4: Best Served Cold

She knows that voice. How couldn’t she? It’s the same voice that swore vengeance about a month ago.

“Piplup?” Munna said quietly.

“That’s ‘Empoleon’ to you.” Sure enough the figure staring her down was indeed not a Piplup, but a fully evolved Empoleon. “I have trained tirelessly for this moment…I’m going to enjoy this.”

“Pip- er, Empoleon… Let’s talk about this-“

“Talk? Talk?! You murder my closest friend and many, many other poor souls without so much as hesitating, and you think you can just talk your way out of this?!” Empoleon swings her bladed arm, tracing a red cut across Munna’s face. Munna recoils in surprise. “No… You don’t deserve any leniency. You don’t deserve mercy. You deserve to suffer!” She batters Munna with a fury attack, causing the snow surrounding them to be stained red with her blood. “I will tear you apart, listen to your cries for mercy. And watch as you grow weaker and weaker… And then I will end your miserable life.”

“Not if we can help it.” Salamence growls. He fires off a dragon pulse, striking Empoleon and forcing her to stagger backwards.

“You act as though I wasn’t prepared for all three of you.” With a single motion of her hand, a blizzard envelops the mountaintop. “You see, here I’m in my element. Or as James used to call it, ‘homefield advantage.’ I promise you that you will not survive.” She fires hydro pump at Salamence, doing serious damage.

Toxicroak manages to get in close, jabbing her with the same toxin used to subdue James. “Come on! It won’t last long! We need to go!” Munna doesn’t need to be told twice. She breaks for it with the others behind her. Thankfully the blizzard is covering the blood trail she’s leaving behind. The last thing she needs is a trail leading right to her.

The snowstorm had reduced visibility by a substantial amount. They are literally running blind. Though so will Empoleon. So that’s a double edged Honedge, at least.

“There’s a cave ahead!” Salamence says. “We can take cover there!” Sure enough on the fringes of Munna’s vision, she can make out the outline of a cavern.

“Good! Let’s hurry!” They all redouble their efforts, sprinting with everything they have into the maw of the cavern. Headed deep inside.

“I think… I think we lost her.”  Toxicroak pants, sitting down. Munna collapses in exhaustion from both exertion and her wounds. The extensive loss of blood has her feeling faint.

“You’re in bad shape, Munna. I think I can cauterize your wounds, though.” Salamence says as he draws closer. He fires a very thin, pinpoint dragon beam from his mouth, seating shut the wounds. The light, while minimal, is like a sun compared to the blackness of the cavern.

“Toxicroak, your toxins wouldn’t happen to be able to act as anesthesia, would they?” Munna says though gritted teeth.

“Not without risking permanent harm.” He responds. “Besides, Salamence is almost done.” Soon, the beam fades, plunging the cavern back into darkness.

“I’d do mine, but it looks like it’s started healing on its own.” Salamence says while looking at his damaged wing. “At least I think so… Too dark to tell.”

“Well if we can’t see ourselves in here then it’s a safe bet that Empoleon can’t either.” Munna adds. “So… What do we do now?”

“Well, we can’t fly out with Salamence hurt…” Toxicroak says, thinking aloud. “Empoleon will cut our throats if she spots us, and we’ll probably freeze to death in here within a week… Unless we get outside help, we’re screwed.”

“…what about New Hope?”

“You mean the team led by Thunder? Well… You did  save his life in the Glacier Palace… I’d say that’s a brilliant idea if it weren’t for one problem. How do we tell them?”

“I’m confident that my telepathic range extends back to our home. Purugly should still be there. When he goes to sleep, I can tell him that we need help and that he should go get New Hope.”

“Well, I guess it’s our best option right now. Here’s hoping we don’t get caught before then.”

Thunder

It’s another restless night in a long string of many. Thunder’s mind was defiantly refusing to shut down. Thoughts continued to play in his head. The same thoughts that have been plaguing him since the Bittercold crisis. That something was missing. Something important.

Things aren’t adding up. Pokemon couldn’t get anywhere near the Bittercold. Yet he did. How? And why does he not remember finishing it off? Why is there a second bed when he’s the only one who lives in the house? And the badge… A New Hope badge that mysteriously appeared in his hand one night along with a blue scarf much like his own. And on the back of it is the name “Alex.”

Who is Alex? Was he a team member? Maybe he lived with him. That may explain the bed. But he can’t for the life of him remember anyone by the name Alex. Maybe he’s thinking about it too hard. But then again, maybe not. There’s something amiss. And he can’t help but wonder…

“Thunder?” Emolga’s voice calls from the other side of the door. “You in there?”

“I’m here. What wrong Emolga?”

“Remember Munna? Well she’s in danger. Apparently trapped on a mountain a short ways east of Lakeview City. Purugly just came by to tell us.” Munna… Wait a minute… Didn’t she say when she first met… Yeah she was hunting humans that were in Pokemon form. And she wouldn’t have has reason to attack him unless…

Pieces were coming together. Perhaps this Alex person was one such human who was with him during our encounter. He lived in the same house as him and was a member of the team. And he could have been the one to take on the Bittercold! But he needs more information. Why is it that he can’t remember Alex? And where did he go? Was he not content with his life and left? He needs to know! Well one thing’s for sure, sleep is not going to happen tonight.

“Right. If she’s in trouble then we shouldn’t waste any time. Let’s gear up and head out!”