear was glistening, seeming to become more powerful in the bitter cold. Suddenly, he closed his eyes and the roar of Kyurem pierced the air, making the entire temple shake.
Kyurem’s call was suddenly answered by howling. Out of nowhere, the pack of Changelings shot from the snow around Brendan, and he was circled by a pack of Houndoom and Mightyena that howled at the dark sky.
“Houndoom?!” Squawked Prima Dona. “Mightyena? What can the pack of Changelings do?!”
Drew watched with disbelief. May had risen to her feet again, holding Emblem at her chest.
“May….what….” Drew could barely move his lips. He couldn’t see how Prima Dona was managing to scream over all this.
May spoke with calm and tenacity. “Kyurem……here,” she held up Emblem once again at the gigantic legendary. “It can’t destroy Xenox, nor can it destroy you.”
Drew huffed and forced himself to stand up and walk towards her back, yelling, “May! How could you?! What are you doing?!”
May didn’t even turn to him. she kept her gaze right at Kyurem. “ Defeat it,” she remarked fiercely. “Defeat this so-called ‘fire emblem’ and you can have the world all to ice without its silly interference.”
“No!” Drew cried.
Emblem looked up with nervousness as Kyurem lowered its head to peer right at the little’s pokemon’s scared face.
“May!” Drew yelled furiously. “You promised to keep it safe! Don’t you remember?!” He cast a quick glance at Prima Dona, who was gazing at May with a cold look of satisfaction. Jirachi looked worriedly, and Brendan and Lucy gazed at her with unreadable expressions. Brendan seemed totally unbothered by the freezing air.
May continued to yell. Drew could tell by her bluish turning skin that she was fighting the bitter cold. “Without this pokemon, great things will arise. There can be more ice than you can imagine….”
Kyurem started to growl deeply at May’s cunning voice.
Drew couldn’t help himself as soon as he saw the pokemon’s glistening wings start to glimmer. He grabbed May’s shoulder and spun her around.
“Uh!” May gasped and brought Emblem to her chest as she stared at Drew with cold, angry eyes. Kyurem let out a distracted growl as it lost focus on Emblem.
Drew glared into her eyes. They were still beautiful, despite the cold, desperate look in them. “Just why are you doing this?” He muttered. His face felt already frozen to the brain and he could barely think straight. But his feelings were still too hard. If he or May hadn’t been so intent in this temperature, he knew the both of them could’ve frozen to death a long time ago. “You are just like me…..you’re not Prima Dona. We have to work AGAINST her evil, and try to fight against this terrible Wipeout that will be coming.” He suddenly realized a thought that sparked in his head. “It’s not really Xenox who will summon the Wipeout—it’s Prima Dona.”
“What is going on over there?! You sharing feelings or trying to get through this destiny that Kyurem will provide?!” Prima Dona’s scream sounded from behind Kyurem.
May narrowed her eyes at Drew and instantly, unexpectedly, reached up and gave him a kiss that lasted for ten seconds straight. When she let go, Drew could feel his cold iced lips suddenly start to warm up. A tense, dizzy feeling was occurring in him and he suddenly felt a little warmer. He gazed out with a blank stare, than gazed at May’s eyes, who were a fierce, calm narrow.
“I’m sorry, Drew,” she said quietly. “But things have changed. Things have been changing all around the regions, and the world. Pretty soon, there will be such a change greater than all the others, and the world…..will never be the same again.” She blinked her eyes sadly. When she opened them, they were a fierce glare. “I, too, must change in order to adapt the next condition that will overcome this earth. I will be by Prima Dona’s side, fighting with Xenox and surviving the Wipeout with her. Nothing can stop us. Not even the fire emblem pokemon.”
At the mention of the fire emblem pokemon, Emblem immediately yowled and jumped out of May’s arms. It fell towards the snow to the left of them both, and tussled in the blanket of snow, whimpering and crying with despair.
One of the Mightyena growled and a Houndoom let out a breath of fire that flowed towards Emblem.
The little pokemon suddenly regained awareness and started running towards the edge to the temple.
“EMBLEM!” May and Drew both cried for the little Groudon, but it was too late. Without turning back, Emblem had trampled over the edge, and disappeared as it dropped down below in the distance.
Drew couldn’t feel anything now. He didn’t even know what to feel. That little pokemon had been the start of his concerns and disappointments with May, and now it was gone…….for now at least. What had it been thinking? Was it all still part of the wish?
“WHAT IN THE WORLD?!” Prima Dona yowled.
May huffed and turned to Drew with a narrowed look.
Behind her, Kyurem flapped its powerful wings, and Jirachi started glowing. The pack of Changelings faced Kyurem and howled, and Kyurem’s mighty deep cry rumbled in the air once again, and suddenly, May was hovering from the ground, blowing towards the legendary pokemon behind her.
“Oh, what in the world is—WAHH!” Prima Dona herself was suddenly being uplifted from the ground, pulling towards Kyurem she flapped her wings uselessly as her body was drawn towards Kyurem.
A light suddenly erupted around Kyurem, and reflected back towards Brendan’s Ice Spear.
Drew faced Brendan with disbelief, and Brendan gazed back at him with a glinting expression. He raised his Spear towards Kyurem.
Brendan uttered something in a strange language, and Jirachi spun around. Kyurem, Prima Dona, May, Brendan , and Jirachi all dissolved into the air. Drew stood at the top of the temple in the deathly cold weather, with only Lucy facing him from a short distance to his left.
The Pike Queen seemed unaffected by the temperature as well, simply by the works of her psychics. “They’ve gone to fetch the last of the Spears—though they will fetch them in their dreams.”
Drew widened his eyes. “They have gone to Xenox’s island?”
“They have the power of the White Crystalline, and the Black Ebony. They will sleep on the verge of the island, where they will dream a strong dream, and guide themselves to the two remaining Spears. Brendan has seen where Kyurem has searched, and he could trace the other two Spears through whatever could be blocking them. he will use his own power to fight the force that block Kyurem, and they will all have hold of the other two spears in no time—as well as the souls that shall become confined to them.”
Drew stared in disbelief.
“And when they wake up,” continued Lucy, “they will be at the very cave of Xenox, just like they guided themselves to do so in their dreams.”
Drew couldn’t believe it. He couldn’t believe anything anymore. The cold was getting to his body, and he turned with a longing look. If he only escaped this freezing cold weather……
The spirits were stirring again, and the winds were blowing faster. The ice spirits were becoming more active again. he let himself be fiercely blown to the edge of the temple, and he feel towards the ground below.

It was the same old cloudy day in the town of Nuvema. Hilda looked out her window with concern, biting her lip and thinking about the strange dreams she had been having.
Multiple times had she gone downstairs to pass Mr. Huttz sitting by the couch, staring at the picture of Reshiram with narrowed, untrusting eyes.
N was sharing Hilda’s room like he was told, and apparently, Hilda found herself feeling relieved that she was sharing a room with someone she knew pretty well, and someone she hadn’t seen in such a long time.
N explained to Hilda how the Ice Spear that Mr. Huttz was keeping was only a part of three other spears that were somehow supposed to be connected together. N didn’t exactly understand what the Ice Spears were supposed to do, but Hilda could only predict that they were somehow against Reshiram in some way.
“Mr. Huttz said that the Ice Spear was telling him to get rid of that picture of Reshiram,” said Hilda, sitting on her bed one rainy night.
N was lying on the bed that had been provided just a few feet across from Hilda. His expression was unreadable as he gazed up blankly at the ceiling, listening to the cold hard rain patter outside in the rumble of the thunder.
“I’m not quite sure about the Ice Spear myself,” muttered N. “But don’t tell even Hilbert about it. There’s something contained in the Spear, and I’m totally aware of it since you told me about the DNA professor Oak uncovered back in Kanto. You said Xenox…right?”
Hilda nodded. “Supposedly, it’s supposed to be a pokemon that lives far away in a place called Barren Island. No one’s ever dared to enter it and see Xenox for themselves ‘cause just by being on the island is enough to kill any living soul from the blinding blizzards and storms. If this Ice Spear Mr. Huttz has is actually part of such a pokemon, then I think it would make sense for it to be hating Reshiram.”
“But not even Reshiram’s fire would be enough to withstand the Wipeout,” said N, sitting up and gazing at Hilda’s eyes. “This is what Mr. Huttz and I were discussing. Only the fire emblem pokemon is destined to do such things.”
“The strange dreams I’ve had lately, especially since you and Mr. Huttz came along…” Hilda was trying to remember the ominous moment when she had dreamed of the strange falling star last night, touching the earth, and when its light reached the earth’s core, the entire place had become nothing but a frozen wasteland of snow and ice. “They all seem to have to do with some kind of ice element, or something with snow.” Hilda gazed at N with a narrowed look in her eyes. “They’ve made me feel colder than the storms outside.”
N gave her a long stare, and Hilda was expecting him to come forth and hug her, for warmth in the chilly room where rain pattered loudly outside. But N remained as still as a statue.
He looked to the closed window through the clear curtains. “Perhaps…..the Ice Spear is trying to get your attention.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, like Huttz said, if you stare into the spear long enough, it can take over your soul, just as if it stabbed into your heart. If the Ice Spear took over your soul, then you’d probably be confined to the aura within it, which would be Xenox’s aura.”
Hilda felt a cold run through her spine. “Have you tested it on anyone yet?”
N gave her a wince. “Hey! Just ‘cause I’m Team Plasma doesn’t mean I’m a nasty scientist that would use pokemon as lab rats or test sources. And plus, if you did stab someone with the Spear, then that someone would be the only soul confined to the Spear. The Spear only seems to have the power to bond with but one soul. Afterwards, it’s probably totally safe.”
Hilda looked down and listened to the murmur of the storm. “I was going to move back to my theatre in Nimbasa but…..because of the storms and everything, I’ve decided I might as well just stay home where it was most safe. I was visiting my mother anyway, and I can see she could use some help….”
“Pretty soon we’ll all need help,” N said carefully. His eyes were deepening into hers. “There really is a force out there in the world, and it’s affecting the regions from all around. If we’re not prepared, the worse can come when we least expect it.”
Hilda laid in her bed, alone in her thoughts. She kept thinking about how if she slept, she would only face those strange, misunderstanding dreams.
One of her dreams had been about that strange child she and N had found several days ago. She remembered how it had that strange black tail of a Zorua, and every time she reminded N of how he himself had lost a Zorua, he would grow extremely quiet as if he didn’t want to share his feelings about his Zorua and the strange child.
But Hilda had been feeling its presence as if it were stalking them. She even had a dream of the little Zorua boy suddenly appearing in her own house, appearing behind the shower curtains after she had locked the bathroom door behind her.
When Hilda would wake up though, she could still feel the strange heart-thumping presence of the child lingering around. It was as if it had really come out from her dream—and entered the world when she woke up.
Suddenly, she heard a crash from downstairs. She flinched and sat up with a start. The rain outside had calmed, though the water was still pouring as loud as a shower. But the strange crash downstairs…..she could only picture one reason. Mr. Huttz.
Narrowing her eyes and muttering with distrust about the man, she stepped out of her bed and made her way down the stairs. The air felt darkening and cold, and the lower she got down the stairs, the more swallowed up and faded she felt.
Something was glowing from the living room, and she realized the picture of Reshiram was hung on the wall, and on fire.
She gasped and was about to scream, though she could feel nothing come out. She was totally breathless, and before she knew it, she was running towards the picture, reaching her arm out, yelling, “Nooooo……! NO, IT CAN’T BE!”
A hand grabbed her right arm and yanked her back from getting any closer to the burning picture. Mr. Huttz’s stern voice suddenly muttered angrily in her ears.
“What d’ya think you’re doing, girl?!” He sounded furious. His Conkeldurr was growling behind him, stomping its feet angrily.
Hilda gasped. “The picture! What have you done?!”
“I’ve done NOTHING, little girl! At least not yet!”
Hilda felt a quick stab of annoyance when he called her “little girl,” but her focus on the picture was suddenly becoming more intent. As she looked closely, she realized the picture wasn’t melting or fading away in the midst of the flames. Instead, the picture seemed to be becoming more vibrant, and the old painting of Reshiram seemed to become more and more alive, and look less like a painting by the second. It was as if the fire was coming from the picture itself.
“You see…” Mr. Huttz was muttering as he let her arm go. “The picture is acting up. It doesn’t like the presence of my Ice Spear…..nor does my Ice Spear want the picture’s presence.”
“Where is the Ice Spear?” Hilda looked around the dark room, and caught the Ice Spear by the fire place, where it was glistening brightly and seeming to stir up a small amount of mist from its chilling coldness. There were strange colors at the center, purplish and red, with a distinctive spot of black. As Hilda stared at it, she suddenly felt the coldness that wafted from the Spear…suddenly taking over the hotness that she felt.
Mr. Huttz chuckled. “Feelin’ too hot? Just a simple stare at the Spear can cool down your soul….”
“Hilda!” N’s sudden cry came from upstairs and Hilda suddenly felt a strong shove at her side that made her fall to the floor where her head nearly touched the flames burning from the picture. Her heart twisted with the most painful ache, and she wondered if this was what a heart attack felt like. She was panting, and suddenly felt the hotness from the fire in front of her burn all over her again. She lay on her side, her eyes wide and out of daze.
N was staring at Mr. Huttz with a look of horror. “How could you let her stare at the thing like that?!”
Mr. Huttz grunted. “Hmph! Why shouldn’t I? it should be about time we test the importance of the trance the Spear gives off, and experiment what the results would be….”
“I told you not to hurt Hilda though!”
Hilda’s mind was spinning, and suddenly she could barely hear them. She lifted her head to look up at the painting of Reshiram before her entire mind blanked out. The white pokemon was a mere scene. It was more than just a painting now—it looked exactly like the real thing. It looked ready to come to life as the fire dance around the frame, overcoming the picture with more hotness.
In the background, she heard N and Mr. Huttz arguing. Their loud voices were muffled by the strange deafening flames that Hilda could hear.
Then suddenly the fire exploded. Some of the flames bursted larger, and then burned to smoke, disappearing in the air. But then Hilda realized it wasn’t the air. The wafting mist from the Ice Spear was suddenly thickening, and surrounding the fiery picture. She watched with fear and pain as the fire and flames suddenly turned to ice, until the entire picture of Reshiram was covered with shimmering icicles. The pokemon Reshiram looked frozen and suddenly powerless, overtaken by the element of ice.
“No…” Hilda was pleading in her mind. “Reshiram….you’re the fire. You can defeat this element…..”
“AHHH!” Mr. Huttz let out a yell. “NO! YOU SEE?! THIS IS THE POWER OF THE SPEAR! I SHOULD’VE HAD THAT PICTURE TAKEN OFF THE MOMENT I ARRIVED HERE!” Hilda heard more yelling and realized N and Mr. Huttz must have been fighting.
A loud thunderstruck crashed over the house and Hilda flinched, burying her head in her arms. She felt bitterly cold, and the mist from the Ice Spear was chilling her entire body. She heard Mr. Huttz summon Conkeldurr back in its pokeball.
When she peeked from her arm again, she saw the rainy window to the left of the picture of Reshiram. A dark black face was peering at her, and she felt a strange voice in her mind.
Before she could understand what it was saying, she had drifted off in a cold, shivering sleep, fainting from the overwhelming air of mist all around her.
Blinking her eyes open, Hilda found her herself lying on her side with her head resting on someone’s lap. She gasped and shot her head up. she was on the seat of a Ferris Wheel, sitting next to N. The inside of the room felt strangely warm.
She stared into the eyes of N with a look of shock. “What happened?! Why are we all the way HERE?!” She glanced out the window at the big city of Nimabasa. The place was empty, and like a mere ghost town in the dark of dawn.
N chuckled. “Hey, don’t worry, Nimbasa hasn’t lost all its attractions yet. there’s just way less people out before the crack of morning since it’s way too cold whenever the brightness disappeared.”
Hilda realized he didn’t say anything about the sunshine since there wasn’t even any such thing as sun anymore…..even during the day. The clouds were either bright white or dark gray.
“But why are we even here?” Hilda’s mind still felt bedazzled and spinning. She only remembered staring into fire, into Reshiram, and then being overtaken by the deathly feeling of coldness.
N suddenly narrowed his gaze. “Remember the Ice Spear?”
Hilda huffed. “Yes! Of course I remember the Ice Spear. Don’t think I’ve lost all my memory just caused I fainted in front of such fire and ice…”
“Well, the Ice Spear was trying to fight the aura that came from that Reshiram picture.”
“Aura?”
N looked at her carefully. “Apparently, that picture’s got a strange power to it besides the incredible work of art. Something about it really connected with the forces in the air, and the Ice Spear didn’t like those forces.”
“Well, where’s Mr. Huttz?”
“I really have no idea.” N suddenly looked worried. “As soon as the mist from the Spear took over, the both of us were blinded and frozen until we thought we had died….but then this dark figure appeared through the rooms, and suddenly let us all fall into a deep sleep. I assume that dark figure teleported us here—it must be a psychic of some kind.”
Hilda suddenly remembered the dark face that had been staring at her from the window. “I wonder what that pokemon was…..”
“I don’t know,” said N, looking out the window as their slowly moving Ferris Wheel seat passed over the ground below and started to rise up. “But when I woke up, I did find myself next to a tree near the forest, and I was looking up into the face of…..of that same human boy we encountered as that Zorua child.”
Hilda raised her eyebrows.
N looked at her and spoke quickly. “But it ran away as soon as I awoke. I tried to follow it, and it led me to this very city where the place looked like the middle of some dark era or spell. The place wasn’t covered in snow, as you can see, but it’s awfully much colder here than it was back in Nuvema.”
“Why are we here?” Hilda suddenly felt terrorized. “What did Mr. Huttz do to us? I bet it was he who put you and I to sleep, and then use that psychic pokemon to teleport us out of the way! that way he could get what he wanted from that picture of Reshiram……and that Ice Spear…”
“No, you don’t understand,” N sounded frustrated and he was speaking in a low, quiet tone that was distracting Hilda. “The Ice Spear was trying to fight the force that came from Reshiram…..and the force from the psychic that was outside. I could feel it happening. The Ice Spear looked ready to disintegrate—ready to disappear into the forces of the air, but another force was working against it. Something was trying to stop it from disappearing to anywhere, and that force came from the picture of Reshiram.”
Hilda winced. “So…..something else was trying to catch the Ice Spear but Reshiram’s picture was trying to stop it?”
“Yes…something was at least trying to retrieve it,” N looked like he was trying to think hard. “Something was very close to capturing this Ice Spear, but something was using the picture of Reshiram to fight against whatever was trying to get at the Spear. The forces of Reshiram’s picture…..and the Ice Spear within…..they were trying to fight each other.”
Hilda visualized the burning flames and the overwhelming mist filling the air. “And the force of the Ice Spear won…..didn’t it? The picture of Reshiram was confined to ice….frozen in that terrible mist….” She couldn’t believe how destroyed her picture really was now.
N nodded. “Apparently, Mr. Huttz was never expecting it to happen. Either he’s with his Spear right now, or he’s teleported away like the rest of us, while the Ice Spear teleported to wherever the force took it.”
Hilda narrowed her eyes. “It could be Xenox…..could it? Maybe it’s Xenox, retrieving its Ice Spear from its dreams.”
“It could be,” muttered N. “You never know what such a pokemon could be capable of….”
It was silent in the room of the Ferris Wheel car, and Hilda was trying to let the moment calm down her fears and suspicions by enjoying as much as she can of the ride that only carried her and N. No one else was on the ride but them. She felt utterly devoted to N, and wanted nothing more than to have him hold her while she fretted with her fears and concerns for the world.
But suddenly, the car flinched. Hilda gasped and looked out the window with horror. She and N were at the top of the wheel, stuck. The Ferris Wheel had stopped moving.
“Oh no,” Hilda murmured, her heart tightening.
“”We’re stuck,” N clenched his teeth as he peered out the window with a glare. “No one’s down there to work the wheel.”
Hilda gasped. “We can try to climb out….I don’t wanna be stuck here!” Secretly, she really couldn’t imagine a better place to be stuck with N. She wished she could show how much love she really had to stay in this condition as long as she can—trapped in a Ferris Wheel car with N, the both of them alone.
N looked out to the gray horizon. “There’s a bit of brightness out there. Pretty soon someone’s gonna come and notice the Wheel…..but I doubt they would even be able to fix it anyway….”
“Hey! I see something!” Hidla pointed down to where she saw a shadow moving through the ground below, and enter in the booth. The shadow had been small but slinky enough to show that it was actually a live creature coming to their rescue. Suddenly, the Ferris Wheel started moving again, and N and Hilda waited with caution as the wheel came to a stop at the bottom where they exited and stepped out towards the floor.
“What was that…?” N was making his way towards the booth, and Hilda quietly followed behind. The air was as chilly as any dawn had ever been, and she wished she had been wearing a jacket before she was teleported here.
Suddenly, a mysterious figure loomed out of the booth, and Hilda saw that it wasn’t a figure any taller than three to four feet. It was a little boy, with dark brownish skin and jet black hair. he was wearing a thin black robe that dragged behind him, and from behind, a fluffy black tail was sticking out.
Hilda gasped. It was the Zorua child.

“Don’t move!” N was standing in front of Zorua with an intent look on his face, with his arm pointing right at him. “Please…don’t go just yet…we need to ask you something.”
Zan stood there in the cold, gazing back at the person that had once been his trainer. As a Zorua, N had captured him and treated him like an important specimen that needed to be well looked after and kept an eye on. Now that he had escaped, he had found his way to see the real world, and discover who he truly was. he had been traveling with the herd of Denmario, leading the Sawsuck into the outside territories of the forest, exploring the inner region of Unova.
Multiple times when he had dreamed though, Zan had found he had the strange power to not only master illusions and become a human child, but he could also dream as a Zorua, dream himself into places that he truly would teleport part of his spirit to, in the form of a human boy. If he dreamed himself at the base of the pokemon league, he would appear as a child there, while his real dreaming body would be asleep on another part of the region. Zan himself had discovered the true meaning of his psi powers, and he had yet to figure out what he was to use them for…..though he was sure he already had an idea.
Zan just stared at N and the girl behind him. He knew he appeared as a little three year old infant to them, and that he must look silly standing out in a night like this, all alone and unsupervised. His eyes were worried and scared, his mouth puckered in a little closed O, watching them with nervousness. He felt extremely cold in the dawn of the night.
N blinked, letting his hand down. “What’s…..your name?”
Zan blinked, wondering if N was just hiding that he really did know him. But Zan dared himself to speak anyway. “Zan…” He replied in a quiet quick tone.
Hilda came up to N’s side. “Zan? Is that what they call you as a Zorua?”
So they already knew, thought Zan. They knew he was a Zorua. But how? Dang it! The stupid tail—of course!
N crossed his arms and stared at Zan with a raised look. Zan’s heart thumped. He was onto him.
“Well, Zan,” N spoke his name with an indignant tone. “Do you care to explain why you had to run away from me like that? At the night of the storm? It wasn’t just because the rain was getting at your face, and causing you to flee with confusion. Why did you leave me like that?”
Zan blinked, widening his eyes. He turned to flee, running as fast as his little human legs could carry him, with the speed of a Zorua.
“Hey, WAIT!” He heard the cries from N and Hilda as they chased after him.
Zan dashed into the musical theatre. The auditorium was just starting to wake up, and people and pokemon were lighting up the stage, getting ready to start the next contest. He glimpsed Hilda and N enter in as he hid under one of the audience chairs.
“Hey! The musical theatre!” Hilda let out a sigh of relief. “I’m glad to see the storm’s done nothing terrible to this place yet!”
“Nice to see that your magazines are selling too,” remarked N quietly.
Zan turned and saw that a chatty group of women were gathering with two of the contest judges, fretting over a magazine that had all kinds of styled up pokemon surrounding Hilda.
“She’s a good dancer too!” Said one of the ladies. “I want my daughter to join the dance contest and dance just like her!”
Suddenly, one of the judges turned and pointed over to where Hilda and N stood at the entrance.
“Hey!” He said with surprise. “Why, it’s Hilda herself! She’s come back! Hilda, it’s been so long!” And suddenly, the small crowd all burst into a talkative, loud group of fans that made their way up towards Hilda and N.
Zan peeked out from under the chairs and watched as the crowd rudely pushed past N and crowded around Hilda. She backed away and said nervously, “Hey, hey, I’m not exactly staying here, trust me. It’s as unexpected for me to be here just as much as it looks to you….”
And Zan crept from the chairs, sneaking over to the stage behind the curtains. But before he could get behind the curtains, a large spotlight shone over him, and he squeezed his eyes shut at the sudden intensity, immediately dashing into the backstage. He was sure N and Hilda had seen him then.
Looking around the backstage, he was relieved to find it empty of people and pokemon. But suddenly, he heard footsteps behind him.
Sniffing, he sensed N was already sneaking up to the curtains behind, and he had pulled out a pokeball.
Fearing the pokeball especially, Zan hurried to the dress up room, where he suddenly felt bedazzled by the sweet aroma that came from the perfume a Mincinno had used. Zan inhaled happily.
“Mmm….” He couldn’t help making his way up to where the Mincinno sat on a stool with its trainer turned, chatting with another trainer that held a Lillipup.
The Mincinno turned to Zan with sweet happy eyes. it looked excited for its contest.
“Man, where do you get such wonderful smells?” Sighed Zan happily. “If this was based off of Hilda’s ideas, then maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to be living with HER.”
The Mincinno let out a squeak of horror and jumped.
Zan opened his eyes and flinched, realizing he had been speaking to a pokemon. But apparently, the Mincinno understood him, and responded back with shock.
“You speak?!” Cried the little pokemon with a small voice.
Suddenly, there was a loud cheer from behind the room where the stage was. A loud voice was announcing, “And now we get ready for the upcoming contestants for the first set of musicals! Trainers, get your pokemon dressed up and ready to play in their band!”
Zan blinked at the Mincinno. “Sorry….you probably have a contest to get back to,” he tiptoed passed the Mincinno, hoping the other humans would turn around and notice him.
The Mincinno stared at him as he left. “Oh! I get it! You’re a Zorua! Haha! That’s awesome, I can’t wait to get to tell how I’ve met a Zorua today at the most unexpected time!”
Zan ignored the Mincinno and made his way to the right end of the backstage, and gasped as he saw that N had caught him again. With nowhere to run, Zan crashed out of the curtains, appearing onstage with the audience. Thankfully, he was all the way off to the right where the spotlight didn’t shine on him. The onstage pokemon musical was going on, and three Petilil were gracefully dancing and playing a fast, catchy beat with a xylophone. The audience was pretty big, and Zan wondered how quickly such pokemon musicals became a hit in just a few moments of the morning.
As soon as N appeared from behind the stage, Zan dashed off, passing a police that came up to the front where N stood and started questioning him.
With success, Zan left them behind and exited the back of the musical, heading into the woods off the borders of the town.
Zan ran through the trees, finding his way into the Lostlorn Forest. The light of dawn in the dark sky guided him through the gray darkness, and he suddenly stopped when he felt the presence of another strange pokemon around him. Whispers ran through his head, and Zan could hear them calling his name. For a moment, he had thought the herd of Sawsbuck must’ve found him, and that they must have left his real Zorua body back at their nestling area for the night.
But suddenly, Zan heard the shout of N.
“Zorua!” N was calling him by his real name.
Zan turned and dashed into a nearby trailer that was knocked over and almost utterly destroyed by the storms. The trailer was strange to be inside of when tipped to one side, and Zan sniffed around, feeling some sort of familiarity with this place. He suddenly gasped and froze. A Zoroark had been here.
Suddenly, the lights inside turned on and revealed an upside down-sideways room where Zan was standing on the walls, where the floors should be. The place was a mess, but despite the misplacements, the trailer seemed nice and homely.
But Zan whipped around to face the intruders that had entered. His tail swished behind him from out of his little robe, and he would’ve growled if he were a Zorua. Instead, he just glared as N and Hilda came up to him, looking down with narrowed, concerned faces.
“What do you want from me?” Zan growled. “Can’t you see you’ve got other things to worry about than going off chasing after a Zorua kid like me?”
Hilda huffed. “What are you talking about? You know about the Ice Spear we were discussing? Well, if you know about it, then you must have had something to do with it! We’re tracking you down for that. I bet YOU were that dark shadow that I saw peeking through the window last night, spying on us!”
Zan hesitated, and let his tail drop. N sat on the leg of a tipped over sofa, peering at Zan curiously. “Please, we’re not going to hurt you. I especially am not going to hurt you—but we want to have some explanations. If you have any idea of what happened last night, please tell us.”
Zan blinked and clenched his fists. “The power of Reshiram…..it wasn’t enough to fight that Spear.”
“What power of Reshiram?” Hilda gasped. “So it was you who did that to the picture, wasn’t it?”
Zan looked down, kicking a piece of a broken glass. He sat and crossed his legs, his tail nervously flipping around behind him. “Well…..kinda. In a way.”
“What do you mean in a way?” Asked N. “Tell us more. What happened to you when you left us? I’ll tell YOU something you missed out on—that pokemon, Genesect, has escaped.” N’s eyes suddenly turned dark.
Zan flinched. Genesect—the very pokemon his trainer had created, and had been brought to life by the ambitious powers of science and knowledge from . “Genesect escaped…again?” It had escaped once before, but now, in the midst of the strangely changing world….the pokemon was wandering out there again?
“Yes….and before I get into more detail on that subject, tell me first of what you have gone through, and what your purpose is of being here.”
Zan suddenly felt a strange rush through his veins. Hilda and N were looking at him with intent, and he realized he had no other choice.
Zan told N and Hilda all about encountering the Zebstrika named Kidneys, and how he had been looked after by Denmario’s herd. He also told about the strange summoning of fire, and how his own dreams could have broken the portals of reality, and was able to make a difference in the waking world. He mentioned how at this very moment, he was sleeping with the rest of the herd not too far from the city of Nimbasa, just on the other side at a cave they had found. While he was a sleeping Zorua there, his dream allowed a part of his spirit to drift off and appear in the real world, controlled by the dream to be a wandering human child, trying to communicate with the X-Psi-Eye pokemon who was his mother. When they heard he was a pokemon that had both the power of psi and the fire of Reshiram within, Hilda and N were both very surprised. He told them he was currently trying to find out more from his background and who he really was to figure out what must be done.
“So far, I haven’t had very good communication with the X-Psi-Eye…” said Zan solemnly. “It’s been very vague to talk with her, and I haven’t even seen or met the X-Psi-Eye pokemon myself.”
“Some say she is a Gothitelle,” said N.
“That’s what it feels like when I talk to her…..but so far she’s told me to find the cause of this mysteriously terrible weather. I’ve been trying to track down the spirits and forces in the air, spirits that could be alive and trying to tell us something from the other dimension. I’ve been trying to read the air like psychics, though I can hardly figure out how to do it like a regular psychic pokemon. But so far, I’ve been able to detect more forces and see things more clearly within, but only every time I am asleep and dreamining myself as a human child.”
“So you were guided to our house, weren’t you?” Hilda spoke. “You managed to dream your way to where you thought the force was most active, and you found your way to where a big part of the weather was in control.”
“Yeah, I found the Ice Spear,” said Zan simply with a shrug. He narrowed his eyes. “But apparently, something else was trying to take the Ice Spear. I had to use the force of Reshiram’s fire within me to control that picture and reveal the fire around it to scare of the power of ice that was wafting from the Spear, letting itself become confined to those….thives that tried to take it away.”
“But….wouldn’t it have been a good thing for the Ice Spear to have been taken away?” Hilda was looking intent. “I mean…..the Ice Spear is really the cause of this weather. If Xenox’s aura weren’t kept within that Spear, and that the Spear was taken somewhere else, wouldn’t it kinda lessen down the bad snowy weather?”
“Well, that depends on who it is taking the Spear away,” said Zan haughtily. “See, as part of the X-Psi-Eye pokemon, I can sense the aura within the forces, and who they really are. Though identities have not been completely identified yet, I can tell that these forces that were trying to steal the Spear had a very darkening power within them that would only lead to worseness if they had the Spear in their hands. I could tell that they already had another Spear with them at the same time.”
“What?!” N immediately stood up. “So there are more Spears out there?!”
“There are more—I don’t know how much more, but I knew for sure that one of those Spears was with the force in the air.”
“Oh wow,” Hilda breathed. “Perhaps they wanted the Spear Huttz had to combine the powers of aura within their Spear…..oh it kinda makes a little more sense now. But to think we couldn’t even see this force!”
“YOU guys couldn’t,” said Zan carefully, keeping his eyes carefully narrowed. “But I have.”
N frowned. “You saw the forces that were fighting the fire from Reshiram? You actually SAW spirits trying to steal the Spear?”
“I saw the battle as clearly as anyone could have seen such a thing on TV,” said Zan with a part chuckle. “See, these forces are only visible on the other side of this world, on a strange other dimension. I myself am in a state in which I am supposed to be in that other dimension when I sleep, where my dream should be taking place. But instead, my dreams are strong and break through the portals of reality so that I can appear here in this world, visible to everyone in this dimension. That means I am able to see into the other dimension as well. I was able to see the forces that were fighting against my psi power used to summon that fire of Reshiram on the wall.”
Hilda was looking at Zan with awe. “So does that mean those forces that were trying to steal the Spear were dreaming as well?”
Zan thought for a moment. This was one of the specific problems he was thinking about. “Maybe,” he replied. “I mean…..those thieves had their spirits on the side they were supposed to be in, only visible in the dimension they were supposed to appear in for dreams. I was able to see through to that since I was supposed to have my dream on their side of the dimension as well.”
N muttered under his breath. “So that does mean those forces were trying to perform an act out of their dreams.” He looked at Zan with a frown. “But even though they weren’t seen like you are right now, why were THEIR dreams breaking through the portals of reality and actually fighting against the fire, and ending up stealing the Spear for themselves?”
“Yeah, they got away with the Spear now…..and we didn’t even see a thing,” added Hilda.
Zan crossed his little arms. His tail swished. “The portals are weakening—that’s one reason. The dimensions are starting to break through much easier because of this weather and the other strange force in the air. The other reason is that they don’t have the power of X-Psi-Eye, and they can’t create illusions to become truly visible through the portals and dimensions.”
Hilda stepped closer to N, looking down at her feet. “At least I can be glad I didn’t listen to Mr. Huttz when he told me to take off that picture from the wall.”
Zan stood up, raising his eyebrows. “Hey….there is another reason why those forces were able to break through reality and perform such an act through their own dreams.” He narrowed his eyes again and said in a low voice, “they are in the very dream of Xenox itself.”
“Xenox…?” N and Hilda looked at him.
“Xenox’s dreams are actually the main cause of all this destruction in the air, for the pokemon has been able to dream for years about all the storms and winter seasons created to make the elements of snow and ice. They’ve always been able to break through the portals and become part of our world as real seasons.”
N chuckled and gave Hilda humored look. “Well, you really can’t have the world without winter—for what is a world without snow? Winter is like a season of death—when pokemon are fully grown and are forced to survive.” He was speaking in such a serious tone with a glint in his eyes. “It is a time of struggle, survival, and even death. But what is a world without death? What is a world….without winter?”
Zan let an awkward quiet moment pass between N and Hilda, then spoke again. “Well, there’s a such thing as too much winter—A.K.A., the ‘Wipeout.’ Xenox has always been able to have its dreams of winter break through reality, but from the changes in the atmosphere, as well as the forces behind the atmosphere, Xenox’s dreams have been getting stronger and stronger.”
Hilda nodded. “Just like how some of our friends disappeared back in Kanto by a random storm under a tree. It’s getting much easier to believe now.”
Zan snickered. “See what I mean about the portals? Xenox’s dreams can involve a lot more than just winter now. It can involve MORE winter, as well as more comings and goings between the dreams and the world of reality when you wake up. These forces were part of Xenox’s dreams, and not only were they dreamt to find their way here to steal the Spear in their dreams, but they were also able to guide themselves to do what they wanted through their own dreams as well. This force was clearly visible to me—I can see them striking at the fire to get their way at the Spear…..and there was nothing more I could do to stop them all.”
Hilda raised her eyebrows. “Who were these strange thief spirits? Were they people or pokemon?”
Zan’s vision suddenly whipped back to when he was desperately trying to use the new powers of his X-Psi-Eye and inner fire aura to fight against the terrible aura of the thieves and the Ice Spear. Then he widened his eyes and spoke. “The thieves…..they were both—people and pokemon. You’ll be surprised on who the pokemon are. One is a merely famous legendary that has rarely been seen by anyone of our region.” Zan paused and then straightened his gaze. “Kyurem…..Kyurem was with them.”
A gasp came from Hilda and N stiffened.
Zan continued on. “Kyurem was the main cause of all the coldness and mist coming around from the Ice Spear, though an even more terrible being was the main cause of the ice that led to the defeat of the force on the Reshiram picture.” Zan squeezed his eyes shut, his heart thudding with pain just at the sudden thought of the lady that was riding Kyurem, swinging her own terrible sharp spear towards the picture. “Prima Dona….” He said the name ominously, not knowing how it had suddenly come to his mind. He guessed it must have been the works of X-Psi-Eye. “Her name was Prima Dona and she…”
“She’s a human?” Hilda asked.
“She’s…..well, she appeared to be a human but….” Zan thought about it with confusion. “But her aura was sensed differently. Her soul is not from this dimension at all. Her soul belonged to the other dimension with an even stronger sense than the others did. And…..and there was also another girl by her side—much younger and much less evil looking than she intended to be.” He tried to recall the shouting voices that went on from the thieving spirits. “Her name was May.”
“May?!” Hilda jumped with shock. N looked at her with concern. “That’s one of the people who disappeared that night at the dance in Kanto! It was May, and some other friends—Drew and Brendan!”
“Brendan….” Zan closed his eyes again, frowning in frustration. “He was there too. He was by the Ice Spear’s side…..and within him was the other Ice Spear that had bonded with him.” He also remembered Brendan holding an Ice Spear of his own. “He had a spear in his hand, but it didn’t have the same power as the one inside of him, or the one that was stolen. Actually, Brendan and May were the ones to get their hands on the Spear to steal it, while Prima Dona destroyed the picture of Reshiram that fought against them.” He opened his eyes. “Then….then they all disappeared, riding on Kyurem’s back.”
“Oh no…” Hilda muttered.
“I managed to catch one thing before they left, though,” Zan suddenly looked proud of himself. From a pocket in his robe, he slipped out a shining white stone.
N narrowed his eyes at the stone. “What is that?”
“They called it the White Crstalline,” said Zan. “I was able to steal it from Prima Dona while she was focused on striking at the picture of Reshiram. I don’t know what this thing does….but that was what I was going to figure out next.”
Zan looked up at them with mischief. “I was about to try and take myself through another dream, and try to visualize the aura of this stone, and see where it had come from. But apparently, you guys had to come along and stop me.”
“Hey, we were the ones unfairly teleported from our house to this place!” Snapped N. “Why did we have to leave? What’s the purpose of being over here? couldn’t you have slept back at Nuvema Town, where you could dream yourself to the same way?”
Zan chuckled. “Apparently, Prima Dona was trying to prey on you,” he eyed Hilda deviously. “You know why you felt so entranced with the fire? I was trying to distract you from Prima Dona’s icing powers. She literally was trying to pull you into her dream, and put you into a sleep that would have you waking up, joining them in their dreams. That was why you had fallen asleep, as well as N and Mr. Huttz. You guys should be thanking me for saving you like that. it was the quickest thing to do.”
“You….whipped us here so we wouldn’t be whipped into the dream of Xenox, where we would be in control of those thieves….” Said N carefully. He suddenly gasped. “That means….Mr. Huttz! Was he pulled in the dream as well?”
Zan’s heart sank and his expression faltered. He recalled the way he had been trying to fight Prima Dona to take his soul and pull it to the other side of his dream, to where he would’ve waken up in the same place as N or Hilda. But Prima Dona had given him a sharp smack in the face, and took Mr. Huttz’s soul for herself, and the man was left in the living room of Hilda’s house, alone and sleeping, where he was dreaming with Xenox and living his other spirit with those thieves under their control. “I’m sorry….I tried to save his soul too.”
“Oh dear…..Mr. Huttz!” Hilda suddenly looked sorry.
N narrowed his eyes. “You must take us to him! You can dream yourself into the portals of Xenox’s dream, can’t you?”
“Of course…..I was just about to do that….it might even help me understand a little bit more on why Prima Dona had this strange stone.” Said Zan, glinting at the white rock.
“Well, come on then,” said N. “We don’t have a moment to lose.”

The lonely mountains of Xenox’s island were crowding with more and more extreme coldness. Unbearable amounts of snow whipped all around and if they were for real, any interfering soul would’ve been killed in seconds.
Baby Dovanna perched out of a small hole at the center of a tall ice glazed cliff, ready to take off. Before leaving, she turned with a reassuring look at Brock as he huddled in the corner of the cave behind her.
“Thanks for trying to care for him, though,” she said thankfully. They had just been discussing how Brock had cared for Brendan’s soul when he had entered the dream, witnessing the arrival of Jirachi through Xenox’s dreams and the summoning of Prima Dona’s wish.
Brock nodded. “Even though he didn’t stay very long, I was at least able to get some things through his head. I told him he should be there for May, no matter what the changes are occurring with him.”
Dovanna sighed. “It seems as if there are changes going through both of them. She’s like Prima Dona’s spoiled little sidekick now! I’ve seen them in these dreams! Both of them! They’re really getting closer to their goal to Xenox….”
“Yes, and you must stop them, for you are Dovanna, pokemon of the fifth dimension,” said Brock with determination. “I have faith in you, just like everyone else should.”
Baby Dovanna chuckled. “Well, everyone who knows of my presence does, at least.”
Brock chuckled. “Everyone knows you now, though it’s either as baby Dovanna, or Amira.”
Dovanna giggled. “Only the guys will see me as Amira.” She shifted her feathers shyly. “With my fraternizing with the guys, I can restore love in the air….and perhaps break the power of Xenox’s dreams. If only love could become more powerful in the air, I really do believe it can at least HELP in the process of defeating Xenox.”
Brock chuckled. “Ash sure has a lot of girls thinking about him….doesn’t he?”
“Haha, well, it’s kinda hard to get through to Misty’s head right now,” Dovanna’s expression frowned. “She’s a little too into herself to feel any love for others, but I will make a visit back to her as soon as I can to restore the love in her soul. But I can see a little spark in Dawn’s eyes when they reunited with Ash and Paul on Cinnabar Island.” Dovanna giggled again. “I even tried getting a little love tension out of Ash and Paul when they were alone! Hah! But it didn’t exactly work out as planned.”
“Whoo! Oh boy, you’re trying there, arent you?” Brock was laughing.
“Yeah, Iris still needs to meet up with them yet, and I’m a little scared for her reactions and feelings,” sighed Dovanna. “She’s been a little tense herself around Cilan, and she’s a little too focused on the good of the pokemon of her region than loving Ash.”
“Oh, I so wish I had as much playin’ on me as Ash does!” Brock was suddenly standing on his feet, trembling with desperation.
Dovanna stared at him with her wide baby blue eyes, blinking with confusion.
“Dear baby Dovanna!” Brock demanded desperately. “Or, Amira! Whatever you wanna be called, would you ever do the honor as to restore love from chicks like Nurse Joy or all the Officer Jennys out there?! It would be a REAL love explosion if I could get all the girls to love me back! It would really be strong enough to break through the portals of Xenox and even defeat such a force as powerful of that pokemon’s!”
Dovanna broke out into laughter. “Oh, Brock! I really would if I could, trust me! Your love is as powerful as I can ever want love to be, especially if combined with all the girls you’ve loved in your lifetime! But remember! You’re unconscious and lost right now. Don’t forget that you’re lying in an unknown area, dreaming for ages now, not even waking up to notice where you even are yourself!”
Brock’s expression suddenly faltered. “Oh……you’re right I guess,” he sniffled a little and wrapped himself in his blanket again. “Well….at least in my other dreams, I can dream myself loving those girls, and since those portals are breaking, hopefully my own dreams can really happen in the world, just like Xenox’s are!”
Dovanna chuckled. “I hope so too! Just keep on believing! I gotta go now…there’s soooo much on my mind and so much to keep track of right now…..sometimes I think it would just be easier to have Xenox wipeout this entire world so I wouldn’t have so much to worry about! Haha, just kidding! See ya later, Brock!”
She bid him farewell and then took off out of the small hole, fluttering through the snowy storm as hard as her little wings could take her.
Dovanna was ready to wake up to meet Cilan, Iris, Cheren, and Bianca on the island of Cinnabar, when she suddenly heard a boom just behind her, on the other side of the large cliff.
Wincing, the little dove bird turned around and instantly felt the presence of Prima Dona. Her cold, darkening aura pierced through the air and made Dovanna feel even colder than the snow all around her.
Flying as fast as she could, Dovanna reached the other side of the cliff, alighting on a jutting rock where she witnessed a large icy pokemon land on the mass of land in front of a high rolling hill. The pokemon was huge, and twice as monstrous as any dragon Dovanna had seen in her world, or in this world.
Dovanna held her breath and took a step back from the sight of the pokemon, but she knew that it wasn’t Xenox-- it was Kyurem.
The pokemon let out a terrible cry that shook the mountain, filling the place with an even more thickening snowstorm.
Dovanna even surprised herself as she managed to keep her tiny little body clinging to the rock.
Suddenly, Prima Dona’s tall figure stepped from underneath Kyurem. She was holding her long skinny spear tall and proudly. Dovanna gasped and shook her feathers. She was no longer an Mandibuzz like she had last witnessed her.
May appeared from behind, joining her side with one of the Ice Spears in her hands.
Dovanna gasped. Oh no! It was the Spear from the Unova region! Dovanna cursed herself. She shouldn’t checked on its presence in that region to make sure it was alright! But how?! Wasn’t there already another pokemon that kept Kyurem from ever reaching the Spear? She remembered its failed attempt to reach the Spear in Cinnabar, as well as the one in Unova. Mew’s strong psychic powers in Cinnabar were supposed to keep the presence of the Ice Spear hidden, and the X-Psi-Eye pokemon was supposed to keep the presence of the other Spear hidden. What could’ve caused them to have broken through this time?
Suddenly, a small figure appeared next to her, and a voice nearly startled Dovanna out of her feathers.
“I’m sorry, Dovanna,” said a small, unhappy little voice. It was Jirachi, hovering next to her, looking like a crestfallen star.
“Jirachi!” Yelled Dovanna, knowing that the wind muffled her voice so that it couldn’t be heard by the inhabitants in front below them. “Geez, you nearly scared the loving crap outta me! What’s up?”
Jirachi was looking down, its cute little eyes drooping sadly. “I had to grant their wish. See, I really wouldn’t have if I could control it. I can choose to grant wishes if I actually WANT to. But Prima Dona….she has a darkness in her, and of course, darkness wins over psychic. Prima Dona had a very strong darkness that ended up overtaking me….I’m sorry, I wasn’t able to stop the wish from being granted. Prima Dona is going to get what she wants, and find the remaining Spears to summon Xenox out of the souls that are to be bonded with them.”
Dovanna blinked. She realized that the power of love had to be as important as ever now that their only hope was to pretty much destroy the power of Xenox’s dreams. “Oh, don’t worry about it, Jirachi,” she assured him. “I’ll see to it that love is restored.”
Jirachi frowned. “What’s love gonna do? It’s a wish-- and nothing can stop it. Nothing can stop Xenox, unless the pokemon is defeated.”
“Well, the pokemon WILL be defeated,” said Dovanna seriously. “The fire emblem pokemon is trapped within Ash’s Pikachu, and at the moment, Ash’s Pikachu is lost in Cinnabar Island, finding its way to Mew, just like Red is. Mew may grant a safe pathway for Emblem, though the real pokemon that will battle Xenox shall be Pikachu, trapped in Emblem’s body. But that’s only if Xenox does awaken. For now, we must do all we can to make sure it doesn’t awaken. And with the power of love, we can perhaps break its ability to have its dreams come true. We can also stop the Spears from bonding with those souls Prima Dona has wished for.”
“THERE IS NO WAY XENOX CAN BE STOPPED!”
Dovanna and Jirachi gasped as they both turned to see that Prima Dona was yelling at a strange body that lay in the snow. Dovanna gasped. The man in the snow was middle-aged and tall. It was Mr. Huttz, the one that had had the third Spear in his hands.
Mr. Huttz looked weak and merely defeated as he lay on his side on the snow, staring up at Prima Dona with anger and desperation.
Prima Dona was furious. “Now tell me the truth or I shall have you sentenced to DEATH. Where is my White Crystalline? What did you do to it?!”
“Whhite Crystlline?!” Mr. Huttz’s voice yelled with confusion through the wind. “I have no idea what you’re talking about! I ain’t got no Crystalline!”
Prima Dona lashed out her spear and beat the man on his back. Dovanna flinched and let out a sorrowful tweet to see the man in pain. Her aura of love was far from overcoming anything in this fierce, cold blizzard.
“Don’t play stupid with me!” Prima Dona spat. “My White Crystalline was safe in my hand before I got them on that precious little Spear you have been guarding! WHERE IS IT?!” She beat him with the spear and every time he yelled in pain, Prima Dona would only beat harder. “If you don’t tell me by the time you freeze to death, I’ll make sure I use your body as a bait sacrifice for the mouth of Xenox’s cave!”
“Prima Dona!” May grabbed her arm and the lady stopped hitting Mr. Huttz, turning to meet her awestruck gaze with an irritated expression. “Perhaps that wretched old picture on the wall stole it somehow!” May looked angry as well. “I bet its fire entranced the stone to come forth or disappear out of your reach! The picture must have used it to live…..maybe!”
“Agh! What are you talking about?” Prima Dona looked at May with a haughty gaze. “You don’t know anything about the ways of the forces! Stay outta it for now!”
“We are far into the mountains for now,” Brendan was stepping forward with a narrowed expression on his face. Surrounding his heels were numbers of Mightyena and Houndoom from the pack of Changelings. The dogs looked tense and angry to be stuck out here in such a blizzard. “Because we have used the power of the White Crystalline and the Black Ebony to let us survive upon this mountain, we are asleep and able to dream us into this position. Even though we’ve lost the White Crystalline, we still live—therefore, the Crystalline must still be out there somewhere.”
May gasped. Behind Brendan, Kyurem was growling and hovering above them, staring up at the sky and focusing on the pattern of the snowstorm. Even the legendary pokemon was enhanced by such a storm.
Prima Dona looked at Brendan with a studying gaze. “Well, of course it’s still here—I just need to know WHERE!” She turned on Mr. Huttz with a look of hatred. “This man came back with us to this part of the dream, so if I don’t have my White Crystalline now, and neither do the rest of YOU, then this fool must be the only one to behold it! I wouldn’t have just slipped it outta my hands like that, trust me!”
Mr. Huttz huffed, spitting out a mouthful of snow that had blown against his face. “Maybe one of your pets ate it or something,’” he glared over to where the pack of Changelings was howling at Kyurem as the large pokemon circled the sky.
Prima Dona hissed and hit him with the spear again. “Don’t blame the pack of Changelings or my Kyurem pokemon for that! Fine! If I can’t find the White Crystalline right now, then so be it.” Her eyes flashed. “I will find another way to control the Wipeout after I awaken Xenox.” And with that, she pointed her spear at Mr. Huttz’s face, touching his nose with the tip of the spear.
Dovanna watched with horror as a blinding flash of light struck out from Prima Dona’s spear and instantly, Mr. Huttz’s body twisted and then disappeared into the air, his aura lost and gone forever.
Jirachi flinched and gave Dovanna a wide-eyed look of surprise at what the both of them had just seen.
May stared at the blank spot where Mr. Huttz had been lying, her eyes blank and expressionless. Brendan stepped up and crossed his arms, looking straight ahead passed the rock Dovanna and Jirachi hid behind.
“The White Crystalline must be out there somewhere,” he muttered seriously, his hair blowing wildly in the storm. “Both the power of the White Crystalline and the Black Ebony are needed to keep our bodies alive on this mountain.”
“Exactly!” Huffed Prima Dona. “Though we may not be fully conscious on such an island, in our dreams, we will guide ourselves towards the center of this place, and when we do reach Xenox itself, the power of the White Crystalline and the Black Ebony must be combined in order to control the Wipeout. That’s why I need the White Crystalline NOW before we reach Xenox’s cave!”
“We need the last Spear though,” said May, looking up at Prima Dona with awe. “It’s on that island of Cinnabar in the Kanto region, isn’t it? Perhaps we could try to find our way to retrieve it with Kyurem once again since this time, we were able to retrieve this Spear from Unova…” she gazed at the Spear in her hands.
“Stupid girl!” Prima Dona glared at May, looking ready to give her a slap on the face. “You know the reason WHY we were able to succeed in retrieving the other Spear from the place that blocked us from it?! We had the power of both the Black Ebony and the White Crystalline! Now, we only have half! We were able to use the power of Xenox within the aura of the White Crystalline, as well as its physical strength from the Black Ebony to fight that wretched force that kept us from obtaining the Spear.” Prima Dona narrowed her eyes. “The X-Psi-Eye pokemon….” She hissed ravenously.
Dovanna widened her eyes and flinched at the mention of that strange pokemon spirit. Next to her, Jirachi gave a questioning look “X-Psi-Eye?” He muttered.
“No! Not the X-Psi-Eye!” Said Prima Dona suddenly. She turned to May with a wincing stare.
May stared back and blinked. “She had a child you said…..a child that bears the same power within…”
“As well as the fire of Reshiram,” added Brendan, letting a hand rest on a Houndoom.
Prima Dona growled. “Yes! That was the force fighting us! It was a mere dark figure….yet…..it moved so quickly and I could barely see what I was fighting! And it was using psychics to twist the air more than its physical strength! I would’ve thought it was the Gothitelle X-Psi-Eye…but I knew not even the X-Psi-Eye had a power to actually summon Reshiram’s own fire from that picture,” Prima Dona glared with disgust and stared over to where Kyurem was hovering in the sky. The pokemon was strangely quiet, and it barely moved in the wind that whipped around it. “It’s a Zorua, isn’t it?” Prima Dona looked at May and Brendan with a fierce gaze.
May blinked but Brendan was nodding. “It was a child—a Zorua in disguise. The child had psi powers to appear visible to not only us, but the people in the waking world as well. Mr. Huttz and everyone in the room could see it.”
“GAH!” Prima Dona struck her spear at the snow with annoyance. “Then I can be sure that child has its hands on my damn White Crystalline! We must find it.” She looked up at Kyurem and yelled, “Hey! Wake up, up there! We’ve got stuff to do! We can’t just stand out here and let our bodies go to waste in this frozen place before we reach Xenox!”
May gasped and looked up at Kyurem. “Um….I think it’s trying to let itself awaken to see itself in this place for real.”
Dovanna peered closely up at Kyurem in the distance and saw that its eyes were half open, and were slowly moving to the right and left, continuously getting wider and then smaller.
Prima Dona huffed and stepped forward until she was standing right underneath it. “Well, you’re not gonna be waking up on THIS place. It’s a real dream to actually survive this island, which is why we’re even alive in this state right now. But thankfully, the power of the White Crystalline and the Black Ebony are what keep our bodies alive in the real world as we lay in this island. This is why we need to make sure we make it to the top of the mountain where Xenox lives, and get there as fast as we can so that we can use the power of the Black Ebony and the White Crystalline combined to allow us to awaken on this mountain at that very place in front of Xenox for REAL. I must go back and find that child though……”
A quiet moment passed through and Dovanna could hear nothing but the winds whipping around them. For a moment, she almost thought of having her and Jirachi slip away before they were noticed.
May looked around curiously. Dovanna stiffened when her gaze passed by over her and Jirachi. The two of them had blended in behind the white shiny boulder through the whipping snow.
“We still need to talk to Leaf,” said May carefully. “Perhaps she’s found some sort of Soul that can bond with the Spear the best way.”
Prima Dona snorted. “That wretched girl better tell me something when I find her….” Prima Dona was closing her eyes and spreading out her arms towards the sky.
Just behind Kyurem, a light glowed and struck the snow in front of Prima Dona, May, Brendan, and the pack of Changelings. Kyurem flinched and turned around, startled and growling deeply.
Dovanna watched as a young girl stepped forward from the light, and recognized her as Leaf herself. Her gaze faltered at the sight of Leaf. She did not look so well. Her clothes were ruffled and torn at some parts, and though she still wore her hat, it looked as if she had been pushed into a puddle and kicked and spitted at. Her face was pale and her eyes had red cracks in them. Dovanna could sense that most of that came from her own stress rather than the evil that took over her.
“Oh….what’s wrong with me?” Whimpered Dovanna, feeling so ashamed of herself.
Jirachi looked at her. “What are you talking about?”
“It’s all my fault Leaf is in this state!” Dovanna almost felt like crying. “Prima Dona infected me with this dark aura she shared. So now I carry the same darkness, and I have spread it to Leaf! Apparently, I was supposed to spread it to whomever I encountered….but the force was all put into Leaf since I really didn’t want to hurt anyone else. So now Leaf carries the entire dark aura, and the next soul she infects can share the same aura as her. She’s trying to see which soul bonds best with the darkness, and whose aura will become most darkened, and that way, they’ll find the best soul to bond with the last Ice Spear….”
“Who will bond with the Ice Spear they just stole now?” Jirachi frowned at the Spear glistening in May’s hands as she stepped forwards to Leaf.
Dovanna watched them. “I don’t know….that’s what Leaf’s gonna tell them.”
“Well?!” Prima Dona demanded sharply as the bedraggled girl stopped in front of them. “Have you had any findings in Cinnabar? Have you interacted with the souls yet, or found anyone interesting for the Spears?”
May tried to smile at Leaf. “We’ve already managed to capture the second Ice Spear. Now the last one remains in Cinnabar. We need another strong soul—one such as Ash Ketchum—for one of the Spears, as well as a purely dark evil soul.”
Leaf was bedraggled, but she didn’t look any crestfallen as one in her condition would be. Her face looked angry and irritated, and she faced May with a scowl. “Ash Ketchum,” she hissed. “What do YOU want with him? The two of you barely spent any time with each other since he left you in Hoenn!”
May’s eyes widened at her tone. “Well….of course he hasn’t. He’s got Misty to look forward to…..and they’ve shown how incredibly close they both are back at that dance night…”
Dovanna stiffened. Her senses felt strong emotions waft through the cold, chilly air, and it was stronger than all the other emotions she could feel.
Leaf crossed her arms. “Unfortunately, Ash and Misty have broken up…quite a while ago.”
May gasped. “Really?”
Prima Dona crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently, giving Leaf and May sharp glares. She didn’t want to waste her time in useless gossip talk.
Leaf glanced at Prima Dona and then spoke seriously. “I’ve found my way through the caves underground…..by a strange psychotic power. I realized the power came from Mewtwo, and for some reason, it was drawing me towards its hideout….which was currently in the Cinnabar mansion, not far from where Mew was hidden. For a moment, I almost thought of infecting Mewtwo’s soul and letting it bond with the Spear that I sensed was on the island as well. Though I havent met any of the people yet, I have spent a rigorous time trying to battle at Mewtwo and get the aura towards him. but Mewtwo was having a strange headache.” Leaf narrowed her eyes. “The forces of Xenox are freezing his brain, yet it’s still too powerful for me to get through. I’ve spied and watched the other arrivers as well….and yeah. I do sense a strong aura in Ash—or Red!” Leaf’s face suddenly beamed and she let out a tired grin. She looked like a poor peasant girl with a dirty face out here in the storm. “I’m sensing a very powerful aura in both Ash and Red for either of the Spears. I could wish for the both of them to take part with this…”
“Well, we do need two more!” Prima Dona huffed.
May smiled and giggled. “Bite Red. Let his spirit be the dark soul. I want Ash the way he is, serving the Spear and bonding for the strong inner powers of Xenox.”
Prima Dona snarled and lashed out her spear. “Gah! It doesn’t matter, as long as they are the right strong enough spirits! But before you infect either of them, I want you to take them to me! I must examine how powerful they can be for the likes of Xenox.”
At this point, Dovanna fluttered high in the sky and took off towards the north. She felt like she had heard enough. Jirachi followed quickly after her.
“Hey, where you going?” Asked the wish pokemon.
Dovanna met his gaze. “To find that White Crystalline. It must be on this island, just like they said, or else there would be no other reason why they’re alive and dreaming like this.”
Jirachi huffed. “You should destroy it so that they can all die in the midst of this terrible blizzard. I’m surprised I survived crashing to just the island of Isotopia itself, let alone this Barren Island!”
“No, when I find it, I’m going to take it to Hilda,” said Dovanna, looking to the skies above. “Hilda’s a pretty interesting girl in Unova…..I’ve been watching her a little since she was so close to the Spear, and I was surprised to see how close she was to that N boy Mr. Huttz was looking after.” Dovanna’s heart saddened at the thought of poor Mr. Huttz. “I have a feeling that Hilda has a very strong compassion for pokemon. Her journey through Unova, I heard, has been pretty tranquil and amazing. She’s communicated a lot with the legendaries of that region, and I sense a strong bond with her and the forces of emotions around us…..she might just be the best target for one of the Spears….”
Jirachi gasped. “Well, better not let Prima Dona meet her then!”
“Exactly,” replied Dovanna. “When I meet her, I’ll entrust her with the White Crystalline, and explain its importance to her.”
“Hey!” Jirachi suddenly stopped in the sky, staring down at the ground. “I saw something!”
Dovanna winced and fluttered back to the pokemon’s side. “What? Was it Pikachu? Or Emblem?”
“No! It was going our opposite direction! It seemed….a little smaller than Pikachu or the baby Groudon.”
Dovanna peered down, and suddenly sensed a familiar aura. Raising her eyebrows and letting smile creep up her face, she excitedly hovered down towards the ground. “Hold on! Wait here.”
Dovanna whirled behind a group of nearby jutting rocks that cast long shadows over the snowy landscape. A small Zorua was running through the jagged boulders, and Dovanna smiled. It was Zan, the child of the X-Psi-Eye pokemon. She could feel its overwhelming power of psi and fire in its dark heart.
She watched as the Zorua stood and transformed into a human boy.
Dovanna flew down, hovering above the child, giggling.
Zan flinched and looked around, spreading his legs and bending his knees. His eyes were narrowed and glinting like the Zorua he really was, and he looked really cute to be a human child sensing danger.
But Dovanna wasn’t trying to be a danger to Zan. She realized he was holding something in his fists as his arms spread out, his head turning all around himself except upwards where Dovanna fluttered.
“Who’s there?” Demanded the little child aggressively. His tail swished from the hole in his small black robe. Zan growled. “I’ll sense you soon enough, whether this wind is fierce or not…”
Dovanna giggled again and flew behind a rock just before he was about to look up.
“Hey! I saw that!” Yelled Zan, running to where he had seen the glimpse of Dovanna disappear.
But instead of seeing a small tiny bird, Zan stopped in his tracks as he noticed a mere little girl that was about his height and age, walking out from the shadows of the great boulder. She was wearing a white toga-like dress, and appeared like a little roman child. Her hair was in pigtails with pink ribbons, and her skin was pal white that blended in so well with the snow and her white dress.
Dovanna was Amira herself.
“Hello, there!” Amira greeted in a friendly tone, smiling at Zan. Now that she was in her human form, she could see how cute and inspiring Zan’s face was in his human form.
Zan stared, his eyes blinking. “Wha--? Who are you?! You’re a bird, aren’t you? I swear I sensed the aura of a dove nearby, and saw a dove pokemon behind that boulder! You’re not fooling ME with illusions-- I am the master of illusions! Your aura is the same as the aura in that dove….”
Amira rolled her eyes, but she kept her smile. There wasn’t really a point anymore in fooling anybody with her little tricks anymore. “Hmph! Well, that’s cause I was that dove! My name is Dovanna, but you can call me Amira. I’m supposed to be three, just like you!”
Zan frowned. “I’m not even three years old as a Zorua…”
“Well, I’ve only been alive for three years as a Dovanna,” said Amira with a shrug. “See, I come from another dimension. I know these places in the dream world much better than anyone else can.” She cast a flirty wink at Zan.
Zan winced and grimaced. “Oh yeah? Well, I know the real waking world more than anyone else.”
Amira giggled. “Or at least you’re supposed to.”
“Hey!” Zan frowned and then swished his tail. “Well….never mind. What are you doing here anyway?”
Amira raised her eyebrows. “You seem to have something Prima Dona wants.” She nodded at his left hand, which was enclosed in a tight fist around the White Crystalline.
Zan stared at the rock, and then glared at Amira, holding the stone to his chest like a selfish child does to a toy they didn’t want to share. Obviously, Zan wasn’t going to hand over this element very easily.
“What are you gonna do with it?” Asked Amira politely.
“Zan!” A voice called from the distance.
Amira turned to see a tall green-haired guy and a young girl make their way over towards them. She recognized them as N and Hilda.
Hilda widened her eyes at the sight of Amira. “Oh hey! Who’s this?” She looked nervous, yet curious. “Zan, did you bring her into this dream?”
“No, I brought myself!” Said Amira sweetly, smiling at both of them.
“Who are you?” N questioned, narrowing his eyes at Amira.
“My name’s Amira.” Replied Amira innocently.
Zan turned to them with a frown. “She’s a changeling, just like I am. She really isn’t a human as you can see her.”
“Is she a Zorua too?” Asked Hilda.
“No! I’m a Dovanna. I come from this very dimension of the dream world.”
Hilda winced and then widened her eyes. “Hey….you know, I’ve had strange dreams about you….”
“Ooh cool!” Said Amira. “Then we’ve already met somehow!”
“But those dreams were just mere imaginary mind-made things that I soon forgot about,” said Hilda solemnly. “It’s no wonder you don’t remember….it didn’t even happen for real.”
“Oh, well….you should always believe in your dreams if you want ‘em to happen!” Said Amira happily. “You’ll be surprised with how true things really come if you just believe.”
“I doubt that she exactly wanted that particular dream to come alive though,” remarked N.
Amira shrugged. “Whatever. Listen! Prima Dona’s not too far away, and she’s looking for that White Crystalline!” Amira suddenly looked urgent.
Hilda gasped. “Prima Dona?”
Amira nodded. “I saw her just on the other side of this border.”
Hilda gasped. “Did you see Mr. Huttz with her? Dear Mr. Huttz….we couldn’t find him after the fight she had with Zan….”
Amira gaze faltered, and she saw N already giving her a crestfallen look at the sight of her expression. “I’m sorry……she killed Mr. Huttz like he was a Magikarp out of water. There was nothing I could do at the moment…I’m sorry.”
Hilda clutched N’s hand and her eyes watered. “Oh dear….”
Zan swished his tail angrily. “What else was that witch doing?”
Amira met his gaze. “She was planning on retrieving back the White Crystalline while she planned her next target for the last Spear on Cinnabar.”
N narrowed. “So she’s multitasking?”
Zan huffed. “She can’t search the stone in her dream and catch the other Spear at the same time.”
“She’s got a messenger in Cinnabar Island acting as a spy for her,” said Amira quietly, thinking of Leaf. She turned to Zan. “Here, give me the stone,” she held out a hand towards Zan.
Zan blinked and hesitated.
Hilda was staring at Amira with a calming daze in her eyes. Amira could feel her feelings soften and suddenly understand her presence and who she was. “It’s okay Zan….” murmured Hilda. “Give the stone to her. She’s seen much more than just Prima Dona….”
Zan clutched the stone harder, and then held out his hand to drop the White Crystalline in Amira’s.
Amira smiled at the stone, and then narrowed her eyes at it. The stone felt colder than the entire storm around them, and she could feel its controlling aura within it, strong as Xenox’s inner soul and mind. She handed the element to Hilda. “Here, take it,” she said seriously.
“What?” Hilda widened her eyes. “Me?”
Amira nodded. “Trust me, you can take care of it.” She took Hilda’s hands and dropped the stone in her cold fingers. She closed her hand for her and looked up at her face with a sweet little child smile.
N looked at Hilda and then at Amira. “I sure hope you know what you’re doing….little girl.”
Amira huffed and let Hilda’s hand go. She knew exactly what to do. “You guys come with me to Cinnabar. There, you will meet Ash Ketchum, and the other friends he has brought to support him with the last Spear.”
Hilda raised her eyebrows. “Ash Ketchum? Oh…..we barely know him though. Especially N, who’s never even met him. Bianca and Cheren were just inviting us since we were really good friends who they thought would enjoy getting to know Ash.”
“Oh, that’s just fine!” Said Amira with a shrug. “What I mean is that….you will get to meet Ash and everyone else. You’ll even meet Lyra, who is…a master journalist--a foreteller of the world. She was the mere creation of that stone.”
Zan’s eyes glowed. “She wrote about that stone….didn’t she? I could feel its creation as vague and strange as I could ever read anything.”
Amira nodded. “With that White Crystalline, perhaps we can change the ways of the last Spear they have, and even destroy it.”
“Destroy the Spear with the Crystalline?” N winced. “Is that even possible? It would be like using your feelings to destroy your soul somehow. Xenox can’t destroy itself….”
Amira looked into his eyes. “No, but fire can destroy Xenox’s soul. And the only fire able to destroy such a soul would be the fire Emblem pokemon.” She turned to Zan. “You possess the powers of the X-Psi-Eye, and with those powers, you can bring out the fire that has been contained in Pikachu’s soul. Because Emblem is in Pikachu’s body, you can use your powers to bring out that soul towards the last Spear, and destroy it. That way, part of Xenox will be destroyed, and the pokemon would be weakened a little. Prima Dona would also be unable to obtain the three Spears to summon Xenox.”
Hilda widened her eyes. “Oh wow…..it all seems so simple when you explain it.”
“But what about Pikachu?” Zan winced. “It’s getting closer to Xenox in the real body of the fire emblem pokemon.”
Dovanna suddenly tensed. “Pikachu….I’ll have to speak with him. He’s lost his way since Prima Dona brought forth Kyurem in the temple of Jiraja, and I havent been able to contact him through the dreams yet.”
“Well, you’ve been stalking everybody!” Zan said indignantly, reading her soul like the X-Psi-Eye he was. “Just visit him in the real world!”
Amira frowned at Zan, starting to get annoyed by his ability. “I can’t enter in Isotopia! The forces are too strong to block even me.” She was no steel type like Jirachi….
Hilda and N looked at each other, and then at the White Crystalline in her hands. “Well….perhaps we should meet Ash and understand a little more about what’s going on…”
“You guys come with me,” said Amira, stepping forward. “I’ll end this dream, and you’ll wake up through the portals of reality in the place where I last slept-- on the island of Cinnabar. I believe you guys will play a big part in this before Prima Dona’s summoning of Xenox.”
Suddenly, a crash of bright light erupted from behind them and a strong force of wind blew over them all. Amira fell on her bottom and Hilda, N, and Zan fell forwards on their knees and faces.
Hilda grunted and dropped the White Crystalline on the snow in front of her.
A foot stepped behind the stone and a hand reached down to pick it up. Hilda was looking up into the eyes of Leaf, who was looking proud and stern as ever.
Amira gasped. “Leafy….” she squeaked, fearing the girl even more now that she was closer to her as before, back in the underground caves.
Leaf narrowed her eyes and slipped the White Crystalline in her pocket. Then she held out a hand towards Hilda.
“Come on,” she said in a strong, taunting voice over the winds. “Need a hand? You look silly to be holding such a valuable item, for the naïve girl you are.”
Hilda didn’t bother to take her hand, though she stared up at Leaf’s expression with a wide-eyed frozen stare.
Leaf huffed and just reached down to grab hold of Hilda’s hand herself. Hilda gasped and Leaf heaved her of the ground with a yank, pulling her to her feet until she was standing a mere inch in front of Leaf. Her nose touched Leaf’s and Amira watched with tranquility at the sight of the two girls nose to nose, with Leaf’s expression hungry and grimacing as a crazed homeless person. Hilda stood frozen, her expression shocked.
“You wanna come back to the island with ME?” Said Leaf nicely. She took her hand and clutched it tightly. “It’ll be a much nicer trip to wake up where I am, rather than with…..Amira and those bunch of freaks with Ash Ketchum…..”
Amira suddenly felt the tension of darkness rise up in Leaf’s aura. Leaf was slowly tilting her head and opening her mouth, ready to give Hilda a bite on the neck. Amira shot up with a start. She was about to infect Hilda with her dark power of Prima Dona. Hilda just stood there with the hypnotizing glint in Leaf’s leaf green eyes.
“NOOO! HILDA!” N’s voice yelled through the snow before Amira or Zan could even shout.
Out of nowhere, N leaped over Amira, his arms spread in front of him as he pushed Hilda out from Leaf’s grasp.
Hilda fell to her left side with N on top of her. Leaf was totally unprepared for the interruption, and she immediately shot forwards, letting out a vicious snarl with her mouth open.
“NO!” N held out a hand towards Leaf, protecting Hilda underneath him. But Leaf instantly caught his hand in her mouth, and she bit down hard like it was prey. N yelled with pain and Leaf kneeled down, sucking the blood from his hand like a predator pokemon.
Amira screamed and Zan flinched with a growl. N’s hand was bleeding, and his face was turning pale. The darkness was infecting him now.
Hilda regained her senses and realized what was happening. She screamed at the sight of N on top of her, with Leaf at his side, biting into his hand with the coldest, devilish look in her eyes.
“N!” Hilda rolled off from underneath N with all her might, bumping into Leaf kneeled at his side.
Leaf coughed and choked at the sudden collision with Hilda, and stood up, spitting down at N’s motionless body. “Bleh! That wasn’t Hilda!”
“RAHH!” Hilda was red with fury, and she shot up in front of Leaf, surprising her and then tackling the girl with anger and disbelief.
Amira watched the two girls tussle in the snow. Hilda was suddenly thrown off of Leaf, rolling towards where Zan was just about to run up and join in. in her hands was the White Crystalline.
Amira cast a worried glance at N, and then pulled him with her little hands towards Hilda and Zan.
“Amira!” Hilda was surprised to see the little girl dragging N up to them.
“Quick! We must escape this! Hilda, that White Crystalline is what keeps Prima Dona and the others with her alive here, but Zan!” She turned to the boy. “With your powers of X-Psi-Eye, you can keep this White Crystalline in balance when Hilda keeps it with her on the island of Cinnabar, and in her dreams.”
Zan winced. “What do you mean?!”
“She means…” Leaf was rising up to her feet, glaring at them evilly through the blinding blizzards. “While Hilda will be on the island of Cinnabar, the powers of X-Psi-Eye can make it so that it can stay in this dream with its real power while she holds it as a useless powerless stone in her hands in the waking world. Pointless! Just give the stone to me!”
Suddenly, a dark figure appeared from behind Leaf, and Amira pointed with fear. “Leafy….behind you!”
Before Leaf could roll her eyes and gloat, she suddenly flinched and screamed until her body dissolved into the air. There, standing in the snow with a distinctive figure, was a Gothitelle, with its hands clasped together under its chin.
Hilda and Zan gasped, and Zan bit his lip. “The X-Psi-Eye pokemon….”
Amira glanced with a smile at Zan’s dazing eyes. She turned to the Gothitelle with a nod.
“Hey, you’ll take care of the White Crystalline, won’t you?” Amira spoke.
The Gothitelle blinked its ominous, glinting eyes. They were narrowed like cat eyes, making the Gothitelle look even more mysterious. It spoke without moving its mouth. “I won’t have the stone…..Hilda will. But by the powers of X-Psi-Eye, I shall keep a duplicate of its powers within me….so that Prima Dona and the others won’t die out here….”
“Why do you wanna keep them alive?” Hilda gasped.
“There’s May…and Brendan…and Kyurem,” said Amira. “They still need looking after…before it’s too late.”
Suddenly, Hilda, Zan, Amira, and N’s unconscious body were starting to fade.
The Gothitelle blinked one last time, and the White Crystalline shone in Hilda’s hands. “I’ll keep part of its power here with the powers of X-Psi-Eye, but this means I must remain asleep as long as to keep the power in me alive in the dream. You can take care of the White Crystalline in the waking world.”
Amira smiled and made sure Hilda nodded at the Gothitelle. Then she turned and grinned before they all disappeared.
“Thank you for your help……Madrid.”

A small Pikachu snarled and squirmed as it slept. Emblem was having nightmares again. First, it was finding its way up higher and higher towards the mountain of Xenox….and then a force of wind had blown him off the top of the mountain. But he could sense there was more than just the fierceness of the storm. Something was out there—someone like Prima Dona. Emblem could sense her presence nearing the cave of Xenox closer and closer, disturbing Xenox with an even more tension.
From the feeling of the snow that whipped tremendously around his heated body, the little Groudon struggled to hold its ground and not get blow into the storm. A might roar echoed through the mountains, but it wasn’t Xenox. It had come from behind, near the south. It was Kyurem. And with Kyurem, was Prima Dona, traveling along with a young girl known as May, and two Ice Spears that were part of Xenox. The aura blew through the air with such a strong tenacity that Emblem could smell it like a flower.
Above him, a pink glowing pokemon hovered down through the storm. Mew whirled its long tail behind it, and gazed down at Emblem with big blue eyes.
“She’s coming closer….” Mew muttered in a small voice. “You must beat her to the top of the mountain before it’s too late.”
Emblem growled. “But what’s the point?” He was tired of all this struggle through snow and always waking up as a stupid Pikachu. “When Prima Dona reaches the top of Xenox’s mountain, she will use the power of the Black Ebony and the White Crystalline to break through this dream, so that in the waking world, she will be at the base of its cave for real. In the waking world, I will be no fire emblem. I will be nothing but a stupid Pikachu.”
“Pikachu!” Squealed Mew. “You must have faith in Pikachu too! For in the real, waking world, Pikachu travels to the mountain in the real body of the fire emblem. If it really does come to the point when the dreams become real, and Prima Dona and the others really do awaken at the front of Xenox’s cave, then it will be up to Pikachu. But for now, in this very dream, it’s up to you to continue and make sure you get as far into the mountain as you can to reach the cave of Xenox. If you stop Prima Dona in this dream, then perhaps you can save the real summoning from happening in the waking world.”
Emblem narrowed his red eyes. “It was prophesized for my battle to become REAL though. I’m supposed to fight Xenox in the real world.”
Mew blinked its eyes sadly. “That part is up to Pikachu now. You can still at least try to stop Prima Dona and make sure she doesn’t reach Xenox for real before you or Pikachu does.”
“Well, take me to her!” Snapped Emblem. “You’re the one with the psychic powers. You can help me, can’t you?”
Mew smiled sweetly and chuckled. “Of course, that’s what I’m here for. It’s the big reason why I called for Red. That boy has a soul powerful than most I’ve seen in the world…..his soul is one to keep and not get wasted if the Wipeout really does happen…”
Emblem gave Mew an intriguing look. “You can control all DNA of pokemon, can’t you? You alone can decide whether pokemon should change or not in order to adapt to the world once it changes severely during the Wipeout.”
Mew nodded. “That’s what I’ve been doing lately…..perhaps when you awaken I can show you and Red an example of…..soulkeeping.”
Emblem raised his eyebrows. Right now, he was asleep in the Cinnabar mansion, where the rooms were as old and burnt as it had been for years. The strange psychic powers of Mew and Mewtwo still roamed inside, confusing the traveling and directions whenever someone tried to explore inside. He and Red had been guided though, and eventually found a place near the top where they can speak with Mew in secret.
“When the Wipeout really does happen,” Mew spoke calmly in its small voice, “the souls of the good pokemon and people will descend to the next generation. A few souls, though, souls that have been overall very special and dedicated to the world and the pokemon within, shall be chosen by me myself, where they will become what I call Angel Risers. The Angel Risers will accompany in the Wipeout, and survive through the transformation, able to roam the world as unseen spirits that still live upon this planet after the Wipeout—though behind the dimension.”
“Red’s got a soul,” muttered Emblem. “That kid is even more special than Ash. I take more interest into him whenever I’m with him.”
Mew nodded and giggled. “Actually, when I read their souls and their DNA, the both of them are actually almost the same! I had a hard time choosing who to call for the first human Angel Riser, and in the end I chose Red since I could see Ash was a little more involved in other things besides just his strong dedication to pokemon.”
Emblem nodded. “Misty and the girls?”
“Dovanna’s trying to use Ash as a source to fight the force of Xenox’s dreams. Since Ash has met so many friends along his journey, he can reopen feelings that can fight the force of Xenox’s dreams, through the feelings of love. Dovanna hopes Ash can open his heart to use his inner feelings as strong as his outer feelings as well.”
Emblem growled. “Mew, you’re just making him sound like good bait for Prima Dona. She’s still looking for human souls to bond with the Spears she’s collected. She needs the strongest ones, one for inner feelings, and one that’s pure darkness.”
Mew smiled. “We were lucky enough she failed to have that pokemon, Kyurem, come and steal the Spear from our island. I had to use both mine and Mewtwo’s psychic powers to create like a wall between the dimensions to keep Kyurem from finding it.”
Emblem growled, thinking about Mewtwo, the incredibly powerful psychic duplicate of Mew. “Mewtwo’s having trouble though,” he said quietly. “I hear it’s having headaches, and it’s becoming weak against Xenox, just like all the other pokemon are in this world.”
Mew dashed over him and faced him from another side of the sky. “Well, come on then!” Mew was urgent. “We have no time to lose. Come on! I’ll take you to find Prima Dona, and you can try to stop her from there. Meanwhile, I’ll be looking for Pikachu in case it’s dreaming…”
Mew dashed forwards towards the north, and as soon as the snowy wind kicked in, nearly blinding Emblem’s gaze again, the little pokemon cried out and followed after Mew, running hard against the harsh weather.
“Mew! Hey, Mew!” Emblem cried out. “Wait up! Where are you?!” He wanted the pokemon by his side when he fought Prima Dona in this dream. He couldn’t imagine how powerful Prima Dona could be right now, not just with herself and the Spears alone, but with a pokemon like Kyurem on her side, and about 70% of a pokemon like Xenox with her.
Howling in the air suddenly made Emblem stop. Pretty soon, he felt the windy snow start to lessen, and the temperature was slightly higher to a hint of warmth through the air.
The howling got louder and more numerous. Emblem realized that all around him, Houndoom had suddenly crashed from the snow, and Mightyena were leaping over the hills. They were all barking and howling, making their way up to him.
The little Groudon glowed and stiffened, whirling his head all around himself, feeling like prey in the middle of the pack. The Houndoom and Mightyena were all focusing their eyes on him, as if they had been expecting him.
Before any of them got any closer, Groudon crouched and leaped high into the air, breathing down a large amount of fiery flames towards the pokemon below him. He struck most of them with a ferocious blast of heat.
Falling back through the air, Emblem kicked all around him and twisted and turned like a seizure, defending himself before the pokemon could get at him.
Suddenly, just when Emblem was just about to get exhilarated in the heat of the battle, a blast of light shot through the dark sky above. Kyurem circled over them with a mighty roar.
Prima Dona appeared from behind its long neck, standing with a fierce look on her face. By her side was May, and the both of them stared deviously down at the battle.
“FOOLS!” Prima Dona cursed at the Houndoom and Mightyena.
Emblem flinched at her sudden presence and a Mightyena immediately caught him by the leg. Emblem screeched and struggled desperately as the Mightyena wriggled him in the air, trying to tear him apart. He could hear Prima Dona’s evil voice crack through the air.
“Destroy him….DESTROY!” She commanded the pack with a cold look on her face. “I will have NO trace of the fire emblem pokemon whatsoever! I don’t care whether this dream will become real or not!”
May smiled and giggled. “Destroy him! And make sure it becomes real so that the fire emblem never becomes part of the real world again!”
Emblem gasped and felt his heart twist in the midst of all the shaking and the fierce attacking. May had once been a good companion, according to Pikachu. But now, she was screaming with envy at Prima Dona’s side, hoping for the real Emblem and real body of baby Groudon to fall to destruction. This was the end for Emblem, and unlike a regular terrifying nightmare, Emblem wasn’t feeling himself wake up when he was dying. His dream was going on, and when he woke up, he would be covered in wounds and bloodthirsty bitemarks from these mangy mutts. This was the end for Emblem…..and this would be the end of even his dreams to continue on anymore. He felt the life painfully and quickly ebbing away.
“At least it’s fast,” thought Emblem bitterly as he was thrown into the air and captured by a Houndoom to be shaken and wrung again. “At least I’m not dying from the cold slowly and bitterly, like everyone else will feel when the Wipeout comes…”
“PIKAAAA---CHUUUU!”
A sudden struck of lightning erupted through all the fighting. Emblem was suddenly thrown to the ground as the pack of Changelings behind him all started to run around with fear and confusion.
Emblem twitched and couldn’t open his eyes. But he felt the force of lightning spark the entire pack behind him. The Houndoom were suddenly being struck by powerful bolts of electricity, and they all caterwauled with howls and shocked yelps, running over the hills.
“WHAT?!” Prima Dona remained her balance as Kyurem glided over the escaping pakc, glaring at the ground below. “NOOO! STOP THAT PIKACHU!”
Emblem slowly opened his eyes and struggled to turn around and witness the scene behind.
Pikachu was dashing through the remaining pack of Changelings, bravely striking each pokemon with shocks of Thunderbolts.
May gasped. “Pikachu?! That’s Ash’s Pikachu!” Her eyes were wide.
“Hrrrr…” Prima Dona was turning to May with a monstrous scowl, looking pissed. “Well, we’re gonna destroy it.” She spoke through clenched teeth. “We’re gonna destroy this little impudent for interrupting our chance of the emblem pokemon’s defeat.” She whirled over to aim her Spear at the Pikachu and threw out her pokeball.
“Celine…….KILLLLL!” Prima Dona’s shiny blue Milotic appeared from the pokeball, and Prima Dona herself was leaping off Kyurem’s back, just over the long body of her pokemon.
The Milotic let out a harmonious murmur and Prima Dona lashed out her spear, sketching a blinding light in the sky that reflected on Pikachu and the pack.
Pikachu looked up and stood on his hind legs, glaring up at Prima Dona. “Pika!” He sparked with electricity, ready to spark a bolt at her.
“Pikachu, watch out!” Emblem cried, struggling to stand on his own legs.
Suddenly, a blast of light shot from Prima Dona’s spear, headed towards Pikachu. Pikachu cried and darted to the right, barely missing the shot. “Pikaaa!”
“Oh!” Prima Dona’s Milotic crashed to the ground, rolling piles of snow over the pack of Changelings in a clumsy crash. “How DARE you interfere with my will!”
“Prima Dona….look!” May was hovering on Kyurem’s back. She was pointing up at the sky at a glowing light falling from through the snow. It was Mew.
Prima Dona stared up at the pokemon with a dazed look. “No…..it’s you…”
Mew appeared from the glowing light, and immediately, Kyurem let out a roar. The pokemon shook its body, and May fell through the sky, screaming with horror. Brendan alighted off, hovering towards the ground with his body white and glowing.
Emblem watched with awe as Mew closed its eyes, and a wave of snow overcame them all. Emblem fell to the ground towards his side, and as he opened his eyes in the deathly cold mountain again, Prima Dona and everyone that had accompanied her-- were gone.
Pikachu was standing just a distance from Emblem, looking up at Mew with wonder. “What did you do to them?”
Mew looked down and hovered lower towards Pikachu. “I teleported them, that’s all. I really have no control to have them awaken in the place they’re currently in, but I can still teleport them.”
Emblem hurried up to Pikachu’s side, limping his way through the snow. “Hey,” he remarked with a narrowed look. “Where are YOU? You aren’t with Prima Dona and May at the moment, so what happened to the rest of you all? To Drew and everyone?”
Pikachu met Emblem’s gaze with a crestfallen look. “Oh…unfortunately, we split when we were at the top of the temple of Jiraja. I escaped….and found myself wandering towards the north of the Northernlands, escaping the city of Tallick until I let myself fall into a deep sleep. I’ve been in this dream for days now….” Pikachu looked to the ground. “And I’ve been trying my best to make it to the top of Xenox’s mountain.”
Emblem nodded. “You better get there-- it’s more important for you than me now.” He suddenly felt a little more thankful for the pokemon. He had saved him, and Emblem was feeling the warm feeling of gratefulness to have such a soul within his real body. “And…thanks for the save, I guess.”
Pikachu smiled. “Oh, no problem. But….you look awfully worn out. You sure you’ll do okay?”
Mew huffed and narrowed its eyes at Emblem. “Emblem, I don’t think you can travel as far and fast in this dream now that you’ve been attacked…..by the pack of Changelings.”
Emblem narrowed his eyes and glowed.
Mew blinked sorrowfully. “I’m sorry….but we can try to heal you in the island of Cinnabar. Red can take you to the pokemon center there. We probably should wake up as soon as we can…..the wounds that the pack of Changelings hurt you with are no simple matter. Those pokemon are fierce, with power beyond regular pokemon control.”
Emblem nodded, keeping his intent gaze on Pikachu. “Well then…..I’ll try my best to keep up with you later. Good-bye…..and good luck.”

The noisy café was crowded with people from the modeling agency. Everyone was hanging out and waiting for the next show. Misty sat in the bar area, laughing and gossiping with Gary and Jessie, holding Pichu at her shoulders.
“I can’t believe I screwed up my entire walk down the aisle!” Jessie huffed, banging the table with irritation. “I mean, seriously! Angelica was watching us!”
Misty shook her head, giving Jessie a sideways smile. “Come on, you’ll never get yourself an applause if you continue with little mistakes like that. Little mistakes get bigger! You must CONTROL them!” She took her tall glass of wine the bar tender had given her and sipped down without even saying thank you to the man. She kept her eyes raised on Jessie, enjoying the sweet taste of the margarita and Jessie’s flabbergasted face.
“Ugh! I can’t believe you’re drinking THAT before a modeling show!” Jessie scoffed.
Misty winced and stopped sipping. “Hah! Jealous? The bar tender only gives out these for free to people who have high popularity to the region-- like ME.”
Gary crossed his arms and laughed. “Nah, occasionally, he’ll give me free offerings when he feels like it.” He gave a mischievous smirk and called over to the bar tender, “Isn’t that right, Ted Griffin?”
The bar tender turned with a confused gaze at him and disappeared behind the door without a reply.
Pichu watched the man leave with big curious eyes and uttered, “Piii….“
Jessie snickered and banged the table again. “No! He’s gay, actually, isn’t he?”
Misty shrugged. “Who knows? Probably.” She sipped her margarita again. In her head, her thoughts were in awe. “This is….a very interesting taste. Not like any margarita I’ve ever had….yet.”
Jessie sighed and gave Misty a raised smile. She looked hugely like a popular girl in high school with those new purple pointy glasses she had received. “No, you really should take that with aspirin, just in case you get a headache before the show.”
Misty chuckled. “I’m not gonna get a headache before the show. I’ve always drank margaritas every once a month, before our last shows. Right Gary?”
Gary had been zoning out, but he turned with a tired gaze and just nodded coolly.
Misty smiled and shrugged. “It’s our last day here in Saffron, before we leave for the region championships at the Indigo Plateau, so I thought I’d drink this light drink before leaving any such places,” thoughts of performing for the Elite 4 was just awe-inspiring to Misty.
Gary snickered. “Too bad old Champion Red isn’t there, though. He’d really enjoy it.”
Suddenly, Jessie gasped and sat upright, facing her front towards the café behind them. “Oh great! Look who’s coming.”
Angelica suddenly came up to Gary, smiling sweetly. She cast a narrowed smile towards Misty, who had stopped sipping her drink. “Oh, dear.” Angelica gave a small sigh. “Is she drinking AGAIN?”
Misty huffed. “What you talking about? I barely drink like this!” She knew it was just a once a while thing…..she never let herself drink anything heavier than this margarita…
Angelica shook her head, giving a raised smile. “It’s not good to be drinking one of Ted’s margaritas. Just look at the size of the glass he gave you.”
Misty flinched, and suddenly realized how much she had been drinking.
Angelica giggled and tossed her a pack of pills. “Here, take these. I don’t wanna see you failing THAT badly next show, especially in a show like this. Those are called mull pills. They can help ease your brain and keep you from feeling too dizzy later when your drunken headaches kick in.”
Misty winced. “Um….thank you? I really don’t think--”
“Hey! I take ‘em all the time!” Angelica had a pill in her hand, and she popped it in her mouth. She smiled at Misty and winked. “Well, see ya! I’ll be gettin’ ready to beat you all! Jessie, love the glasses but….” Angelica put on a pair of shades and grinned, showing clear white teeth. “I’ve got my own ways!”
Gary flinched. “Hey, those are my shades!”
Jessie huffed. “Ugh! Yeah! What, you wanna make a female representative for Gary or something?”
“You read my mind!” Angelica laughed. “Gary! You wanna take me out for the ballroom dancing before the show?”
Misty immediately shifted in her chair, setting Pichu on the table next to her drink before clenching her fists and stepping to Angelica’s side. “I don’t think so! Gary’s already agreed to take ME to the dance!” she grabbed his arm and glared challengingly at Angelica. “His mind’s already made, and there’s nothing you can do about it!”
Gary snickered and cast a look at Misty from the corner of his eye. “I do get to attain more attention if I do, anyway.”

Angelica narrowed her eyes and huffed. “Oh! Well, fine! I can do better without any of you freaks!”
She smiled and flipped her hair. “Have fun at the show, Misty! don’t drink too much!” And she whipped around, strutting away in her high black heels.
Misty watched her go with disgust. Without thinking, she snapped open the pack of pills and popped two in her mouth.
Pichu jumped up and leaped over to her shoulder, shaking her with its tiny arms. “Pichu! Pichuuuu!”
Misty’s mind immediately spun and she widened her eyes with awe and looked around. “Whoa! What’s going on?”
Jessie gasped. “I think Pichu went a little cuckoo….”
“It’s probably telling you something,” said Gary, eying the little pokemon. “I think it doesn’t want you taking those pills.”
“Huh?” Misty glanced at the little pokemon and Pichu angrily snatched the pack of pills from her hand, throwing it across the noisy room. “Pichuuuu!”
“Hey!” Misty frowned and stared at the pills.
“Um…..you really shouldn’t have trusted Angelica,” said Jessie, wincing. “She wouldn’t have given you those pills for nothing anyway…”
Misty swallowed and just rolled her eyes. “Hey, she took them also! So whatever happens to me will happen to her! Now come on!” She took Gary’s arm and made sure Pichu leaped onto her shoulder. “The ballroom dance is gonna come up soon before the show, and I’m starting to feel uncomfortable in this outfit.”
Passing through the noisy crowd, Misty cast a glance pass the women’s bathroom where she could see Angelica’s tall black heels from underneath the stall straight ahead. She could hear gross sounds of vomiting.
Gary winced and snickered. “Dang, someone’s feeling a little too queasy before the last show.”
Misty rolled her eyes and hurried to the exit. Her head was feeling dizzy already, and she was starting to itch in the designer jeans and tank tops she wore.
That night, a ballroom was hosted for the models and the visiting audiences. It was just before the show, and at 7:00 sharp, Misty and the other models were already dancing. Jessie had James with her, while Meowth looked after the little Pichu as usual.
Angelica was busy flirting with some of the guy visitors that had become her recent fans. Misty proudly had Gary to herself, though she was starting to feel even worse. Her head was spinning, and the pills she had taken were just giving her an even worse feeling in her stomach.
Gary was noticing her pal gaze as they danced, finally realizing she wasn’t responding to his blabbering talk of how he and Professor Oak were arguing over some research or whatever it was that Misty hadn’t been paying attention to.
“Hey, you okay?” Gary gave her a concerned gaze. “You seem nauseated or something. Did those pills really help?”
Misty took a few seconds to answer. She let herself roll her eyes back as the calm swaying music softened even more. “Ugh….Gary, I don’t feel so good….”
“Ugh,” Gary frowned. “I knew you shouldn’t have trusted Angelica.”
Misty squeezed her eyes shut and clasped her hands tighter to Gary’s hands as they slowly took small steps to the slow music. “But she took ‘em too….”
Gary gasped. “That was why she was throwing up! You saw her in the bathroom earlier, didn’t you?”
Misty widened her eyes, and then let them close again. “Ugh……yes, of course I still remember that…..ugh…..I probably should just….” Misty felt to weak to talk. As soon as she and Gary moved even more to the music, her head was suddenly throbbing with pain. She couldn’t take it anymore. Without control, Misty held her breath, and then let out a sudden purge of vomit right on Gary’s black suit.
Instantly, the music stopped playing and some people who had been watching Misty were suddenly gasping and gathering everyone else’s attention.
“Misty threw up!”
“Oh my gosh-- look what Misty just did!”
“Gary’s been barfed on!”
The crowd around them were suddenly focusing their gazes upon Misty and Gary.
Instantly, Misty’s head suddenly cleared and she looked around with horror. She suddenly felt much better, and more wide awake. Gary was standing in front of her, with his hands free from hers, standing with a look of disbelief with vomit on his suit.
“Gary!” Misty was in shock. The crowd was suddenly chattering and talking about them. “I’m so sorry…..I didn’t mean it…..here, let me clean you up!”
Misty was just about to hurry over and find a towel or napkins, but she clumsily bumped into Mary, who was carrying a package of magazines and a package of clothing. She suddenly dropped the boxes and made a huge mess as all the magazines and outfits spilled out of the packages to the ground.
“Oh! Dammit!” Mary was utterly shocked and already looked more stressed out than she had been before. Her face was red and tired, and she stared down at the mess with hopelessness.
Misty gasped and flinched. “Oh dear! Marry! I’m so sorry! I’ll help you clean--”
“No! Don’t!” Mary swatted a hand over Misty’s head as she bent down to start picking things up. Misty blinked and dropped everything in her hands, and stood up with a solemn look on her face. Mary put a hand on the side of her face and closed her eyes with tiredness. “Just….please! Stay away from me! I’ve had a wretched day….I’m tired of….people…” Mary squatted down and halfheartedly started cleaning up her mess.
Misty took a step back, and looked around at all the staring faces at her and Gary. Behind her, she could hear Gary muttering to himself with an irritated tone. She had disrupted everybody. She knew Mary too well that the lead fashion designer of the agency would either cancel the show now, out of frustration, or have it wait until next time. And it was all Misty’s fault.
She looked down at the ground with her eyes squeezed shut and ran towards the exit, pushing pass the crowd in her way, ignoring Jessie’s call and Pichu’s concerned cry.
Making her way up to her room. Before entering inside, she huffed and fought back tears that were already swelling up in her eyes. “What’s wrong with me? What have I done…..” she realized what a disgrace she had been—not just tonight, but throughout her entire career, ever since she had become extremely popular. She opened up the door, and realized with a relief that there was no sign of Professor Oak. Surprisingly, his table and study area was clean as a new office, with nothing but the computer on the desk. No papers, no samples, nothing.
Misty was too ashamed to be thinking about anything other than her own selfishness. She recalled all the things she had said and done with Jessie, with Gary, and Angelica. She had gone crazy, caught up in her own vanity. She was no model—she was no better than the conceited Angelica.
Throwing herself on the couch and eying a poster she had hung of herself, posing as what Gary called, the “sexiest” cowgirl in Kanto, she huffed and tore the poster down, crumpling it up and throwing it on the floor. She sniffed and crossed her arms, looking at her feet in her shiny fancy sandals.
“Pichu?”
Misty turned to see Gary enter in the apartment with Pichu on his shoulder. He hadn’t cleaned up from the barf, though his shirt was a little wiped off than before. He was gazing at Misty with a concerned, understanding expression.
Misty turned around and faced the window at the dark cold night. “Go away,” she muttered. “I don’t deserve to be comforted anymore…..I’ve gone through a state worse than what my sister has….”
Gary made his way up to her side. “Nah….it’s not your fault,” he spoke quietly.
“I was stupid to accept any kind of drugs!” Misty stomped her foot. “Whether it was from Angelica or not, it was my choice to have taken them and…..purged on you like that.” She wrinkled her nose at the smell wafting from Gary’s shirt.
Gary chuckled. “Well, not just that. It’s…..it’s kinda my fault. I shouldn’t have let you get too carried away and caught up with anger and get so competitive with Angelica.” He frowned and looked away. “You know…..that’s a problem I’ve always had. I always have to get back at anyone who deliberately tries to do better than me…..I’ve always been so self-centered and intent on being what I want to be….I should have never let it take over you though.” He looked to the ground. “Just shows the kinda jerk I am….”
Misty blinked and looked at his sorrow expression. “You’re no jerk. Really.”
Gary’s eyes watched Pichu as it leaped off his shoulder to the top of the couch behind them. “Ash Ketchum should’ve stayed here with you…..that guy really made a mistake to leave you here……with me.”
Misty bit her lip. “No…..I’m glad you and I went through a lot together.” She put a hand on his shoulder to make him understand how strong she really felt about what she said. “Despite all the jealousy and hard feelings we had…..I was glad I actually got to know you even more….I’ve realized what a person you can really be when it comes to, you know….relationships.”
Gary winced and then looked at Misty with a smile that lightened her heart. “You don’t ever want to have me in such a relationship like that, trust me.” He almost chuckled. “Ask Leaf. I’m the biggest jerk you’ll ever meet. ESPECIALLY when it comes to relationships.”
Misty laughed. “What? What do you do? Fraternize with too many girls at once? Forget about your real old girlfriend because of other important things on your mind? Gary, you’re no better than Ash Ketchum when it comes to relationships!”
Gary gave Misty a wince. “Okay, if you’re gonna compare me Ash, the only thing I’ve got in common with him is our urge to be pokemon masters. I am not like him in any other way!”
Misty laughed. “Well…..that’s not how I exactly see it….”
“Well then your head still needs clearing,” chuckled Gary. “I’m not like in Ash other than our personalities to reach our goals with pokemon.”
Misty’s gaze faltered and she suddenly thought about Ash. She really did miss him. She actually had been thinking lots about him whenever she had quiet time to herself, any time when she was able to escape the flashing cameras, chasing crowd, and chattering model friends. She did miss him dearly, and she wondered how things would have turned out if he really had stayed here with her to calm her feelings and keep her under control. She probably would’ve kept him under control as well. Ash could get carried away with determination much worse than she could at some points, and he needed her to control his urges as well.
A quiet moment passed through Misty and Gary, until suddenly, Pichu sensed something in the air. “Pii!” the little pokemon turned towards the door, and Misty and Gary looked over as the Professor Oak barged into their apartment, carrying three large luggage with him. He dropped the equipment and huffed with a serious look on his face.
“Come on you two, it’s time we start getting a move on,” he remarked urgently.
Misty winced. “For what? Hey! Is that my make-up?” She pointed to a side of the luggage where she could see her make-up kit attached to a zipper.
“Why are my clothes sticking out of that luggage?” Gary was wincing.
Oak cleared his throat. “Guys, I’ve constructed more than a theory now. You know how we lost that oh-so valuable Spear the other week?”
Misty and Gary nodded.
“Well, since then, I’ve been receiving the weirdest dreams. For nights, I’ve been finding myself upon the strange mountain of ice, until finally, I realized that I was in the island of Barren, the very place where Xenox was theorized to have slept.”
“Barren Island?” Misty’s heart leapt at this.
Oak nodded. “I was visited by….this little dove pokemon, as well as Ash’s Pikachu itself.”
“Whoa!” Gary widened his eyes.
Oak narrowed his gaze and the old man was serious. “They explained to me about everything. Especially this little dove.”
Misty gasped. “Oh my gosh…..the dove!” She turned to Gary with awe. “That must have been the same dove Gary and I were constantly encountering several days ago!”
“It goes by the name of Dovanna…..” Oak’s face was portraying that disbelieved but intent look on his face. “And it’s a pokemon of the fifth dimension. No one in this world is supposed to have ever seen such pokemon of the fifth world beyond the dimensions….but when it told me everything about the derams of Xenox, and the disturbances in the world, I finally understood. Xenox is out there, asleep but alive. It’s going to wake up, especially with this certain dark force that is getting closer and closer to awakening it and to control its powers in their hands. This dark force, as mentioned by Dovanna, has their hands on May, Drew, and Brendan.”
Misty gasped. Gary was frozen with awe.
Oak picked up one of the luggage and let Pichu leap upon his shoulder. “Come on, Ash and the others are on Cinnabar right now. how do I know? I’ll explain EVERYTHING once we pack ourselves on a boat I rented myself. we must leave as quick as we can.”
Misty winced. “Already? Right now? I can’t just ditch Mary! Neither can Gary….perhaps I’ll let her off with permission though. I bet she wouldn’t want me around for a while….”
Gary huffed and stepped up to pick up his own suitcase. “We’ve got to hurry! This could mean everything about what we know about the Wipeout! Ash, Red, and Leaf could be up to something in Cinnabar right now!”
Misty gasped and then nodded. “Right….we haven’t been able to find Lyra, Silver, or Ethan since last week. We should go!”
Not bothering to let the modeling agency know of their disappearance, Misty and Gary boarded a small boat and Oak loaded the suitcases with Pichu ready to sail with them. Making sure both Misty and Gary had their pokemon with them, Oak set off at the sea, headed towards Cinnabar Island.
And Oak told them everything he knew. Misty was bewildered to hear about the secret of Xenox, and the prophecy of the fire emblem pokemon, how it switched lives with Pikachu and that it can only continue its real journey through the dreams with Xenox. She was extremely wondered by the mention of May and Brendan, and how they were both under the control of the strange evil lady named Prima Dona…..
Oak also told them of Red and Ash upon Cinnabar Island, and the importance of Lyra’s writing, how she had created the Black Ebony, as well as the White Crystalline. He told about the three beings that will be used to bond with the Spears, and how Prima Dona wanted to use them as powerful sources to control Xenox. She was devastated to hear of what happened to Leaf—and May especially.
Gary huffed. “Never knew May would have such an urge in her. I’d like to see this Prima Dona lady for myself!”
Oak let out a chuckle and gave him a wily look. “No you wouldn’t. And by the way, I’ve discovered a little something myself just on the borders of Saffron. There’s this pokemon….one I looked up from Ash’s pokedex, and it turns out this pokemon is from Unova.”
“A Unova pokemon?” Misty winced. “In our region?”
“Just on the side of the border! I was surprised myself, and as I did more research, I found some pretty interesting things about this pokemon, and when I met Dovanna, it all made sense.” Oak narrowed his eyes and the chilly wind whipped the waves around them as their boat sped on. “The pokemon was Genesect…and it’s inherited a terrible power, one that bears the blood of Xenox, though this pokemon has had a darkness within itself that turned the aura on its back. In other words, Genesect carries the ability to control Xenox at will—if it injects the pokemon with the power it carries in itself, turning the pokemon into a mere dark force that can naturally fight itself to kill it.”
Gary blinked. “Xenox will become possessed like a dark monster if this Genesect bites it or something? That’s like some sort of superbug!”
Oak looked into Gary’s eyes carefully. “Well, it can do way more than just inject darkness within Xenox…..it’s got the ability to travel through anything it wants—whether it’s the world, the dimensions, dreams, anything.”
“Ooh! I’d like to catch that pokemon!” a strange familiar voice came from Gary’s direction, though Misty winced when she heard it wasn’t even Gary’s voice. She turned to his direction and Gary looked just as confused.
“Ugh! You’re gonna blow our cover!” Another voice spoke.
“Rah! Guys, you’re gonna tip us off….Jessie, get your butt outta my face!” The voice was from Meowth, and before they all knew it, Meowth, James, and Jessie had all fallen from a large barrel at the side of the ship. Jessie, who was still wearing her satin pink dress, immediately shot up and stretched.
“Huh! That was horrible! Cramped in there for over an hour—this boat needs better hiding places!” She complained.
“Team Rocket!” Misty and Gary both spoke with surprise.
“Oh goodie,” Oak crossed his arms and gave them a raised look. “I suppose you guys wanna join this evil force and even try to attempt to catch Xenox for yourself?”
James flinched and widened his eyes. “Xenox? A pokemon that can destroy us all, along with the entire WORLD of pokemon?”
“Blech, I don’t want THAT pokemon,” said Jessie. “We were just interested in where you guys were going….we did hear you say something about Pikachu being alright and still around….”
Misty rolled her eyes. “Oh puh-lease! You guys are still over that?”
Jessie smiled. “Twerp, we’re NEVER gonna change.”
Meowth snickered. “And if Xenox is gonna try to stop us, we wanna make sure it doesn’t happen!”
Misty sighed and looked ahead to the uninviting dark sea. “Well, there’s nothing we can really do now……we can’t turn back.”
Oak nodded. “Right. Just focus on what’s coming, and don’t try anything rash…..we should all be almost there by morning.”

“Misty and the others have arrived!” Ash was running back to the pokemon center where everyone gathered in the couch area at the corner.
Dawn met his gaze and looked hopeful. “Misty? With Professor Oak and Gary?”
“Yeah!” Ash’s heart was beating. The feeling of finally seeing Misty again made him smile with excitement. “Come on….they probably might have some important things to tell us.”
Amira skipped over to his side and hugged his leg. “You love Misty, don’t ya?”
Ash flinched and then winced at her as he heard some murmurings from the group. Silver snickered and walked passed him with an arrogant smile. “Yeah, he did mention Misty’s name first and he looks awfully excited.”
Ash just glared at him and then turned around, shaking his head. “Red!” He ran outside to where Red was walking pass with Pikachu asleep in his arms. He had come out of the Cinnabar mansion the other day, with Pikachu wounded and barely conscious. When they had gone to the pokemon center to heal him, surprisingly, Pikachu had been healed, but it was still kept in an unconscious state. Now, Ash was gazing down at the body of his partner with saddened eyes. “Oh…..great. I bet it’s still part of its dream?”
Red nodded. “Mew told me everything that had happened to Emblem in its sleep. Pikachu was still going on, though Pikachu, too, is unconscious in the island of Isotopia, with nothing but the spirit in its dreams to keep moving on.”
Ash sighed. He remembered everything Red had explained about his time with Mew in the Cinnabar mansion. The dreams both Pikachu and Emblem had had—and shared—had haunted Ash into how close Xenox was to awakening. Since then, he had been discussing with Lyra on how they could fight against this summoning from Prima Dona, and use the Ice Spear they had as some sort of shield somehow.
Red blinked and gave Ahs a sorrowful look. “I’m sorry, Ash. Mew told me about Leaf also, and that we must stay clear away from her as much as we can. She could be anywhere on this island, straying and stalking around like a scavenger, ready to infect others with her darkness. We better keep our eyes open.”
“She’s already tried to infect Hilda,” said Ash urgently. “Not long before you came back, Hilda….she appeared in front of the pokemon center one night. With her was….the baby Dovanna that Lyra was talking about. By her side was a little Zorua pokemon, and the body of that strange Team Plasma guy, N, as she called him.” Ash shuddered at the strange night he had met them. “She…quietly explained everything to us, how she got here and what she and Dovanna had gone through to get here.”
Red nodded. “The X-Psi-Eye pokemon’s child?”
Ash nodded. “That Zorua was a human child through the whole entire dream….I guess the power of Xenox’s dreams and Dovanna’s teleporting ability has actually brought its real body from the Unova all the way here as well….”
“Ash!” Iris’s voice was calling him. She and Cilan were staring at him from the pokemon center, ready to leave to the harbor. “Everyone else is going to see Oak! Aren’t you coming?”
“I thought you were excited,” chuckled Cilan teasingly.
Ash narrowed his eyes with a playful glint. Hilda had found Iris, Cilan, Bianca, and Cheren on the other side of the mansion, where they had had no idea of why or how they had gotten here. They had only mentioned the three Musketeers of Unova calling them one night and bringing them all to this island somehow……but when Ash had explained how they must’ve been teleported by Dovanna, how the power of Xenox’s dreams and Dovanna’s spirit-teleporting power could’ve worked together, they started to understand what importance they could be taking place in for the summoning of Xenox.
“Yeah, hang on, I’ll be there,” he replied halfheartedly. He turned back to glance at Pikachu in Red’s hands again, and then sighed, walking along his side over to where Iris and Cilan walked up to the harbor.
Iris was gazing at Ash, noticing his concerned expression. Kax was uttering strange sounds as it watched Ash carefully with its wide blinking eyes. “Hey, are you okay? You know, if you really wanna see what’s going on with Pikachu, can’t you just walk into its dreams and see?”
Cilan turend to him. “Yeah, you’ve got Dovanna, don’t you? well…..you did anyway.”
Ash huffed. Dovanna was a cute but strange pokemon when he had first met it. Some days it was happy and chasing along after their own pokemon, some days it was gone without a trace, nowhere on the island to be seen. The little pokemon reminded Ash a lot about Amira….
“Well, it’s not that simple just to fall asleep one night and meet anyone you want in your dreams,” said Ash, trying to think it over carefully. A cold wind blew over him and he winced at the chilliness. “The portals of Xenox’s dream are only open for the spirits that Xenox would want to dream of itself…..whether it can control that spirit or not. I don’t know if I’ve got anything to do with Xenox just yet….”
“Ash Ketchum! Hey!” Oak was calling him from the distance straight ahead, waving him as he stepped off the small boat he had arrived in.
“Professor Oak!” Ash, Red, Iris, and Cilan ran up to the professor, joining where Silver, Lyra, Ethan, Paul, Dawn, Barry, Lucas, and Riley were gathering around Misty and Gary as they unloaded their suitcases. They were all caught up in the noisy happiness of their reunion once again, and after giving Oak a grateful hug, Ash looked around, realizing how much this looked like the dance night that had seemed like such a long time ago.
But then he realized many things were different. May, Drew, and Brendan still weren’t here, and Hilda was sitting on a log, alone in her thoughts with the White Crystalline clasped in her hands. N’s body was resting at the pokemon center, hopefully recovering from the darkness Leaf had infected him with. She didn’t seem to be looking pleased at the happy moment going on around her. Zan, the Zorua was by her side, looking focused and quiet just like she was. Baby Dovanna was with her, and was trying to flutter around the girl with happy tweets and cooing.
Finally, Ash’s eyes met Misty’s. She stood up and met his gaze with a blink. He held his breath, and was just about to walk up to her until he realized she was already making his way over to him.
Looking into each other’s eyes for what seemed like a long moment, Ash realized how much he had missed Misty, and how much she could’ve gone through without him. just by spending time with the strange little Amira, he had already been given strange feelings that the little girl kept constantly reminding him about—that Misty was still there in Saffron City, trying to cope without his presence. But Ash looked into Misty’s eyes and knew she was still her real, beautiful self. They both hugged and Misty sighed.
“Ash….I missed you. I’m sorry,” Misty’s voice was a mere whisper as they both let each other go.
Ash gave a small smile. “Nah….I really shouldn’t have left you. it was my fault to ever feel like I needed to be away from you for that long.”
Misty chuckled. “It was probably for the good of the world. Mew needed Red….and Pikachu needed you to understand what was going on behind its strange change with power.”
Ash nodded. “Red’s about to be an Angel Riser for Mew. He told me everything about Mew’s plan for the Wipeout of Xenox, just in case the stopping fails. Many will die and pass on to the next dimension…..while others, such as Red, will join Mew as the form of an Angel Riser.”
Misty raised her eyebrows. “Wow….never thought of it that way.” She glanced over to where Dovanna was happily fluttering towards them, coining and filling the cold air with a warm sense of charisma over Ash and Misty.
Ash felt enlightened and Misty laughed. “Hey! Dovanna! You little sneak—we’ve met you before back in Saffron! How can you have multitasked so much?”
Dovanna gave out what sounded like a little giggle. From behind it, Pichu playfully tried to leap at it as it emerged from the crowd that was gathering around Gary and chatting away crazily about each of their adventures.
Ash watched the little Pichu and baby Dovanna leave until they made their way around where Dawn, Barry, and Lucas were gathering. Then he turned to Misty. “So that’s the modified Pichu, huh?”
Misty nodded. “Oh! Professor Oak’s told me everything about what’s been going on, for he has made an important discovery within Xenox’s dreams, understanding everything as soon as he met baby Dovanna in his dreams. You won’t believe what else he has to say to you though.”
Ash raised his eyebrows. “He’s got more to say?”
“Everyone, may I have your attention now!” Oak was standing on a stack of cargo that had been loaded nearby where his boat had been parked. As soon as everyone turned their gazes towards him, the cargo under him collapsed and Oak fell with a surprised, “Whoop!”
And Ash gasped with disbelief as he realized that the people inside the cargo, breaking out and escaping, stepping over Oak.
“Team Rocket” Ash yelled, and immediately, the crowd of people all started shouting and calling out names at Team Rocket’s sudden presence.
“Hey! What good are YOU guys gonna do on this island?” Barry huffed. “We don’t want you here!”
“Oh, shut it, twerp!” Complained Jessie in annoyance, straightening her outfit, which was no longer in the long fancy dress she had been wearing. She and James were back into their normal team outfit. “It took a lot of patience for us to make it here before we were discovered by our twerpish passengers!” She cast a glare over to Misty, Gary, and Oak.
Misty rolled her eyes. “Yep, they’ve followed us here. we didn’t want their presence to ruin our small reunion yet.”
Paul huffed and crossed his arms. “Well, I hope you’re happy that you’ve ruined it now. You should’ve thrown them over board or something.”
Ash flashed a glance at him and then looked over to where Gary was coming over to him. His old rival and friend was making his way over with a sideways smile on his face. Ash tensed, casting a quick glance at Misty next to him, who was staring at Gary with a blank expression. He knew the two of them had probably gone through drama with each other more than he would’ve wanted, and he wondered what was going through Gary’s mind.
“Hey, Ash,” Gary said coolly.
“Hey,” Ash managed to keep a calm look on his face. A strange tension was flowing through the both of them and he didn’t like it. “So how’s the modeling career been going?”
Gary raised his eyes and gave him a hopeful look. “Oh, Misty didn’t tell you anything about it yet?”
Ash caught Misty biting her lip and looking at the ground, avoiding both his and Gary’s gazes.
Gary chuckled. “It’s been going fine, really. Misty’s become a popular star, and we’re really gonna have to keep her in good hiding when she makes her way around this island.” Gary crossed his arms and gave a raised look. “By the way……I really hope for the best for you two.” He smiled at Misty. “Take good care of her, Ash. She’s an amazing woman. I don’t wanna see her put to waste when she ends up with me again, and suffer through the same feelings Leaf had gone through.”
Ash gave Gary a surprised look. The way he had spoke seemed so wise and understanding…..it wasn’t like Gary at all.
Misty looked up and met Gary’s gaze shyly, not knowing what to say. Gary met her gaze and winked. “Both of us should be more careful next time when it comes to things like fame.”
Misty smiled and nodded. “Yeah…..”
Ash blinked, looking at Misty, and then Gary. He was suddenly at a loss for words himself, but suddenly, Oak’s loud voice got all of their attention.
“Everyone, I’ve got some important news about my discovery!” The crowd quieted down and turned to him again. Team Rocket, who had been blabbering with Red over the Pikachu body in his arms, even turned to pay attention. “There has been a lot going on lately,”
“There has been many important discoveries during the time I spent in Saffron City, trying to research everyday changes and the littlest piece of evidences I could find from the mysterious falling snow. Each day, we’ve been receiving such news from important weather channels of the most random, unexplainable happenings, some that have sounded even more strange and critical than the disappearance of May, Drew, and Brendan. Well! A certain pokemon came to me in a dream one day, and it was an important dream at that as well. Now I know how Red could’ve felt when he knows he has encountered such a dream.” He cast a wink at Red stroking Pikachu as it stirred in his arms.
Dovanna fluttered around Professor Oak with a happy coo. Oak smiled and chuckled. “Why, this pokemon clearly spoke to me, and I understood it better than I probably would’ve understood any silly humans in this world. Xenox is slowly awakening, due to the presence of the fire emblem pokemon, as well as the evil force getting closer and closer to its cave, bringing together the very Ice Spears that control the most important parts of it. Prima Dona-- I think that’s what she’s called-- has gotten her hands on two of the Spears now, so far one of which is already bonded and taken over Brendan. Now, with May traveling by her side, she wants to seek the last Ice Spear, the one that we have. And along with that, she wants to find two more powerful souls to commingle with those Spears.”
Red stepped forward and spoke. “When Mew told me of the dream with Emblem, it discovered that Prima Dona wanted the most powerful souls such as those of me….and Hilda.”
Everyone cast Hilda concerned gazes, and Iris asked, “Why Hilda?”
Red shrugged. “Probably ‘cause she’s got the power of the White Crystalline and the X-Psi-Eye pokemon at her side….who knows? But Mew did suspect that those two were on her mind.”
“Red!” Ash gasped, gazing over at him. “Of course she’ll want your soul to be confined to Xenox so that the pokemon can have its inner determination and attitude powered up-- you’re the strongest, most bravest champion I’ve met! Of all the regions too….”
Red seemed to blush, but he tried to keep his gaze simple.
Misty chuckled. “Yeah….Red, you’re even worse than Ash. I can tell by the way Leaf is. She‘s hardheaded and wiser than I am at times.”
Meowth spat. “Heh! That explains the rape Leaf performed on ya, eh, twerp?” Meowth nudged Hilda, who was just sitting off to his side. Hilda just gave him a wince and ignored him, looking quiet in her own thoughts.
Ash blinked at her and the Zorua with uncertainty. Since the moment they had met them, Hilda hadn’t said a word except for the explanation she had given to Ash about her brief adventure. He wondered how badly N was affected, and how it was affecting Leaf.
Oak cleared his throat. “Yes well…..I’ve decided to hatch up a plan against this summoning of Xenox.”
Gary winced and spoke. “What plan? The only thing to stop it is the fire emblem pokemon…..which is trapped in Pikachu’s body right now.”
Lyra nodded. “And the battle has to be real, not in the dream anymore.”
Iris huffed and looked over at Pikachu. “The poor thing looks hurt and distressed though.”
“Of course,” Red looked at Iris with a frown. “Prima Dona has let the pack of Changelings attack it, of course it would be in bad shape after such a battle.”
“Well, that’s why I need someone else to enter in the dream, and make sure Pikachu-- who is on the other side of this world-- makes it to Xenox’s mountain!” Oak spoke with determination. “The body of the fire emblem pokemon holds the most power, not just the soul alone. If Emblem’s soul is trapped in another body, then it’s up to the soul in its real body to do the trick. Ash?”
Ash met the professor’s gaze steadily. “Oak…..I’ve been trying to reach Pikachu through the dreams but--”
“Well, Dovanna is here for you now,” Oak let up a hand for the little dove pokemon to land. “Dovanna understands my idea, and now it will let you enter in the dream of Xenox. You will find Pikachu in the mountain, and make sure it gets to the top with your help….and while you’re at it, make sure you try and stop Prima Dona as best you can.”
Ash laughed. “Stop her? As simple as that? Just enter in the dream and kick her butt outta the way?”
Oak gave him a look. “I mean….I will give you a supplement to help you along.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a poke ball.
He threw the ball to Ash and he caught it with surprise.
“Inside that ball, is a Genesect.”
Everyone gasped with surprise and a yell came from Jessie. “Oh great! That thing again!”
Ash widened his eyes. “Genesect?”
“Oh my gosh!” Iris jumped up to his side. “That’s N’s very own project-- or at least he came up with the entire idea for it!”
Hilda suddenly stood up at this, opening her mouth as if to say something important, but said nothing.
Ash looked up at Oak. “What good can this pokemon do?”
Oak looked deeply into Ash’s eyes. “I tell you….that pokemon has more than just the DNA of a revived fossil. It has inherited power, as well as the dark force of Xenox. Use that pokemon to help defeat the likes of Prima Dona. With Genesect, you can learn to construct a spirit, known as a darkling, and it can make the very duplicate of Xenox, so that Prima Dona can THINK she’s got Xenox in her hands, when she really doesn’t.”
Team Rocket oooed louder than everyone else at the sound of that.
“Man, I wish we had such a pokemon…” James was muttering.
“Professor, I’ll be glad to take the honor,” said Ash clearly. “But why do you want me to do this? Why not choose….Red?”
Oak laughed. “Hello?! You smart to have been chosen, boy? Red cannot go anywhere near those dreams, for his presence can alert Prima Dona at anytime, especially with Leaf going around, searching for souls to infect.”
Ash blushed, feeling stupid. “Oh, right.”
“And you have the strongest connection with Pikachu. Just by entering such a dream like that, you’ll find that you can guide yourself as well, so that you can help your little partner like you’re supposed to. And one more thing.” Oak was looking around. “Where’s Lyra?”
Lyra came up to him and smiled. In one hand, she held her journal. In her other, she held the last Ice Spear.
Oak gently took the Ice Spear in her hand, and its glistened under his face. “Make sure you take this with you. You must use the last Ice Spear to combine forces with Prima Dona’s Spears, so that you can make the battle real for your Pikachu. Like I said, you must help your little partner, and the prophecy must be fulfilled, for the sake of this world.” Everyone was looking at Ash with determination. Ash was delightfully encouraged when he met Misty’s admiring smile.
“Well…..I’ll be more than welcome to do it,” he came up to the professor and took the Ice Spear. Dovanna cooed happily and landed on his shoulder.
Ash turned and met Misty’s gaze mischievously. “But if I screw up at any point, I will need help. You all know that.”
Oak laughed. “Of course you will. And Dovanna will always be able to let us know!”
Misty stepped forward. “Um, professor? I don’t wanna sound rash or anything, but do you think it will be alright if I come along with Ash?”
Everyone looked at her with raised looks, and some people like Dawn and Lyra gave happy, admiring gazes. Silver, Gary, Paul, and Iris, on the other hand, were looking at her like she was crazy.
Oak just raised his eyebrows. “Oh? And why is that, Misty?”
Misty had a look of determination on her face that Ash couldn’t help staring at as she spoke. “Well, first, I can probably make it through the mountain without complaint. I’ve trained in such water conditions, and I can find myself by Ash’s side to help him and keep both of us strong.” She smiled. “It’s been such a long time since I’ve spent so much time with him….and plus, I’m no threat or particular spirit Xenox wants, or even knows about yet.”
Ash nodded, smiling. “Yeah….I wouldn’t agree more. I really would fine it better for Misty to come as well.”
“Well, then that’s up to Dovanna? Would it help you both go through the portals of dreams?” Oak turned to the little pokemon, who was already gazing at both of them with a spark in its eyes, flying through the air with a clear, “Douuuu!”
Ash and Misty came up and smiled. “Then it’s settled,” said Ash, feeling determined. He looked behind him where Pikachu squirmed in Red’s grip. “I won’t let my little buddy down. After the prophecy is over, I’ll make sure everything is back the way it was before.”
Red smiled and gave him a determined look. “And Ash….while you’re there, do help Leaf. If you do find her at any point, try to find a way to free her. Mew said the only way to free the dark souls his to fight it physically.” He laughed. “Literally, you’re gonna have to really fight her on the outside, in order to knock out the soul that’s controlling the inside. It’s weird-- but that’s just what Mew says works.”
Behind him, Riley was chuckling. “Just like in the real pokemon world, fighting types do beat the dark ones.”
Ash chuckled. “Well then I guess that does make sense in a way…”
He felt an arm touch his shoulder. He turned and saw that Hilda was gazing at him with a dazed look in her eyes. “I would predict N’s soul to be trapped in there as well, for he sleeps an awful lot now….help him too, if you can.”
“Boy that twerp’s got a lotta responsibility in his hands already!” Hissed Meowth, narrowing his eyes at Ash.
Jessie huffed. “Ugh! Why couldn’t we enter in the dreams of Xenox? I bet we know Pikachu’s soul better than most people do, and that Xenox doesn’t wanna have anything to do with a pack of losers like us!”
Ash chuckled and nudged Misty. “Nice for Team Rocket to open their eyes and realize what failures they’ve been their whole lives.”
Misty huffed. “You should’ve seen Jessie at the modeling agency! Surprisingly, she did do pretty well, I can’t deny that.”
Oak cleared his throat again and started walking towards the path to the pokemon center, picking up his suitcases. “Well, you people better get ready. Red? I bet Mew wouldn’t wanna show itself, but if you could get it to somehow show a portal for us to see into Ash’s dream and watch how he’s doing? Ehh, I dunno, just a little more help wouldn’t do any harm. We really need all the help we can get.”
Red’s gaze was suddenly serious. “Sir, you may not know it, but pokemon have always been working hard against Xenox this whole time. Azelf, Mesprit, Uxie-- working with the balance of the world, Mew and Mewtwo-- coping with the psychics and spirits for the afterlife, the three Musketeers, Reshiram-- coping with the power of X-Psi-Eye…..I couldn’t deny the pokemon of the world to be working their hardest before the big moment of the Wipeout.”

The moon was full, and for what had seemed like such a long time, the night clouds in the sky were beginning to become less clear to slightly reveal the brightness of the moonlight.
Ash and Misty followed Red out the pokemon center to the cold outside surroundings. Cinnabar Island was so different without the burning smell of smoke Ash was used to always smelling. The place was getting colder and colder everyday just like all the other places around the world.
Red carried Pikachu to where a rock jutted out, not too far from the pokemon center.
“Are you sure it’s alright to leave it out to sleep in the cold like this?” Misty questioned. “It still seems feverish.”
Ash sighed and looked at his little pokemon. “It’s got the aura of Emblem inside it. It won’t be affected by any such coldness, let alone the real battle against Xenox itself.”
Misty huffed and crossed her arms. “I still don’t understand why baby Dovanna had to switch places between Pikachu and the fire emblem pokemon. Either way, one of them can still reach the mountain and battle it somehow.”
Red set Pikachu down and looked up at them carefully. “Dovanna was trying to use Emblem’s soul to protect the remaining Ice Spear. The fire emblem had to switch with one of the closest souls for one of the Ice Spears at least, so that Prima Dona couldn’t obtain the power to control Xenox at full will. Emblem’s soul was the only one strong enough to keep Prima Dona from ever finding her way through the portals of dreams, for Emblem could battle her off by being here….though I’m not sure what it can do now that it’s been weakened by those pack of Changelings.”
Ash looked up at the moon. “Well, Prima Dona’s got Leaf and N, and they can fight off Pikachu to let them all come in and take the Spear.” He slipped out the glistening slender material that was attached to his side. The Ice Spear shone with richness. “Well if she wants this Spear so badly, she’s gonna get it. We’ll have Xenox summoned when the time is right—when we get Pikachu to that mountain.”
Misty nodded. “Right. Where’s Dovanna? We should get started.”
From the forest ahead of them, the baby dove pokemon flew out from the trees, cooing with glee. A little shadow followed her underneath, and Ash realized it was Zan, in the form of his real Zorua body, trotting along underneath the little bird with a narrowed look of determination in its glinting eyes.
Dovanna cooed and landed next to Pikachu upon the rock, where the little pokemon slept. Its blue eyes were wide and ready.
Red nodded and stood. “Looks like Zan’s gonna come with you guys, just ‘cause it’s going to find itself in the dream anyway. So that’s great. You’ll have the help of the X-Psi-Eye with you along the way.”
Ash knelt down and he and Misty let themselves fall into a deep sleep within seconds by Pikachu’s side. At first, Ash wondered how it was even possible to easily fall asleep with such cold weather blanketing over them, but pretty soon, he was finding himself waking up to an even colder area, where he rose up and looked around to a dark, starless sky where not even a twinkle was in sight above him. All around him, snow was whipping and blowing in all directions, whipping at Ash’s face with bitter coldness. He was on the mountain of Xenox.
Looking ahead, he could see a jutting point of an end of an icicle, shaping the mountains ahead to a point that he guessed was the very location of Xenox’s cave.
It seemed so far…..and Ash felt like he was losing energy just by standing there in the cold.
But when he heard a call behind him, he saw that Misty had entered the dream, and was struggling to make her way up to him against the cold storm.
Ash hurried over and put an arm around her side. “Dang, why couldn’t our blanket have made it through the portals of dreams?”
Misty shivered. “I d-don’t know! Ask D-Dovanna….”
Above them, Dovanna was fluttering against the storm and circling them with the happy glint still in its eyes. How some pokemon could remain so happy and unafraid of death….Ash had no idea.
Behind him, a child was standing still with its arms at its sides, wearing a small black robe that fluttered in the wind. It was Zan, in the form of the three year old boy.
“Come on,” Zan stepped forward, speaking with a small voice of determination. He passed Ash and Misty with a focused stare to the north towards the icicle shaped mountain. His eyes were still glinting like a Zorua’s. “We must head north. Pikachu’s barely halfway up that icicle mountain, and if we hurry, we can make it through this dream easily and successfully.”
Ash sighed as he watched Dovanna land on Misty’s shoulder, letting a warm charismatic smell waft over the both of them to calm their spirits.
“It feels so risky to be taking this Ice Spear into this dream, where Prima Dona could just be right around the corner,” said Ash, starting to walk forwards against the blinding blizzard, keeping his arm around Misty. “We’re deliberately walking into enemy territory now.”
“Well yeah, duh,” muttered Misty, squeezing her eyes shut against the storm. “Prima Dona’s gonna sense the presence of the Spear soon, and she’ll be after us before we can use our pokemon to fight her. Aren’t her pokemon supposed to be like…..literally a hundred times stonger than the normally trained pokemon?”
Ash nodded. “Barry and Dawn told me a lot about Prima Dona and how she was once part of the fifth dimension, trying to take over that part of the world with the annihilation of the devil pokemon, Impasar. But they said she would’ve never even made her way into this world—unless the portals really have broken, which they obviously have.”
Dovanna giggled by Misty’s shoulder. “Well, Prima Dona’s pokemon won’t be as much of a threat as much as she is herself.”
Zan turned and glared at the little bird. “Your sense of love and ability of multitasking is way over our heads, Dovanna. I hope you’re a strong battler physically as well.”
Dovanna narrowed her eyes mischievously. “Well, I sure hope you’re strong enough too, Zan. It’s the only reason why we want you traveling with us.”
Zan growled, making a cute little mad face of a child, and turned away.
As Ash pressed on, he admired the way Zan and Dovanna were treating each other, like they were some kind of baby brother and sister. Dovanna sassed and Zan taunted, and Misty told Ash how funny she found it for such a child as young as Zan to be acting so tough and serious. Ash was noticing how much it was reminding him of….Amira.
“I swear, that girl disappeared—again!” Ash huffed. “She didn’t even get to meet Professor Oak yet! She really would’ve inspired him….”
Misty shrugged. “I never met Amira so I wouldn’t know. From what I’ve heard of her, she seems very clever and a handful. Red says she knows a little too much more than a brain her age should handle.”
Ash chuckled. “Yeah, that’s Amira alright. But she was a big help for us.”
Dovanna blinked at Ash and smiled. “Oh, I’m sure she’ll turn up soon. She’s very excited about the summoning of Xenox, and is willing to see what we can do to act against it. I tell you, she’s a very special child.”
Misty looked at baby Dovanna with raised eyebrows. “You said she comes from the island of Isotopia, finding her way through the portals of Xenox’s dreams to accompany Ash and the others. Is that really true?”
The little bird shrugged. “That’s what everyone else believes. You’re just gonna have to find out for yourself.”
A fierce wind struck Ash’s face and Misty huffed with irritation. “Ok, I’m not going to complain because I promised not to….but this weather is way over my head.”
Ash clenched his teeth and tried to keep his eye on Zan, who seemed to be the only human of the three, having no trouble walking on against the storm. “Well, we don’t have time to play games with a little girl. right now, we’ve got to find Pikachu….and get to Xenox’s cave.”
Pretty soon, after what seemed like hours and hours, Ash, Misty, baby Dovanna, and Zan were climbing up the steep cliff of the icicle shaped mountain. They were nearing Xenox’s cave….finally.
Ash turned to look up at Zan. The little child was advancing like a skilled hiking survivor. It climbed up the icy clefs with no trouble or complaint. He fascinated Ash almost more than Amira.
He made sure Misty was getting along well behind him. “Misty, are you okay?”
Misty grunted and yelled something Ash couldn’t hear over the storm. She was clutching to the rocky clefts that jutted out, hanging on for dear life, not loking down.
Baby Dovanna fluttered pass Ash’s head. “Come on! We’re almost there! There’s a small cave where we could rest! It’s the very place where Emblem is resting in his dreams as well!”
Ash pressed forward, feeling uplifted by the thought of shelter. It had been such a long time since he had had a pokemon journey as perilous as this. He was glad he was still kept in shape to survive this journey and not pass out over such coldness, whether it was a dream or not. He had to be prepared for the real world as well. When they found his old friend Pikachu and awakened Xenox from its cave, the battle must be real, and they must awaken with the dream coming true, thorugh the portals of reality.
“There’s a hole up there!” Cried Misty, staring up at a round, small hole just a few feet above Ash.
Ash spotted the hole and watched as Zan climbed in, fitting in through the small space perfectly, with baby Dovanna flying in after him.
Ash bit his frozen lip and climbed towards it. Looking through the hole, he could see nothing but black darkness through the whipping snow that passed over his eyes. he turned and shouted to Misty, “You go in first! I don’t wanna hold you up in case I struggle getting inside!”
Misty let out what sounded like a humored laugh. “What are you talking about?” She climbed into the hole and disappeared in that blackness. “The hole’s just the size of your head! I’m sure the rest of you will fit in perfectly.”
Ash winced at her teasing comment, and climbed in after her, feeling relieved that the hole wasn’t too small.
The cave around Ash was unbelievably dark, and the second he peeked in, he didn’t notice baby Dovanna’s yell until it was too late.
“Ash! Look out! There’s a big drop from where you climb in!”
And suddenly, Ash found himself falling forwards as his whole body slipped through the hole. Luckily, it was only a few feet to fall, but Ash landed on his bottom, letting out a yell of pain as his pokeball of Genesect rolled out of his pocket.
Ash followed where it rolled up to a campfire that had lighted in the middle of the cave. There, sitting by the campfire, was Brock, wrapped in a blanket, looking perfectly alive and awake as his squinting eyes stared at him with warmth. Baby Dovanna was sitting upon his right shoulder, cooing happily.
“Brock!” Ash cried, feeling overjoyed. He had never forgotten his old friend since the day he had disappeared, and he shot up on his feet, running over to give the rock type gym leader a hug.
“Ash! Nice to see you all! Glad to see that you survived the rest of the journey.” Brock spoke with clear happiness.
Ash laughed. “Well, of course! We left that stranded island a long time ago.”
Brock chuckled. “I know. Baby Dovanna’s told me a lot, as well as Pikachu, and Emblem, who are in this dream this very moment.”
Brock turned to look to his left where Misty and Zan were kneeling over at a red body that glowed brightly by the side of the fire.
Misty turned with a delighted gaze. “Ash! Come here! It’s the fire Emblem pokemon!”
Zan snickered. “For real this time,” he added quietly.
Ash stepped over to the side of the fire where Misty and Zan were watching the body of a baby Groudon sleep peacefully. It was Emblem, in the form of its real baby Groudon body, sleeping on with the same growling disturbances that had come from Pikachu’s body.
“Oh, of course….” breathed Ash. “This is the dream—where Emblem can see itself as what it really is.” He looked over to Brock. “And you say Pikachu’s been with you too?”
Brock nodded. “Right now, I’m barely recovering, and I haven’t even awoken to see where I am in the real world yet. Unfortunately, that means I couldn’t awaken to see where I am so that someone like Dovanna can rescue me, but the good part is that I can speak with the pokemon of this dream, and learn about what really is going on out there in the world, and understanding everything I’m missing.”
Ash nodded. “That’s good.”
“Yeah,” added Misty. “When the Wipeout ever does come to action….you may never see yourself even like this again though….but that’s not going to happen. We’re trying to find Pikachu and get ready for its battle with Xenox, so that it gets rid of the pokemon before Prima Dona summons it under her power.” Misty gave a determined face and looked over at Ash. “Ash has got the last Ice Spear, and we will use it before the forces of Prima Dona takes it to capture the desired human souls for it.”
Ash nodded. “Professor Oak’s come to the island of Cinnabar as well,” he added.
“Oh, Professor Oak?” Brock sounded interested.
“Yeah, and he also gave me an important source to use against Xenox,” Ash looked around for the pokeball he had dropped. He spotted it by Brock’s foot and he stepped over to pick it up. “This very pokeball…..it contains the pokemon called Genensect. Normally, this would’ve been a very powerful pokemon, modified by the ideas of Team Plasma to become an even stronger pokemon, one that could do almost anything desired at will. Now, it contains the power of Xenox’s soul within it, as well as the ability to even create a duplicate of the pokemon with the dark soul inside. We’re gonna use this to help fight off any obstacles in our way, such as Prima Dona and her own pokemon.”
Baby Dovanna cooed. “Genesect can be a very powerful source for Prima Dona as well. If it can create a cloned duplicate of a pokemon like Xenox, injected with the power of darkness, that would, like, be the easiest strategy for Prima Dona to use when determining the last dark soul to be confined to the Ice Spear. She can just use it on someone to create a clone of their soul to be within the Spear!”
Zan growled. “It would be just like creating an evil twin….Prima Dona would gladly use that.”
Ash huffed and slipped the Ice Spear back in his pocket. “Yeah, well, that’s why we make sure we’re careful, and that we control Genesect on our side as well. We also need the powers of the X-Psi-Eye to help us as well.” He turned to Zan. “By the power of X-Psi-Eye, you were able to have constructed the force within a simple painting of Reshiram, weren’t you?”
Zan nodded. “I can use the power to guide Reshiram here as well. With its fire, it can work against Xenox to weaken it—not defeat it. With Zekrom and Kyruem, the power of the Tao Trio can work hard against Xenox and weaken it in the battle when the fire emblem finally fights the pokemon.”
Brock narrowed his eyes. “Well….Kyurem, as you must have heard, is too distracted by the force in Prima Dona. She has almost generated it to keep at her will and serve her in the summoning. It has captured the Spear of the Unova region, and now it’s gonna sense yours sooner or later. You must fight Prima Dona before you summon Xenox. She must be destroyed, or else she’ll be unstoppable once Xenox is awakened.”
Ash gazed down at the fire emblem pokemon. It was breathing hard and growling in its sleep, as if fighting, yet, another dream within this dream.
Misty sighed. “Oh, I feel sorry for the poor thing.” She looked at the pokemon, almost wanting to stroke it. “It’s supposed to be part of its own prophecy, but it can’t fight for real—or in its dreams anymore. It’s been wounded on both sides now….”

Ash blinked as the little Groudon wriggled and snapped its mouth with a low snarl. “Red said that Mew was gonna use Pikachu as one of the first Angel Risers for the world, and that the aura of baby Groudon was supposed to protect the last Spear so that we alone can use it against Prima Dona and for the real summoning of Xenox for the fulfillment of the prophecy.”
Baby Dovanna cooed and Brock was staring at him hardly. “Yes, but what I’m saying, is that you should make sure you get Prima Dona outta the way first, so that you can summon the battle for Xenox without her interfering. She’ll be after that Ice Spear for HER own good of summoning Xenox, and if Xenox is awakened at her hands, things really won’t be pretty.”
Ash huffed. “Well, how are we supposed to find Prima Dona as easily as she can find us?”
“I can help you find her,” a voice suddenly spoke from the other side of the small space.
Ash looked ahead of him on the other side of the fire, where the shadows darkened at the corner of the small space, just to the right of the hole below. He recognized that voice.
There, stepping from the shadows, was Drew, and following him, were Wallace and a strange guy he had never remembered meeting.
Misty gasped. “Drew? Wallace? What in the world!” She stood up with a happy, excited look on her face. “What are YOU guys doing here?”
Ash laughed. “Brock, you didn’t tell us THEY were here!”
“He didn’t need to,” Drew spoke again, giving a sideways smile. “We were gonna show ourselves when you guys were done with your little reunion and discussion.”
“Hey, it’s been a long time since these guys have seen Brock themselves,” said baby Dovanna playfully. “This is their first time through the dreams, an already they’re taking action.”
Wallace chuckled. “Well, we’ve been seeking help from Brock and baby Dovanna ever since we split of from Prima Dona…..and that dear May who’s serving by her side.”
Ash narrowed his eyes and felt his heart drop. “May is with Prima Dona, huh?”
The guy that Ash didn’t recognize nodded with a raised look in his eyes. “It’s even worse than Brendan. Brendan, he at least is just possessed an in control from the aura of ice. May, she actually chooses to be aided by Prima Dona. Oh! Sorry, my name is Wally. Nice to meet ya. I’ve known Brendan for a while before I knew May back in Hoenn.”
Ash nodded, smiling gratefully at the boy. He turned to Drew. “So what happened when you guys left May? And how can you help take us to Prima Dona?”
Drew blinked his eyes carefully and explained. He talked about their meeting with Team Aqua and summoning the power of Kyurem, and then dealing with Prima Dona’s anger towards Pike Queen Lucy, heading towards the temple of Jiraja to correct the order she had planned to control Kyurem so that thye could obtain the Ice Spears easier. “After the temple of Jiraja, May, Prima Dona, and Brendan disappeared, along with the force of Kyurem at their sides. They were ready to find the last of the Spears. Emblem-- or Pikachu-- had escaped their grip so that they wouldn’t destroy it. I let myself fall from the top of the temple, ready to leave those meticulous ice spirits that were getting to my head. Luckily, my fall was saved by the psychics of Pike Queen Lucy, who took me farther into the Northernlands where we would meet Wally and Wallace.
“Wallace explained to me how he and Wally escaped to track us down, after their little fight with Team Aqua. Apparently, Team Aqua had found out the fake spear they withheld, and were angry about the way Prima Dona had betrayed her promise to them. They wanted revenge. Wallace and Wally were out to find us, and warn of Team Aqua’s rage.”
Ash laughed. “Team Aqua’s rage? I bet that’s nothing compared to how mad Prima Dona would ever be.”
Drew continued. “Yeah, we told them about where Prima Dona was going anyway, and that Emblem had escaped out there. We decided to try and find it ourselves, and help it fulfill its destiny to defeat Xenox, and keep it safe from the hands of Prima Dona.”
Wally nodded. “We found out from Brock that it too, is lying unconscious just like the real Emblem, far to the northern tip of Isotopia.”
Misty was nodding hopefully. “Well, what makes you guys think you can help us fight Prima Dona? Have you found the pokemon Emblem yet?”
Wallace chuckled and crossed his arms. “Just like Brock learned from Dovanna, Emblem was lying at the northern tip of Isotopia. We dreamed our way into its dreams and found it as a Pikachu in this part of the world.” And stepping to the left, yanking his cape away from his spot, Wallace revealed a sleeping little pokemon, sparking with electricity as it slept. It was Pikachu.
Ash suddenly felt his spirits lighten and he couldn’t help giving a childish jump with glee. “Pikachu!” Not thinking whether the pokemon was sleeping or not, Ash made his way towards the corner and gave the little pokemon a hug.
Pikachu flinched and sparked, immediately giving off a startled, “Pika!” And zapped Ash with electricity at the sudden hug.
“WAHH!” Ash yelled at the sparking jolts.
Everyone in the cave laughed with humor as Ash blinked and looked down at his little buddy.
Pikachu had suddenly realized this was Ash, and he had finally come to see him as his real self and real soul that he hadn’t seen in such a long time.
Pikachu suddenly beamed with joy and squealed, “Pika--chuuuu!” It jumped up five feet in the air and landed in Ash’s arms again, giving his trainer a happy, grateful hug.
Ash laughed. “Oh, Pikachu! It’s been such a long time, I’ve missed you sooo much!” For once, he finally felt the real presence of Pikachu within the body, and that his old partner was back in his arms for real this time. He suddenly felt unstoppable.
Misty was smiling at him warmly. “Oh, Pikachu! It’s nice to see you again!” She hurried over and the little pokemon jumped in her hands to give her a warm, “Pika!”
Drew watched them with a glint in his smile, as if he were longing to feel the happiness that they were feeling. Wally was gazing happily too.
“Well, now that you’ve found Pikachu, before you do anything, you guys look like you could sure use some rest,” said Wally.
Brock nodded. “Yep, there’s a nice warm fire in here, started by Emblem itself. This is the only fire you can ever get in such a place like this, so enjoy it while it lasts.”
That night, Ash, Misty, and Zan found themselves resting in the cave, sleeping in their own dreams. But Ash didn’t get to see what it was like to be sleeping during such a time. He had so much on his mind.
First, he thought about Pikachu. He knew that here in the dreams of Xenox, he could communicate with pokemon like Dovanna, or even Emblem if the pokemon would wake up and speak to him. Perhaps he could do the same with Pikachu too!
Sitting up, Ash looked around for where Pikachu was sleeping. He winced. The fire had gone out-- no wonder it had grown mysteriously cold. Brock was still asleep in the same spot, sharing his blanket with Wallace, Drew, and Wally, while Misty, Zan and Ash were gathered around the warm body of Emblem. But there was no sign of Pikachu. Ash had sworn he had been laying by his side, sleeping peacefully just moments ago.
Ash got up and stared out of the hole of the small cave’s opening. The outside was whipping with snow just as it had been doing the entire time. A shadow passed the cave, and Ash was sure it was Pikachu.
He climbed up towards the opening, and slipped out the hole, gazing around the bitter cold cliff.
The opening was just a mere hole in the cliff wall, and there was no flat surface below it. Ash dared not to look down, and climbed over towards the left where a small ledge jutted out. Dropping to the ledge, he spotted the little body of Pikachu standing on its hind legs, gazing out into the blinding snow falling from the dark sky.
“Pikachu!” He hissed, hurrying up to his side.
The little pokemon stared up with awe. “She’s coming…..” the little voice spoke to Ash with dread.
Ash widened his eyes and realized his pokemon was really talking to him.
“Ash…..she’s coming!” Pikachu turned with a shocked look on its face.
“Wh-Who?” Ash replied.
“Prima Dona,” replied Pikachu, speaking clearly through the wind. His small voice was clear and speaking right at him. “I can feel her presence. Hurry! Get your things ready! Where’s the Spear?”
Ash blinked, looking around with confusion. He remembered where the Spear was and started to carefully slip it out from his belt. “The Spear--”
“RAHHHH!”
A sudden screech sounded over the mountain, and something swooped over Ash, snatching the Spear from his own hands and fluttering away, giving out a terrible, “Squuuaaaa!”
“No!” Cried Pikachu, leaping down on all fours and sparking with electricity. He ran up to Ash’s side and stared up into the sky. “You! Come back!”
Ash stared behind him and realized it was an Archeops, with its mighty colorful wings swooping through the storm, carrying the Spear in its talons. Behind it, an even large pokemon was gliding towards it, and as soon as it came into clear full view through the storm, Ash saw that it was the gigantic form of Kyurem, the very ice dragon from the Tao Trio in Unova.
“Kyurem….” Ash gasped with awe.
Kyurem let out a powerful cry that shook the cliff with intensity, making the storm whip even harder. Riding its back, was a tall, fierce looking lady dressed in an ice-glazed dress that blended in the snow like ice itself. Only her long black hair gave a distinct feature through the blizzard. It was Prima Dona. And by her side, was Brendan, looking as possessed and frozen as any ice statue Ash had ever seen. What had happened to him? He looked so pale and sickly.
Prima Dona was cackling and glaring at Ash with green, sharpening eyes. She was the most stunning lady he had seen, yet the worst. Her eyes felt like they could pierce his heart sharper than the spear in her hand.
“FOOL! You think you could pass through this mountain without being noticed by ME?!” Prima Dona laughed. “Hah! And I see that you have Pikachu at your side also! How nice! I get to wipe out both of you at the same time!”
Her Archeops squawked and Kyruem gave a low growl that shuddered the cliff.
Ash held his ground and Pikachu sparked with electricity, meeting Prima Dona’s eyes with a glare back.
Suddenly, Brock, Misty, Wallace, Drew, and Wally had climbed out from the small hole to see what was happening. Zan and Dovanna were running up to accompany Ash and Pikachu’s side.
“It’s her!” Hissed baby Dovanna. “Where’s Genesect?”
“Hah! Oh, goodie! Isn’t it nice to have a little reunion with such dear little friends before you all suffer in the same pain and never see each other again?” Prima Dona was cooing.
Ash glared. Where was May?
Suddenly, Pikachu leaped up in the air, and let out a shock of Thunderbolt at Prima Dona’s Archeops.
“Pika-CHUU!”
Archeops easily dodged the attack and the Thunderbolt immediately dissolved into the frozen air.
“Hmph!” Prima Dona grunted. “Foolish.” She struck her spear towards Pikachu, and Ash gasped.
“NOOO!” He ran to grab his little pokemon without thinking, but suddenly, the light blasted from Prima Dona’s spear and struck Ash’s side, though it bounced back from the poke ball he had kept in his pocket.
“WHHAT?” Prima Dona yelled in confusion. “Gah! Lazy mutts….COME ON OUT AND HELP ME HERE!”
Suddenly, all around Ash, Houndoom and Mightyena rose from the snow, growling and summoning their eerie howling cries that echoed all around the mountain. They leapt towards Ash and Pikachu, and Pikachu cried and zapped each of them out of the way as Ash desperately ran through.
“Pikachu! Be careful! Watch her from above!” Cried Ash. Prima Dona was hovering with a yell just a distance high in the sky, striking her long spear around herself.
Suddenly, more pokemon appeared from the snow around the big ledge. They were bigger, taller, and more camouflaged with whiteness in their fur. They were Sawsbuck.
“HUH?!” Pikachu whipped its head around in confusion. “Sawsbuck?! Where did these come from?!”
The Sawsbuck were growling and kicking out towards Pikachu as it dodged over to attack at them. Ash saw that they were all white, and none had the pink color lingering in their fur like they were supposed to have during the springtime.
“PIKA!” Pikachu widened his eyes in terror. “Ash, the poke ball!”
“Huh?!” Ash was lying on his side, clutching Pikachu in the snow. The poke ball of Genesect had blocked the blast of light, but had fallen out of his pocket as Ash had rolled away. He saw it in the distance, just a few feet from where he and Pikachu lied in the snow.
Ash glared and stood up, with Pikachu climbing to his shoulder. “Come on, we can do this….” he focused on the poke ball of Genesect, ready to finally let free the powerful pokemon.
But suddenly, baby Dovannaswooped over Ash and Pikahcu. “Watch out!” She cried, blocking another blast from Prima Dona’s spear. Ash heard a cry from Misty as another fierce wind blew towards him, nearly blowing him off balance.
Ash gasped as Pikachu fell off his shoulder and he tripped, stumbling over the loud, terrible scream from Prima Dona, and he fell on his chin, just right in front of the poke ball.
A hand suddenly picked up the poke ball, and Ash looked up to where an old friend stood in his way, clutching the poke ball with a determined look on her face. It was May.
Ash gasped, shocked to see her face through this terrible storm. “May!” He got up and met her gaze, his eyes full of emotion. “It’s you….you’re alive.”
“Oh no, Ash,” May replied in a testy tone. “I’m more than just alive now.” Ash watched as she slipped the poke ball in her pocket.
Ash raised his eyebrows. “May…..you don’t have to change. We’re gonna save you all. You, Brendan, Drew, the entire world will be saved if you let us pass and give us a chance! We….we can all be happier again.”
May frowned, giving Ash a glared he had never seen before on her face. “I’m already happier now!” She spat. “What right do YOU have to tell me otherwise? I can make my own choices, Ash. Unlike before, I can make much better, more powerful choices in my life. Prima Dona has trained me, and taught me well.” Her eyes flashed and narrowed. She spoke in a devious tone. “If no one’s there to fend for you, fend for yourself. Become strong from all the crap thrown at you, and use it to get back at others who have tortured you in your life. Become the one in control, and take power from anyone you can.”
Ash winced. “What?! How could she tell you that? You had a perfect life before you were separated from us! No one ever through crap at you or turned you down! You were remembered by all your friends! How could you say that?”
May hissed and pressed her face against Ash so that she was standing nose to nose with him. Ash’s heart thudded with shock at the evil look in her glaring eyes. He felt her hot breath. “YOU turned me down, Ash Ketchum. Remember the night of the dance? You were too focused with miss ‘you-know-who’ to even notice my presence and care that much when I disappeared.”
Ash frowned and shot his head back from May’s. Above them, the Prima Dona battled against baby Dovanna and Zan, with Pikachu at their aid as the sky thundered with the storm all around them. He stared at May with a narrowed look. “What….you mean Misty?”
May giggled and crossed her arms, closing her eyes. “You know who!”
“Hey! Since when did you have a thing against Misty?!”
May opened an eye and gave him a sassy look. “I never did.” She said simply. “But I’m just using that as an example. I’ve never made a stand out in any important moment in my life. Think about it! I was the second girl you traveled with-- first it was Misty in Kanto, then me in Hoenn, Dawn in Sinnoh, then Iris in Unova. Out of all your traveling friends, Misty was the one to stand out. That, I didn’t exactly mind since I could never feel for you as much as she ever would anyway, and you wouldn’t feel the same for me either. But then there were other things I realized in life that I never got to make a difference in. I may have become top-coordinator in pokemon contests, but Dawn beat me.” May suddenly turned red with fierceness. “That little bitch….Prima Dona’s told me to look deep into my feelings for those who have won over me, and strengthen those feelings until they become stronger! I HATE her now, Ash,” she glared into his eyes with menace.
Ash couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “How could……you hate Dawn? You guys are great friends and…..you never let something as little as the Wallace Cup to ruin your friendship.”
“Oh, it wasn’t just the Wallace Cup I’m mad about,” said May. “It’s the fact that Dawn ruined my chance of actually standing out, ruined my chance of becoming the best at something, and tore me to pieces inside. I didn’t understand how that had affected me back then, but I was foolish. Prima Dona has told me to really think about important moments like that, think about the way I have been defeated and won over by someone else, and use my feelings to strengthen me in the future, and get back at whoever has beaten me.”
Ash frowned and glared back at May. “Well, Prima Dona’s wrong. You shouldn’t take losing to Dawn so seriously as something to get pure revenge on. You weren’t so pissed when Dawn beat you last time you met her! It was a friendly contest, and you don’t have to let Prima Dona change your feelings about that. You can move on with your life.”
May chuckled slyly, making Ash’s bones run cold. “Oh, I have changed Ash. I’ve realized all the things I’ve failed in. I may be a famous old pokemon contest trainer, but I can’t go on with satisfaction, knowing that someone like Dawn is better than me now. I’ve come to realize that. I also doubt that I’m not the least important girl you’ve traveled with, Ash.”
Ash felt his heart tighten, and baby Dovanna made a stop to flutter a distance above his head, staring down at both of them with shock. “That’s not true, May,” said Ash seriously.
May raised her eyebrows. “Then who is?! Who’s your favorite girl you’ve met along your pokemon journey long ago, and who is the LEAST favorite, hm?”
Ash huffed and shook his head. “I’m not going to think about it like that, May! I was happy to have met all you guys-- every single one of you have something different in each of you and I’m more than happy to have met ALL of you!”
“Bullshit!” May yelled in a whiny tone, throwing snow at him suddenly, stomping her foot and whipping her head around. Ash wiped the snow off his face, glaring at her, and realizing that she seemed to be holding back tears. “I couldn’t even get my own boyfriend! I fail! I’ve failed in the life I lead in Hoenn, in the world of pokemon out there! Even Drew left me just a few years ago, said he didn’t want to distract me in my famous life of happiness and such future. What future?! What happiness?! He left me! I was no super-contest queen like Dawn was now that she’d beat me, and Drew still left me for that!”
Ash huffed. “Well, maybe now that since you guy WERE together before you split up and took side with Prima Dona, maybe you could have associated with him more and understand his true feelings more!”
“ARGH! You don’t understand anything about it, Ash Ketchum!” She threw another snowball at him, but Ash ducked and it hit the back of Prima Dona, who had landed to corner Pikachu at the edge of the platform.
Prima Dona’s black hair hipped in the wind and she turned with a fierce glare in her devious eyes.
May gasped. “I’m sorry, Prima Dona!”
Ash turned to see that Prima Dona had her eyes on him, and he felt a cold shiver up his spine as she started to smile.
“What’s going on?” She asked innocently. “Is this young man bothering you, my sweetie?” She stormed up to him through the whipping snow.
May giggled and passed Ash, accompanying Prima Dona’s side. “Oh no, we were just talking. It’s been such a long time since we’ve seen each other….and the both of us have been through so much….”
Prima Dona let a cold hand rest on May’s head and she kept her creepy smile on Ash. “Well, I think we’re good then.” Her eyes flashed into a glare. “All through your silly little lives, there has always been a chance to move on. But what’s the point in moving on, if the future just holds failure and deceives you later on? My poor May has suffered more than she’s realized, and pretty soon, there won’t be a chance to move on. Pretty soon, the world will end in a Wipeout, and you won’t have a chance to move on with your problems. Pretty soon, the world will close its eyes on the past and present, and will result in a totally new future, more than a new age, controlled right under the very hands of Xenox……me…..and little May of course…” her eyes flashed and she caught her swooping Archeops by the talons, grabbing May along with her. Ash watched them fly into the sky after Kyurem, with two Spears now in Prima Dona’s hand, and Brendan standing at the front of Kyurem with the other Spear in his soul. They disappeared high into the blinding storm.
Pikachu cried and came up to his side, and baby Dovanna, Zan, Misty, Brock, Drew, Wallace, and Wally accompanied him.
“Ash!” Gasped Misty. “Are you okay?”
Ash didn’t answer. He was staring up at the sky with a look of disbelief in his eyes.
Wally gasped. “No! The Ice Spear! What happened?”
Baby Dovanna huffed and whimpered. “Prima Dona took it. And she’s stronger than before….again.”
“How?!” Misty shot over to where Dovanna was circling over Zan.
Zan was panting. He was speaking with what looked like a tall white pokemon-- one of the Sawsbuck that had been in the battle. As soon as the Sawsbuck leaped over him and leaped up into the sky, running up like a reindeer, it disappeared into the night behind the storm.
Zan huffed and growled. “My herd of Sawsbuck……they’ve gotten angry. They say they’re concerned about my sudden disappearance, and have found their way into the dream of Xenox, looking for me to fetch me back. I’m supposed to be a certain fire guardian for them, the fire that leads them to a new beginning. Well…..their prophecy has been fulfilled. They’ve entered the dreams…..and have met the pack of Changelings. They have become mere Changelings themselves.”
Pikachu widened his eyes. “So now….there’s the pack of Houndoom and Mightyena….now there’s the herd of Sawsbuck with the same power as well?”
Zan nodded. “At first, they were planning on using the dreams to find me and attack the humans who have taken me, but then they met the pack of Changelings, and learned about the importance of this dream….and Xenox. They’ve become mere Changelings themselves, guided into the fire of the Houndoom and able to accompany them as Changelings when Xenox is finally summoned.”
Brock was frowning. He looked at Ash. “Well……what about Genesect? Didn’t you use it against Prima Dona and the pokemon?”
Ash caught his breath and stared down at the snow. “No…..May took it.”
Drew widened his eyes. He spoke with quietness. “She’s still with her, isn’t she?”
Ash nodded. “May is with Prima Dona….and they’ve got the power of the three Ice Spears in their hands…..as well as the source within Genesect.”

“I’m terribly sorry about what happened,” Brock was speaking to Ash and Misty at the right edge of the wide platform ledge, with Wallace and Drew accompanying his side. Wally stood to the left of them, seeming to enjoy the presence of Zan, who had turned into his little Zorua form, and baby Dovanna, who was fluttering above their heads in the sky. “But if Prima Dona has her hands on the last Spear, as well as the powerful source of Genesect, there would be no doubt that she would be heading out towards the closest victim she would’ve wanted to infect.”
Misty gasped and looked over at Ash. “Hilda…..or Red!”
Ash narrowed his eyes. “We must warn them before we go on any further.”
Pikachu was clutching on his left shoulder with a frown. “Hey! I’m sure Red can take care of himself, and Hilda…if she’s with the rest of you guys, I’m sure she’ll be well looked after too.”
Zan growled and crawled over to him “N’s already in a darkened spirit. He’ll be like a bait to use to lure her to this dream into Prima Dona’s grip. It’s even worse for HER now, because she insists on staying by his side.”
Misty gasped. “Wait a minute…look!”
Ash looked up to where she pointed in the sky at a glimmering single sta that seemed to be hovering down towards them.
Pikachu widened his eyes. “Chelbi!”
Ash gasped. The pink Celebi was coming down towards them, and looking urgent and wide-eyed.
“I’ve seen where Prima Dona has gone,” the Celebi spoke in a murmuring small voice, blinking its babyish blue eyes at them all. “Jirachi is just on the other side of this cliff, and he’s seen the presence of Prima Dona, heading a little to the off side of this cliff.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ash winced. “Is Leaf around there?”
Celebi flinched. “I was just with Leaf a few moments ago!” It’s eyes were wide and it shuddered. “That’s what I came to tell you about…!” Chelbi started shivering and its eyes started to look clouded.
Misty raised her eyebrows. “Chelbi? Are you okay?”
Chelbi flinched and shook her head, clearing its thoughts. “Oh! Did I blank out again?! Hehe, sorry.”
Ash and Misty looked at each other with a raised look.
“It’s a habit in this dream for a pokemon like me!” Chelbi remarked a little snappishly, its pinkish color turning red. Chelbi smiled and calmed down again. “Now! I saw Leaf on the other side of this cliff, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. Wait, no! At least…..at least I THOUGHT it was Leaf….I couldn’t see through the whipping snow in my face. But then as I got a little closer and saw that she had something shining in her hands, her face lighted up, and I could see that it wasn’t Leaf-- but Dawn.”
“Dawn?!” Ash, Misty, Brock, and Drew all spoke at once.
Wallace’s eyes lightened. “Ooh, Dawn! I remember the little star at the Wallace Cup!” He smiled, and then gave a concerned look. “What was she doing here?”
Chelbi flinched and shivered as another cold wind blew passed them. “Sh-sh-she was drawn by the light of the…..X-Psi-Eye somehow…..and in her hands, she found a piece of stone that the X-Psi Eye was luring her in with.”
Wally blinked. “So the X-Psi-Eye is luring her here?”
“Don’t ask me why!” Chelbi huffed and shuddered. “But I never got to see the X-Psi-Eye….pretty soon, I DID see Leaf come in from behind, and….and she’s trapped her in a little hole she’s found underground. W-we gotta rescue her now!”
Pikachu gasped. “I can only assume that Prima Dona must be headed to her now!”
Ash felt his heart tighten. “No….she can’t come see her. Not with May, especially!”
Misty raised her eyebrows at him but she looked at Brock and Wallace. “Well….someone’s got to get Pikachu to the top of the mountain with Xenox. How about we split up? Ash, you can take Pikachu to the top of the mountain with me….and Drew and Wallace can go back to save Dawn?”
Baby Dovanna flinched and suddenly looked uncertain. “Ooh, well…ya know, it really doesn’t matter who splits up with who…”
Ash turned to gaze at the little pokemon and felt a strange tension in his heart. A big part of him really wanted to get his little buddy to fulfill the destiny he was supposed to complete….but deep down inside, he felt a strong feeling about the importance of saving his friend….
Pikachu was looking at Ash with a determined look in his eyes. “Ash,” its small voice was clear and determined. “I would choose nothing more than to go back and save Dawn. I’m not saying that the rest of the world can wait, but if we’re gonna stop the Wipeout, we better make sure no one suffers BEFORE the stop of the end of the world.”
Ash blinked, realizing what his little partner was saying. If the end of the world was going to be stopped so that life could peacefully go on without the cause of the Wipeout, it wouldn’t mean much if a big part of life was already taken away before the world ended. If anything bad happened to Dawn and May did so much as….kill her as she seemed to have strongly intended……then the world would already be falling apart, and Ash would never feel the same again with one of his most important friends was missing. It would be almost pointless to have life go on normally….
Misty was gazing at Ash, and he gazed back with a concerned look. “Misty….I think we should just go back for Dawn. If…if anything happens to ANY of my friends, then it would already be enough to make it seem as if the Wipeout was already taking from me. We must make sure everything is in its place and that everything goes on correctly as it should before and after the stop of the Wipeout.”
Misty nodded, giving an understanding look. “Of course. I couldn’t imagine a world without a friend like Dawn…..and it’s not just her! If Leaf’s gonna continue to go around infecting our friends and pulling them to the power of Prima Dona where she can permanently end it for them, the Wipeout has pretty much already struck without our power to stop it.”
Brock was smiling at both of them. “Well, I hope that if you an do anything to save the world, it would be for the world itself, not just for your own benefits.”
Ash looked at him. “Oh yes, of course we would help any part of the world of pokemon….I’m just saying-- the world would pretty much end for us alone if anything bad happens to our friends that we can’t stop.”
From the corner of his eye, Ash could see that baby Dovanna was gazing at him with a twinkle in her eyes, proud to hear him making his choice. “I couldn’t agree with you more, Ash! Follow what your heart tells you to do-- and stay true to yourself, and the rest of the world!”
Chelbi giggled and shivered, its fairy-like wings fluttering like a hummingbird in the wind.
Pikachu started to spark. “Right….Drew and Wallace! You can go and make sure Emblem can make it to the top! Since you’ve found the real soul of the fire Emblem pokemon, perhaps you can take it to the top and try to stop Prima Dona in the dream later on!”
Drew nodded. “I….I probably shouldn’t go anywhere near May would be headed. It….probably won’t be…necessary.”
Ash raised his eyebrows at his faltered gaze as he stared at the snowy ground.
Wally rose up from speaking with Zan. He had a look of determination on his face. “Zan senses the presence of N coming closer already.”
Ash and Misty gasped at his sudden comment. “N?” Ash bit his lip.
Wally nodded. “Zan’s decided to stay here and scout around for N’s soul, until he helps use the power of the X-Psi-Eye to help free him I think I should stay here with him as well.”
Ash blinked. “You sure? You’re not coming with Drew and Wallace?”
“We could use extra help taking Emblem up to that mountain,” said Wallace with encouragement.
Zan growled and Wally shook his head. “I think I should stay here. I’d love to witness the power of the X-Psi-Eye….I have this strangest feeling Pike Queen Lucy has to do with this as well.”
Ash gasped. “Pike Queen Lucy….she never followed you guys or said anything after she saved you from your fall, huh, Drew?”
Drew nodded. He still said nothing.
Baby Dovanna flew towards Chelbi and cooed through the fierce wind. “Well, come on then! We have no time to lose. Chelbi, take us to where you found Dawn! We have to hurry quickly!”
Chelbi shivered. “Oh d-d-dear…..why can’t stopping time for the future be more simpler? Ugh…”
Ash and Misty gave Brock grateful looks.
“Good-bye, Brock,” Ash gave him a nod. “When Xenox is defeated, and its dreams won’t make such a difference to the world anymore, then perhaps you can leave this place and awaken in the real world to show us where you really are….”
“I hope so, Ash,” he nodded. “Good luck.”
Pikachu jumped off his shoulder and landed underneath baby Dovanna and Chelbi. He glanced up at Drew and Wallace. “Be sure to take care of Emblem in this dream. Brock’s done a great job, and he should be well-prepared and ready once he awakens at the top of the mountain.”
Wallace smiled. “Of course. The little pokemon must at least see its destiny fulfilled when it awakens in the real world, and it has trust in you, Pikachu. I know you’ll succeed.”
Pikachu’s eyes glinted. “I feel terribly sorry to be taking over such a destiny…..but Emblem’s got to make the battle real. If it has no prophesized powers of fire emblem in the real world, I will do it for him.” He gave an apologetic look to baby Dovanna. “Unfortunately, the portals are weakening and getting stronger for this very dream.”
Baby Dovanna blinked solemnly. “Yes, and I wouldn’t be able to switch the souls within you and the fire emblem pokemon like before. Things must go on as planned now.”
Chelbi let out a startled cry and shot Magical Leaves up in the air, and Ash looked up to see the colorful colors dance and disappear up into the whipping snow of the sky.
“Come on! Dawn’s waiting! And it’s friezing! I wish I could just escape this nightmare already-- LET’S GO!” Without another world, the little pink pokemon disappeared up into the sky, and baby Dovanna giggled, following after it.
Bidding another quick farewell, Ash and Misty held hands, following Pikachu as it leaped off the edge of the platform, disappearing into the storm before falling off the edge. Pretty soon, Ash and Misty found themselves fading away to the teleported place Chelbi took them to.
Ash blinked his eyes open in the same storm, though this time, he found himself surrounded by large hills of rolling snowy mountains and faraway ice glazed wastelands. It was even colder than before, even though the storm had slightly lessened. Ash looked around and realized he must be higher up into the mountain, but far off to the side where the land was rolling and bumpy with a flatter platform to walk along here and there. Misty was just kneeling down behind him with her head down, and Pikachu was gazing around as it stood on all fours, looking wide-eyed and alert.
Pikachu looked behind at Ash. “Where’s baby Dovanna? Or Chelbi?”
Ash raised his eyebrows and shook his head. “I don’t know! They teleported us here, didn’t they?”
He turned to look down at Misty. She still seemed to be half-asleep. He kneeled down and tried to gaze at her eyes under her strands of hair that hung over her eyes. “Misty? You alright?”
He gently lay a hand on her shoulder, and she slowly looked up and gazed at him through the slow blowing snow. Her green eyes were clouded and full of emotion. “Oh….I’m fine. I….was going through a distant dream of my own during that teleporting.”
Ash smiled. “You don’t have to share it with me if you feel like you shouldn’t.” He helped her up and they both stood, facing each other.
Misty looked troubled. “Ash….I’m sorry about my attitude. Back at Saffron, there were some….unbelievable things I found myself doing, with Gary, with Jessie, with myself….”
Ash blinked and looked at her with understanding. He had already felt like she had some things she didn’t want to tell him about. “Well, that’s what fame does to you when you get too carried away and expect too much from it.”
Misty narrowed her eyebrows, casting a quick glance at Pikachu, who was standing and looking at her with a blank expression. “I was caught up with jealousy and vanity,” she muttered. “I was literally becoming like…..like Jessie! In my dream….me and her….we were striving for the same goals…”
Ash nodded, listening carefully.
“We….we kissed in my dream,” Misty’s voice was barely more than a whisper.
Ash froze, and gazed at her with a blank look. Then, not helping himself, he started laughing. “Aha! Oh, Misty! HAHA!” He bent to his knees and snickered a foolish spasm of laughs.
Misty and Pikachu winced at him with confusion.
“Pika…” Pikachu gave a low mutter which meant, “ummm….”
Finally Misty stomped her foot and Ash felt a snowball thrown at his head. He looked up with a frozen smile at Misty, who was glaring at him.
“What’s so funny?!” She yelled.
Ash stifled a snicker and stood straight. “Oh, I’m just thinking. You and Jessie! Together in the modeling career, getting all crazy and famous. It’s cool, Misty. I don’t find your dream having anything against me, I totally understand you.”
Misty winced. “What?! What’s that supposed to mean? Ash, I swear! If you’re teasing me, I’m gonna punch you so that you wake up from this point of the dream!”
Ash stopped laughing, knowing Misty wasn’t kidding. “Haha, I’m sorry. You’ve been through a lot in your modeling career, and a lot of it has been things you regret doing. I’m glad you didn’t let it change you though!”
“But I did change! I….I barely stopped myself after that humiliation before the last show in Saffron…”
“Come here,” Ash chuckled and grabbed her to hug her heartily.
Misty was unexpected towards the hug, and for a second, she didn’t hug back until the wind blew over them and Pikachu laughed with humor, jumping around with glee.
“You two!” Pikachu’s little voice was clear. “Why don’t you just simply KISS already?”
Misty huffed and shoved Ash from her. She gave a grimace at Pikachu. “Kiss? In here? No way! Not unless we never wake up again.”
Ash chuckled. “Pikachu, you’ll make it true! You get rid of this stupid Wipeout, and then you’ll see for yourself.”
Pikachu snickered and then widened its eyes, looking at something behind Ash. “Hey!” He hissed. “Look! Someone’s coming!”
Ash and Misty whirled around just to catch a glimpse of a dark figure suddenly disappear into the shadows of the rolling hills.
Ash huffed and narrowed his eyes. “Prima Dona…..or the pack of Changelings…”
Pikachu leaped on his shoulder. “Quick! Follow it…..perhaps it’s heading to Leaf.”
Ash and Misty crept their way over the landform of the mountain, and followed the shadow.
Finally, they came to a cave in the distance ahead, where the opening seemed to swallow up the darkness and the snow like a mouth.
“Where’s the shadow?” Ash narrowed his eyes. “We lost it!”
Pikachu crept off of Ash’s shoulder and stalked his way towards the cave. Ash strained his eyes to keep an eye on him as a blow of wind whipped over.
Suddenly, Pikachu sparked with electricity, and leaped to the right with a glare in its eyes.
Ash gasped and stood up. “Pikachu!”
“Pika-CHUUU!” A bolt of electricity released into the air, and Ash and Misty saw Pikachu tackling a tall figure that shook and struggled to pull the little pokemon off its back. Ash heard a yell from the shadows and suddenly, out stepped a familiar figure with Pikachu on his head, angrily shocking the person with fierce bolts.
“Paul!” Ash leaped from the rocks in the shadows and jumped to Paul’s side. “Pikachu, stop! It’s just Paul!”
“Huh?! Paul?!” Pikachu’s eyes widened and he leapt off his shoulders.
Paul was grumbling and brushing his shirt, looking bedraggled and worn out. His hair was messed and tangled from the sharp sparks. He looked at Ash with a wide-eyed look of anger and hatred. “What in the world’s you PROBLEM?! Your stupid Pikachu just beat up my insides with those damn Thunderbolts!”
Pikachu whimpered and backed away. Paul looked like a dark menacing thief in the shadows. “I’m sorry….I really didn’t know it was you.”
Paul growled and glared at Pikachu. “Oh, so it speaks to us in this damn dream world?”
Ash frowned and crossed his arms. “Come on, Paul. You’re not that badly damaged-- yet. I thought you said Pikachu was a weak pathetic fool that could never hurt you.”
Paul kicked snow at Pikachu and whipped around to face the cave with his back turned on Ash. “I never said anything like that,” he muttered.
Misty ran up to Ash’s side. “Hey, what’s going on? Paul! Are you alright?”
Paul turned to give a narrowed glare. “Do I look alright?”
Ash huffed. He decided to change the subject. “Hey, we were just looking for baby Dovanna and Chelbi. You haven’t seem any of them around here, didn’t you?”
“And what are YOU doing here yourself?” Misty added.
Paul rolled his eyes and looked away, beginning to walk towards the cave. “It’s none of your business.” He spoke in his quiet, unfriendly tone again.
“Hey!” Ash called. “It is SO our business!”
Pikachu frowned and dashed after him. “Where’s Dovanna? You’ve seen her, haven’t you? She’s the only way you could’ve become part of this dream!”
“I saw Amira…..” Paul was saying carefully, turning to give Ash a cold stare. “But I saw no sign of Dovanna.”
“Amira?” Both Ash and Misty looked at each other.
“What’s Amira doing here?” Ash questioned.
“How should I know?” Snapped Paul. “That’s just what I was trying to find out. Stop asking questions and figure things yourself.”
Ash narrowed his eyes and decided not to say anything more. He and Misty followed Paul towards the cave where he said he supposedly saw Amira disappear into.
Voices suddenly murmured from the cave, and Ash was starting to get a weird feeling about this. The cave felt warm, almost like the cave Brock had been in with Emblem.
Suddenly, a light glowed from inside, and Chelbi dashed out from the mouth of the cave with a look of horror in its big blue eyes.
“WAAHH! The force of darkness! The force of darkness! It’s coming from that cave!” Chelbi looked down at the surprised faces of Ash, Misty, Paul, and Pikachu.
“Ash! You guys! You must leave! The force of darkness is strong in that part of the cave!”
Paul glared and mumbled something about helpless fools under his breath.
Ash looked up at the pink Celebi. “Is Dawn in there?”
“Dawn’s in there….” Chelbi hovered down closer to Ash with a wide-eyed look. “But something’s happened. Both her and Leaf have touched some kind of dark force within this dream! It’s too dangerous!”
“Well, we’re not cowards!” Misty yelled. “We’re going in to save them! Let’s go, Ash.”
Ignoring the startled cry from Chelbi, Ash stepped into the cave and his eyes widened to a space of howling voices and heating fire. A spark of flames burst from the front ahead of Ash, and the room lighted from the fire that blew from a pack of Houndoom. It was the pack of Changelings.
“Oh great…” Ash looked around with awe at the sight of the vicious pack of Changelings, accompanied by the herd of Sawsbuck. The Houndoom were gathered ahead, lighting fire around something, while the Mightyena ran along in a circle around the cave, chasing after the white Sawsbuck that played a scene of a vicious chase from their predators. To Ash, it looked like some kind of ritual, and to his horror, he saw the figure of Leaf just behind where the Houndoom gathered, rising up with a devilish look in her eyes.
“Leaf!” Ash cried, his Pikachu leaping up and letting out a spark of electricity for attention.
“Pika!”
Leaf whirled around to face Ash, and the Mightyena and the herd of Sawsbuck stopped running around to glare at him.
Leaf’s face had a look of satisfaction as she smiled. “Why, Ash,” she spoke calmly. “It’s been a while. Haven’t seen you since the underground caves. And Misty!” Her gaze skipped over Paul. “Haven’t seen you since in Saffron.”
“Ash?! Is Ash there?” A familiar voice came from the back of the cave. There, appearing from the darkness, casting a shadow upon the light of the fire, was Dawn. She walked forwards with an excited expression on her face, though Ash could see a glint in her eyes that made her look different. Her eyes were a red glowing color. Dawn was supposed to have blue eyes!
“Dawn…..what have you done to her?” He glared at Leaf. “You infected her, didn’t you?! What’s with you?! How could you!”
Leaf laughed. “Ash, you’re not gonna help by yelling at me with disappointment.”
Ash frowned. “Well, in that case-- Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!”
But before Pikachu could make a move, the fire of the Houndoom suddenly went out. The cave was instantly in a dark state.
Dawn screamed and yelled something Ash couldn’t hear over the sudden cries and snarling from the pack of Changeling.
From behind them, at the opening of the cave, a terrible cry was heard, and Ash gasped at the sound of a cackle that echoed through the air.
“Kyurem…” He muttered. “Prima Dona’s here…”
Leaf growled and Ash heard Dawn grunt as she hit the ground by his feet. Ash winced and tried to strain his eyes to see her through the darkness.
Misty gasped. “May! I saw her…”
But suddenly, a blast of light appeared from the front of the cave, and it wasn’t May or Prima Dona. Baby Dovanna had arrived, and underneath the little pokemon was the body of Barry.
“Agh! Nice landing, you could’ve done a better job trying to teleport me here, Dovanna!” He got up and brushed his shirt.
“Barry!” Ash widened his eyes. “What are you doing here?”
“Argh! Get out!” Leaf pushed between Ash and Dawn and stomped up with the Houndoom at her side. “You’ve come to join our little ritual?” She suddenly spoke with a sassy tone as she made her way up to Barry with a smirk. “Well, come on in…..don’t be shy! Dawn’s got a little surprise for you….”
“No!” Ash knelt down and tried to speak to Dawn. “Dawn….are you awake? Snap out of it!” he tried to shake her and winced at how warm her body felt.
“Hah! She can’t snap out of it!” Leaf laughed. “Now come on…..” she put her arms on Barry’s shoulder. “Prima Dona’s gonna need more allies on the dark side anyway….”
“No!” Baby Dovanna flapped her wings and beat them at Leaf’s face.
“Get your hands off me!” Barry escaped Leaf’s grip and ran into the cave and faced down where Ash was kneeling over Dawn. “Dawn! Ash!”
Suddenly, behind them, the cave shook, and a low growl sounded from the darkness ahead.
Dawn suddenly rose up with her red eyes glinting in the shadows, facing where the sound had come from.
Barry gasped. “Whoa! Dawn, what’s with your eyes?”
“She’s possessed,” Misty answered him testily. “What do you expect?”
Ash watched as Dawn rose up to face the darkness behind them. She started to walk forward. “Where are you going? What’s in there?” He turned to see that Leaf was staring into the darkness as well, and was starting to make her way towards the darkness.
“The force of the darkness…..” Leaf was muttering.
Chelbi was clinging to Misty’s back and fluttered up to join baby Dovanna in the air. Both of them had a shocked wide eyed look in both their blue eyes.
“The darkness is coming in Xenox’s dreams!” Baby Dovanna gasped. She flinched and squeezed her eyes shut. “Ugh! I can feel its presence hurting me like a heart attack…”
“What do you mean?” Misty gasped. “Has Genesect escaped or something?”
“Not yet….” baby Dovanna was fluttering towards Barry with a tense expression. “But something else has….and it’s finding its way into Xenox’s dream. It’s ready to fight it as well…”
“And that’s probably why Leaf and Dawn are attracted to the darkness,” said Pikachu, eying them both. “They don’t want the darkness to fight Xenox, but they want it to join their side and work with Xenox…..”
A loud cry suddenly shook the entire cave, and Ash fell to the ground.
“Barry! Use your call of the portals! I need help with this!” Baby Dovanna was screaming.
“I’m trying!” Barry yelled.
“What exactly is happening?” Misty yelled over the confusion of the sudden shaking.
Suddenly, a blast of light appeared above them, and from ahead, Ash could see a swirling gap of dark shadows that was forming in front of Leaf and Dawn.
“Nooo!” Ash leapt forward as they tried to step into the portal. But Leaf had noticed him and had flinched away too quickly. Ash only had time to grab Dawn before the light above them swallowed them inside, dragging them both away from the dark vortex, and from the shaking scene around them.
Ash was hanging on tightly to Dawn’s hand, and he felt himself tumbling through an airy pathway that suddenly changed into a dark, starlit place. He looked around and saw that he was floating in an airless area of outer space.
“Wow!” He looked around with awe. Baby Dovanna had teleported them to the outside of the mountain, where they found themselves in outer space. “And we’re still part of the dream though…” he could still feel the same coldness of Xenox’s dream. He looked down from behind and could see the earth below, like a mere close by planet that still so far away.
He looked over and saw that he was still clinging to Dawn’s hand, and she was blinking her eyes open.
“Oh….what happened?”
Ash breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh good, your eyes are nice and blue again.”
Dawn flinched at gave a shocked look at him. “Ash? What happened? I swear, the last thing I remembered was that I was dreaming, and someone-- Leaf-- was pulling me into a cave nearby Xenox’s sleeping den…..and she was….biting into me with a darkening venom….”
“That’s all you remember? Well, I guess she possessed you, and then she was going to lead you into the darkness that was trying to enter in Xenox’s dream-- whatever that was.”
“Ash! Dawn!” baby Dovanna suddenly fluttered up to the, out of nowhere. Its white feathers were distinctive in the jet black sky around them. “Don’t worry! That darkening swirl was no threat to us! It’s trying to break in Xenox’s dreams from another dimension, and trying to make a battle with the pokemon itself! The only threat is that it’s angry, and its presence may awaken Xenox for the real world as well…”
Ash gasped. “What pokemon?!” But he already had an idea. “It’s Giratina, isn’t it? The pokemon in the twelfth dimension…..it’s come to try and stop Xenox from the Wipeout itself, and Prima Dona was trying to stop its coming with the darkness of Leaf and May to stop it. Dawn, you were one of them as well-- for a moment. You were about to walk into the swirl of darkness and try to stop Giratina yourselves.”
Dawn widened her eyes and shook her head. “I don’t even remember…..”
“Well, Barry’s helped me with the call of the portals,” said Dovanna. “Now I can try to use another force to stop Prima Dona. When she does summon the darkness within Genesect to infect the souls for Xenox, not even a pokemon like Giratina can stop it. Only the god pokemon, Arceus, can defend its world, and that’s who I’m trying to free. Come on! I know exactly where Arceus has been resting-- in its frozen state of eternal ice….”
Dovanna took Ash and Dawn to where the area of space around them grew even colder and colder, until Dawn was complaining.
“Man, why can’t there just be no such thing as coldness? I wish I could wake up right now when I want to and escape this nightmare!”
Ash laughed. “If Xenox were defeated, there would be no such thing as winter-- that’s the part I’m worried about.”
“Well, with Arceus freed from its frozen state,” said baby Dovanna, “then that pokemon can decide on the future of the pokemon world.”
They flowed through the airless, chilling atmosphere, following after the little dove. Ash kept hold of Dawn’s hand and felt like they were both swimming through air-- though there was no air around this atmosphere. It was part of Xenox’s dream, and they were able to withstand it for a while.
Finally, Ash and Dawn arrived where a bright shine of white light reflected from a large circle of ice glaciers. It was like a spiky ice ball. And in the center of the large element, was the pokemon Arceus itself-- god of all pokemon, trapped in a frozen, unmoving state.
In front of the large glistening ball hovered Barry, Paul, and Lucas, with Pikachu accompanying them. At the sight of Ash and Dawn, Pikachu cried with glee and hurried its way through the air to cling to Ash’s shoulder.
“Pikachu….” Ash smiled at his pokemon and then stared up at the crystal glacier ball with awe. “How are we gonna free it? Only the fire Emblem pokemon can do it….”
“So the fire emblem pokemon WILL do it!” Pikachu cried with glee. “Look over there!”
Ash looked up at a tiny red speck on the top of the gigantic crystal ball. Emblem was circling around the ball, letting out a streak of redness and fire wherever it went.
“Emblem!” Cried Ash.
“You can do it!” Called Lucas.
And already, the crystal ball seemed to be melting in front their eyes. Ash was sure he had seen the eyeball of Arceus move at least once….
But suddenly, baby Dovanna was facing the left, staring into the space with a look of horror. “Oh no….”
Ash blinked and turned to face the darkness at the left. Barry and Paul were hovering a little way towards the darkening space that looked more like murky shadows than outer space.
“What’s going on?”
Baby Dovanna huffed. “Emblem! You must hurry!”
Dawn turned to look at the little bird. “Why? What’s happening?”
“The portals….” Hissed Dovanna, staring at the shadows that seemed to be getting thicker and thicker. “The portals are weakening, and becoming more visible for time-travelers and other souls from the other dimensions.”
Barry turned with a surprised look in his eyes. “Remember the story of Gaiyah?”
Ash nodded. “Yes.”
“Well, remember how the pokemon was banned from this world by Arceus, when it proved to be an over powerful pokemon of the nature for the earth? Well, I think it may just be finding its way in right now!”
Ash flinched and Pikachu gasped. With a start, Pikachu hurried up to help Emblem melt the crystal ball, trying to bang it with Iron Tail and break off the jutting ice glaciers that stuck out.
A rumble suddenly sounded from the shadows, and then a loud roar pierced the space around them.
Ash squeezed his eyes shut at the intensity of coldness and loudness that came from the portal, and suddenly, the ugliest pokemon he had ever seen emerged from the portals, snaking its way higher into space with its body as long as two Rayquaza and as fierce looking as a fire, water, and grass type pokemon combined. The pokemon looked like a long, powerful dragon, with fiery wings and large eyes full of anger and power. Finally, the end of its body escaped the shadows, portraying the leafy, tree-like figures of its tail.
Ash stared up in disbelief as the pokemon disappeared up in the dark atmosphere. Gaiyah the pokemon had entered their dimension.
And as soon as the pokemon was gone, the crystal ball of Arceus suddenly started shaking, and then broke apart into pieces flying everywhere, shooting pass Ash and the others like a sudden ice storm. Arceus escaped its frozen state with a powerful cry that shook the entire galaxy. Ash found himself being drowned into the sound of the pokemon’s call, and he felt his body dissolve in the atmosphere…..as Arceus brought the dream to slowly become real…..

Ash reopened his eyes, blinking in a familiar cold atmosphere. At first, he thought he was still in his dream and waking up in the mountain of Xenox again, but he realized with a start that Pikachu wasn’t at his side, clinging onto his shoulder like it had been doing through his dreams.
“Ash! You’re awake!” Cried an excited voice by his side.
Ash blinked and looked around, finding himself next to the same rock with the body of Pikachu still sleeping soundly with Emblem’s soul. Iris was at his left, kneeling down and peering at him with a wide look of curiosity.
“Iris? Wh-what are you doing?” He sat up and looked at her with a wince. His head was spinning.
“Hmph! What am I doing? Well, it doesn’t hurt to check on how you’re doing, sleeping out here in the rain.”
“It was raining?!” Ash realized that his hair was damp, but his clothes were dry. “What—are you serious?” He looked around and realized Misty and Zan were all still asleep around the rock with Pikachu’s body. They were all wet and damp, including their clothes. But Ash…..somehow his clothes stayed dry. He looked at Iris with a narrowed wince. “Did you change my clothes when I was asleep? I swear, I--”
“Ew! No! You crazy?” Iris gave him a look of disgust and stood up, glaring down at him now. “I wouldn’t do that if you were freezing near your death!”
Ash laughed and brushed his back from the snow he had been lying on. “Okay, okay, sheesh, didn’t know you felt that serious about it.”
Iris huffed and rolled her eyes. “So! How was your dream?”
Ash winced and his mind flashed back through what he had been through in the dream, and what he had just witnessed. Images of icy glaciers flying at his face from the crystal ball that Arceus had escaped from, images of the most terrible looking pokemon he had seen—Gaiyah—ran through his head like an extraordinary movie trailer. “Well apparently,” he spoke quietly, “things are totally unfinished.” He gasped and remembered the importance of Gaiyah. “Something terrible has happened!” He looked up at Iris with shock. “Something anonymous occurred in the dream, and if it breaks into reality, and happens for real…..things can get even worse—even before the real Wipeout. I don’t know why I just had to wake up after that happened! Why am I awake and Misty, Emblem, and Zan aren’t?!” He blinked around himself with confusion, his eyes darting all around like an alert Emolga.
Iris giggled. “Relax, you’re freaking out like you’re gonna die or something. Hey wait! Where’s baby Dovanna? Wasn’t she just sleeping with you guys?”
Ash blinked, and remembered the arrival of Barry, Paul and Lucas. “Oh, baby Dovanna’s probably done nothing more than multitask as usual. She must’ve gone to fetch Barry and help him enter the dream, or try to check on other parts of the island for the effect on the dream. Who knows what that pokemon’s doing?”
Iris huffed. “Well, what happened? Professor Oak and the others have been lingering around the mansion of Mewtwo. Red has been trying to communicate with Mew and stop the raging powers that Mewtwo is suddenly stirring up. Mewtwo’s been angry lately, and it’s trying to fix the portals of reality through its powerful psychics.”
Ash blinked. “Mewtwo’s trying to fix the dreamworld connections?”
“Well, apparently, Red says that Mewtwo has been having the worst headaches, and part of the reason why the comings and goings between the dreamworld from this particular place is going weird is probably because of the presence of Mewtwo. Maybe that’s why you’ve escaped your dream and Misty and Zan are still sleeping like babies!”
Ash snickered and rolled his eyes. He stood up with a mischievous glint at Iris. “They aren’t sleeping like babies, Iris. Trust me. Things happened in that dream that…..would probably never happen in any regular dream—at least without such an effect on the real waking world.”
Iris raised her eyebrows. “Oh? What happened? Wait! Don’t waste your time telling me about it. You should announce your discovery to Oak, and we can see if we can get you to the dream again. I bet baby Dovanna’s by the mansion, where everyone else is. Come on! We gotta hurry.”
Ash kept up with Iris, who was apparently very intent on getting to the mansion and entering the strange place.
“Apparently, everyone’s already gone into the mansion to explore,” she explained as they broke off to a jog down the hill. “They’ve split up. Lyra, Ethan, and Silver took their own path in the rooms, and Dawn, Barry, Riley, Paul, and Lucas headed to another part of the mansion. Red decided to go on his own, and Cilan, Cheren, Bianca, and Hilda are waiting for me.”
Ash widened his eyes. “You do know, that mansion’s got some pretty wacked up pathways, right? You can walk up a stairway, and find yourself in a room that’s on a floor higher or lower than the one you would expect to arrive at the top.”
“I know that!” Iris said indignantly. “Everyone’s trying to confuse the psychotic powers of Mewtwo so that the pokemon doesn’t interfere with Xenox. We don’t want another battle starting with Xenox, waking it up before the fire emblem gets to its lair.”
As soon as Ash and Iris reached the pokemon mansion, Oak, Gary, and Cilan, Bianca, and Cheren were all waiting for them. As soon as they spotted Ash and Iris, Bianca shot up to her feet and ran over with a shocked look on her face.
“Ash, you’re awake?! And Iris! You won’t believe it!” She sounded urgent. “N finally awoke….and he disappeared into the mansion! Hilda went in right after him!”
Iris’s eyes grew wide. She stiffened as Kax suddenly leaped up from behind, clinging onto her shoulder with surprise. She narrowed her eyes. “N woke up? Just like that? He didn’t do anything to you or try to infect another soul with the darkness?”
Cheren stepped forward with a studying gaze behind his glasses. “Well, his body rose until he was standing with his eyes open. And his eyes…..they didn’t seem fully awake, even though they were open. It’s hard to explain, but he had some kind of dark, swallowing trance in his eyes that didn’t make him seem human. He didn’t look at any of us, only Hilda, who had been the first to realize he had awoken. Then he just took her hand and disappeared into the mansion with her.”
Cilan huffed. “Of course, the inside of the mansion confused us, and we could find no trace of either of them inside. It would be a really hard search to find them now….”
Ash gasped. “N might be headed for Mew! If Mew’s gonna create an alliance of Angel Risers for the Wipeout, then N must be trying to stop it, for the darkness in him drives him to do such things! Nothing must act against Prima Dona in her summoning of Xenox and the Wipeout—not even Angel Risers.”
“Hah!” Gary was looking at him as he leaned on the wall of the mansion, crossing his arms. “You seemed to have gotten a little smarter after waking from such a long sleep.
Ash met his gaze and blinked. “How long was I actually asleep?”
Oak was looking at Ash carefully. “Well! I see that you’re the only one awake? I can only infer that it’s probably over the works of Mewtwo. The pokemon’s trying to ruin the portals of Xenox’s dreams so that it can think in peace. The headaches it’s been having….ugh, not pretty.”
Ash raised his eyebrows. “Professor, I’ve got a lot to say about what I went through though!” And he told about the climb to Xenox’s mountain, and how they had even found Brock sheltering in a nearby cave with Emblem healing at his side, along with Drew, Wallace, and Wally who had found their way into the dreams as well. He also told about the encounter of Prima Dona, and the force of Giratina—who was also trying to break in for its own battle against Xenox. He decided to leave the part about May out, not telling about how she had spoken to him and told him about her real feelings that had opened up because of Prima Dona. He just mentioned that May was terribly changed, serving Prima Dona like her own little aid, almost like how Brendan was serving her, his soul confined to the Ice Spear.
When he mentioned freeing Arceus and the arrival of Gaiyah into the dimension, Professor Oak was most extremely surprised.
“Gaiyah….” He uttered the pokemon’s name with dread. His eyes were staring passed them, across the land towards the sky. “That pokemon was banned from this dimension—much too powerful to stay part of a world like ours. There was a reason why Arceus banned it—as well as its name from being heard and told of ever again.”
Ash figured that must’ve been why he had barely heard of the pokemon throughout his whole life. “Well, what bad can it do? Gaiyah’s the earth pokemon, isn’t it? I bet that could be a pokemon able to destroy Xenox and withstand its Wipeout.”
Oak shook his head. “No, the Wipeout is meant to destroy the face of the earth, as well as the earth within. The Wipeout is supposed to freeze the earth’s core, so that no life can ever start again. Gaiyah will be defeated as well, because it is merely the earth pokemon itself.”
Iris gasped. “Well, let’s hurry! We were just about to go in that mansion and stop Mewtwo from entering the dreams! If we can find our way inside and stop the whole tension between the pokemon altogether, then we must hurry!”
“Iris?” Ash gave her a tired look. “You don’t mind me tagging along with you? I at least need to find baby Dovanna in that mansion myself so that I can continue my journey with Pikachu.”
“Of course!” Biance stepped forward, replying for him. “We’ve got no time to lose! Let’s go!”
“Good luck to all of you,” Oak was saying before they opened the door. “I’ll be waiting here and developing plans with Chelbi, who is waiting back at the pokemon center with fear.”
Gary snickered. “That shiny pokemon is such a coward.”
“Chelbi will be reading the current time within all of us—as a time traveler, it can also read what’s going on with each of you, and literally, it will be like me watching all you guys at a time from an imaginary mirror Chelbi can summon.” Oak winked at them all.
Cilan chuckled. “Oh goodie. Oak will be stalking all of us.”
Ash glanced at Gary. “You’re staying with him too?”
Gary gave a sigh. “As the grandson of the old man, yes, I’m supposed to accompany him and make sure I take over in case anything bad happens to him while he’s alone out here.” He narrowed his eyes playfully at the Professor. “Like if gramps had a heart attack or something!”
Oak gave his arrogant grandson a glare and then nodded at Ash. “Proceed. I’ll be keeping a close eye on you.”
The inside of the mansion was still its shadowy, creepy place of thickened air. Ash recalled his long ago adventure in this very mansion, when he was barely a ten-year old boy setting out with Misty and Brock. Mewtwo had had strong connections with this cave, even though it was hidden in the terrible Cerulean Cave. Now, it only felt as if the burnt, smoky thickness of the air was replaced by a much cooler, airy atmospheric nostalgia of psychics and ice.
Ash discussed his dream with Iris and the others. “I’m sure Arceus would bring the dream to become real,” said Ash seriously. “I mean….a pokemon as powerful as Arceus would make any dream come to life if it took part in it like that.”
“What I’m surprised about is that Xenox itself actually defeated the god pokemon like that!” Bianca huffed. “Or at least froze it to a useless state.”
Iris sighed and rolled her eyes. “Just suggesting…..what if Xenox really isn’t a pokemon? What if it’s just a figment of our imaginations, and that the world is just starting to suffer from strange cold weather because the god pokemon is in its frozen state?”
Everyone stared at her with awe at the comment. Ash realized what a great point she must’ve had. But then he shook his head. “Nah, that may make sense, but what can explain the comings and goings of baby Dovanna like that? Something must be in the air, something must be toying with the dimensions of dreams as baby Dovanna keeps us coming and going like this. And also, it wouldn’t explain the DNA Professor Oak kept finding from those Spears.”
Cheren was nodding. “The idea of Xenox is more than just a myth now.”
“Yeah,” sighed Cilan. “Unfortunately, we really are dealing with the dreamworld and the fate of the entire planet. Why? Do you still not believe in Xenox’s presence?”
Ash held back a snicker and gave Iris a raised look. “Wow, you’d be stupid to not think Xenox is around, especially up to this point! It’s so obvious--”
“I never said I didn’t believe in its presence!” Iris snapped, frowning at Ash. “I’m just saying! It seems so silly that all this is happening, and yet, we’ve never even SEEN Xenox yet! Even in the dreams, no one has seen the pokemon! Has May or Prima Dona ever described what it looks like?”
Ash laughed. “Prima Dona and May wouldn’t describe anything awesome to us, but they haven’t even seen it yet, ‘cause their still heading for its cave just like we are.”
Bianca suddenly gasped and stopped. “I think I saw baby Dovanna! Or Mew?”
Cheren gave a wince. “Dovanna or Mew…..well which one was it? They don’t look alike, Bianca….”
“It doesn’t matter!” Bianca replied. “I saw something! Just around that corner of the staircase! Let’s follow it!”
Ash stopped her before she could leave. He was starting to feel a cold tension in the air tighten up, and the stairway looked uninviting the higher it got. “Um, we shouldn’t just chase after anything we see. That pokemon could’ve been a wild inhabitant of this mansion since there are wild pokemon thriving in here.”
Iris huffed and gazed up the stairs. “It looks awfully high, and I bet once we get up to the next floor, we’ll look down and see that we haven’t climbed very high at all. This place is like a dreamworld itself.”
Cilan chuckled. “Well what do you expect from a psychic pokemon?”
“Well, I’m gonna go see!” Bianca was already starting to head up the stairs. “I’ll come back before I get to far up and tell you guys if there’s anything worth following.”
“Hey, Bianca!” Ash yelled out her name as she disappeared higher up into the misty stairway. “Wait! We should all stick together in this!” He started to run up the stairs, but before he could manage three steps, the place suddenly shook and Ash stumbled and fell to his knees with a painful yell. “Ow!”
“Ash!” Cried Iris.
Suddenly a loud rumble echoed from upstairs and a hazy air of misty rolled even farther down the stairs from ahead. Ash coughed. The mist was cold, yet it smelled like smoke. “Guys!” He sputtered, looking around to try to find the others. But he couldn’t see anything through the thick mist.
Without thinking, he coughed and ran upstairs, hoping to just escape the terrible cold smoky atmosphere.
As soon as he felt himself reach the top where he could walk around on a flat platform, he waved out his arms and tried to see through the misty fog.
“Cilan!” He cried. “Iris! Where are you guys?”
Suddenly, something crashed into Ash face and let out a startled squeal.
“Wah!” Ash sputtered and tripped over his feet, clumsily falling onto a body that let out a scream.
“Ahh! Ash, is that you?!” It was Iris.
The mist suddenly cleared around both of them. Ash found himself on his knees, atop Iris’s back.
He blinked and looked down at her angry face.
“Rah!” Iris angrily flinched and heaved up to her feet, forcefully shaking Ash off.
Ash fell off with a grunt. “Whoa there, someone’s got a little strength on the physical side too,” he said quietly.
“Ugh!” Iris brushed herself and Kax leaped to her shoulder with a squeak. “Would you kindly explain why you had to jump o me like that?!”
Ash laughed and stood. “Hah! Jumping on you? That was a FALL. I bet only you would take it as a jump ‘cause you probably wanted it to be.”
Iris clenched her fists and frowned. “Ash! I swear! If Kax wasn’t looking right now, I’d smack the light outta you!”
Ash gave her a raised look and crossed his arms. He found it funny to see Iris this mad, for it reminded him a lot of Misty…..who was still in the dream. His feelings suddenly changed and he was missing her. “Come on,” he said finally, turning around to look at the room they were in. “We should find the others….or at least go on our own now and find baby Dovanna ourselves.”
“YOU can find baby Dovanna,” said Iris indignantly. “I wanna find Mew and wait for the transformation. I don’t wanna get stuck in a frozen wasteland where I might never wake up from.”
The both of them started walking towards the front of the room where Ash was sure to have seen the little pokemon that bumped into his face, making him fall on top of Iris.
“Oh? You’d rather wake up to a more terrible world of the Wipeout instead?” Ash questioned. “You know, as hellish the dream seems, you don’t die in it. Xenox doesn’t dream of death unless it will take place in its Wipeout.”
Iris rolled her eyes. “Don’t talk to me.”
Ash laughed and walked on ahead, leaving her side. If she wanted to be that way, he wasn’t going to let it bother him. He was already used to it since she had been the last person he traveled with as a trainer in the Unova.
“Hey! Wait up!” Snapped Iris when Ash had ventured almost twenty feet from her.
He looked back with a wince. “What? Am I too fast for you now?”
Iris groaned and Kax let out a little growl. She passed by a mirror, and stopped. She turned to gaze at her reflection with widened eyes. “Hey! Look what you did to my hair when you fell on me!” She started straightening the back ponytail at the bottom of her long black hair.
Ash widened his eyes. “What?! Oh, come on!” He stomped over to her side. “You’re being Dawn! It’s just hair! You’ve got other things to worry about right now!”
Iris huffed. “Ash, if I’m such a Trubbish to you, then you’re more than welcome to go on without me.”
Ash chuckled and crossed his arms. “You’ve got too much hair to worry about anyway.”
Iris stopped grooming her hair and faced him with a glare. “Excuse me?”
“Kibaaa!” Kax yelped along.
Ash raised his hands to shoulder length. “Never mind! I guess I’ll just go on without you then!”
“Fine! Go do that,” she shot back, turning to the mirror again.
Ash walked away, rolling his eyes, muttering to himself. He wished Pikachu were here so that his little buddy could share his feelings with him and lighten him up. “Girls…..sheesh.” Ash muttered. “Women…..”
A cold draft of air blew passed him. An echoing breeze whistled behind and a rumble sounded from the mirror in front of Iris.
Ash heard a gasp from Iris and he turned to glance back, seeing that the mirror had turned into a blackish, swirling color that was swallowing her reflection up like it was another person behind her.
“What….what’s happening?” She gasped.
“Iris….” Ash took a step forward to make his way closer to the mirror, but suddenly the mirror blasted out a flash of light over Iris’s head, barely missing Kax as she ducked with a scream.
Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of the swirling darkness in the mirror. Ash suddenly hurried to Iris’s side, and saw that it was N, standing there with a devious gleam in his eyes—his black, darkening green eyes. To his side, another figure formed, and it was Hilda herself.
“Hilda?!” Ash yelled.
N gave him a sharp glare, and then reached out towards them from the mirror.
“No!” Iris screamed as N grabbed hold of her wrist as she struggled to turn and leave. N was pulling her into the mirror.
“Axxxxew!” Kax tried to bite at his hand, but the fierce attacks were nothing. N barely felt a thing as he took his other arm to wrap around Iris’s neck, pulling her in with an even stronger grip.
“Iris—NO!” Ash felt anger throb in him and he reached out to save his friend. He grabbed Iris’s other arm and tried to pull her back.
“Ahh! Help!” Cried Iris, kicking and struggling from N’s strong grasp.
Ash was just nearly pulling her out form his grip, until Hilda suddenly hissed and lunged forward, grabbing Ash by the shoulders. Ash stiffened and widened his eyes. Her hands were as cold as the breath of Kyurem. She yanked him in. Pretty soon, both of them fell into the darkening mirror, and the sight of the room of the mansion disappeared all around them.
Ash and Iris tumbled backwards with N and Hilda, rolling over a snowy hill until they hit a jutting ice-glazed boulder behind them where two human figures stood at the top.
Ash sputtered and thrashed his way out of N and Hilda’s grip, waving his arms everywhere with ferocity. “Let me go! Let me go!”
Suddenly, he felt his fist hit Hilda in the nose. With a gasp he turned and watched as she let him go, her eyes watering as they narrowed to a sharp glare.
“Ughhhh!” Hilda covered her nose with her hands, cupping them and muffling her groan.
Ash gasped and stood up. “Hilda! I’m sorry! Are you alrgiht?!”
A growl suddenly sounded over them, and a shadow whipped over their heads. “No, she’s NOT okay!” A feisty voice snarled, and Ash recognized the sound of Zan. The little Zorua was crouching behind N as the Plasma grunt slowly let go of Iris and stared at his hurt soulmate.
Hilda let out a yowl that echoed in the lonely mountains of Xenox, and leaped to the top of the boulder, joining the two human figures on the right side.
Ahs stared up at them with awe. “Brendan….” He recognized the one on the left to be none but the frozen, possessed trainer, Brendan, and in the middle, the Spear lay to the side of Brendan’s left foot, reflecting a clear image of Red’s body standing form behind. To the right of Red stood Hilda, lifting her head up from her hands to reveal her bloody nose—bleeding with a thick, oozing liquid of black and red.
Ash narrowed his eyes at the disgusting sight of it. Her eyes were a dark black-red as well, and it was no doubt that N must’ve already poisoned her with the darkness.
Iris gasped. “Hilda! Ash….it’s the Three Spears! Prima Dona wants humans commingled with them!”
“I know!” Ash couldn’t believe his eyes. “And there they are….the desired humans. Brendan’s already commingled…..and now Hilda….” He couldn’t stand to see that cold, pale look on her face as she stared down at them with her leaking nose. The dark liquid looked totally distinctive on her face.
But Ash was almost more surprised by the middle Spear. It was the last one, and it still had one more human to commingle with. And the reflection of Red made it obvious on the next target.
“Oh no…..” Ash muttered. Behind him, N was slowly getting up, and Zan was eying him with a glare, keeping his gaze fixed on the tall Plasma leader. “But Red’s supposed to stick with Mew—and become one of the Angel Risers….”
“That’s right, my love!” Yelled a cold, haughty voice that sliced the air and chilled Ash’s heart. Prima Dona swooped through the blowing snow around them, and hovered above the three humans and the Spear upon her fierce, power-throbbing Archeops. In each of her hands, a black and white stone shone with reflection from the Spear below in between Brendan and Hilda. Prima Dona stared at both of them with a cold smirk. “That’s why we must yet, find another soul—a soul that’s as closest to the inner strength of Red’s as it is! And I think we’ve found it already!”
Ash widened his eyes and Iris gasped. “Ash….she means you!” She hissed.
Of course…..Ash had gone through the same journey through Kanto just after Red had….and Ash understood the differences he and Red may have had, though deep down inside, they really were alike. He stared up at Prima Dona with awe.
“NOOO! ASH!” A cry sounded from behind, and Ash turned to see that his little buddy, Pikachu, was running his way up to him. Ash lightened up as the pokemon landed on his shoulders, staring up at Prima Dona with a challenging frown. “Prima Dona, you’ll never get your hands on Ash….just try. We have the power of X-Psi-Eye with us….”
“Hah!” Prima Dona gave a taunting grin. “I don’t have to mess with you! my dream’s almost coming true—just like Xenox’s! Thanks to dear N over there,” she nodded at N, who looked like he was just recovering from waking up, “for infecting this dear little sweetheart that let me retake the White Crystalline again.” she smiled sweetly at Hilda, who just wiped off the last of her bloody nose with her pale arm. She was glaring at them with a devilish frown. Prima Dona looked at the Black Ebony in one hand, and the White Crystalline in the other. She kissed them both. “Now when the dream does become real, we can all awaken to Xenox’s dream and survive! Then when the Silver Jewel is summoned, the Wipeout shall be in MY hands, controlled under the will of PRIMA DONA! AHAHAHA!” Her Archeops let out a terrible squawk as the ice lady raised her arms high up in the air with the two stones. The wind howled and whipped around her, and she fluttered around in a circle over the three humans, and they all disappeared.
Ash gasped. “Hilda! Brendan!”
“Oh, catch me if you can, sweetie pies!” Prima Dona cackled as she sped higher into the sky, towards the top of the icicle mountain of Xenox.
“Noooo!” Pikachu let out a cry and shocked a bolt after her, watching it uselessly disappear into the prevailing snowy winds.
“Ugh!” Ash kicked a pile of snow with frustration. All was lost. Prima Dona had the Three Spears, and she almost had her three humans. She had both the Black Ebony, and the White Crystalline that Hilda was trying to keep from her. And she was almost up to the top of the cave of Xenox. They had to get there first—they had to get Pikachu and the fire Emblem up to that cave before Prima Dona summoned the pokemon—and before Arceus truly made the dream real.
“Come on!” He whipped over to Iris and N, who were standing around Zan. “We must hurry!”
“Ash….” Zan was looking up at him with narrowed eyes. “N fell into the psychic mirror within the mansion in Cinnabar, which is another portal that lead to this dimension of the dream. He didn’t need the use of baby Dovanna, and he had already infected Hilda.”
“I know!” Yelled Ash. “And now Hilda’s given her the White Crystalline! We must stop them!”
N huffed and blinked his eyes a couple times. “Oh….forgive me….I can’t believe what I had just done—especially to Hilda.”
“Especially to Hilda?” Iris yelled. “You should be ashamed for the trouble you caused for ALL of us! Now Prima Dona’s got the White Crystalline back!”
Zan hissed. “And she’s got the pokemon Genesect with her as well.”
Ash squeezed his eyes shut. “I was supposed to use that just as a shield, now she’s gonna use it against Xenox. And who knows what she’ll do….wait a minute!” Ash suddenly remembered. “May has the pokeball of Genesect!”
Zan nodded. “I sense her nearing the cave even before Prima Dona.”
“Before Prima Dona?” Pikachu gasped.
Zan nodded. “Prima Dona left May to travel back down to fetch the last person of her Spears. She got Hilda, now she’s after you—and she knows you’re just going to follow her.”
Ash narrowed his eyes. “Well, I’m not gonna let myself get caught in her grip.”
Zan crouched. “With the powers of X-Psi-Eye, I shall take you up to the cave in the mountain….and follow the trace coming from the Black Ebony and the White Crystalline.”

Iris stepped to Ash’s side. “You can make it before Prima Dona?”
Zan huffed. “I an only trace the force that the Black Ebony and the White Crystalline brings when they are together. We can at least get there at the same time as that evil witch.”
N huffed. “That’s not enough…..we need to make it BEFORE her.”
Ash and Pikachu looked and each other with the same look of determination. “Well, it’s better than chasing after her on land like this,” said Ash. “Arceus is freed, and it won’t be long until it understands the whole force of what’s going on with its world, both inside and out, and it won’t be long until it makes the dream real so that Arceus itself can deal with Xenox itself. We must make sure the fire emblem gets to Xenox and truly battles it…before the same thing happens to Arceus again.”
Iris huffed and grabbed Ash’s hand. “Then let’s hurry,” she said with determination.
Ash raised his eyes and cast a glance at her from the corner of his eye. Then he faced Zan with a determined look. N stood by his side, waiting for the same.
The little Zorua stepped back and let the howl of the wind blow around him. Then he huffed and let the force of X-Psi-Eye teleport them all.

Pikachu felt himself traveling through no space as it felt its body teleported through the dreams.
“Strange…” Pikachu was thinking. “I’ve never actually witnessed myself teleporting from one place to another….”
Suddenly a crash of snow splashed into his face, and everything spun around him. Something was wrong. Something was interfering with the power of the X-Psi-Eye.
Pikachu suddenly cried out a shocked, “PIKAAA!” and he suddenly awoke to a high, atmospheric, desolate place where snow covered everywhere all around, though it was no longer snowing. Yet, despite the bright, blank airy atmosphere, it was still one of the coldest places Pikachu had ever been in. He blinked his eyes as he saw a baby dove fly towards him, heading from where a cave appeared high in the distance ahead. It was baby Dovanna.
“Pikachu….” cooed the little bird.
“Dovanna!” Pikachu gasped. It was just about to give another cry of a Pikachu, until it suddenly came out with a low growl. He gasped with confusion and realized-- he was a baby Groudon again.
“I’ve awoken?!” He yelled out loud. “I’m awake! Dovanna, the dream’s become real, hasn’t it?”
Dovanna fluttered her wings. “Yes!” Her face was full of shock. “As real as it can be! Everyone’s here and alive on this island-- and Prima Dona’s just about to summon Xenox itself!”
Pikachu’s heart quickened. It looked up to the cave behind the little bird up above. “Is that the cave?”
“Oh, that’s just the beginning. Xenox is deep down inside. Wayyy far inside.” Dovanna suddenly fluttered over Pikachu. “Come on! Everyone else has awakened on the other side! Everyone that was already part of this dream-- I’ve guided each of them just in time before Prima Dona could do anything rash! Come on! They need help!”
Help? Were they in some kind of battle with Prima Dona? Whatever it was, Pikachu dashed after with determination, ready to get in a fight. It felt its glowing red body pulsing with exhilaration.
Pikachu rounded the corner of the cliff and saw that Prima Dona’s powerful blue Milotic was just whipping off another familiarly powerful Milotic.
Pikachu gasped. “Wallace is here! And Drew!”
And he looked around the ledge where the battle took place, recognizing all the faces of the people and pokemon he had seen in the dream-- though all at different times. Drew, Wallace, and Wally were behind the fallen Milotic, shouting with determination to keep battling. Jirachi hovered around them, watching the battle with caution.
And Misty, Dawn, Barry, Paul, Lucas, and Riley were gathered by the wall, watching with awe. Zan was just in front of them, for they were the last people the pokemon were with before he had gone back to meet with the arrival of Ash, Iris, N and Hilda at the lower part of the mountain.
And Ash stood by the side of Misty, with a human that Pikachu thought he’d never see again in the waking world. Brock.
Pikachu flinched. “Brock’s awoken too?!”
Baby Dovanna giggled. “Everyone that was in the dream awoke to the real world. The only reason why they are all together is because o managed to pull all their souls here together….along with the help of Mew.”
“Mew helped you?”
“Of course! Or else I would’ve been worn out by now!”
And Pikachu saw, hovering above Prima Dona as the terrible ice lady rode atop the powerful Kyurem, Mew hovered above with the presence of Lyra holding her journal, and underneath Mew, Red was frozen and afloat-- though he was glimmering, and not frozen with possession.
Pikachu widened its eyes. Behind Prima Dona were Brendan and Hilda-- looking frozen and possessed as any human can be; Hilda with an overpowering darkness in her eyes that proved the dark spirit she possessed within her.
“Oh no!” Cried Pikachu. “They’re battling for the last human of the Ice Spear!” He realized Ash was shouting commands as Emblem joined the battle as well, trying to strike at Prima Dona’s pokemon with fierce Thunderbolts. He whipped his head around. “And where’s May?! I don’t see May anywhere--”
Baby Dovanna huffed. “May’s already gone into the cave,” she muttered. “She’s got the White Crystalline and the Black Ebony with her, and the poke ball with Genesect.”
“She’s got the Ice Spears with her, doesn’t she?” Pikachu realized he couldn’t glimpse the other Ice Spear around where Brendan and Hilda were.
“Hey!” Prima Dona suddenly struck her Milotic and it disappeared under the light from her own long spear.
“AHH! We were battling that!” Barry cried.
“There’s the fire emblem pokemon right there!” Prima Dona pointed a sharp long finger towards Pikachu, and Pikachu felt the gazing stares of everybody over whelm him.
Mew let out a little mewling cry as it stared over at baby Dovanna.
Kyurem turned on Pikachu and the rest of Prima Dona’s vicious pokemon all gathered from behind her. The incredibly huge Lapras, the creepy looking Mismagius and Spiritomb, her powerful Archeops, and the strangest pokemon Pikachu had never seen before-- the form of a purple four-legged pokemon that resembled that of an Eeveelution, were all growling and eying him. The pack of Changelings, as well as the herd of Changelings, gathered from the sides.
Ash jumped forwards. “No! Pikachu!”
“Rahh!” Prima Dona lashed her spear. “GET THAT POKEMON! NOWWW!” A blast of light shot from Prima Dona and baby Dovanna dodged the powerful strike. Pikachu cried and jumped up, barely missing the impact.
Ash suddenly grabbed him and Pikachu felt himself being carried up the slope. “Come on, Pikachu, let’s get you to Xenox as quick as we can!”
“STOP THEM!” Prima Dona’s horrifyingly furious cry echoed through the mountains, along with Kyurem’s powerful cry of agitation. To make it worse, the pack of Changelings started howling, and mixed with the bellows of the Sawsbuck.
“Ugh,” Ash muttered. “Those cries got even worse since the Sawsbuck joined that pack.”
“Grou….” was all Pikachu could say, realizing how in the real world now, he could no longer be a Pikachu, or speak to humans like in the dream.
“Emagh, robugajhaa!”
The strangest, creepiest language screamed out of Prima Dona’s voice as a pokemon darted forward, leaping onto Ash’s back with a snarl.
Ash yelled and fell, dropping Pikachu, who tumbled forwards just at the mouth of the dark cave.
“Wah!” Pikahcu shot up and started shivering violently, realizing how cold the air came from that cave. It was like a million freezers put into one-- literally. The only reason Pikahcu knew he was surviving-- was through the power of those “stones.”
“Ghsssss!” a menacing hiss came from behind and Pikachu saw that the purple pokemon had Ash pinned to the ground with a devious look in its large eyes.
“Ghastleon!” Prima Dona yelled from the air. “KILL the boy! I only need his soul anyways, not the body!”
Ghastleon heaved in, ready to throw a powerful attack of Shadow Ball.
“NOOO!” PIkachu darted forward and bravely struck the strange ghost pokemon with a Volt Tackle. The impact was so violent, Pikachu even hurt himself, as well as Ash.
“Uh! Thanks, Pikachu-- come on!” Ash got up and left Ghastleon thrashing in the snow, trying to recover from the powerful attack.
Ash and Pikachu suddenly entered in the cave, ignoring the deathly cold feeling that suddenly smacked them in the face all over their bodies. Prima Dona’s furious scream echoed from behind, and Pikachu could hear the voice of Misty yelling, “Go Ash! You can do it!”
“Hurry Pikachu!” Dawn was calling.
Ash and Pikachu twisted and turned in the cave, running on until they felt like the cave would just go on forever. They stopped and panted. The place was covered with ice, form the walls to the ceiling. Only the floor was black, though still just as hard and cold.
“The cave of Xenox….” Ash muttered.
Pikachu would never realize he would make it this far. The place was as deathly and cold as a hundred of Xenox’s mountain, yet the fire emblem in his body throbbed with warmth. He was ready.
Suddenly, a cry sounded from the cave behind.
Ash whirled around and gasped. “Who’s there?!”
A little voice giggled. “Relax! It’s just me,” and from the corner of the walls behind them, Amira stepped out, smiling sweetly and excitedly.
“Amira!” Ash nearly fell back with astonishment. Pikachu let out a cry, not believing what he was seeing. He had never seen this little girl before…..
“Hey, Ashie!” Amira giggled. “I’ve brought some friends with us also.” And from behind, Emblem’s Pikachu body stepped out with a glare on its face, and a few seconds later, another little boy her age stepped out from the walls of the cave. It was Zan, an he was in his Zorua form.
“Emblem! Zan….” Ash looked at both of them with awe. Then he stared at Amira with a wide-eyed expression. “You! Explain to me-- who ARE you? How do you keep appearing and reappearing at the most…..anonymous times? Since when did you find your way into these dreams?”
“Grou!” Pikachu added, feeling even more confused. Ash had told him about Amira-- and now that Pikachu had met her for the first time, it really felt like he had met her once…..before.
Zan cleared his throat and spoke in his little feisty voice. “Ash, you don’t have to be surprised. Amira’s been with you longer than you know.”
Amira blinked shyly and nodded when Zan gave her a little push. She stomped her foot and let out an irritated murmur under her breath, and Pikachu suddenly knew.
“You’re Dovanna!” Pikachu cried, not believing it.
“The sound!” Ash cried. “Your voice is no different than Dovanna’s…..as well as your eyes…..you’re really Dovanna….”
Amira laughed nervously. “I thought you’d call me BABY Dovanna. I was ready to get mad.”
“But…..why didn’t you tell us before?” Ash questioned, looking at her with disbelief. “You’re Dovanna….you guided us through the dreams…..why were you a little girl?”
“Hey!” Zan stepped in front of her and crossed his little arms. “She can explain later! Right now, we need to get a move on.”
Pikachu looked up at Amira with an awestruck gaze. Turning to Ash, he saw that he was shaking his head. “I can’t believe you. Damn! You could’ve let me know that you were changing from girl to—pokemon! Now it all makes sense!”
Amira giggled. “I’m sorry. But it’s fun switching without you guys knowing! You guys treat me better when I’m a pokemon, apparently. I’ve learned how much more attention little pokemon get more compared to little girls!”
Pikachu laughed. “Hey! What are you talking about? Little children get more attention than we do—I’ve been around longer than you!”
Amira flashed Pikachu a mischievous look, and Pikachu felt struck by how much her gaze was so identical to baby Dovanna’s.
“Whatever! Ash, Zan and I will help you find Xenox. We must get Emblem—or Pikachu now—up to the center where Xenox will sleep. Let’s go! Hurry!” Amira immediately dashed forward, disappearing behind a wall, and then reappearing from the same place, hovering in the air in her baby Dovanna form. “Let’s go!”
Ash blinked after the little pokemon and rolled his eyes, giving a sideways look. “Let’s go, Pikachu.”
They followed the two pokemon deeper into the cave. Emblem rushed up to Pikahcu’s side with a narrowed gaze. “Hey,” he was muttering. “I have faith in you. Don’t let me down—or the world.”
Pikachu blinked. “Of course not.” He shivered with a glare as a freezing draft of air whipped at his face. The place was shadowy and cold as a million Cold Storages. He couldn’t believe they were all still living. “Pretty soon, we’ll be clear of any cold and all of Xenox’s control for the rest of our lives…..”
As they ventured in deeper into the cave, Pikachu and the others were all too cold and stiff to think about the disadvantage of their battle with Xenox. Of course, the Wipeout would be stopped, but at the same time, Pikachu understood how they would be getting rid of winter for eternity, and that the world will go on with only three seasons—no winter or snow whatsoever. Would it really be worth it?
Pikachu was saw that Emblem was shaking violently, and Ash was pressing on stiffly, wrapping his arms around him. Everyone was in a worse state of cold than he was, for he had the body of a baby Groudon—a pokemon that contained the fire emblem within him. Pikachu guessed that if he were even the more powerful, much larger Groudon, he would’ve fainted before even entering the cave. Only a pokemon with fire emblem could withstand Xenox—it didn’t matter what type or species the pokemon was.
Suddenly, Ash and the others arrived at a frozen river that flowed to the right, into an even darker swallowing mouth of a cave. Baby Dovanna was blinking and started to glow, changing back into her little girl form as she stood by Zan’s side. “Someone’s coming,” she muttered. “Don’t you feel it?” She turned to Zan.
The little boy was gazing all around him. “Prima Dona’s probably gone in.”
“Prima Dona?!” Ash jumped, still hugging himself from the cold. “Well, let’s speed it up! Of course she’d be coming in here!”
Pikachu huffed out a puff of smoke that immediately vanished in the thick cold atmosphere. “The air’s getting stronger! Xenox is not far into that cave!”
“HI-YAH!”
The scream suddenly pierced through the cave and echoed loudly. Ash was suddenly pushed to his knees, falling on the icy rocky ground with a painful wince.
May suddenly jumped down from where he had been standing, crouching with an Ice Spear in her hand, and a glare in her eyes. She stood up and stared down at Ash with haughtiness.
“May!” Amira cried, stumbling backwards, grabbing Zan’s arm.
Pikachu held his gaze and crouched, bracing himself. His heart thudded at the sight of her un-possessed, but devilish eyes.
“So! You’re trying to follow me and beat me, aren’t you?” May huffed.
“Yes!” Cried Emblem, glaring up at her with his Pikachu face. “And apparently, we’ve passed you up thanks to the speed of baby Dovanna and the X-Psi-Eye! You’ll never stop US once WE get to Xenox!”
May gave the Pikachu a kick, clearly not understanding the words coming from the pokemon’s mouth.
Ash grunted and heaved himself up. He met May’s gaze with narrowed eyes. “May…you have a chance! You can stop what you’re doing—stop thinking on the dark side! Come on! What’s the point of summoning the Wipeout, huh? What’s the point of freezing the world with utter destruction so that no one but you, Prima Dona, and the terrible pokemon are alive?”
May hissed and lashed her Ice Spear, resembling the exact habit of Prima Dona. “I’ll tell you what’s worth it. Destroying the souls that have never looked up to me……I can end this cruel world and start a better one—one under my reign with Prima Dona! She feels this way, Ash! She really does! Prima Dona wants to have this world under her control—just like she wanted in her fifth dimension!”
Ash huffed. “Fifth dimension….”
Pikachu could see he was remembering the moment Gaiyah had escaped into their world.
“May, the fifth dimension will be affected by what happens to this world.”
“I know that!” Yelled May, stomping her foot. “If this world dies out, then the same shall happen to the fifth dimension. There will be no more dreams, no more hopes left after utter Wipeout for this world in its frozen state. The fifth dimension will die off, and Prima Dona can have both worlds under her control—and I’ll be by her side!”
“Prima Dona doesn’t care about you,” Ash was saying. “Prima Dona only wants revenge on her fifth dimension.”
Pikachu could see his trainer was realizing the real importance beyond Prima Dona’s goal. It all made sense now.
“She doesn’t care about what happens to you, May. She’s just using you.”
“Yes!” Amira was nodding. “I’ve known her more than all you people! Trust me! She’s meanie!”
May turned to the little girl with a glare. “And who the HECK is this?!”
Amira smiled innocently. “Hi, I’m Amira. We haven’t met before. But I’m baby Dovanna.”
May’s eyes widened and she pointed her Spear at the bird. “Prima Dona told me about you! Ugh! You’re the filthy pokemon that escaped into this world three years ago, weren’t you?!”
Ash stepped in front of Amira. “May, give me the Spear. You can come with us, and we’ll have Xenox summoned together, for the battle of fire and ice to take place.” Ash looked at Pikachu and nodded. “We’ll also have the help of Emblem’s real soul, as well as body, along with the power of the X-Psi-Eye,” he turned to nod at Zan glinting at him from behind.
May smiled. “I’ll give it to you, Ash,” she said nicely. Pikachu widened his eyes as she raised her Spear, pointing the sharp end towards Ash’s heart. “I’ll have you join the power of the Ice, and then Prima Dona and I can have you, Brendan, and Hilda to control the inner and outer strength of Xenox, as well as the evilness in its heart.”
Before anyone could say another word, May had stabbed down the Spear towards Ash, but reacting quickly, Ash grabbed the end of the Spear and struggled to keep it from reaching his heart.
“Ash!” Yelled Pikachu, leaping up in the air as the two of them started pushing and grabbing at each other, Ash trying to fight back and dogdge the Spear May was stabbing at him.
Pikachu leaped onto Ash back and burned with intensity, ready to strike at May.
Emblem growled in its Pikachu cry and ran under May’s legs, yelling curses at her. “Get away from him you--”
He leaped on her back and May screamed in shock, dropping the Spear to the rocky ground. The Spear crashed with a loud, echoing clank, like dropping steel in a hockey arena. May stumbled as Emblem wriggled up to her shoulders, biting her and sparking like a vicious little Pikachu.
“Ahh!” Ash stumbled and fell to his knees as May tripped passed him, and fell down below onto the ice.
“May!” Ash shot up and looked down in horror as the cave started to shake. May was lying on the ice, unmoving, as the ceiling above the frozen river rumbled and shook. Icicles suddenly started falling from all around, and pretty soon, it was literally hailing icicles.
“Ahh! Look out!” Zan yelled, taking Amira’s hand and dashing towards the dark cave where the river led.
“Wait! May!” Ash called after Pikachu as he leaped off, following Zan and Amira. Pikachu turned with a start as Ash bravely slid himself down towards the ice, and grabbed an icicle that had struck the thick surface.
But Pikachu suddenly lost sight of his partner in the mist of all the icicles. “Ash!” Pikachu hurried down and skidded on the ice clumsily.
“Pikachu!” Ash’s voice echoed through all the clattering noise of icicles, and Pikachu realized what a big mistake he had made. As the fire emblem pokemon, Pikachu was a threat to any environment that was created by Xenox.
Looking around in horror, Pikachu saw that the ice over the river was beginning to thin out. Suddenly, a large icicle crashed on the ice in front of Pikachu, and the ice cracked loudly. The cold platform collapsed and Pikachu fell into the water—cold, freezing water……wet.
“Aghhhh! Grouuuuu!” Pikachu let out a terrified yowl and felt all the warmth and energy drain from him as the river washed him down. He thrashed and gasped for air—for warmth—in the rough, chilling water. He hated this. Before, as a Pikachu, he was a threat for striking water with lightning. Now, he was prone to it with a terrible weakness. He couldn’t let this happen—especially before he was about to battle Xenox.
“Pikachu! No!” Ash suddenly gasped from behind Pikahcu, flowing down after him. He picked up the little Groudon, and tried to hold Pikachu up as the water rolled and crashed all around them.
Emblem saw that the icicles were beginning to lessen. He widened his eyes as he caught May suddenly being dragged out of a water—by a strange man. “Brock?!” Pikachu called out, trying to regonize the tall figure with the shapely rounded head. “Professor Oak?”
“Ash! Grab on!” Misty’s voice suddenly sounded from the side, and Pikachu saw that Ash had grabbed onto the back of a Lapras—a familiar Lapras Pikachu knew Misty had had.
Lapras gave a warm cry and the pokemon swam towards the side as soon as the icicles started to lessen. Ash and Pikachu gasped and collapsed on the ground, shivering and soaking wet.
“Misty…..” Ash slowly turned to gaze into her eyes as she hopped off her Lapras.
“Ash! I followed Prima Dona in here as soon as she chased after you! The others were too scared—they wanted to wait outside under the guidance of Mew. But I snuck in and followed that evil ice witch inside. She went in with Kyurem and her filthy pokemon too!”
Ash widened his eyes. “Prima Dona’s in here with Kyurem?”
Misty returned her Lapras. “You’ll be more surprised on who else is in here. We’re not alone Ash—someone that none of us have ever met or known, is in here in this very cave right now. And he’s been here longer than we have.”
“Grou?” Pikachu tilted his head.
Ash looked behind where Misty was pointing upstream. There, not too far in the distance, was a tall middle-aged man making his way towards them with a blank, calm look on his face. In his arms, he carried May, who was soaking wet and unconscious.
Ash narrowed his eyes. “Who—who is that?”
Misty nodded. “That’s Mr. Griney.”
“Who’s Mr. Griney?” But Ash widened his eyes as the man bent down and set May in front of Ash and Pikachu, giving them all hard stares.
“Hello,” his voice was audible. He cleared his throat and spoke louder. “You may not know me, but my name is Benedict Griney. I was a scientist on the islands far off the Hoenn region, and I was one of the main scientists that interacted with May in her research of Xenox.”
Ash widened his eyes. “So THAT was what May was doing so far away on those islands…..wow…”
Misty chuckled. “Well, it all makes sense now.”
“Oh my gosh,” Pikachu widened his eyes as May slowly blinked her eyes open. “Oh….Ash…” The first person she was looking at was Ash.
Mr. Griney chuckled. “Ten years ago, I had a dream. It was the most anonymous dream I ever had, and literally, I woke up feeling the same chilling feelings that I had gone through in the dream.” His bushy eyebrows narrowed behind his glasses. “I dreamt of Xenox.”
Mr. Griney led the rest of them all towards the very lair of Xenox. Along the way, he explained clearly of how his dream summed up the whole idea of Xenox—from its looks, to its abilities and power, to the very moves it learned. Amira even told how it was even most likely that his dream must have broken through the portals of reality, and entered this very dimension to become real.
Mr. Griney was gazing around with narrowed eyes. “Yes….and come to think of it, this was just how I pictured its cave to be in its dreams. But what will really surprise you guys, is HOW Xenox came to life in my dream.” The air grew colder and colder all around them.
May shivered. “Oh….I’m terribly cold…..I’d really rather die in this state than stay freezing cold for the rest of my life here.”

Ash nodded with agreement. “Any living soul would.”
Pikachu gave a hopeful glance at May’s pale face. She seemed weak and stiff now, fragile and ready to break if she fell over again. She clung to Mr. Griney’s hand like a little girl, slouching as she walked in a funky stiff position. Her legs didn’t bend as she walked. Emblem just huffed and muttered, “At least she’s less of a threat to us now.”
Misty looked up at Mr. Griney with a raised look. “How was Xenox born, Mr. Griney? What exactly did you dream up?”
Suddenly, there was a musical echo that came from the distance. Mr. Griney and the others stopped, and Pikachu gasped.
“It’s a dead end,” he muttered.
Ash huffed. “Well…..are you sure you’ve led us the right way?”
Mr. Griney frowned and raised his eyebrows again. “Of course! Look closely—there’s a hole in that wall ahead.” He looked at each of them with a fierce gaze and spoke carefully. “Xenox is in that hole.”
Pikachu was hoping to feel the tension stir up inside him again, but it didn’t. Ash blinked. “Are you sure?”
Mr. Griney grumbled and said, “You think the air here has frozen my brain? Of course I’m sure. Why, I dreamt up everything for Xenox. I’ve been living in this cave for…..who knows how long exactly.”
May groaned. “Ugh..it’s all your fault Xenox is even alive….I bet when you finally dreamed of the pokemon again, you finally found yourself entering its real place, though you were really asleep and nearly dying as you were washed ashore its island.”
Mr. Griney nodded. “Like I said….I was washed ashore—the wind captured me and literally blew me towards this Barren Island, and I was left in an unconscious state at the frozen shores. I tell you—even the shores at this island are frozen! But anyways, I guess it’s all thanks to you that I’m alive and awakened—so that I can help you guys in return.”
“We’re very thankful for your help, Mr. Griney,” Amira smiled.
Mr. Griney smiled back at the little girl. “Well….I’m sorry this all had to happen.” He looked at each of them with seriousness. “I’m sorry such a dream ever came to me….I would’ve never wished a thing like this to even come close to what has happened now…”
“Hey,” Zan spoke with intent. “It’s not your fault for dreaming up Xenox—it’s the portals’ fault for becoming weaker and weaker so that the dream did become real.”
Misty looked down at the boy. “I thought the portals became weak BECAUSE of the dreams of Xenox!”
Amira huffed. “Apparently, it works both ways. The portals were already weakening, and allowed the chance of Xenox becoming real. When Xenox did become real though, the power it gave off continued to weaken the atmosphere even more. Pretty soon, other pokemon dreams were able to come real—and others were able to escape into this dimension.”
Ash raised his eyebrows. “That could explain Lyra’s journal and why everything written in there comes to life.”
“It even explains the arrival of her journal from the fifth dimension,” Misty added.
“Anyways,” Mr. Griney cleared his throat. “It is time this nightmare ends. The dream has touched this world, and will affect it in a terrible way. Prima Dona wants to use the element of my dream to create a powerful reign over this world—and already, regions are suffering from it. I will go in and check for Xenox—see if the pokemon really is in that den, and asleep like it should be.” His glasses flashed. “I started this dream, and I will be the first to see it end.”
Ash tensed. “Be careful, Mr. Griney.”
The scientist nodded and cast a wink at Pikachu. “I’ll be back if I see anything rash happens. The whole prophecy of the fire emblem was dreamt up by me too—so you can be thankful I dreamt up a solution to my nightmare.”
Pikachu gave Emblem a raised look. “So that explains the presence of the prophecy.”
Emblem snorted. “This guy’s such bologna. It’s all his fault we’re caught up like this in the first place. And it’s about time we meet the real creator and REAL explanation behind Xenox!” Emblem glared up at the scientist. “I ought to give this guy a….”
Pikachu was glad the conversation between him and the Pikachu Emblem wasn’t understood by the humans around them. He could feel the anger in Emblem burning up even hotter than his. Ash gave Emblem a nudge with his foot. “Emblem, come on. Be nice.”
Emblem huffed and rolled his eyes.
Mr. Griney chuckled. “I see my prophecy got a little twisted around, eh?” He looked form Pikachu in the form of a baby Groudon, and then at Emblem in the form of a Pikachu. “Well, I can still thank fate for bringing you all here!” He let May’s hand go and turned around to face the wall ahead of them. “May, wait for me here. And if anything happens to me…..I’m glad the both of us got to finally find out the real presence of Xenox.”
May nodded and sniffed. “Please be careful…..it’s so cold….” She was shivering violently now.
Mr. Griney touched her head and started walking towards the wall. Climbing up and disappearing inside the little hole that was under a jutting icy rock, the others watched as Mr. Griney entered the den.
Misty sighed and looked at Amira. “Amira? Did you….did you know that Mr. Griney specifically dreamt up Xenox? Have you ever met him secretly in the dreams?”
Amira widened her eyes. “Heck no!” The little girl exclaimed. “Seriously, if I did, I would’ve told you! but no—I had access to everywhere in the dreams except for the very cave of Xenox itself. That was the one place too cold for me to get to—even in the dreams. The Black Ebony and the White Crystalline were needed for that.”
May shivered, chattering her teeth. She joined the middle of Ash and Misty and kept her strange position as she hugged herself tightly. “Oh…..I’m sooo c-c-c-cold. How….h-how can you g-guys…s-stand it?”
Misty gave a raised look. “We really can’t actually.”
Ash winced. “I wonder why you feel so cold from falling in the water, but I don’t. I mean, I’m freezing my ass off, but I don’t feel that shaken and washed up like you…”
“Oh, Ash…” May stepped closer to his side, not noticing the concerned look Misty was giving her. “I’m so sorry for how I was…..after that fall in that river—I NEVER want to deal with any kind of coldness again.”
Pikachu looked up to see Ash’s grateful expression. He put an arm around May to warm her up. “Well, I’m glad you feel better on the inside. We forgive you.”
Misty was looking at them with an upraised frown. She cleared her throat. “Ahem. Well how long are we gonna wait in here for Mr. Griney? He said he’d be back before he found anything dangerous—how long is too long in this cave? I feel like I’m rotting in a freezer here.”
May huffed. “I’m getting colder and colder every second! You guys may be cold—but at least you’re maintaining your own temperatures! I’m colder every moment I’m standing here!”
Ash looked up towards the wall. “Well…..maybe if we--”
Ash was suddenly interrupted by a tight howl that pierced the air. Suddenly, the cave shook and the air was filled with horrible deafening howls—as if someone were playing the flute at its loudest and highest right by their eardrums. Pikachu stumbled and nearly fell over from the shaking.
Suddenly, small bits of ice shot out form the small hole Mr. Griney had disappeared into, and Ash and the others yelled and covered their faces as the particales flew at them, passing them by with a rapid shot.
When it was over, Pikachu looked up with terror. “Let’s go!” He turned to Emblem. “Xenox is in there—we must battle him!” He looked at Emblem with intent, and then focused on Zan’s terrified gaze. “All of us! Come on!” He started to dash at the hole.
“Pikachu—where you going?” Ash called.
“And why do we have to come?” Zan growled.
Pikachu turned. “We need the power of both the fire emblem—as well as the fire emblem’s real soul to aid in the battle. We could use the X-Psi-Eye for a great help since you can summon your own fire from within Reshiram. Together, we can all stop Xenox just like that.”
Amira gave Zan a push. “Go on! I believe in you! you can do it!”
“But--” Zan gave the little girl a look. the two of them looked cute together—two very small children who were changelings.
But Amira wasn’t going to let love stop them now. she transformed into a baby Dovanna in front of his eyes and fluttered her wings in his face. “Go! Go! I mean it!”
Zan growled and turned into a Zorua. “Fine then,” he growled.
Emblem crouched with a determined frown on his face and dashed after Pikachu.
Pretty soon, Pikachu, Zan, and Emblem all slipped into the den, and were blinking into a dark area where Pikachu couldn’t even see what was in front of his own nose.
“Whoa, crap!” Emblem cursed. “It’s pitch-black in here!”
Pikachu felt the sparking presence of Emblem at his side. To his other side on his left, Zan was growling and sniffing around. He turned towards the Zorua. “Zan, couldn’t you use the power of the X-Psi-Eye to see through darkness?”
“Of course,” growled Zan. “Just what I’m trying to work on. I need to focus on what’s around me and get the real picture of it for myself before I can help you guys see it too.”
Emblem huffed. “Well hurry up!” The pokemon was starting to stomp forwards. “I ain’t waiting for no flashlights! Xenox can wake up any second just because of our presence!”
Zan grumbled under his breath and started walking off to the side.
“What did you say to me?!” Emblem sounded angry now. “Don’t think that just ‘cause it’s dark in here, I can get a good aim--”
“Guys, shut up!” Pikachu snapped, walking forwards, trying to sniff the freezing atmosphere. “The temperature here is obviously a thousand or more below zero,” he muttered. “We should be able to track Xenox’s presence the colder it gets.”
Suddenly, Zan yelled. “Ow! My eyes! Ugh! What the heck happened?!”
Suddenly, Pikachu felt a cold grip on his back, and he felt jaws tighten around his body as he was being lifted up in the air. He yelled in horror and struggled violently. He was in the mouth of a pokemon.
“Hey! help! You guys!” Pikachu cried.
“WAHH! SOMETHING’S GOT ME!” Emblem was yelling even louder than Pikachu.
“What’s going on, is Xenox three-headed?!” Pikachu guessed wildly as he struggled to escape the grip of the pokemon. Its mouth was cold, yet it had no teeth that sunk into him.
“AHAHAHA! IS XENOX THREE-HEADED?!” A sharply familiar voice cackled. “You’ve got to be joking me, PIKACHU!”
Pikachu’s heart thudded with fear. Prima Dona.
His vision suddenly lighted in the cave as a fire shot from a Houndoom’s mouth, and Prima Dona stood just a distance in front of Pikachu with her own long spear in her hand, lighting up the entire den. Pikachu was caught in the grip of one of the Sawsbuck, and Emblem dangled furiously as a Mightyena held him by the scruff.
Prima Dona stood with an evil smile on her face. She was holding Dawn’s hand with tightness as the girl stiffened and tensed in her grip. Behind her was the large body of Kyurem, glaring with an icy glint. And from behind Kyurem, Iris and Kax appeared, running up to join Ash, Misty and May.
“Ash! We followed her here!” Iris cried. “Dawn was the only one caught though—unfortunately.”
“Bah!” Prima Dona glared at Iris. “As if YOU would make much use to me anyway! I barely know you!” She grinned at Dawn’s frozen face. “At least this chick has deeper feelings for….Barry,” she said his name with a hissing hungry tone.
Ash huffed and glanced at Iris’s stony glare. “Well, at least YOU must feel smart to have followed her unnoticed.”
Prima Dona swung Dawn towards Ash and let her hand go, spitting. “Yech! Take her then!”
Dawn gasped and dropped to her knees at Misty’s side, panting.
“Dawn!” Gasped Ash.
Prima Dona was glaring at them all. “I’d like to see all you fools die together anyway!” Her Ghastleon accompanied her side at her heels with a fierce glare, and in its mouth, it held tightly to Zan as his body hung limply.
“Zan!” Pikachu widened his eyes.
“Aha!” Prima Dona was smiling with satisfaction. “I knew the power of this little pokemon’s X-Psi-Eye could allow ME to understand what you foolish pokemon are saying! Too bad it doesn’t work on those other first dimension fools!”
“Prima Dona!” Behind the Sawsbuck, Ash, Misty, and May slipped inside.
Ash gasped. “Pikachu! You let him go!”
Prima Dona snorted. “Make me, you little runt! Haha! And I bet you guys are looking for someone special?”
Prima Dona stepped aside, and Pikachu nearly fainted with horror. There, frozen in a block of ice, was Mr. Griney. His eyes were wide and dazed, clouded with a lifeless, faraway look.
“Mr. Griney!” May’s voice was terrified and saddened. “No!” Her legs started shaking, and she looked ready to collapse on her knees. Misty held her arm and tried to help her maintain her standing position.
Prima Dona chuckled slyly and her Ghastleon hissed, spitting Zan out in front of it. “May, my dear.” Prima Dona was smiling sweetly. “Come on, what was the point of his life? He may have been the real creator of Xenox himself—but he’s NOTHING if he just plans to let his dream go to waste!”
May narrowed her eyes. “Prima Dona, you’re a liar.”
Prima Dona laughed. “Why, thank you! I try, honestly,” she giggled with a wink. “But! The powers of Xenox aren’t weakening—they’ve gotten stronger! Those pokemon that have been trying to break in are nothing!”
“What do you mean nothing?” Ash challenged. “Pikachu’s gonna destroy Xenox like prophesized! And we’ll destroy you if we have to!”
“Hah!” Prima Dona was glaring with tenacity now. the air around them all was thickening and stirring. Pretty soon, the Sawsbuck that held Pikachu had to breathe harder, and ended up dropping Pikachu onto the icy floor. Pikachu found himself gasping for air, though not as much as Emblem when the Houndoom let him go.
“Your words mean nothing!” Prima Dona glared as Kyurem let out a low growl and shifted its gigantic body. “Xenox will be in MY hands—and I’m sorry, May, if you choose not to be part of it now.”
“I have friends Prima Dona,” spoke May clearly and bravely. “I don’t need to get rid of the life I have! I’m thankful for everything that’s happened!”
With that, Ash and Misty, and Dawn and Iris gave her thankful gazes, and Pikachu felt his heart lighten.
“Hmph!” Prima Dona didn’t look as agitated as she should’ve been. “Well, whatever! I didn’t wanna share my power with anyone anyway!” And with that, she grabbed something from behind Kyurem’s neck. it was the last Ice Spear.
Before anyone could say anything else, Prima Dona gave a single, “Yah!” And threw the Spear across the den, hitting Ash straight in the heart.
Pikachu jumped up and let out a cry. Misty and May gasped and froze with terror. All eyes in the den focused on Ash as his gaze grew blank, and his eyes rolled back into his head. Pikachu watched with despair as Ash fell to his knees, turning pale white and frozen. Misty, Dawn, Iris, and May backed away as Ash turned a sickly, dead color of blankness. The Spear was sinking into his chest and freezing his entire body. The pack and the herd of Changelings were gathering by Prima Dona’s left, watching him
Pikachu felt the energy burst in him. “AAAAASH!” He let out a powerful breath of fire, but it was too late.
Ash shot up to his feet, his eyes rolling back into his face with a different, pale daze of anger in them. He held out a hand, and froze the flames in the air, turning fire to ice.
“What?!” Misty cried with despair.
Prima Dona was cackling. “You see?! We’re too powerful now—even for the fire emblem pokemon!”
“Well, perhaps we must work together then!” Emblem jumped to Pikachu’s side, and turned to face Prima Dona with a glare.
“You can try!” Prima Dona was cackling. “Nothing can stop us now—not Mewtwo, not Giratina, not even Arceus itself.”
Kyurem growled and gave Prima Dona a sharp nudge on the shoulder.
Prima Dona rolled her eyes with anger. “Oh, shut up! When I get through with Xenox, nothing can stop us, not even the likes of YOU!” She gave the legendary a bang on the nose with her own tall spear.
Kyurem snorted and shook its large head angrily, sputtering in confusion. It backed away, and crashed its tail hardly against a block of large ice. “GHHHRAGHHHH!” Kyurem threw its head back and gave a loud, furious cry and swung its wings back and forth, beating at all the ice rocks all around it.
Misty, May, Dawn, and Iris looked at Prima Dona with horror. “What did you do to it?” Dawn cried.
“Oh, screw it!” Prima Dona rolled her eyes. “Stupid legendaries always act like the weakest babies! SHUT IT, KYUREM!” She struck the furious pokemon that was throwing a tantrum like crazy. Kyurem was flying around the cave, batting its head and tail against the walls, shaking the place and destroying ice everywhere. It dodged Prima Dona’s blast and bounced it back towards Mr. Griney, who disappeared with a flash. Tiny pieces of ice were left in its place.
“No!” Cried May.
Pikachu watched with terror as Kyurem bashed its tail repeatedly at the place where Mr. Griney had disappeared, letting out a terrible cry that shook the cave.
The sound was deafening, and Pikachu felt the cave ready to collapse and suffer under the fierceness of the angry Kyurem.
But suddenly, echoing its cry, was a more musical, smooth tone that seemed to calm all their spirits. The cave stopped shaking, and the sound filled the thickness of the air with a strange charisma of relief.
“Ech!” Prima Dona spit in disgust. “What is that terrible noise?!”
“What are you talking about?” Iris breathed. “It’s beautiful….”
“Is that baby Dovanna?” Dawn looked around.
But suddenly, Pikachu felt the air thickening even more and more. “Ahh!” Pikachu fell to his chin and started panting. He heaved himself up.
Emblem was coughing as mist started to flow all around them again. “It’s not Dovanna!” He growled.
“Oh my gosh….” Misty wrapped herself around again. “Now I’m feeling colder.”
“Ugh…..it hurts!” Iris complained.
“Zan!” Pikachu tried to find the X-Psi-Eye pokemon as he saw its dark figure rise up and look around with horror. “Where’s Dovanna? What’s going on?”
“Dovanna…” Zan breathed and blinked around with awe. The cold was freezing up, and Pikachu felt the energy sap out of him.
Kyurem even started to look bothered and agitated. It cried again and gave another bang against the wall to its left, breaking the entire icy wall this time—revealing an opening to the side.
Prima Dona whirled around with a shocked glare and everyone gasped.
Another white tail struck out from the broken opening, and hit Kyurem back on the head.
Kyurem let out what sounded like a yelp, and like a clumsy knocked out pokemon, it fell to the ground just like that, fainting.
Pikachu stared with wonder. “Kyurem….? Defeated?”
And suddenly, another growl came from the broken opening. Cold fog hazed out, and the strange, harmonic noise played in the air, thickening up the atmosphere again.
Pikachu realized with horror—it was Xenox’s breathing. It may have sounded pretty, but it was freezing the atmosphere, just simply by breathing.
A head peeked out from the opening. The pokemon’s head was pure white, with jutting white horns at the back of its head.
Pikachu had expected such a pokemon to look evil and monstrous, like a ferocious Kyurem with extra fangs and layers of sharp, spiky icicles on its body. But instead, the pokemon looked so innocent—it’s face was large but slender, like a curious young dragon’s. Its eyes were like an Eevee’s, and its neck arched out of the opening like a snake’s. it peered around the cave, its eyes unblinking.
Prima Dona let out a soft gasp. “Xenox…..sweetie—over here…” she spoke calmly and innocently.
Pikachu stood with Emblem on one side, and Zan on his other. Behind him, Misty, May, Dawn, and Iris stood to the side of the pack and herd of Changelings, watching with awe. Baby Dovanna had fluttered in out of nowhere, hovering over Pikachu’s head, staring with awe.
Xenox was murmuring a small tone. It was gazing curious at Prima Dona as she held her hands out, reveling the Black Ebony and the White Crystalline. She waved them both back and forth, and the pokemon followed the gaze on the stones, moving its head in the same motion that Prima Dona slowly waved them. It arched its neck further in, and slithered through the air like a floating snake. It had a long neck—until Pikachu realized that its wasn’t its neck, but that its entire body was a long slender resemblance of a Rayquaza. The pokemon was probably almost forty feet long, with skinny arms that extended near the top of its long body. near the end, just before its tail, were two legs that stepped in after the rest of its snake-like body slithered in through the air. At the center of its long body, fluttering paper-like strands swished around like wings. The pokemon was stunning—Pikachu would’ve forgotten how much of a threat it was if it wasn’t getting colder and colder.
The closer Xenox got to Prima Dona, and the more its body was entering in, the more chilly it got, until Pikachu literally felt freezing to death and Misty, May, Dawn, and Iris had their skin turning a pale blue from the cold.
Xenox was peering right at Prima Dona’s hands, its face ever so close and so focused. Its large eyes were dark and filled with blackness and curiosity as it stared down at the stones.
“No…” baby Dovanna whispered. “Xenox….don’t….”
Prima Dona said nothing and clasped the two stones together. Immediately, the Black Ebony and the White Crystalline started glowing, and Xenox’s eyes were transifixed on the stone. It was becoming one. It was becoming the Silver Jewel.
Xenox was starting to glow too. The pokemon let out a murmuring cry, freezing the air with terrible coldness. Pieces of ice were actually starting to form out of nowhere from extreme coldness, and were falling down.
“Come forth, my dear pokemon,” Prima Dona was uttering. “You are Xenox—the one and only….bringer of ice.”
Xenox raised its long neck up in the air, and in front of it, a light blasted in between Prima Dona and the pokemon. Three human figures stepped forward from the light, their backs faced towards Xenox. Pikachu recognized them all with horror. Brendan was shining and frozen on the left, and Hilda was at the right, frozen with a dark glint in her eyes. In the middle, as Ash Ketchum, looking frozen and confined as Pikachu had ever seen him. each of them shared the same pure white skin color, and each looked albino.
Each of them shone a light above their bodies, and it was sinking into Xenox. The pokemon was suddenly growling and breathing more heavily, until the air around them was hailing with ice particles and snowing with snow. Xenox finally closed its eyes.
“Yes….there we go.” Prima Dona was smiling.
“What’s happening?” Cried May.
Suddenly, Xenox swished its tail and crashed the far side of its cave. The walls around them quivered, and the ceiling colappsed and turned to snow that whipped up into a snowstorm, blowing away all around higher and higher into the sky. They were outside, standing at the highest part of the mountain.
Pikachu looked up with horror at the pokemon. Xenox flashed open its eyes, and this time, its eyes were a fierce, monstrous glare.
“Now you are truly the bringer of the Wipeout,” Prima Dona brought down the Silver Jewel to her chest, holding it in front of her heart.
Xenox opened its mouth wide, revealing a mouthful of sharp long fangs, and let out a terrible cry that filled the air and echoed around the entire world.

The mountain shook and ledges were collapsing. Red hovered in the air with a look of horror, and he felt Mew’s presence shudder above him.
“It’s coming….” The little pokemon was hovering with a wide-eyed look in its blue eyes.
Below them, Wallace’s graceful Milotic stood straight, with everyone upon its back, watching the cave in the distance where Ash, Pikachu, Prima Dona, and the others had disappeared into. All that remained outside were Brock, Lyra, Ethan, Silver, standing at the top front of the Milotic, with Wallace, Drew, Wally, at their sides, and Barry, Lucas, Paul, Cilan, Cheren, and Bianca just behind.
Only Leaf was missing, and Red couldn’t believe Prima Dona hadn’t said anything about having her come over to watch the summoning.
The mountain was shaking violently, and everyone clung on the Milotic, who was glaring around with tenseness as it maintained its position on the ledge.
The wind had started to whip, and a terrible roar echoed through the mountain.
A long, graceful white pokemon crashed from the cave, and revealed its beautiful form. It was Xenox. And to Red, it was the longest, whitest dragon he had ever seen. Its eyes were caught in a fierce glare, and it had two skinny arms at the front, just several lengths under its head, and just before its long tail continued at the back, two legs with black claws arched out. The pokemon was swirling up in the air like a large, long kite, with its transparent, glittering wings creating an air of wind below.
“Xenox…” Mew muttered, its long pink tail swaying.
Just underneath, Prima Dona appeared underneath the flying pokemon, riding her terrible Archeops with a shining silver glimmer in her hands—the Silver Jewel. Shining above the Silver Jewel, and maintaining position under Xenox as the pokemon danced in the sky, were the three figures of Brendan, Hilda, and Ash.
Behind Prima Dona, a large jutting boulder stuck out from a cliff, and Red could see Pikachu, Emblem, and Zan standing over, with baby Dovanna hovering.
“No!” Cried Wallace. “Stop her! Prima Dona CAN’T get her hands on Xenox! Where’s the fire emblem pokemon?!”
“AHA!” Prima Dona was aiming her Silver Jewel towards Xenox. “Be calm, my sweetie! Be calm, XENOX!”
“MRRRRRRROOOGHHHHH!” Xenox’s earsplitting cry pierced through the mountain, and sharp icicles started to rain from the sky as the pokemon threw its head back and let out a wail.
Red gasped and realized the icicles dash right through him, while every ducked for cover from all the rapid falling spears.
“Xenox! Obey my command—you shall summon the Wipeout and rid this terrible world of utter destruction! Everyone upon your island, everyone living in this very planet will DIE.” Her long dress blew back, looking ready to tear of her body as a powerful storm started to whip up from Xenox’s mouth. The pokemon faced Prima Dona, looking down at her with hatred. Though its eyes glinted with the Silver Jewel, Xenox was still able to madly roar a storm towards the lady.
But Prima Dona was holding her place. She growled and uttered, “Look into the earth’s core, Xenox. Use the inner feelings and see into the fire of this planet. Destroy it.” Her eyes flashed. “Destroy the core of this earth—destroy all connections of life on this planet with your everlasting, eternal ice.”
The mountain started to shake again. Ash was glowing and his body rose up. A cry came from the baby Groudon that was Pikachu.
Red gasped. “Why doesn’t Pikachu fight?”
“The power of the Silver Jewel is too strong,” replied Mew. It spoke in a clear voice. “The Silver Jewel must be destroyed so that Prima Dona won’t have any connection with Xenox! She is literally speaking through to its mind and it can understand only her! Someone destroy that jewel!”
“I’d destroy it if I can!” Yelled Barry.
Suddenly, a vortex opened in between Prima Dona and Xenox. Xenox let out a cry and fled, escaping the vortex, passing over Mew and everyone else below them, leaving a terrible snowstorm to blow in its place.
“NOOOO!” Prima Dona yelled. “Xenox! Come back!” Her face was horrified and angry. “RAHHH!”
“What? What’s happened?” Cried Bianca.
“Noooooo!” suddenly, Pikachu, Emblem, Zan, and baby Dovanna were swallowed in the glowing vortex.
Mew huffed and Red felt his body enlighten. “Xenox is escaping into the world. It’s gonna strike over all the regions as quick as a blink, reigning the world with its terrible powers. We must go after it.”
Red felt Mew nudge him towards the vortex. Everyone else underneath followed with fear. Within a split of a second, the vortex sucked in everyone, and everything went blank.
Red opened his eyes atop a large boulder. The atmosphere seemed strange, and he felt a strange coldness that he felt would’ve been strong enough to have killed him in seconds, though it didn’t. Red felt himself alive and living through the terrible deadliness of the cold air that wafted around him. He widened his eyes at the sight in front of him. Below the large boulder, the body of an Articuno lay fainted—dead with a strange red-black blood leaking from its open beak. Red was horrified. He looked up in the distance to hear an earsplitting cry. Zapdos was fleeing for its life, flying over the waters with a long, slender pokemon flying after it. Xenox let out a blow of icicles towards Zapdos, freezing it in air, and wrapping its body around the fozen pokemon like a snake.
Zapdos’s body broke into mere frozen pieces from the grip, and Red watched with horror as they all dropped into the sea, each piece of ice, each piece of the pokemon’s body. Xenox let out a screech and circled over the water, until the waves swirled in a whirlpool and froze into a tall, spiraled frozen cone. From behind its head from the black tipped horns at the back, Prima Dona’s body stood up, rising with a terrible glare on her face. She was looking right at Red, holding the Silver Jewel in one hand.
“You see? Now not only Xenox is totally unstoppable—I can have control over its mind and the whole world now, thanks to this Silver Jewel and the force of the Ice Spears!” She grinned with satisfaction. “My darling pokemon will thrive with me and this darling ice dragon—we’ll be more powerful than the god pokemon itself!”
Xenox threw its head back and let out a cry that turned the thick clouds a glistening, frozen color. Suddenly, each of the clouds started to crumble, and ice rained over the pokemon, suddenly filling the air with even more deadly coldness. Red gasped and felt his skin turn cold. His arms turned a pale, blue color, and he felt his body stiffen and start to freeze.
Mew was arriving towards Red with a ghostly body of Articuno. The spirit of the pokemon was glowing, and had become an Angel Riser. Zapdos suddenly appeared at its side, blinking its eyes open and sparking with a tense expression.
“You are upon the Seafoam Islands…” Mew muttered with dread. “Xenox just battled the most powerful pokemon of this region, and pretty soon, the entire place will suffer under its power, whether Prima Dona is with it or not.”
Red was freezing more and more. But suddenly, a blast of fire had come over him, warming the place up for a moment, and then turning to a cold, chilling blast of ice that froze in the air like a frozen water gun shot. Moltres was hovering above Red, and before the powerful fire bird could launch another attack, Xenox circled its long body, and narrowed its dark black eyes. It snarled and then shot its mouth open within a second, revealing long sharp teeth, blasting out a storm of sharp spears that stabbed the bird with a freezing puncture. Red gasped and looked up, watching as Moltres screeched with terror and pain, and hit the cliff behind it as ice spears stabbed at its body like knives. At each stab, the ice didn’t melt in the fiery flaming body of Moltres. Instead, they grew stronger and weakened the fire all around them—until the bird was just a frozen body plastered on the wall.
Prima Dona aimed her tall spear at it, and blasted it with a purple light that made the frozen body start to melt with Moltres’s fire. For a moment, Red thought the pokemon was thawing out, but then his feelings faltered with despair. The pokemon was melting away with the ice, until all the liquid disappeared into the wall of the cliff, and turning the cliff into an ice-glazed frozen element.
Red gasped and faced Xenox with dread. The pokemon was unstoppable. It’s ice would be melted by no fire.
He turned to Mew. “We can retrieve the fire emblem by psychics! Mew, can’t we do that?”
“The power of psychics isn’t strong in such a frozen state….ugh…” Red could see that the little pokemon was squeezing its eyes shut, and suddenly, the forms of Zapdos and Articuno disappeared. Mew was glowing anymore. Its body had turned a pale, sickly color, weakening in the frozen state that wafted around them.
Red gasped. “No! Mew….!” The pokemon was literally dying. The Wipeout really had already started.
Prima Dona was chuckling evilly. “You see? Xenox will defeat anything that tries to come in its way.”
Xenox growled and faced Red with a terrible look. It looked ready to attack him next. Red suddenly felt so small and like the most helpless speck compared to this powerful creature.
But Red narrowed his eyes and glared at Prima Dona. “No……there is still one more pokemon of the region….”
And as if to obey his comment, the walls behind him crashed and collapsed. Red didn’t even turn as an angry, mind-throbbing pokemon appeared from the broken walls, stepping forwards behind the boy with a narrowed, furious glare in its eyes. Psychic power pierced through the air and stirred up the wind. It was Mewtwo.
Prima Dona was narrowing her eyes back at the powerful pokemon behind Red and smiled. “Is that your defense little boy? Has your little friend called its mama to do the work for it now that it’s weakening?” Prima Dona cast a teasing glance at Mew, who was fighting the way its body was slowly becoming a block of ice
Mewtwo spoke for Red in a terrible, deep voice. “Actually….Mew is my own mother. It was my own creator.”
Prima Dona raised her eyebrows. “Oh, so you were created from another pokemon, hm? Well! I was created from a form of darkness. You can’t beat Xenox—especially with the power of darkness at its side.”
But suddenly, Xenox flinched and whacked its tail in the air, letting out a sharp wail and shook Prima Dona off its head, wriggling in the air with pain.
Prima Dona gave a scream and fell into the freezing, stiffening water below. Xenox was wriggling in the air like a seizure.
Red gasped. “Mewtwo…..you’re using the power of psychics….”
“My power is beyond control of any pokemon….” Mewtwo was squeezing his eyes shut and trying to focus on its prey—Xenox—wailing in the air. “I’ve been working hard to use it against Xenox…..I’ve been preparing…..I mustn’t fail now.”
Suddenly, the waters at the side of the island swerved and broke free from the ice that was starting to form. Prima Dona rose from the water, her long dark hair wet and plastered. She looked like a terrible demon rising from the water.
“Gr……Mewtwo…” Was all she said.
Mewtwo narrowed his eyes and Red felt the force of psychic wound all around the pokemon.
Prima Dona smiled. “Think your psychic powers have a single effect on my darkness? Bite me,” she grinned sweetly at Mewtwo, and then the pokemon gave out a cry, falling to its knees.
Red turned to see that Mewtwo was bending its head down, tearing at the ground with frustration and pain.
“Mewle….” Mew let out a soft, hurtful cry, gazing at Mewtwo with narrowed, sickly eyes clouded with pain. Prima Dona was controlling Mewtwo now.
“Mraahhhhh!” Xenox kicked at the air and looked like a giant snake having a seizure. The clouds suddenly started to whirl, and Red felt ready to be blown off his feet.
“Leave my pokemon alone….” Rasped Prima Dona, banging her spear once. Instantly, Xenox maneuvered down towards the shore, opening its mouth wide with a sharp glare. It swallowed Prima Dona whole.
Red flinched and jumped back. As soon as Xenox closed its mouth, its eyes suddenly turned an even darker shade of black-- and a tiny red pupil appeared in the center of its eyes, like a clear drop of blood. Prima Dona’s soul was inside the pokemon.
Red watched with horror as Xenox just gave a single glare at Mewtwo, and turned its psychic powers against itself. Mewtwo’s body was immediately hovered up in the air, and then thrown down with a sudden, forceful drop. Xenox yowled and dashed forwards, over Red, tearing Mewtwo to shreds.
Red yelled and ran away from the terrible scene. Blood was flying everywhere, and a large amount was splattered towards his back as he ran forwards.
Mew cried and appeared at the front of the cliff before he had. “Red….“ groaned the little pokemon. “Wh-what are you doing? Don’t…“
But it was too late. Without thinking, Red dashed pass Mew, and threw himself over the cliff. It was going to get even more terrible than this. And Red didn’t want to live to see it. He let his body dishevel down the terrible cold and descended to an angel before he hit the ground.

The region of Kanto was overwhelming with snow. All across the cities, the towns, the forests, the wild areas, everywhere was covered in a thick blanket of snow, where even more snow rapidly kept falling from the thickened sky—whipping up rapid more and more rapid snow more than ever.
People and pokemon were dying. Already, many had suffered just from the terrible atmosphere outside. Most of the weaker pokemon even fainted and descended into the terrible snow—colder than any winter would ever bring. And yet it still kept snowing…..
Johto was already defeated. The place was as dead quiet and lifeless as a giant region of a graveyard. Ho-oh and Lugia had left the region, off to fight this terrible destroyer of the world, to battle this bringer of such terrible snow. They followed where the snowstorm was coming from, following the storm where it got worse and worse until they came to the Barren Island of Xenox. Of course, the pokemon of the island wasn’t here at the moment, but the coldness and deathly weather was at its worst here.
Ho-oh and Lugia almost fainted from the coldness themselves, but they kept their strong spirits up. Lugia was master of the waters, able to withstand any kind of fierce storm in its path, even if it almost froze the waves. Ho-oh was the fire in the sky, and it was focused on destroying the ice and snow on the land of this island, while Lugia dealt with the frozen sea.
Flying over the cold atmosphere of the Barren Island, Ho-oh forced its burning body through the storm in the sky, letting out a fierce shriek as it burned its way through the terrible storm. Already, even the pokemon Moltres had been defeated by such ice itself, and that it was rumored Mewtwo was already defeated—some say even killed.
Ho-oh sliced the skywith a fiery flash. Below, Lugia rose and gave an earsplitting scream as it broke through the icy waves, diving and thrashing all around, breaking the waves free from the ice so that it could kick up a vast moving shake in the water to help destroy the island it surrounded.
Lugia gave a cry as if to call Ho-oh and signal it to get ready. The ice was thawing out, and the water was becoming more melted so that the waves splashed and whipped around in Lugia’s thrashing.
But suddenly, another cry pierced the air. A white body flew over Ho-oh, and suddenly, the rainbow bird turned to a frozen body of ice. The air was frozen around it so that it didn’t even fall to the ground in time, before the pokemon came back and crashed into Ho-oh’s body, breaking it to pieces of ice particles.
Lugia widened its eyes as Xenox turned to give a scream, swirling its long body through the air over Lugia. As the pokemon passed over Lugia, the waves frozen again, as if all Lugia had done was useless. Pretty soon, the waves frozen over Lugia itself, and the pokemon felt its body turn to ice with the waves, so that it looked like a replica of a statue emerging from a frozen ocean.
Xenox turned back to glare at the sky-dive pokemon, and circled its body with a tight glare. The red pupil at the center of its eye flashed, and the pokemon screeched, spitting out rainbow feathers of Ho-oh, letting them fall upon Lugia’s head with a drop of blood at the ends. Xenox took off in the sky once again.
The Barren Island wasn’t the only place to be surrounded by frozen water. Far in the Hoenn region, through even deeper depths of the ocean floor, another powerful pokemon was feeling weakened and disturbed. Kyogre was restless, feeling its own undersea home chilling up.
With frustration and pain, the pokemon emerged from its depths, running up through the deepest ocean floors and racing to the top surface thousands of miles up ahead.
Crashing out of the depths of the Hoenn sea, Kyogre let out a mighty bellow as it felt the fierce chilling wind whip around the air and over the waters. With a mighty heave, the pokemon spun around, feeling the life ebb from its heart, and disappeared into the circle of waves that it had formed. The circle of waves became a hurricane. The hurricane whipped around, becoming more and more powerful with the deadly wind and snowstorm around it. Pretty soon, it wound its way on the land of the Hoenn region, flooding every little area it spun over. Within an hour, the entire region was flooded, and all was destroyed and hidden under the sea. But it wasn’t a sea for long. Xenox flew over the Hoenn region with a caterwauling sky that shook the thick air, and the blizzard blew harsher over the now underwater region. The sea froze, and Hoenn was hidden under a frozen ocean.
Gary Oak was watching the whole Wipeout with his own eyes, looking through the mirror in the poke center of Cinnabar. Professor Oak was by his side, watching with the same quiet awe, and even Team Rocket, who was watching from behind, remained quiet with disbelief. The pink Celebi, Chelbi, hovered above the mirror with its eyes closed, providing the portal to the other regions so that they could witness what was happening all around the world through its psychic, time-traveling powers.
Finally, Gary couldn’t keep quiet. “I can’t believe it….” he muttered. “Where’s Pikachu? Or the fire Emblem pokemon? Have they got absolutely no chance against Xenox now?”
Oak gasped. “Look!”
The mirror image changed to show the region of Sinnoh. The region was frozen—but not by ice. The region was literally paused, everything as still and frozen as if time had stopped itself. People and pokemon were posing in fearful, runaway positions, and the snow around the region was paused as well. Chelbi murmured at the top of the mirror and let them see two pokemon hovering in space, looking down right at the region of Sinnoh. Dialga and Palkia were gazing with fierce, glaring eyes, and the both of them had stopped space and time in their own region so that the Wipeout wouldn’t totally wipe everything dead just yet.
The mirror finally flashed to the region of Unova. And this region inspired Gary most. The snow was as fierce in Unova as it was anywhere else, but the image was taken to a small house in Nuvema, where a picture on the wall hung. It was a picture of Reshiram, though the entire painting was covered in frozen icicles pastered around it.
But slowly, this ice was melting. Gary could tell that this ice must’ve not been Xenox’s ice, for it was disappearing and leaking down until it hit the floors and became ice again. But the picture frame was suddenly coming to life. Gary widened his eyes. Just a distance from the picture, two pokemon stood in the dark shadows. One was a tall dark Gothitelle, and it its side was a small, tiny Zorua—Zan. The X-Psi-Eye pokemon was working with the little Zorua to convert the power of X-Psi-Eye to summon the very fire of Reshiram through Zan.
Suddenly, the painting melted, but Reshiram at the center expanded and came forth, revealing its large, powerful body. giving a low moan in the air, the house shook and crumpled under the power of fire, though as soon as they were outside in the snow, the ruins turned to ice—ice that would never be melt.
But from behind the X-Psi-Eye pokemon and Zan, two little figures approached. One was a baby Groudon, Pikachu, and one was a Pikachu, Emblem. They were ready to use the fire of Reshiram to take on Xenox and weaken it, so that the fire emblem pokemon itself could battle and defeat the terrible bringer of ice. Reshiram roared, and all the pokemon disappeared in the wind.
Pikachu even held in its hand—the Silver Jewel. Prima Dona must’ve dropped it when her soul had entered in Xenox back on the Seafoam Islands with Red.
Chelbi reopened its eyes and the image in the mirror disappeared. Gary and Professor Oak were looking at their own reflections. Behind them, Team Rocket had their mouths open in awe.
“Oh!” James huffed with wonder. “Why….this is terrible! Did you see our Rocket Headquarters freeze up?!”
“The boss is probably buried in snow now!” Meowth added.
Jessie whined. “And right when I was about to become the most famous superstar, the modeling agency is even ruined!” She cried out in despair. “Ohhh, must everything come to an end?!”
“Everything must come to an end….” said Oak solemnly. “But it should have never ended this way. The end should have been performed by the power of Arceus itself—not by a terrorist pokemon that had the urge to destroy a place by itself.”
Outside, the air was snowy and drafting in a freezing temperature way below zero, even in “Gramps….” Gary was suddenly narrowing his eyes, looking at himself in the mirror. “Xenox didn’t exactly destroy this place by itself. Prima Dona entered its soul—you saw her.”
“Yes, but Xenox would’ve still had the ability to destroy the world with utter destruction anyways, like it was destined to.”
Gary raised his eyebrows. “Would you think it really would? Did you see how it came out of its cave with such an innocent look in its eyes? Whether the pokemon was capable of such an ability or not, I don’t think anything could’ve driven it to use such a terrible power against the entire world—unless it was forced to. Prima Dona opened its heart to a fierce pokemon of physical strength, inner strength, and even strength from evil—each from the work of the three Ice Spears. Together, she has used the souls of Ash, Brendan, and Hilda to help Xenox become this unstoppable pokemon. Noe she has entered the body itself, and is providing even more destruction to the pokemon’s strength.”
Oak blinked with a studying look. “That is an excellent point….I can’t say I disagree with that.”
Jessie huffed. “Well, the twerp’s Pikachu must find that pokemon now…..what do WE do while it finds Xenox to battle it?”
Oak huffed and looked outside at the blinding blizzards. “We wait. It’s deadly outside, and we must hold our breaths like the Unova region, and stay alive until the pokemon is defeated.”
Gary couldn’t fall asleep. While Oak and Team Rocket tried to work the heater with Chelbi, he stared outside with a solemn look on his face. His life could end any minute now, for he was freezing cold. As hard as his mind could think in the cold, Gary flashed back through all that he had been through in his life—from being Red’s rival and his relationship with Leaf, to becoming Ash’s rival while he set out on his own pokemon adventure, to when he finally changed his path and decided to study pokemon more deeply.
A life well lived……perhaps. Gary didn’t know if he had been the best person, and with a sigh, he wished he could go back and change a few things before the Wipeout was totally over. He hadn’t even said good-bye to Red before he dispersed to the form of an angel, or Leaf, Misty, and Ash.
Sighing and looking down at the bottom sill of the window, something caught his eye outside. Gary looked up and realized a body was lying in the snow, unmoving through the blindness of the storm.
But Gary’s instinct and feelings suddenly sparked in him, and he recognized the body. “Leaf!” His thoughts cracked through his mind as if a real voice had spoken, cracking through the frozen state of his brain.
Gary dashed outside, not even thinking about his safety in the snow. It wasn’t worth staying alive anyway.
He knelt down beside the body and struggled to keep still in the whipping winds. “Leaf…” he muttered, reaching out a hand to touch her shoulder.
Instantly, Leaf whipped up, pinning Gary to the ground and glaring into his eyes with a fierce angry expression.
“Leaf! It’s me!” Cried Gary, feeling his body sink under Leaf’s strong push. The snow was so chilling and slowly killing him….
Leaf’s eyes suddenly softened. “Gary….” She stood up and let him go, gazing out in front of her with a blank expression.
Gary eyed her beautiful face even in a pale white state from the coldness. She was beautiful, and he had missed her. He rose to stand in front of her, meeting her blank gaze.
“Oh…”Leaf blinked and remained still, not even shivering in the cold snowwhipping around the both of them. “Gary….I’m so cold….”
Gary chuckled. “You still have time.”
“I….I don’t want this,” Leaf clasped her arms around her body and bent her knees, shivering. “I don’t ever wanna feel this cold—it’s killing me. I’m not cut out for it. I’m not…..I’m not like Prima Dona.”
Gary raised his eyebrows. “You never were.” He stepped to her side and put an arm around her, carefully guiding her back towards the pokemon center through the deathly storm. Opening the door, he allowed her to step in first.
“Th-thanks…” Leaf gave him a steady look, twitching a smile at the corner of her lips.
Gary felt his heart stiffen even more. “No sweat,” he replied. “Especially during a time like this.”
If Leaf had the strength in her freezing state, she would’ve laughed. But she gave a quick blink and turned to head inside.
Gary was just about to step in after her, but he let the warmth in his heart start to spread. Leaf was back, and somehow, she had managed to escape the darkness Prima Dona had infected her with.
But suddenly, a pokemon leapt over Gary’s head and knocked him to his side.
“Agh! What the--” Gary tried to narrow his eyes through the storm. He caught a strange flashing shine of a pokemon dash towards the woods.
Gary got up and followed it. the pokemon had felt unreasonably warm, and Gary was guided by its sudden presence of warmth. The closer he followed after the strange creature, the warmer he felt.
He was trudging through the woods, in which the trees were as frozen like ice sculptures.
Finally, he called out, “Hey! something help me out here! I bet it’s you, Arceus! You’re in your fire form, aren’t you? Only the god pokemon can survive in a state like this, and be able to run with such energy!”
Suddenly, the pokemon ahead stopped running with its back turned to him.
Gary couldn’t see it clearly through the fierce snowstorm. “Arceus…please get back here. I need help. Everyone needs help.”
The figure of the pokemon was backing up, suddenly becoming clearer to Gary.
As soon as the pokemon stood just a yard’s length away, Gary saw that it wasn’t Arceus at all, but the strangest little pokemon he had seen. The pokemon was merely four feet tall, with a long slender neck that made up most of its body. hands hung out like branches in front of it, and its slender body was plastered with veins that looked like thin branches. Its feet were covered by long leaves that seemed to grow out from underneath, and at the center of its chest glowed the brightest oval shape of an eye hat burned with fire.
Gary widened his eyes with wonder at the small pokemon. Its eyes were wide and gazing back at him curiously. “No way……could YOU be the real fire emblem pokemon?” It was his first guess. The pokemon’s body was throbbing with warmth and already Gary’s mind was beginning to thaw. Perhaps the fire emblem pokemon was wrong all along. Perhaps it wasn’t the baby Groudon—it could be this strange ugly creature right here.
Gary was longing to touch the pokemon. He stared into the eyes of the creature, wondering if it would let him touch it. He was still freezing, and he wanted more of the warmth. The eye on its chest was fiery and blazing with heat.
Carfully reaching out a hand towards it as Gary stepped forwards, he let his hand gently press against the eye of warmth, which was about the size of his own hand.
Gary flinched and jumped back at the feeling of its chest. Just touching it with the tip of his fingers nearly burnt his hand, and Gary huffed as he grabbed his fingertips and squeezed them tightly. They would’ve melted off if the storm around them wasn’t this cold.
Gary squeezed his eyes shut and then opened them to gaze back at the strange pokemon again. It gazed back at him with the same expression, but the fire at its heart was starting to burn up with rapidness.
“Gyaaaah!” The pokemon instantly spread out the veins along its sides, immediately extending them to wings that blazed with fire.
Sparks flew at Gary’s face from the sudden spread of its wings, and he yelled, jumping back and shaking his head, clearing his vision.
The pokemon let out a strange, babyish shriek that suddenly turned into a terrible, earsplitting roar. The pokemon’s neck was extending higher and higher until the pokemon was looking down at Gary with maddened, furious eyes. Branchy wings grew bigger with more and more flames, and its entire body was rising and growing right in front of Gary’s eyes—until a thirty feet tall beast was standing in front of him through the storm.
Gary gazed up with horror. It was Gaiyah itself. Gary could see it bore the features of more than one type at once—of not only fire, but water, grass, and even dragon.
Gaiyah let out a terrible cry that sent Gary falling to his back and skidding all the way to the front of the pokemon center. The powerful pokemon shot up to the air and flew over Gary’s body like an airplane, taking off towards the sky, unaffected by a single snowflake in the sky.
Gary shot up and hurried inside to warn Professor Oak. They must follow this pokemon. Gaiyah had entered their planet. And it was heading off to fight Xenox.

Blinking her eyes open in the coldest wasteland she had ever been in, May found herself lying on her side, freezing cold, in a land where the ice stretched out far and wide underneath a thickening dark sky.
May tried to get up to take a look at where she was, but her body was stuck. “Huh?!” She struggled to move, but her left arm and all of her left side was plastered to the surface.
“Ugh! No! Help! Somebody! I’m stuck!” She tried to wriggle off, already feeling like she was going to die back in her unconscious state from the cold air around her.
Suddenly, a pokemon let out a sweet murmuring cry. May looked up with her eyes, unable to move her head from where it was stuck against the surface. Her heart suddenly lightened with happiness.
“M-Manaphy?!” She blinked a couple times, wondering if she was seeing things in the cold. But the pokemon was real. It was drifting towards her, murmuring a sweet tone and looking brightened and happy to see May.
“Oh, Manaphy…….it’s been….way too long,” May had never seen the pokemon for years now, since her adventure with Ash Ketchum. Now, the pokemon was back, still its happy excited self, seeming unaffected by the Wipeout.
But May knew something was wrong. This pokemon was far from the sea. All around May, there was no sign of water—all around the area was just a vast land of ice and nothing else. May winced. “Manaphy, is there any water around here? Be carefull—Xenox can be anywhere.”
She tried to struggle free again and the pokemon cooed in front of her. “Mana!”
“Ugh…..” May huffed and gave up. “It’s no use. I’m gonna freeze out here. Take care of yourself, Manaphy. Don’t waste your time out here—it’s too cold. You can die, even a pokemon like you.”
Manaphy stared at May with sorry, concerned eyes and let its blue arms falter. “Mana……”
A familiar chuckle sounded from behind May. “Well, someone looks a little out of place.”
May gasped and flinched, hurting her skin as she nearly tore herself off the ice. “Drew!” She struggled to look behind herself where he stood. But her head still couldn’t move from its sideways position. “Ugh! Don’t laugh at me! I’m dying out here, please help me up!”
Drew huffed. “Just what I was about to ask you.” He bent over and tried to pull May’s arm. He gave a pull.
“Ow! Don’t just yank me, it hurts….”
Drew rolled his eyes. “Everything’s gonna hurt whether you live or die. It’s gonna get worse than this if Xenox sticks around. You can either live to see the worst of it, or die in the middle of the crisis while you can.”
“What kind of a compliment is that? Why can’t you be more like Ash Ketchum……and speak more words of faith and determination rather than negative, arrogant--”
“You want me to be like Ash?” Drew raised his eyes and gave her another sharp pull. Manaphy swooped by and yanked the back of Drew’s shirt, helping him finally tug May off the ice. With a start, Drew stumbled backwards as he heaved May up so that she was standing an inch in front of his face, looking in his eyes with a wide shock.
For a moment, they said nothing and Manaphy danced around them with a musical, happy tone. The cold air blew around them all.
May sighed and looked away. “I…..never want to feel the feeling of snow or ice again….”
Drew gave her a sorrowful look. “Well, it’s already gotten worse. This is the Hoenn region….” He looked around the wasteland of ice. “If you look closely, you’ll see that the ice rises and falls, covering each building of the region with a layer of frozen water.”
May gasped and widened her eyes as she glanced around. Drew was right. May looked down and saw that there was a dark shadow below, which must have been some kind of house or building. Water must’ve flooded, and then frozen. “Kyogre….”
“You got that right,” said Drew. “Kyogre flooded this whole region before the pokemon was defeated from the Wipeout itself. Then Xenox flew over the region and let the water freeze under the power of the Wipeout. The Hoenn is completely destroyed.”
May widened her eyes and met Drew’s gaze. Manaphy hovered above him. It was no wonder that Manaphy was around the water—its home was destroyed. Pretty soon, without water, without pure liquefied water, a pokemon like Manaphy would die too. May felt like she and Drew were the last humans on earth.
Stepping forwards, she grabbed his hands and held them tightly as she looked around. “Where is everyone else? We’re not the only ones here, are we?”
Drew winced. “Of course not. Wallace was just around that hill……see, there he is now.”
May gasped and looked hopefully to the right where Drew pointed. A tall figure was coming up to them, and as Wallace’s face came to view, Manaphy cried out happily and circled around him.
Wallace chuckled. “Manaphy…..didn’t expect you to be wandering out here.”
“Oh, Wallace, it’s terrible!” Cried May. “Can’t you see how this entire region is frozen? Everyone is gone!” She felt like crying. “My parents……my contest halls…..Manaphy’s undersea home is even destroyed!”
Wallace nodded. “But we aren’t the only ones left.” His eyes grew serious. “I’ve caught traces of Team Aqua grunts just around the bend of this area.”
Drew looked suspicious. “Team Aqua?”
Wallace nodded. “If my observations are correct, we are over the frozen city of Lilycove. We literally are walking atop the city in its frozen state. Lilycove City was the last place where Team Aqua was found a few months ago, and I’ve seen them just around this corner.”
Drew looked at May with narrowed eyes. “We were trying to find Wally, for when we awoke, his jacket was left with us—somehow lying on top of me. But there was no sign of Wally. It could be that Team Aqua must’ve taken him.”
“Oh dear,” muttered May. “Well, we better go find him! Manaphy! You can come with us too.” She smiled as the little blue water type hovered up to her and hugged her neck. May felt a warmth she hadn’t felt in ages.
Wallace smiled. “I see the sweet twinkle in a familiar young girl’s eyes again.” He gave her a wink.
May chuckled nervously. “Well…..I’m sorry for the way I’ve been.” She looked down and turned to meet Drew’s gaze with a focused look. “I’m sorry…..I really was trying to do the right thing at first, but I guess….I guess I just got caught up with selfishness and greed for power that Prima Dona was promising.”
Drew nodded. “I knew that lady was no good.”
“And you were right!” May huffed, wanting to sulk. “From the moment she met us—she was only nice to me, not you. And it was ‘cause…..it was because I was more vulnerable and easy to fool.” She looked down and narrowed her eyes. “She doesn’t like dealing with the smart ones.”
At this, Drew raised his eyebrows and chuckled. “Hey, I don’t think Prima Dona treated me like I was smart. Whether she liked me or not, she knew I was suspicious of her and the one most likely to ruin her plans.”
Wallace laughed. “Nothing has ruined her plans—just look what’s happened! She’s awoken Xenox—and is far from the fire emblem pokemon’s reach.”
“We must find Dovanna somehow,” said May urgently, holding Manaphy close against her. “We need to reunite with Pikachu, and whoever is out there, still alive.”
Wallace sighed. “Unfortunately, the Johto region has died out already. Ho-oh and Lugia have been defeated, and I don’t know how Lyra, Silver, or Ethan could be doing if they had arrived there….”
“Well, we must act quickly,” Drew stepped up to May’s side with a determined look on his face. “We’ll find Wally, and see if he’s got any connection with anyone out there, whether it’s Team Aqua or not.”
Wallace nodded. “It’s safer to get as much survivors as we can, so we can work together.”
May raised her eyebrows. “We’re gonna recruit Team Aqua grunts?”
“We’ll do what we can to stay alive,” said Wallace. “We must all face this threat together, whether we’ll live through it or not.”

Lyra was slowly writing in her journal. She didn’t know where she was. She knew she was in the Johto region, but she had no idea where she was. She didn’t know if she was outside or inside. All she knew, was that she felt extremely cold, and ready to die. She could no longer hear her own thoughts in her head, or think straight. It was like when your mind felt bitter cold to the extreme, so that there was no trace of a brain neuron to move and help you think.
All she could do, was do what Lyra could do. She wrote in her journal.
“Dear……Journal….
This may be my last entry. I really don’t know how to describe my last moment, or how I exactly feel. I am lying outside, or lying down somewhere in the region of Johto. Already, the region has been defeated. All the places are covered in snow, and yet, the storm is still pressing on.
Pokemon have died—I can feel the missing presence of Ho-oh and Lugia from this world……I could only imagine they must have tried to destroy the island of Xenox, like I wrote them to. But I didn’t write about who would win……I was too cold to write about what the result would be after their attack on the island. Therefore, they have only fate and luck to decide the outcome of their journey.
But whatever has happened, I hope the next life would be better. Silver and Ethan are dead—they lie next to me, their bodies gone and dissolved into the snow, covered up by countless layers of more falling snow.
I’m wondering….how is Xenox like? I mean—how does it think? Does such a terrible pokemon feel, hope, and dream like any other real pokemon does? I wonder….”
But that was all what was left of Lyra’s writing. As another soft, chilling breeze of snow blew, Lyra’s journal dropped from her grip and was carried away into the storm, disappearing up into the thickening deadly skies above.
Lyra’s soul was the only part of her that remained alive. Of course, her body had frozen and disintegrated like Ethan and Silver’s. But she felt her soul alive and warm than she had ever felt in such a long time. She wandered through the region, looking around at the terrible place, wondering why she was still here.
“This isn’t the afterlife…..it’s still the same,” she muttered, looking around. “But I’m dead, aren’t I? isn’t there…some kind of heaven I should find myself in?”
As she walked on and on, she realized that she was still on this world for a reason. Her spirit belonged in the next life, but it traveled this world, where life was slowly ending. She didn’t know why, but she was still here, where she shouldn’t be. The Wipeout was still happening. There was barely any life upon this planet now, and Lyra pressed on, knowing she must look like a ghost on this planet.
Finally, she arrived in the region of Hoenn. The place was dark, and it seemed like the only place where snow was falling. But this region had ended already as well. Everywhere she looked, ice covered the entire place, and she was literally walking upon a city that had been flooded underwater, and then frozen under that water.
She gasped as a pokemon shot over her head with a terrible scream. Xenox—it was Xenox, the pokemon who was responsible for all this. She tensed as the long body of the ice dragon flew over her. Realizing it mustn’t have noticed her, she saw that it was starting to circle around something she couldn’t see in the distance.
Making her way closer to where it was circling, she realized that there was a body at the center of the icy area. Barry.
Barry was lying on the cold ground, and Lyra could see he was still barely alive. The wind was freezing around him, and he lay upon the ice on his back, with his arms back over the sides of his head. She came over to his side and kneeled down. He was unconscious. Lyra breathed a warm breath at him, knowing that she couldn’t be seen, but could be felt and heard, like any other ghost.
Barry immediately widened his eyes, looking up at the pokemon that flew above him. His eyes were full of horror. He gasped and struggled to get up, but he was stuck in his position. His body was plastered to the cold, hard ice.
Lyra looked up and stood, watching as the pokemon Xenox let out a terrible scream and lowered down towards the ground as Barry opened his eyes.
Xenox was still circling him, until it was barely a meter above his body. The large, long dragon was beastly and full of such coldness—though Lyra could feel it in her state. The pokemon didn’t notice her, for she was invisible to this world, but Barry was frozen stiff, and Lyra watched with horror as his body froze into a mere ice-glazed statue.
Xenox started to shine and throw its head back with a scream. Out of its mouth, a dark liquid oozed out, dripping from the corners. Lyra winced in disgust as the thick liquid bubbled and trickled down along the side of its long neck. The black liquid dropped and reached the snow on Barry's other side, and suddenly, the cold wind started to waft around the thick liquid.
Prima Dona was emerging from the black substance. Lyra watched as her body rose out and formed its tall thin figure of the ice lady.
She was gazing down at Barry's frozen body, looking evilly satisfied. "My dear Barry," she muttered in a low tone. Her voice was full of sarcasm and evil.
Lyra felt a strange tension flow between the two. Prima Dona and Barry must've had some kind of strange relationship-- she could feel it in the air.
"Too bad you ended up suffering your punishment all over again-- three years later," Prima Dona narrowed her eyes and raised her spear to stab him in the heart.
A yowl sounded from the distance. Prima Dona turned to glare at the strange group of people that were approaching over the icy hill ahead.
Lyra widened her eyes. She recognized each of them. At the front was the Team Rocket leader, Boss Giovanni. behind him was a small army of rocket grunts, and on either side of them were Aqua and Magma grunts. From behind, Lyra could see Plasma and Galactic grunts approaching, and each of them carrying pokeballs and ice spears in their hands.
Prima Dona smiled haughtily. "Oh! What's this? Have the last living beings on earth teamed up together?"
Giovanni growled. "I may be the last leader alive, but there are a number of grunts that are willing to take revenge on the deaths of their own leaders-- and pokemon."
Prima Dona chuckled slyly. "Your pokemon are dead. They're nothing to this world."
Behind her, Xenox was starting to circle above her with a terrible cry.
"You brought forth this pokemon-- didnt you?" A Team Plasma member stepped forward.
Prima Dona huffed. "Don't harm my pokemon." She arched out a long arm to her right, blocking anyone from stepping pass her. "If you want a fight, then you'll have to fight ME for me. My pokemon can battle your own alone."
Giovanni grunted. "Your pokemon? Bring it on."
Suddenly, the army of Team grunts-- Rocket, Aqua, Magma, Galactic, and Plasma, all shot forwards and threw out their pokemon.
Prima Dona struck her spear in the air, and her own terrible creatures-- Celine, Lapras, Mismagius, Spiritomb, Archeops, and Ghastleon collided in the air with the pokemon, and immediately, the sky rained of blood. Her pokemon were killing and fighting with gore. Xenox cirlced the battle with a cry of terror.
Prima Dona herelf turned to smirk at the shocked gazes of the army of grunts as they watched the battle. They turned to her and glared. Giovanni ran towards her with a yell. "My Persian! YOU KILLED MY PERSIAN!!!"
Prima Dona gave him a kick in the mouth, and Lyra gasped as she saw blood start to sputter as he fell over. Viciously, Prima Dona stabbed the boss and gave him a kick, screaming with envy.
The rest of the grunts were surrounding her and yelling with anger and horror, trying to fight at her and defend themselves.
But Prima Dona fought back like an assassin. She whirled around, stabbing and leaping in all directions like a cat. In the midst of the battle, the falling snow from Xenox above mixed with blood, and Lyra couldnt bear to watch anymore. She stayed by Barry's frozen body and looked up as Xenox let out a cry and stopped circling the battle. The pokemon was glaring down right at her, its dark black shaded eyes piercing through the snowstorm that whirled around it. Lyra almost wondered if the pokemon was seeing her…..
Prima Dona suddenly jumped in front of Lyra. Lyra gasped and jumped back. The ice lady rose up to her full height, pointing towards the last army of grunts. Only a few remained alive, though in bad shape. Everyone else looked defeated and torn apart with their bodies lying on the ice. Prima Dona pointed her spear at the last of the humans, and zapped them all with icicles that pierced their hearts, making their chests bleed with gore before the icicles froze the rest of their bodies up.
Lyra dared not to look at Prima Dona, but she gave one glance since the terrible sorceress was right at her side. Flashing her eyes back from a red color to an icy blue, Prima Dona licked the side of her other hand where she had gotten a small cut. Her pokemon all returned to the spear in her other hand, all except for Ghastleon, who stayed behind to tear at the remains of the dead pokemon bodies.
“Ghastleon!” Prima Dona snapped.
“Hsssssgh!” Ghastleon dashed over to her side with a scowl.
Prima Dona stopped licking her hand and smiled with satisfaction. “I had forgotten what it was like to kill in cold blood.” She smiled evilly.
She looked up at Xenox, who was growling and eying the scene below it. Lyra could almost read its feelings as she stared into those deep, dark eyes. It seemed concerned about what was going on it the world it had helped destroy. First, pokemon and people were dying cold, slow deaths. Now, they were being slaughtered and ripped up before they were left to freeze in the world. Xenox almost looked sorry…..
“Xenox!” Prima Dona was smiling at the pokemon. “Come forth! I think I’ve had enough free time to let my soul separate for a while, but now I must return.”
“Mrghh……” Xenox turned to glare at Prima Dona.
The lady banged the tip of her spear to the ground. “Wanna eat me up again? I’m pure ice……”
Suddenly, there was a flash of fire from behind Prima Dona, and the tips of the flames managed to shoot through the air and strike Xenox’s head.
Xenox flinched and shook its head violently in the air, and let out a monstrous cry of pain and agitation. The fire was gone immediately, but it had left an ugly burn on the pokemon’s head. Lyra winced with disgust at the orangey mark that was now upon its forehead. Xenox wriggled its snaky body and spread its wings, roaring and giving off a terrible storm that froze the dead bodies underneath it, burying each of them in snow.
Prima Dona closed her eyes and remained still, summoning her Ghastleon back in the spear before it blew away. As she withstood the snow, she yelled in a furious voice, “Xenox! What the hell! What’s going on?!” She whirled around, and as Lyra turned to look, she saw that a small, red glowing baby Groudon was standing through the storm as well, glaring straight at Prima Dona with a challenging stare. It Pikachu, trapped in the body of the fire emblem pokemon.
“AGH!” Prima Dona shrieked with fury. “YOU!”
“Grou!” Pikachu crouched onto all fours, and started flaming with intensity as Xenox continued to scream and blow more angry, desperate storms in pain.
Lyra felt the presence of other souls, and she realized Pikachu was not alone. Behind it, May, Drew, Wallace, and Wally all came forwards, facing Prima Dona with determined gazes.
Prima Dona widened her eyes in a glare. “May…..ALL YOU IMPUDENT FOOLS!”
“Prima Dona!” May huffed, narrowing her eyes through the wind. “You have killed the last of the Aqua grunts on earth, as well as all the other Team members that have been a threat to each region! Wally here has fled the army, coming back to lead us towards where they met you! Well, we can see that you’ve done perfectly well, defeating the last of those enemies that have tried to stop us more than once in the past. Now, we must defeat the REAL threat—you.”
Prima Dona cackled and smiled. “Oh! Such a brave girl! Hah! Don’t you know how powerful I am now? And how powerful Xenox is? We have each other. And together, we’ll start our own creation in this world, in a land of snow and ice. Once we’ve cleared our path of EVERY enemy on this damn planet, we shall have what’s ours.”
Lyra huffed and looked over to where May and the others were staring back with shock. Pikachu was burning, and suddenly, it let out a blast of fire towards Barry, melting his body, though letting him live through the warmth of the fire, regaining his consciousness before it was too late.
Barry gasped and awoke. The winds blew his body straight towards Pikachu, where he fell in front of Drew’s feet. Drew chuckled. “Barry, get up if you’re still alive.”
Prima Dona’s eyes turned into a nasty red fury again. “How dare you--!”
Wallace stepped forward and spoke loudly. “Prima Dona, you don’t want a world of your own. You only want revenge. Just like how Barry explained to us what had happened three years ago in the fifth world, you failed the devil pokemon and failed to rule that dimension with evil dark power. Now, you only want to destroy. If you kill this world, you’re killing the fifth dimension that had betrayed you. You know what you’re doing, Prima Dona. You know what you want.”
Prima Dona shook her head in a crazy fury, yelling with anger. “I’ll tell you what I want!” She screamed at the top of her lungs. “I want you all to shut up and just DIE AT MY HEELS! RAHH!” Striking her spear towards them all, Lyra watched with helplessness as a huge shot of ice aimed towards her friends.
But Pikachu jumped forwards and destroyed the ice with a single Flamethrower.
“Rah!” Prima Dona whipped her spear around as Pikachu tried to leap at her. The little pokemon was darting in all directions, but Prima Dona was dodging like a Sneasel, glaring down at the baby Groudon with a twisted look of annoyance. “Xenox! Help me and defeat this imp! This is your battle! And I shall be part of it! DESTROY THIS FIRE EMBLEM!”
And Prima Dona turned to jump up towards where Xenox was hovering in the sky, but the pokemon suddenly bounced her back with a nudge of its snout. Prima Dona fell back towards the snow with a grunt. “WHAT?! WHAT’S GOING ON?!”
Now Lyra realized something was happening to Xenox. She had felt the tension stir up in the air like a storm. Pikachu had thrown more than just a burn on the head towards the pokemon, but had also infected him with a strange source of soul.
May gasped. “Prima Dona! What’s that by your feet?”
Prima Dona got up and glared down, picking up an open, empty pokeball. In front of her, a strange pokemon was staring at her with gem-like eyes. Genesect.
Wallace gasped. “Oh my…..”
“That’s right,” Prima Dona was hissing through clenched teeth. She looked up from the pokeball to glare at the pokemon in front of her.
Genesect was totally harmless now. shrinking under Prima Dona’s firm stare, the strange pokemon turned to its left, and fled, disappearing behind a hill of ice.
Prima Dona watched it go with a scowl. She threw the pokeball after it with a scream. “NAHHHHH! YOU’VE INFECTED MY POKEMON!”
And Lyra looked up to see Xenox with new eyes. at the center of its shady black eyes, the pokemon had a purple pupil at the center—and at the center of that pupil was a tiny black dot. The pokemon was infected with the darkness of Genesect. And by giving the pokemon the power, Genesect had lost the darkness and inheritance its own body had inherited.
With a cry of evil and distraught, Xenox whipped through the air, zipping pass Lyra, Prima Dona, and the others that stood in the small area of snow.
“NOOO!” Prima Dona reached a desperate hand after it. “Xenox!”
And before the pokemon disappeared in the sky, a blast of light shot back at Prima Dona, suddenly revealing three human figures that dropped to the snow. The light quickly gave out, and the unconscious bodies of Ash, Brendan, and Hilda lay in the snow.
May, Drew, and Barry ran to them all.
“Ash!” Cried May.
“The darkness wiped everything out in Xenox so that it can take over the pokemon itself,” said Wallace. He looked up in the sky. “Now it’s headed to…..who knows where?”
Prima Dona banged her spear on the ground and the storm suddenly whipped up around them again, surrounding Pikachu, Ash, Brendan, Hilda, Wallace, May, Drew, Wally, Barry, and herself in a twisting hurricane of snow.
“What are you doing?!” Screamed May.
“Hah! What do you think?! I’m not letting anything take what’s mine! We are going to follow that Xenox!”
And with a blink of light, they were all gone.

Pikachu found himself upon the platform of a long shiny clear surface of ice. Of course, no other than Xenox had formed this. The platform was in the air, still and floating without a single crack or shake as Pikachu wandered upon the platform. Looking down below the edge, Pikachu widened his eyes. Below the platform was the face of the earth. And it looked so different.
It wasn’t a blue planet of water and landforms spread all around anymore. Instead, the waters were a gray or clear color, sheathed in terrible ice, with white, snow covered landforms that stuck around, frozen across the frozen sea. It didn’t look like earth. It looked like a mere glass ball with mountains of snow placed here and there.
Next to Pikachu, a white dove hovered to his side. “It’s terrible, isn’t it?” Murmured the little pokemon sorrowfully. “I would’ve never expected the end of the world to be this bad.”
Pikachu sighed. “It beats all the wars and violence that most people were expecting.” Pikachu’s Groudon tail thumped the ice with frustration. “Rather have the world end like this than through bloody killing and fighting actually…..”
“Don’t say that!” Said baby Dovanna indignantly. “There’s nothing to be thankful about when the world ends-- no matter how it ended.”
“I didn’t say I was thankful,” said Pikachu quickly. “I just meant this place is much better off dying from natural disasters than experiencing man-made force! And look, I bet it hasn’t entirely ended YET. We’re still alive aren’t we?” He turned to baby Dovanna with a flash of hope in his eyes. “Our friends are still alive, right? They must! We’ve still got a chance….”
“I don’t know if everyone we’ve loved is still around…” baby Dovanna blinked its blue eyes sadly. It hovered a little higher for Pikachu to see behind it. “I know a few are still around, but the rest have gone…..”
And Pikachu saw a body lying on the ice, unmoving, but exactly the person Pikachu had been hoping for.
The little pokemon gasped. “Ash!” He dashed over to his old trainer and friend, and huffed with horror. “No….please be alive! Ash, I’m here for you!”
“If you mind….” baby Dovanna fluttered above Pikachu and the boy. “He still hasn’t escaped the terrible power of the Spear. The Ice Spear may have escaped Xenox, but it still remains part of him.”
Pikachu widened his eyes and blew a huff of smoke, closing his eyes, and putting all his faith into his heart. With a single breath of warm air, Ash’s body started to lose the paleness that had overcome him. His face started to look more brightened and less cold, and Ash was suddenly rising to his feet, though with his eyes closed. Ash’s head faced the sky, and with a yell of pain and despair, a sharp end of an Ice Spear started to poke out of his chest.
Pikachu gasped, and waited for the whole thing to come out. As soon as the Ice Spear fell from Ash’s body, landing on the platform with a clatter, Ash huffed and fell to his knees, panting. Pikachu narrowed his eyes and let out a strong blast of flames, melting the entire Ice Spear until it was nothing but a small pool of liquid. Baby Dovanna fluttered above the liquid, eying it curiously.
Ash looked up and smiled with a tired look in his eyes. “Pikachu…..buddy….”
“Grou!” Pikachu leaped into Ash’s arms and his best friend hugged him tightly. Pikachu never felt more relieved.
“Oh, Pikachu! You’re so warm!” Ash looked at him with an exhausted gaze. “Wh-what happened?”
“Ahem!” Baby Dovanna landed on the ground next to the pool, and transformed into a little girl again. “Pikachu was whipped here by Prima Dona. Apparently, he found the poke ball of Genesect that May had stolen.”
Ash gasped and looked at Pikachu. “You found it?”
Amira spoke for him, smiling with sweetness. “It was somewhere out there in the Hoenn region where the ice has splayed over the entire area. That region is covered with ice-- frozen underwater like a frozen Atlantis. Pikachu didn’t find May until after it found the poke ball lying out in the middle of nowhere out there in the empty land of Hoenn. It used it against Xenox, and now the pokemon is infected with a dark soul that’s attacking the real inner Xenox.”
Ash widened his eyes. “What does that mean?”
Suddenly, there was a faint boom around them. Pikachu and Ash looked up to see that Arceus, the god pokemon, was emerging from the dark outer space above them. It hovered in the atmosphere, looking around with a fierce gaze in its eyes. Ash gasped and stood up, holding Pikachu.
Xenox appeared from the opposite end of Arceus. Following it from behind was another long pokemon, just about ten feet shorter than the legendary itself. Pikachu gasped. It was a blue Milotic-- and it was gliding through the air just behind Xenox. No doubt that it was Prima Dona’s.
Prima Dona was riding her own pokemon, and following from behind, was a large Flygon that carried May, Drew, Wally, Barry, and Wallace on its back. Ash gasped. “May! Drew! Barry!”
“Don’t be surprised just yet!” Giggled Amira. She turned to point over where Dawn, Paul, and Lucas came upon Lucas’s powerful Garchomp.
Just behind them, he saw a powerful Hydreigon come over with Iris, Cilan, Bianca, Cheren, and the frozen, unconscious body of Hilda. N was kneeling by her side.
“Hilda…..” Ash realized that Hilda and Brendan must still me trapped in the trance of the Ice Spear.
“Ash!” Turning to see a familiar voice, Ash saw that Misty was riding upon a Dragonite with Brock at her side-- and in front of them was none other than Lance, Champion of the Johto region.
“Oh my gosh-- Misty! Brock! And Lance!” Ash nearly forgot about his fears and jumped with joy. “What are you doing here?”
Misty chuckled as the Dragonite landed at his side. “Well, I’m here to take part like the rest of you all! Why else would I be wasting my time up here?”
Brock laughed. “Same here!”
Lance cleared his throat and met Ash’s gaze with a determined expression. “I’ve witnessed the terrible fate that has already befallen the region of Johto. Luckily, I was paying a visit to the Kanto region at the time, and I met Misty and Brock not long after the storm was just getting at its worse. She and Brock were the only people I found, and Misty explained to me everything. I’m here to make sure the battle happens for real--” He turned to face Pikachu with a grateful nod, “--and that the battle between Xenox and the fire emblem pokemon succeeds. Save us all, Pikachu. I’ve always had such faith in you.”
Pikachu nodded with determination, but Ash sighed. “Something’s wrong though…..”
“What?” Iris’s voice came from the other side as she ran up to him. “What do you mean something’s wrong? This is the fire emblem pokemon, right? This is the pokemon that must fight Xenox, shouldn’t it?”
“Yeah but….” Ash looked up at Xenox as the pokemon circled around Arceus, its eyes flashing and hissing with disgust. Arceus remained still in its place, its eyes following Xenox as the long bodied pokemon wound its way around him. Arceus looked like it was waiting for something. “The Genesect has infected Xenox with a dark power.”
Dawn hurried over to his side. “Really? Shouldn’t Pikachu still be able to fight off Xenox and destroy it anyway?”
Misty spoke with uncertainty. “Professor Oak said that once the darkness entered Xenox, it an create a real duplicate of the pokemon so that Xenox can have some sort of an evil twin with a dark side that can still remain.”
Ash jumped. “So Pikachu will have to defeat two Xenox?”
Amira huffed and spoke up. “Hey! If things have to happen, they must happen!”
“Professor Oak!” Lance looked around with a start. “Where is the guy? I would expect him of all people to be here….”
“BAH!” Prima Dona’s loud, agitated voice cracked through the air. Her Milotic lashed out its tail underneath it. “Stop playing around, Xenox! Kill that pokemon! Kill it like you’ve done with the pokemon on earth!”
“Myaghhh!” Xenox turned to spit a disgusting black venom towards Prima Dona, and her Milotic ducked with a start. The venom dissolved in the outer space behind them.
Ash jumped and dropped Pikachu with a start. Pikachu landed on the ground in front of Ash’s feet.
“Quick! Now’s your chance, Pikachu!” Emblem suddenly spoke at his side.
Pikachu flinched and turned to see that Emblem and Zan had suddenly appeared to his left. “Whoa! How did you guys get here?!”
But the answer was clear. Behind them, a tall dark Gothitelle hovered with her eyes closed, and her hands clasped together under her chin. They had arrived through the traces and power of X-Psi-Eye. Just in the distance, Pikachu could hear the cry of Reshiram. He could see it in the distance, just a little below the platform. It seemed to be calling something…..trying to communicate with a faraway spirit…
“Hey!” Emblem jumped in front of Pikachu’s gaze with a stern frown. “Never mind that! What’s important right now is that you defeat this pokemon! Go! It’s waiting for you! Not even the god pokemon can defeat this creature!”
Pikachu looked up and saw that Xenox struck its head towards Arceus, ready to bite the pokemon on the shoulder. But Arceus reacted quicker, suddenly stopping the pokemon from biting it through the power of psychics, sending it flying back and tussling in the air with rage.
Arceus threw its head up and let out a mysterious, magical roar that shook the platform, causing parts of it to fall, and parts of new glaciers to rise at the center. Ash jumped back as a spiky glacier started to jut out from the platform within.
But Xenox was fighting back. The pokemon blew back a terrible breath of snow, shivering the entire platform and everyone upon it. The platform was far from becoming destroyed. Xenox’s icy aura was keeping it alive like a freezer.
Pikachu needed his chance. This was his moment. Narrowing his eyes and crouching down, Pikachu yowled and leaped up in the air, letting the airless space of gravity above the icy platform take him wherever he directed. Running up the air towards Xenox, he was ready to strike the pokemon again with the most powerful blow of fire he could manage.
“Xenox!” Came Prima Dona’s scream. “Behind you!”
And suddenly, Xenox whirled around just in time to let Pikachu’s blast of fire hit its face. Pikachu put all his heart and effort, making sure this fire was not just a powerful attack it was able to use, but an attack of spirit and fire that came from his heart within. And successfully, Pikachu had hit Xenox in the face, and the pokemon let out what sounded like a terrified yelp, tumbling backwards in the airless space.
Arceus screeched and rose up before Xenox could crash into it from behind.
Everyone down below was cheering.
“Pikachu! Yes! You can do it!”
“We believe in you Pikachu!”
“I know you can do it!”
The voices of each of his friends—both people and pokemon—echoed from below as they all watched him hover closer to where Xenox was thrashing with rage and fury. The pokemon was caught on fire, and it was struggling to use all the coldness within its body to destroy the fire that burnt around it. constantly, the fire kept going out at some parts, though some places the fire was remaining, and getting stronger. Pikachu could tell the pokemon was in misery to keep itself alive.
Pikachu narrowed his eyes. He couldn’t show such mercy. The pokemon had done what it had done, and now it was about to die. Heaving in for another blow of smoke, Pikachu was just about to strike again, but suddenly Xenox’s tail whacked Pikachu’s face and the little pokemon tumbled back, seeing stars.
“Pikachu!” Gasped Ash and a few of his friends from below.
Shaking his head and bringing himself back to focus, Pikachu reopened his eyes to see that Xenox was straightening its body out, coiling itself until it hovered in the airless space in front of him. the pokemon was glaring at Pikachu with its mouth slightly open, uttering a low, snarling growl.
Prima Dona crept up behind Pikachu with both her hands clutching her spear.
“Pikachu!” Cried Iris’s loud voice. “Behind you!”
And Pikachu whipped around to see that Prima Dona was holding her spear above her head. “Eat this, fire emblem!” And with a screaming, “YAH!” Prima Dona split her spear in half.
Everyone stared in awe, and Pikachu widened its eyes. the middle ends of the spear that had broken apart were starting to glow and sizzle. Instantly, the bodies of her pokemon flew out of the light that sparked towards the space above, and Pikachu saw that Ghastleon was at the front, leading the party over to where Arceus was starting to glow, battling the god pokemon with their supernatural, uncontrolled powers of the fifth dimension. The god pokemon was hard to defeat, though Prima Dona’s pokemon were easily getting the best of Arceus. Arceus was fast—it easily dodged their attacks, though it had no direct move to attack the pokemon itself. Both sides were trying desperately to destroy one another.
Prima Dona cackled as another shine of light appeared in front of her. It was the Silver Jewel. She snatched and smiled evilly. “Glad I managed to find this with me.”
And suddenly, a single body emerged from the broken spear. Pikachu widened his eyes.
May was especially looking up with awe. “Brendan!”
Pikachu narrowed his eyes. with a start, he heaved in, and blew a huff of smoke towards Brendan’s body, and giving the boy a whack with his tail, making his body slowly fall to the ground like a feather.
“NOOO! FOOL!” Prima Dona couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
Landing right beside Hilda, Brendan suddenly shifted and blinked open his eyes to narrow around himself. May was instantly at his side, muttering something as she kneeled down beside him.
Pikachu growled and closed its eyes, making sure he put more than just spirit into the next fire. Glowing a light of faith and happiness that Pikachu had in its own heart, Pikachu breathed out a drop of a flame, and made sure it dropped right down into Hilda’s heart. The light of fire destroyed the darkness—and melted her body. Hilda woke up, and by her side was N, gently helping her up and pressing her to his side.
“NOOO! UGH! FOOL!” Prima Dona whacked her hand in the airless space with envy. She had no spear to strike now. “You’ve ruined it! you’ve ruined XENOX! I’LL KILL YOU MYSELF!”
She was outstretching her long icy arms and hovering her way towards Pikachu, and Pikachu gasped, rearing back with a start.
Bumping into Xenox from behind, he turned to see that the pokemon was closing its eyes and panting.
Prima Dona stopped and winced. “Huh? What’s happening?!”
“Look at Xenox!” Cried Amira, pointing up as the ice dragon started panting and breathing harder and harder, and faster and faster.
Finally, Xenox let out what sounded like a powerful sneeze. Its body started splitting in half, until a duplicate copy of the pokemon was formed at its left. Pikachu and the others were staring up at two identical pokemon—one in the form of a white, long bodied pokemon that everyone all knew too well as Xenox, and the other the same size, shape, and look overall, though with a black, darkened color to its long body as the mere dark Xenox itself. Both pokemon were staring down at the fire emblem pokemon in front of them, and the platform below with intimidation.
“Dark Xenox…” rasped Prima Dona, an evil smile creeping across her face. She passed Pikachu slowly, and Pikachu could feel the cold air through her body waft pass him. She was walking towards the dark pokemon with a evil-hungry stare. “Come forth my dear…..I know where we both really belong…..”
Below them, Pikachu heard mutterings, and Emblem was suddenly at his side. “Dark Xenox?! So there’s two of them! How bad could it be? It was enough with just one damn Xenox, now we’ve got a dark one?! Pikachu! This means we need two fire emblem pokemon for this!”
And suddenly, Prima Dona raised her hands and howling started to sound from the airless area all around. Houndoom and Mightyena appeared from all different directions above Prima Dona, running in circles around her, Xenox, and the dark Xenox.
Just above the pack of Changelings, the herd of Changelings appeared, and started running in a circle above the pack, going in the opposite direction.
Prima Dona was chanting a strange song under her breath. Though she spoke with low tenacity, everyone could hear the venom mutter from her, and Pikachu felt a chill ripple through all of them.
The stars above them all started to blink and flash, expanding a little and then shrinking again.
Arceus looked up at the stars with a cry of desperation. It kicked back angrily at the pokemon that tried to keep attacking it.
Pikachu couldn’t believe it. “The stars?! Are they…..DYING?!”
Amira cried and let out a scream. “Nooo! She’s destroying the dimension! The universe! The whole eternally bonded UNIVERSE!”
And Pikachu felt the airless space tighten and he lost his breath. With dark Xenox, Prima Dona was destroying their dimension—not just their world. He looked down with horror. Planet earth was long gone and a mere frozen ice ball, and now the rest of the galaxy was going to suffer through darkness and chilling death, ready to end in her own hands.
“NOOOO!” Pikachu turned with determination in his heart, and let out a blast of fire towards Xenox. The white pokemon retaliated in a fierce screech as it opened its mouth wide open with a wild glare, showering back powerful icicles towards the flames. Fire interlocked with ice, and froze at the center, affecting neither Xenox, or the fire emblem pokemon.
Emblem leaped up from Pikachu side, putting all its energy and faith into its powers, striking dark Xenox at the other tail with a powerful Thunderbolt.
The pokemon was zapped and started to shake, screaming with an electrified shock. Though it wasn’t weakened, it was enough to distract Prima Dona as she flashed her eyes open with a wide look. “Hey! Damn you!”
“Pikachu! Emblem!” Ash’s cry sounded from below. “Look out!”

Prima Dona spread both her hands towards both of them, and Pikachu felt a rush of energy pulse through. Feeling suddenly weakened, Pikachu shivered and growled, until its body was suddenly wrapped in the mouth of Xenox.
Pikachu screed and tried to struggle free. Xenox’s mouth was cold and deadly, and Pikachu felt itself ebbing away weakly in the strong grip. But at the same time, the grip wasn’t as strong. Though Pikachu was freezing and weakening in the grasp, Xenox wasn’t biting too hard-- Pikachu’s body was burning its mouth at the same time. Both of them were terribly hurting each other, and either side was ready to give in at any moment.
On Xenox’s other side, the dark Xenox had picked up Emblem, and was gripping the sparking pokemon, ready to snap it in one bite.
Prima Dona was cackling and looking at both the pokemon. “Yes! Yes! Now it comes--”
“Gyahhhhh!”
The strangest cry sounded in the distance. Everyone looked around with awe. The stars blinked a couple more times, and then regained their twinkling faraway shininess.
In the distance, behind Xenox and dark Xenox, two large pokemon were rising. Reshiram and Zekrom were roaring deeply, and from below, Kyurem hovered up to the center.
“The Tao Trio,” Zan’s voice was loud and clear.
A strange rasping murmur came from the Gothitelle, and the X-Psi-Eye pokemon hovered up with the little Zorua at her side.
“They’ve come to signal the arrival….” Zan was muttering.
“Arrival of what?” Called Wallace from below.
“Gyahhhh!” The terrible cry came again. Pikachu realized it hadn’t come from Reshiram, Zekrom, or Kyurem. But Kyurem hovered higher so that Pikachu could see through the distance in the center between Zekrom and Reshiram.
A glowing pokemon was coming into view. Pretty soon, the most terrifying, powerful-looking, most ugliest pokemon Pikachu had ever seen was entering through the space between Zekrom and Reshiram. Gaiyah the earth pokemon.
Hovering to its side was the little shape of Mew, and all around it were the bodies of Red, Leaf, Professor Oak, Gary, and even Team Rocket. Mew hovered them all down in front of Ash and everyone else, and they joined the awestruck crowd as they gazed up at the scene.
Gaiyah was terrifying-- the pokemon was at least thirty feet tall, almost as long as Xenox was wide. It had large beady eyes, dirty and menacing as it blinked around them all.
Arceus rose from behind where Prima Dona stood, meeting Gaiyah’s gaze with a meticulous shree. The god pokemon had banished this pokemon from the dimension before-- now it was back.
Instantly, Xenox and dark Xenox let Pikachu and Emblem go. Pikachu watched as Xenox turned to face Gaiyah with a narrowing look in its eyes, stirring up a cold wind around its body. Dark Xenox was just pulsing with evil.
Prima Dona stared at Gaiyah with a look Pikachu had never seen in her eyes-- pure fear.
“No….” Prima Dona was breathing rapidly and quietly. “It can’t be…..it’s impossible…”
“Gaiyah…” Below, Dawn clutched to Paul. “Oh my gosh…..”
“Huh!” Barry was staring up with a look of disbelief. “And Prima Dona doesn’t have her spear for control! That’s the second spear she lost….”
Pikachu was expecting Gaiyah to leap forward and counter attack Xenox right away. But instead, Gaiyah arched its tall neck upwards, and suddenly, the pokemon was glowing a blinding light. Gaiyah was splitting. Suddenly, the light covered its entire body until two pokemon were formed. Neither looked identical to each other, and neither looked much like Gaiyah under than their monstrously powerful dragon like features. One was an angelic, beautiful golden shiny pokemon-- Haloana, and the other was an impish, terrible dark red pokemon that resembled the devil-- Impasar.
“No!” Prima Dona’s voice was nothing more than just a mere squeak.
Pikachu watched as the Gothitelle by Zan’s side stepped forward, opening its eyes with a glare. Zan stayed by its side, and transformed into a human boy. The Gothitelle, too, was transforming into a human, into a strange, stunning tall lady that reminded Pikachu of Prima Dona-- though she wore dark clothes as dark as the outer spaced sky around them. Her hair was long and jet black, and hung straight down, rather than flowing out behind her in a slightly wavy blow, like Prima Dona’s. her eyes were a straight firm darkness too, and there was no question that both darkness and psychics flowed through the veins of the lady.
“Madrid……no way….” Barry’s shocked voice was loud enough to hear, even though it was a little more than a whisper.
Madrid flashed her eyes and Zan closed his own. Reshiram bellowed from behind the angelic Haloana, burning with fire that danced around its pure white body.
Madrid controlled the darkness through Zekrom, and the black dark pokemon created strange electricl waves through the dead atmosphere, pulsing towards Impasar, weakening the devil and letting it close its eyes into a temporary unconsciousness.
“What’s going on?” Gasped Emblem at Pikachu’s side.
At first Pikachu wasn’t understanding, but suddenly it all made sense. Haloana was stepping forward, and it was capturing the eyes of the dark Xenox that hovered in front of it. Dark Xenox was staring into the capturing eyes of the angelic pokemon with an awestruck gaze.
“No….Xenox!” Prima Dona gasped. “Don’t fall for it! Don’t look at those eyes--”
But it was too late. The light of the angel Haloana destroyed the darkness within the dark Xenox. The pokemon threw its head back with a wail, twisting its body in a fierce seizure, and Prima Dona was hovering towards it with desperation in her eyes. She looked pissed and mad as Pikachu had ever seen her. “NOOOOO!”
As soon as the wriggling pokemon whacked Prima Dona’s hand with its tail, the both of them interlocked and combined, and Haloana moaned, blowing a blinding light over the dark Xenox until its body literally exploded, and both Prima Dona and the dark pokemon disappeared into black particles that rained towards the platform below.
The black particles rushed towards the pokemon that fought Arceus, and weakened them all with a terrible strike that turned them all to dark statues of ice as soon as the black particles raised over them. Arceus yowled and whacked the pokemon in a row, and each of their bodies dissolved into the atmosphere, disappearing forever.
The humans felt the black particles. They were cold-- like hailstorms.
“Dark ice!” Cried Meowth.
And Pikachu couldn’t believe it. Prima Dona was gone-- just like that. Dark Xenox had been created and then destroyed. All was left-- was the real Xenox for itself.
“Hurry! Destroy it!” Cried Jessie from below.
But as Pikachu stared at the ice dragon in front of him, he saw that it was looking down, closing its eyes, and panting. It looked exhausted, and utterly defeated.
From behind, Arceus was hovering up to Pikachu’s side. All around, the airless space seemed to feel calmed down, and a vortex was spiraling behind Reshiram and Zekrom.
Pikachu looked up at the god pokemon. “I-is it over?”
Arceus said nothing but closed its eyes. When it reopened them again, Pikachu realized what had happened. Arceus had reopened the portals, and it was wanting Haloana and Impasar to return to where it belonged. It looked down and signaled the others below to make their way up to accompany them.
Pikachu looked over hopefully as Ash made his way up towards him with Misty at his side. To his right were Dawn, Barry, Lucas, and Paul, to his left were Iris, Cheren, Cilan, Bianca, and Hilda and N. Behind were Brock and Lance, with Professor Oak, Chelbi, and Gary. Above them was Mew, with Red and Leaf at each of its sides. Wallace, May, Drew, Brendan, and Wally were just to the right of Dawn.
Amira was rising up towards the center between the angel and the devil pokemon, closing her eyes. In a blink of an eye, she suddenly glowed and transformed into a baby Dovanna, blinking her eyes open to smile at Haloana. “Bye-bye, Haloana. Arceus has reopened the portals. Everything within has been restored. You can leave now-- thank you so much for your help.”
Haloana gave a small, slow nod, as if welcoming the little pokemon. Then, watching with wonder, Haloana nudged the unconscious Impasar at its side.
Madrid and Zan opened their eyes and turned back into pokemon. Pikachu widened its eyes at Zan, and heard an awed gasp from Dovanna. When Zan had transformed back into a pokemon, he was no longer a Zorua-- but a full-grown Zoroark.
Impasar awakened, blinking open its terrible devilish eyes, but Arceus let out a growl and watched as Haloana and Impasar combined together again, forming the pokemon Gaiyah. Gaiyah turned to look around at all its visitors, and Pikachu couldn’t tell what kind of expression was going through the strange pokemon’s eyes.
Arceus growled and stepped forward.
Gaiyah huffed and met Arceus’s gaze steadily, and then turned its back with a little rudeness, disappearing into the vortex.
Baby Dovanna turned with a smile at Arceus.
Ash chuckled and looked at the god pokemon. “Well, your feared enemy is gone-- what about the other one?”
Everyone turned to Xenox. It was watching them with a blank gaze. Xenox looked frozen and expressionless as if it had fainted itself.
Pikahcu gasped and looked up at baby Dovanna. “It’s….weakened isn’t it?”
Baby Dovanna nodded. “You’ve nearly defeated it, Pikachu. I told you the fire emblem was the only weakness the pokemon had. You can even destroy the rest of it if you want.”
Arceus let out a low metallic murmur, and Pikachu looked up at the god pokemon. “Huh? You wanna do something first?” Pikachu felt like he could clearly understand what the pokemon was saying to him.
Oak chuckled. “Well, Arceus is the creator of all pokemon-- except for Gaiyah and Xenox.”
Misty huffed. “And baby Dovanna, and all those other made up pokemon in the fifth dimension.”
Finally, Madrid spoke for the first time. Her voice was low and raspy. “Well…..Arceus wants to create Xenox now. Even though it’s already existing in the world….Arceus is going to bless it with a power that comes from within Arceus’s own soul-- so that the pokemon can be part of its world in whatever it’s desired to…”
Arceus was stepping up to Xenox. The ice-dragon looked exhausted and tired, and its eyes were already closed. As soon as Arceus stepped up to its front, Xenox reopened its eyes. It looked up at Arceus with a sorrowful, defeated looking expression. It was as if the pokemon had surrendered.
Arcues blinked and then breathed a single breath on the ice pokemon-- the breath of light.
As the breath blew upon the pokemon, Xenox closed its eyes and let the light take over its body. The ice pokemon started to glimmer with utter beauty and richness of ice and beautiful light, until its entire body glowed with intensity-- and disappeared. The coldness within Xenox flowed through the air, and Pikachu could still feel its presence. The pokemon hadn’t died, the pokemon wasn’t defeated, the pokemon was no longer part of the world. But Xenox was part of another world, though. And in that other world, Xenox could still show signs of its being alive, and Pikachu could still feel the coldness wafting around him. Xenox’s spirit was alive, and it can no longer harm them the same way it had intended. Arceus had blessed the pokemon to become a spirit that can still look upon the world it had intended to destroy, and instead, make sure it was kept in balance, just like Arceus itself did.
Looking over at Ash and the others, Pikachu saw that they all understood as well. Xenox was a mere spirit now-- one that could still touch the earth, but not in a way that could ever come to such power that it could destroy it the same way again.
Arceus turned to baby Dovanna with a serious look.
Baby Dovanna gasped and met its gaze. “Do I really have to?” She seemed to be wailing.
Arceus grunted and Madrid and Zan were hovering up to her side.
“We all have to,” uttered Madrid. “It’s for all of our sakes.”
Zan huffed and gave a smile to baby Dovanna. “I’m going in…..you can come with me too. You’ll be surprised how much I haven’t changed even though I’ve evolved.”
Dovanna huffed and gave him a playful look. “You’re too grown-up now! You always were….”
Ash suddenly gasped and everyone started murmuring. “Oh….Dovanna! You’re going back to the fifth dimension, aren’t you?”
Pikachu gasped. “Do you really have to? I mean….you’ve done so well in this world….”
Baby Dovanna smiled and looked at them all gratefully. “I….I really don’t wanna….but I must. My dimension needs me-- for my mother won’t always be strong forever.”
Barry cast a sad look. “Oh really? But she’s a legendary….”
Baby Dovanna giggled. “Well, she’s not strong enough without ME.”
Misty stepped forward, looking at the little bird with a sad expression. “Oh….we’ll miss you though. We’ll get to see you again, won’t we?”
“Of course….”
A voice echoed from the portal. Everyone gasped and saw the reflection of what looked like Dovanna-- though this one was more matured and gracefully developed, much like a real legendary. Pikachu saw Barry gasp with awe. This was the real Dovanna of the fifth dimension-- the mother of baby Dovanna.
“Kaira….” Barry couldn’t help stepping forward. Everyone watched as Dovanna blinked slowly and smiled lovingly at Barry. Her eyes were green, not blue like baby Dovanna’s.
“Barry,” the pokemon spoke with mischievousness in her calm tone. “I sure hope you’ve been nice to my little hatchling. She was focused on you too, you know.”
Barry laughed nervously. “I tried to tell everyone!”
“Hey!” Baby Dovanna frowned at Barry, fluttering its wings. “You tried to blow my cover!”
Dovanna chuckled. “Well, you shouldn’t have tricked people like that. It wouldn’t have made a difference if they knew you were a child or a little Dovanna.”
“Well, it was fun though….”
Oak laughed. “My, what WAS your point, huh? That’s the part I still don’t get!”
“Don’t you understand?” Dovanna was looking at them all. “The power or love will be enough to restore anything in the atmosphere. You’ll need it when your world gets renewed…”
“Renewed?” Gasped Ash.
“Good-bye…we must go-- before the portals close up again.” Dovanna smiled and blinked at all of them. Baby Dovanna was giving them all sad longing looks.
“I don’t want to go….” she muttered like a complaining child.
Emblem huffed. “Oh I’m gonna miss that featherbrained little--”
“Hey! Wait!” Dovanna fluttered towards Pikachu and Emblem. “There’s just one more thing….” It closed its eyes and blew its wings at both of them. Arceus turned and gave a little snarl, and suddenly, Pikachu felt his soul hasten. Pretty soon, he felt himself stirring up, until he felt himself drift through a peaceful state.
When he reopened his eyes just a few seconds later, everyone was gazing at him with awe.
Ash carried and him hugged him tightly. “Pikachu! Oh, Pikachu! You’re you! YOU!”
Pikachu blinked in confusion. “Pika?” It cried, and then realized what had happened. He was back to his old self! “Pika--chu!!!” It let out a spark of electricity for happiness, sparking Ash and making him yell in a happy shock.
Everyone laughed and looked just as happy.
“Oh Ash!” Cried Misty. “Pikachu’s back!”
“And just look at that!” Oak smiled at Emblem, who was back in his little Groudon body, bouncing around mischievously at his heels. “Emblem’s back as well!”
Pikachu turned just before baby Dovanna disappeared into the portals. “Thank you, baby Dovanna. And good-bye…”
Zan was just about to step in next. He turned to meet Hilda and N with a nod, interlocking eyes for a moment, silently thanking them. He looked at Pikachu, and did the same. He also gave a small smile. Then, the Zoroark leaped into the vortex, and disappeared. Pikachu sadly watched the little pokemon go. It would be his first time in the fifth dimension-- yet Pikachu knew it belonged there, as the son of Madrid, whom was part of the dimension herself-- according to Barry and Dawn.
Lastly, Madrid stepped into the vortex, not looking back. The vortex instantly closed on them, locking the path to the fifth dimension forever. No one would ever see those pokemon again-- unless they kept on believing and keeping them in their hearts, so that they could literally dream them in their sleep. Then Arceus turned to look down upon them all. With a single blink of an eye, a light shone over them all, and the sun was coming. Pikachu widened its eyes and breathed with relief. The sun had never seen so close as it rose behind Arceus. With the single shine of light, they all disappeared, and Arceus let out a roar that echoed through the universe.

And so Arceus began the rebirth of the pokemon world. The surrounding pack and herd of Changelings that remained alive in their controlled state, still circling over the very spot that Xenox had disappeared, were descended to a higher state of dimension in the planet of earth. Arceus let the Houndoom descend to the core of the earth to heat up the very hearth. Pretty soon, the fire warmed up and Reshiram was able to light the core to its full power, giving Arceus a chance to bless the heart of the earth with life and regular warmth once again.
And with the core burning, layers upon layers of the earth regained warmth and life. The Sawsbuck of the herd of Changelings ran through the underground, following the signs of life that had started to grow. Plants were born again, and the herd emerged from the undergrounds with the growing trees and bushes.
Arceus blessed the world once again, letting the sun shine through the thickened clouds. But the sun wasn’t enough. Of course, there was still nothing that could fight Xenox’s leftover powers—except the fire emblem pokemon.
As soon as Pikachu, Emblem, Ash, and the other pokemon and humans returned to the world, right in the center of the Spear Pillar where time had been stopped, Arceus let out a cry for Dialga and Palkia to summon time and space again. The Sinnoh region awakened and remained the activity they had been in before the terrible snow had reached their region.
Emblem was back in its real body. As soon as time started once again in the Spear Pillar, Emblem bid farewell to Pikachu, thanking it for its company and for taking on its destiny for it. It was ready to go back into the earth where it belonged—and help restore the ice all around.
Sadly saying good-bye to the fire emblem pokemon, Pikachu watched as Arceus opened a hole in the center of the pillar where Emblem disappeared into.
Making its way back into the earth, the baby Groudon didn’t stop until it reached the core. With the fiery hearth of the earth right before its eyes, Emblem stared with awe at the large burning ball of fire. It was like another sun. And the heat and life that burnt from it was enough to make Emblem feel powered up and growing. The little Groudon developed and became stronger, growing bigger and bigger until it was about eleven feet tall, the size of the real Groudon that had borne its egg.
But Emblem was more than just the legendary Groudon of land—it had fire in its heart, where an emblem of fire burnt with an even higher level of intensity as the earth’s core itself. With all its fire emblem power within the pokemon, Emblem roared and blasted its fire towards the core.
And all around the earth, the land masses shook and the ice thinned. Pretty soon, the snow and ice were all melted, and more and more plants grew and came back to life in each area.
Kanto was restored, with new buds and plants springing to life within seconds. Arceus circled the planet, restoring the nature within the planet.
Chelbi brought the dead pokemon back to life. Within moments of the day, Ho-oh and Lugia were alive again, and Ho-oh roamed over the skies, bringing a bright rainbow color and giving the sky a brightness that hadn’t been seen in ages.
Lugia roamed the seas and brought all sea pokemon back to life, with the help of Suicune to cleanse the waters as each part of the ocean melted as well.
Entei roamed the fiery lands far back of Johto, and roared mightily, restoring the fire through volcanoes and recreating craters in the earth.
Pokemon and people were born once again—along with all of those brought back to life from the dead.
Lyra found herself blinking open in her room, with a new journal in her lap. The pages were empty.
Silver and Ethan were alive, along with Professor Elm, Jimmy, Marina, and a number of other people that had died through the suffering of the Wipeout.
The Elite Four of all the regions were living again, and the ice over Hoenn melted with the work of Emblem and Arceus both below and above. The ice thinned and washed away, revealing the ruined region of Hoenn. Arceus breathed over the region and cleared it up. Pretty soon, Kyogre roamed the seas and slept back again in the depths of its undersea home, keeping the rain and oceans in balance.
The Lake Guardians were strong and alive once again, and kept the world balanced and alive. With the help of Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf, Arceus knew its world would be well protected from such a disaster again. Without such pokemons’ presence, the world would be literally wiped out—just as it had been when time had stopped for them, and their bodies were left in a paused state, making the balance of the world pause as well, holding its breath as things slowly died out in the Wipeout.
The Unova was more than restored. The Three Musketeers stirred the nature and made sure the pokemon were alive and thriving again.
Reshiram and Zekrom controlled the weather within, while Kyurem slept back far away in the space, to who knows where.
Arceus hovered over its planet, staring at the earth with unblinking eyes at the sight. The earth was blue and alive once again just as it had been before. It let an eerie cry through the skies, moaning towards the core of the earth, making sure Emblem was still awake to hear it and cry back. Arceus was thanking the pokemon for its work. In a way, it was like the new earth pokemon itself—like Gaiyah, but with less powers and capabilities. The fire emblem pokemon could burn the heart of the earth and keep it alive within so that the life on the outside above the grounds would thrive, but like every pokemon, it would have its weaknesses.
Arceus blinked and disappeared into the night. The god pokemon would be gone for a long time—making sure nothing like this would ever have to happen again. The pokemon had used up a large amount of its powers in recreating the world, and the next time it happened, it wouldn’t be as strong as before. It let its legendaries of the world know of this warning, and Arceus made sure they were all strong and prepared.
Zekrom and Reshiram remained strong and powerful, as well as Dialga and Palkia. Rayquaza, Kyogre, and the new Ground must keep balance of their own region of Hoenn, and Ho-oh and Lugia pierced the sky and sea, watching over the Johto. Even Mewtwo and its ever-strong psychics were controlled, kept in balance by Mew as the little psychic legendary kept balance of all pokemon DNA in the world.
Arceus dissolved into space and was gone.
Standing in his room of Pallet Town, Ash thought about all that had happened. Pikachu was on his shoulder, gazing outside with a studying look. The day was ending, and Ash stared over at the beautiful sunset stretching out in the horizon.
“It’s been so long since we were able to see a sunset like that,” he muttered.
“Pika…..”
Finally, Ash couldn’t take it. He had to see a certain someone and share this beautiful moment. Misty would be waiting at her Cerulean Gym, resting. He smiled. He was glad she had quit her modeling career, and that they had accepted her sister Daisy once again. The life of a model had been too tiring and crazy for Misty, and she found that deep down, she wasn’t too dedicated to such fame and popularity on the outside.
Gary Oak had arrived back with Professor Oak in Pallet Town as well for a break. The entire modeling agency wouldn’t be doing shows until another two weeks or so anyway, since people were just recovering from the sudden attack, and some parts of the city were still a little messed up and destroyed.
Brock was back in the Pewter City gym, and Lyra, Ethan, and Silver had returned to the Johto region, and Red took his place as Champion of the Kanto once again. Leaf had gone with him, but not after Ash had watched her say good-bye to Gary, giving him a kiss on the cheek when she thought the two of them had been alone.
Ash couldn’t help feeling enlightened by the sight of their moment together. She had been so apologetic, and Gary had been shy and gently as well. Ash had accidently stumbled upon them behind Oak’s lab with Pikachu at his side, and the both of them couldn’t help watching them bid farewell to each other. He had seen a side that he hadn’t seen in either of them.
May had given Ash a similar farewell too, though she seemed more happy and jittery when she had given him that good-bye hug. She was leaving with Drew and Brendan back to the Hoenn region to return to her hometown of Littleroot. Wallace and Wally went with them too.
Seeing May leave with that happy look on her face when she was around Drew and Brendan, Ash knew that he was probably left out of her dating list. May seemed like such a sister to Brendan, and already Ash had seen the way they bickered and argued since Brendan had returned to his real self again. Drew, too, even acted interested and had even shown hints of wanting May back for himself, glad that she was finally going back to her contests, and even sharing her top discussion about her discoveries of Xenox.
Dawn, Barry, Lucas, and Paul had all returned to Sinnoh after meeting Champion Cynthia that had gone to fetch them back. Apparently, the powerful Sinnoh Champion had known what they had been up to, and was willing to discuss it alone on the way back home. Ash had sensed Cynthia must’ve known more than she had shared.
Iris even looked unwilling to say good-bye to Ash, and she had returned with Cilan, Cheren and Bianca. They would all spend a while at Hilda’s town in Nuvema, and enjoy a reuinion with her and her parents. N had come back with them as well. He hadn’t left Hilda’s side.
Now Ash felt as if he needed to be with someone as well. Everyone had seemed to depart him with a true friend at their side, and Ash needed one himself. Pikachu was always there for him, but Ash knew something else needed to be there.
“Come on, Pikachu, let’s go see Misty.”
“Pika!”
Rushing down the stairs, Ash took his hat and opened the door. “I’m going for a visit in Cerulean City, mom!”
He felt strange to be here like a young boy again. It had been a while since he had visited his mom as well.
“Oh? Well…..okay,” his mother’s concerned voice sounded from the other room. “Be careful! That’s all I’ll ask of you.”
“Of course!” Ash replied, before shutting the door. His mom still hadn’t let go of the gentle mothering she had in her heart. She still worried about him like he was a little boy, and not an almost grown man.
Ash didn’t have to run through the woods much before he suddenly caught Misty walking his way on the other side of the path.
“Misty!” He cried.
“Ash!”
Apparently, she had been making her way to his house.
Pikachu laughed and watched as they stared at each other for a moment, and then both chuckled nervously.
“I was just gonna visit for a while.” Said Ash, smiling.
Misty stepped to his side and held his hand, rolling her eyes and smiling back.
The both of them turned to face the horizon in front of them. They were at the side of a grassy hill that led to a pond in the distance. A flock of Pidgey were taking off to the sky, and the Psyduck were splashing in the water.
Misty sighed. “Life’s back to normal, but it really won’t be the same again, especially after what Xenox has done.”
Ash nodded. “Emblem was born, and it’s become more than a Groudon now…….and Xenox is but a powerful spirit that will still roam the skies.”
“Pika….” Pikachu shifted on his shoulder.
Misty blinked. “Yes…..Arceus made sure it was still alive so that the entire importance of winter wasn’t killed off. We don’t want death—but death can come in use at times. We need winter, and we still need part of Xenox’s spirit in this world to keep it going.”
“Yes,” a voice sounded from behind them. Ash and Misty turned with slight surprise to see that Professor Oak had come up to them with his hands behind his back. “Xenox is like a mere spirit that lies in the coldest of skies, far from the sun as it watches over our planet. It is like the spirit of all parts winter may affect. If it is alive upon the mountains, the mountains will cause the terrible occurrences of killer earthquakes. If it remains on the land, fire will spread across the landforms and regions. If it is placed in water, the waters will flood over the entire world. Xenox’s spirit is kept in the air—where it can stir up the air with coldness, but now that it is a mere spirit now, invisible to all our eyes but Arceus’s, it will keep the coldness of air in balance over the planet.”
Ash turned and stared over at the bright horizon. A cold air wafted over his and Pikachu’s faces, and he felt a strange sense of chilling coldness that no longer chilled his heart like it did his skin. It was as if Xenox was speaking to him, letting him know it would watch over him with balance forevermore.