The Chasm

The storm came out of nowhere. Dark clouds suddenly sprung up to the east, quickly closing the distance between the mountains and Floaroma and unleashing their torrent on the small town. The rains hadn’t let up for two days now, and Cameron, Dawn, Serina, Lartar and the other Pokémon were beginning to experience cabin fever.

“This sucks,” Cameron moaned in his chair, “Talk about boring! I should be out catching Pokémon or winning Gym badges!”

“You’ll get your chance as soon as the storm passes,” Dawn assured, “Nurse Joy said these kinds of storms never last more than a week.”

“That is far too long,” Serina said, adding to Cameron’s moans, “I enjoy a good rain as much as the next person, but a week is absolutely ridiculous.”

“Lar!” Lartar agreed, sitting next to Cameron and across from the two girls. The four of them had taken up residence in the Floaroma Pokémon Center; expecting to stay only one night, they had instead been stuck there for two, the rains starting on their first evening in town. Currently they were sitting in the Center lobby, trying to pass the time with a card game they’d learned from Nurse Joy.

“We don’t have to stay in the Center you know,” Dawn said, “We just can’t leave town…”

“We’ve already done everything here,” Cameron answered, “There’s a flower shop. No, there’re 18 flower shops, and we visited them all!”

“I am going to have to agree with him,” Serina added, “If you have seen one floral market you have seen them all.”

“See? Serina agrees with me! And I bet you do too, right Lartar?”

“Tar lar!!”

Dawn shook her head; she still hadn’t gotten completely used to Cameron and Serina’s new friendship. The lack of arguing was nice, but did they really have to get along that well…? And Lartar; he had grown to be as much a part of the group as the rest of them. Cameron had even stopped hinting at winning him over every five minutes. Now he only hinted every 20 minutes.

“Isn’t this fun, though?” Dawn asked, “Just spending time with everyone? You even got to meet all of my Pokémon!”

“Yeah, I guess that was kind of cool,” Cameron sighed, “Who would’ve guessed you had a Quilava! Why haven’t you told JC?”

Dawn shrugged, “I guess I just didn’t get around to it. He felt so special when Rowan offered him a Cyndaquil as his Pokémon, and when I saw that Kai still hadn’t evolved, well… I guess I didn’t want him to feel like I’d showed him up.”

“That makes sense,” Serina nodded, “She did not wish to harm his feelings. And who would want to upset such a sweet individual?” she smiled, picturing JC in her head.

“Well I don’t mean to burst your bubble, but JC’s not that shallow,” Cameron commented. “I bet he’d be happy to know you got one and that it already evolved.”

“You’re probably right,” Dawn said, watching as Serina carefully planned her next move in their game. The redhead eyed everyone from behind her cards, finally playing several in quick succession.

“And that is defeat for you, Cameron,” she said confidently. “I evolve my Gabite into a Garchomp and strike for 100 damage, taking your last prize card. I must say I am thoroughly enjoying this game!” she smiled.

“No fair,” Cameron sighed, “You knew I wanted that deck.”

“And that is exactly why I chose it,” she teased, “Alright, Lartar, it is your turn.”

Lartar muttered to himself, holding his hand of cards out in front of him. He leaned forward, setting down two cards of his own before sitting back in satisfaction.

Cameron quickly shook off his surprise, biting his lip as he started to laugh.

“Well, it looks like Lartar just used a rare candy on his Larvitar, evolving it straight to Tyranitar and used Grind, taking your last prize card, Serina! Way to go Lartar!!”

Serina calmly folded her hand and laid it on the table in front of her, folding her arms as she looked off across the Center.

 “Very good move…” she sighed, embarrassed at her sudden defeat.

“See, wasn’t that fun?” Dawn laughed, “I mean, who would’ve thought a Pokémon would be so good at playing Pokémon cards?”

“I believe it gives him an unfair advantage,” Serina teased, rejoining their conversation. “So what are we to do now?”

“Lar lar..?” Lartar suggested, pointing to the cards.

“No, I think that’s enough for the cards,” Dawn said, compressing them back into a stack for the next Trainers to use. “Hey, Cam, where’d the Piplups go?”

“I thought you were watching them,” he shrugged, leaning back in his chair. “I’m sure they’re not getting into too much trouble…”

“They are out there,” Serina pointed, looking out one of the Center’s large windows into the downpour. Both Cameron and Dawn’s Piplups were playing in the rain, practicing their water moves on each other.

“Well isn’t that cute,” Dawn laughed, “It looks like my Piplup’s trying to teach yours a new technique!”

Sure enough, Dawn’s Piplup was chirping enthusiastically, urging the other Pokémon on in his endeavor. Cameron’s Piplup spread its feet and took in a deep breath, flailing its flippers wildly as he exhaled an enormous cascade of water from his beak. The airborne river continued unhindered until it met with an unlucky tree, tearing the bark from its surface as the water beat heavily against its trunk.

“Whoa!!” Cameron shouted, “What was that?!”

“Looked like a hydro pump to me,” Dawn noted, putting a hand to his shoulder, “Congratulations.”

“That’s amazing!! Have I mentioned how much I love you?” he asked, lifting her off the ground and spinning around.

“You could say it a bit more,” she replied sarcastically, kissing him as he set her down. Cameron excitedly ran around the Center, running up to random people and shouting, “My Piplup knows hydro pump!” in their face, finally running out into the rain to congratulate his Piplup.

Dawn, Serina and Lartar watched him toss his Pokémon into the air, happily catching him and swinging him around. Stepping back from the excitement, Dawn’s Piplup glanced back toward the window and winked shrewdly to his Trainer, Dawn nodding back in approval.

“Dawn,” Serina started, watching their sly exchange, “You did not plan this by any chance, did you?”

“What?” Dawn asked, putting a hand to her chest dramatically. “You think I planned for my Piplup to take Cameron’s out into the rain and to surround him with his natural element in order to make it easier for him to learn one of the strongest water-type moves in the world so that my boyfriend would be the happiest guy around?”

Serina lowered her eyes at her. “Yes.”

Dawn met Serina’s accusing stare with a look of pure innocence, finally cracking a smile as both girls erupted into a fit of laughter. They laughed even harder as Cameron and the Pokémon walked back into the Center, the Piplups’ slick feathers keeping them perfectly dry while Cameron’s clothes dripped small puddles onto the floor.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, his face still beaming in excitement.

“It’s nothing, sweetie,” Dawn cooed, brushing the wet hair from his forehead before she kissed him. “But you know, you should probably get out of those wet clothes; I’d hate for you to get sick with a cold…”

“Whatever you say,” he answered, entranced by her soft kiss and deep eyes. He turned and headed upstairs, leaving Dawn and Serina to themselves in the lobby.

Dawn,” Serina said as they returned to the couches, “You and Cameron are truly in love, are you not?”

“Well that’s kind of out of the blue,” she laughed as her Piplup hopped onto her lap. She smiled, “Yeah, we definitely are.”

“And you both truly enjoy spending time with one another, correct?”

“Right again,” Dawn winked. “Love usually makes people happy…”

“And Jemkyn: he truly loves… Kira, correct?”

Dawn sighed, “That’s right…”

Serina turned to look out at the dismal environment outside. “Then I am sure he is having a wonderful time…”

◄►

JC had been right in saying Snowpoint City was in the middle of nowhere. Nestled deep in the Frimas woodlands, high above sea level in the tail end of the Coronet Mountains, the city itself was the northernmost district in all of Sinnoh and the highest populated location in terms of elevation. The lofty height manifested itself in the deep blanket of snow covering the landscape, topping the trees and piling up under even the densest of tree cover. Relatively difficult to reach on foot, Snowpoint was connected to a port a short mile away on the coast, the mountain passageway regularly plowed to ensure an uninterrupted stream of commerce.

A mile in the opposite direction lay Lake Acuity, one of the three Great Lakes and home to Snowpoint Academy. JC and Kira had heard a great deal about Sandgem’s sister school, particularly their no-loss streak in the regional battling competitions due to one of their instructors, Candice Inverna. An expert battler and master ice-type trainer, Candice was also the leader of the Snowpoint Gym and took her position as an instructor very seriously, often drilling the students over and over until they could stand their ground against a trainer of her caliber.

Ever curious, JC and Kira had bundled up early that morning to explore the city, spending hours walking its many quaint streets. The buildings all had that “mountain village” feel to them, and Kira couldn’t help telling JC how “cute” everything was. The little storefronts were cute, the snowcapped bell tower was cute, even the small Swinub scampering through the snow were cute.

“You know, not everything has to be cute…” he said, breathing a cloud of vapor.

“Oh but it is!!” Kira said dreamily, “It’s all so beautiful! The snow, the mountains, the buildings! Just beautiful!”

“No, you’re beautiful,” JC corrected, “That building just looks nice.”

Kira latched onto his arm, pressing her rosy cheek against his coat.

“You’re too sweet,” she smiled, pulling him along behind her. JC let her lead him through a few more streets, even following her as she continued to the outskirts of the city, but he started to protest when her path brought them closer and closer to the woods.

“Why don’t we start heading back?” he suggested, giving her hand a playful tug in the opposite direction. Kira didn’t respond, pulling him forward even harder.

“Kira…” JC urged, planting his feet in defiance. Kira continued forcing her way towards the woods, and JC could feel her putting every ounce of her strength into moving forward.

“What’s gotten into you?!” he exclaimed, still garnering no response. Kira kept pushing forward, almost fighting him as she struggled against his grip. But as she tried to take another step she slipped, falling face first into the snow.

“COLD!!” she shouted, scrambling to her feet and jumping into JC’s arms, “Warm me!”

JC stood still, dumbstruck at her sudden mood swing.

“Now hold on,” he said, holding her at arm’s length, “What was that all about?”

“What was what about…?” she asked, “I’m cold…”

“Don’t play dumb,” JC said angrily, “That! Dragging me out here and trying to kidnap me into the woods!”

Kira looked devastated, “Wh—why are you being so mean?” she asked, her voice slipping back into stutters, “D—did I do s—something to upset you?”

JC stared at her suspiciously as the wind kicked up a light flurry of snow. What was going on? Was this just one of her flirty games, or did Kira really not remember…?

“Kira… are you saying you don’t remember leading me out here?”

“Out h—here…?” she asked, looking around. “Wh—where are we? Why are we so far from the city?”

“You dragged me out here,” JC said flatly, “You really don’t remember?”

Kira shook her head furiously, “N—no!! Absolutely not! I—I remember us walking together, and th—then you said I was beautiful… and then, now.”

JC continued to stare at her, having watched her every move while she spoke. Kira grew more and more uncomfortable, finally asking him what was wrong.

“Your hand,” he said, nodding towards her, “While you were explaining how you didn’t remember, your hand moved to your breast.”

Kira’s face turned bright red, “M—my breast?!”

JC blushed as well, “No no!” he corrected, realizing what he had said. “You’re holding something; does your chest hurt?”

Kira looked down, seeing that he was right; her left hand was gripping something tightly at her chest. She unzipped her thick coat, revealing her crystal necklace around her neck.

“This is the necklace your dad gave you, right?” JC asked, lifting it from her chest. “I haven’t seen you wearing it since Jubilife…”

“I haven’t been,” she explained, “It’s so beautiful, I was afraid something might happen to it. I’ve been keeping it in my bag.”

“Why’d you wear it today, then?”

Kira opened her mouth to speak, but stopped. She thought for a moment, looking slightly concerned.

“I—I don’t know… I just felt like I should wear it…” She grabbed JC’s arm, “What’s going on? Jemkyn, why would I wear it today? Why am I not remembering things?”

JC couldn’t answer; he honestly didn’t know, but Kira’s worried eyes demanded an explanation.

“Maybe it’s the climate, or the altitude, or both. I’m not really sure…” He could tell his reasons did little to ease her anxiety, but it was the best he could come up with. The whole thing was like a scene from a movie; it didn’t make any sense.

JC put his arm around her shoulders, holding her close.

“Look, don’t worry about it, okay? We’ll figure it out; there’s no reason to be afraid.”

“But I am afraid…” she said quietly, pressing into him. “I did something to upset you and I don’t even remember what it was…”

“It really wasn’t that bad,” JC assured her, kissing to top of her head, “I was just caught off guard. I’m sorry for freaking out like that.”

Kira quietly rested her head on his chest, staring out into the white abyss. “…really?”

“Yes, really,” he smiled, giving her a quick squeeze. Kira smiled back but looked away quickly, her face returning to its solemnness. JC started to think of something to say—despite his attempts to cheer her Kira still looked so sad—but paused when he heard the deep snow crunching far to his right. He turned, seeing a tall brown and black bird speeding towards them across the smooth landscape. Its three heads each sat on a long, thin neck; several long, pink feathers sprouted from its tail, and it seemed to lack wings altogether. On its small back sat a girl no older than Kira, the blue sweater tied around her waist flowing behind her as her mount sidled up alongside them.

“Is everything alright over here?” the girl asked, “I was sent to check out a report on two suspicious individuals near the edge of the city.” Her stern tone didn’t quite seem to fit her warm voice, and JC felt that it was probably forced. Her clothes looked even less intimidating as she wore the uniform of a young schoolgirl: an off-white dress shirt with a blue bow, a brown skirt and tall blue and white socks. Her long black hair was held back by two blue barrettes and done up into two long braids that curved out to either side of her head. “You two wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?” she asked accusingly.

JC felt insulted, but after reflecting on what had just happened—the dragging, the shouting, Kira’s collapse and subsequent crying—he could understand why someone would find them a bit suspicious.

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” JC said, “She’s just not feeling 100%. We’ll probably just be heading back to the Pokémon Center soon.”

“You’re staying at the Center here in Snowpoint?” the girl asked, surprised. “Well if Nurse Joy approved you then I guess you’re not going to cause us any trouble…”

JC looked at her befuddled. And just what kind of trouble could two people cause a whole city? he thought to himself. The girl obviously saw his reaction, quickly waving her hands in front of her apologetically.

“Oh I’m sorry, I didn’t mean you looked overly troublesome or anything! There’s just been a lot going on lately that’s got the people of Snowpoint a little nervous…”

“Nervous?” Kira asked, “How so?”

“Nervous enough to have me running patrols on my days off!” she laughed, holding a hand out to Kira. “The name’s Candice; I’m the Gym Leader here in Snowpoint.”

“Wow, the Candice?” JC asked as he shook her hand. “We’ve heard a lot about you! We were students at Sandgem Academy.”

Candice’s eyes lit up, “No way!” she exclaimed, “What a small world! Were you ever in any of the battle tournaments?”

“I wasn’t,” JC said, “But my friend Cameron was: Cameron Suou. He placed pretty high one year, actually. With only a Piplup!”

“Suou…” Candice thought aloud, “Suou… Oh, I remember him! Tall kid; tie-dye; freaky hat?”

JC and Kira chuckled, “That’s him.”

“He was pretty good,” Candice remembered, “That was what, five, maybe six years ago? I actually tried recruiting him for Snowpoint Academy’s Battle Team but he declined. Said something about waiting for some girl…”

JC and Kira looked at each other. “Dawn,” they said together.

“What’s that?”

“The girl,” Kira explained, “It was Dawn Berlitz; his crush since like forever. They’re actually travelling together now; the last we heard they were in Floaroma Town.”

“Berlitz?” Candice asked, “About my height with blue hair and a white beanie?”

“Yeah..?” Kira said, eying her suspiciously.

“No way! It really is a small world!! That girl came through here probably two years ago! I remember ‘cause she sat in on one of my classes at the Academy. Smart kid! Well, sort of…” she shrugged.

The three had a good laugh at Dawn’s expense, but JC was still interested in what the Gym Leader had started talking about before.

“So, Candice, what is it that’s got Snowpoint so riled up? You said everyone was nervous: why’s that?”

The young Gym Leader looked a bit reserved, as if she was weighing the option of whether to tell them or not. Deciding on the prior, she turned left and right, finally facing the woods and watching them closely for any movement.

“Lately there have been some… sightings…” she said, turning back to Kira and JC.

“Sightings?” Kira asked.

“And a few… disappearances…” Candice added.

“Wait, sightings and disappearances?” JC asked, “Doesn’t that sound a little… contradictory?”

Candice let out a sigh, “Look, this really isn’t the place to talk about it. To be honest, just being this close to the woods is putting me on edge,” she shivered, but not from the cold. “Let’s head back into town; I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

“Sounds good to me,” JC agreed, taking Kira’s hand and walking behind Candice on her mount. Kira started to follow but stopped abruptly, the hair on the back of her neck suddenly standing on end. She quickly glanced behind herself, feeling as though she was being watched by someone, or something. Her eyes wandered up the mountainside, landing on a large, ornate stone building carved into its snowy face. As she stared at it she felt a slight tickle at the base of her neck near her right shoulder and instinctively scratched at it, having to force her way into her thick collar to reach it.

JC’s stomach flipped when he felt Kira pause, fearing a relapse into her unconscious state.

“Kira,” he asked nervously, giving her arm a slight tug, “What’s wrong?”

“Hm?” she answered, turning back to him, “Oh, it’s nothing…” Kira resumed her pace and smiled, trying to sooth the worry she could so easily see on his face, “I’m fine; really.”

Candice took them to a favorite café of hers, a small hole in the wall called the Yuki-Onna. Her preferred table had a permanent reservation for her, a perk of being a Gym Leader she told them. And despite their insistence that they could buy their own drinks, Candice had ordered both of them the house specialty: a warm and frothy beverage found only in Snowpoint, made from the spiced juice of the custap berry.

JC and Kira were both in awe when the mugs arrived, steaming from the heat and topped with a generous serving of whipped cream, but nothing could have prepared them for the joy they experienced when the warm liquid touched their lips. The aroma was sweet enough—it filled the air the moment the drinks had arrived—but the juice was another story. Sweet, spicy and tart all at the same time, they had both taken generous gulps of the beverage and it had strangely sent the both of them into a euphoric state of pleasure; Candice laughed to herself, explaining that it wasn’t called “Lover’s Delight” for nothing.

Embarrassed, JC and Kira continued taking moderate sips of their drinks as their “pleasure high” wore off, urging Candice to continue her story from earlier.

“People have been disappearing recently. Not many, just one or two every few weeks. And not any of them citizens here in Snowpoint either, only travelers. But even so, one missing person is one too many.”

“That’s awful,” Kira sympathized, “Do you have any idea what’s happening?”

Candice looked out of the café window at the flow of people wandering Snowpoint’s streets. “We have a few leads, yeah. Most are just speculation: rampant Abomasnow, avalanches and the like. Some have even suggested that Team Galactic have something to do with it.”

“You mean the power company?” JC asked from behind his mug, “What would they have to do with it?”

Candice pulled a wallet from her pocket and flipped it open, flashing a shiny gold badge.

“The International Police have been keeping close tabs on them ever since they received intel on Team Galactic’s delusion of creating a new universe or something. As INTERPOL’s contact in Snowpoint, I’ve been watching for any activity in this area of Sinnoh but so far it’s been pretty quiet. Some detectives hold to the theory that they’re behind the disappearances, that it’s some new cryptic means to their end, and they might be right…”

Kira understood her tone. “But you don’t seem convinced?”

Candice sighed, “Don’t get me wrong; their leader is pretty smart, but their whole organization’s a joke so we mostly just ignore them. Aside from that, they’re still a valid power company supplying Sinnoh with electricity so for the most part we just let them be. But to be honest, I can’t see them graduating to something like this. And on top of that, the missing travelers aren’t the only strange reports we’ve been receiving.”

“You mean those ‘sightings’ you mentioned?” JC added.

“Exactly. There have been several eyewitness accounts of a large dragon in the area; one unlike any other seen in Sinnoh. I compared the two cases and found that the timing of this creature’s appearance was in perfect alignment with the start of the missing persons; I’m figuring the two have to be related, right?”

JC and Kira thought for a moment. “It would make sense,” JC agreed, “But isn’t it a little odd? I mean what kind of dragon is it? And what interest does it have in these people all of a sudden?”

“And why only travelers?” Kira added. “You said it yourself: the citizens of Snowpoint haven’t been targeted at all.”

“My thoughts exactly,” Candice nodded, “It left too many questions. That is, until I came across another story in my research. Apparently Lacunosa town in Unova had the same problem for decades, and only recently did their disappearances stop. A ‘large monster’ as they described it was terrorizing their town. At night it would rush in with the cold winds and steal away anyone who was out after dark. The problem got so bad that they ended up building a wall around their town to keep the monster out, and, when comparing the descriptions of the creature, our dragon and the Lacunosa monster have an eerie overlap…”

Candice sat back in her chair, crossing her arms over her chest as she spoke.

“When you think about it, it fits the bill to the letter. The missing people, the strange dragon; it all matches up.”

JC and Kira could only nod. Her theory seemed airtight; the only problem was how did the creature actually get to Sinnoh?

“Yeah, that’s the only part I haven’t sorted out yet,” she admitted when they asked, “Any other questions I can answer instead?”

JC shook his head, “Nope, I can’t think of any.”

“Actually, I have one,” Kira spoke up. “There’s an old building up in the mountains; what is it?”

“What, the temple?” Candice asked, “It’s a historical landmark. We still use it occasionally for festivals and such. Actually, one of its basements is rumored to be the resting place of a mighty golem but no one’s found it that I know of. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, no reason,” Kira shrugged, scratching at her neck again. “I just saw it earlier and was curious.”

“Well, it’s not the easiest place to get to on foot. And with that dragon out there all of Snowpoint’s been warned to stay within the city limits, so try not to let your curiosity get the best of you, okay?” she winked, “Better to stay curious than to become the proverbial cat.”

“Now there I agree with you,” JC smiled, impressed by her wit. “It’d be cool to explore an old temple—and really cool see what kind of creature this ‘dragon’ is—but I’d rather be alive at the end of the day,” he laughed.

“Yeah, yeah,” Kira shrugged them off, “I was just wondering…”

“Well, on that note I’m going to have to skip out of here,” Candice said, checking her watch. “I’ve got a few appointments at the Gym that I have to take care of, and then I have another patrol to run after that. But it was very nice getting to meet both of you,” she smiled as she got up from the table, “Say hello to Dawn and Cameron for me if you get the chance!”

“We will,” JC said, also rising and shaking her hand, “And it was very nice to meet you, too.”

Candice smiled again, waving goodbye as she left the café for the freezing outdoors, leaving JC and Kira to finish their drinks alone. The two glanced at each other before downing the remainder of their mugs in one big gulp, their bodies wriggling in pleasure as the sensations washed over them.

The two of them spent the rest of the day roaming the main square of Snowpoint City, taking care to avoid venturing too close to the edge of town. After discovering Snowpoint’s main strip Kira took JC on a small shopping spree, using him to carry her growing collection of shopping bags. JC didn’t really mind; he enjoyed spending time with her, and he did end up getting something out of it in the end. Kira had commented that, due to their bulky winter clothes, pockets and bags really weren’t a feasible way to keep their Poké Balls on hand, so she had searched for a solution to this new conundrum, finally finding one in a high-end Trainer store. It was called a PokéStrap: a very long, leather belt that hung down loosely from the waist, dotted with six attachment points for Poké Balls. Its thin construction allowed it to slip out from under a thick coat, making for a worry-free, easy access to a Trainer’s Pokémon. It was the latest in winter equipment for Trainers and thus relatively expensive, but Kira had no reservations in purchasing a matching set; one for JC and one for herself.

The shopping continued late into the evening, finally coming to a halt as the sun started to set. The temperature began dropping significantly as the winds kicked up, the everlasting light snowfall growing heavier. Loudspeakers on buildings throughout the town suddenly clicked on; something the two of them hadn’t noticed the entire time they’d been in Snowpoint.

“Attention: the Snowpoint Weather Service has detected incoming snowstorm conditions for this area, predicted to arrive by 7:30pm and last through the night. Please exercise caution during this time.”

“Well that’s handy,” JC noted, watching the various storefronts begin to close down. “Looks like we finished just in time!”

“I don’t know where you got ‘finished’ from,” she laughed, “But it would be nice to take a break. I miss my babies!”

JC nodded; they’d left them with Nurse Joy who had been more than happy to watch after Kira’s “little darlings” for the day. And when JC and Kira finally returned to the Center they quickly spotted their newest Pokémon on the Nurse’s counter, Tori scurrying about from end to end while Kamé slowly scooted along the countertop.

“And how are my babies?” Kira asked as she walked up to the counter, the two Pokémon squawking happily at the sight of their mother. They immediately ran up to Kira—one significantly faster than the other—and nuzzled at her cheeks, purring contently. Tori left her cheek and clambered his way up to her shoulder, leaping off and gliding through the air to JC. He landed on the front of JC’s coat, his already-sharp claws gripping the fabric easily as he scaled up to his perch on JC’s shoulder.

“Well they couldn’t be happier to see you both,” Nurse Joy commented, watching the Pokémon overwhelm their Trainers with affection. “You two have quite the energetic pair of Pokémon!”

“Thank you,” Kira smiled, adjusting Kamé in her arms. “I hope they weren’t too much trouble for you!”

“Not in the slightest,” Joy assured, “They were absolute gems. The two of them just played together all day long; and the other Trainers enjoyed getting to meet them as well!”

“Well that’s sweet!” Kira said happily, “And thank you so much for your help, Nurse Joy. You’re the best!”

“Anytime!” she offered, “With Pokémon as well behaved as them, it’s as if I wasn’t even working.”

 “We’ll keep that in mind,” JC added, making sure to remember her gracious offer.

They made the short trek to their room and, still in their winter garb, began fumbling around for their key cards. JC was holding all of Kira’s shopping bags plus Tori on his shoulder, so the responsibility fell to Kira.

“Here, hold Kamé,” she said, handing him the wriggling turtle. She dug into her pocket and finally located her card, tapping it to the door and holding it open for JC.

“I think they’re hungry,” he decided as the babies nipped continuously at his coat. Do you mind checking the freezer for some meat?”

“I’ll be there in a second,” Kira said hurriedly, taking off her coat and heading straight for the bathroom.

“Is everything alright?” he asked, “You feeling okay?”

“I’m just fine, Mr. Protective,” she smiled, “Just need to use the bathroom.”

“Okay… I guess I’ll let you off the hook this time,” he laughed back, masterfully opening the freezer with his elbow while balancing two wriggling babies, and all while wearing his thick coat, too.

Kira closed the bathroom door behind her and clicked the lock quietly as not to alert JC. He probably couldn’t hear over the squawks anyway, but better safe than sorry, she thought.

The itching had started to annoy her, and after what had happened earlier… she just wanted to check it out. She unclasped the brooch at her neck and gently removed her shawl, almost not wanting to look as she exposed her bare shoulders. At first she couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary as the skin was raw from her scratching all day, but upon closer inspection she could make out a small black speck on her pale skin.

I didn’t know I had a freckle there… she thought to herself. I wonder if Jemkyn would think it was cute… Probably should wait until the skin’s not so red though…

She ran her finger over the mark and felt no bump, not even a slight raise on the skin. Not thinking much of it she replaced her shawl, flushing the toilet on her way out as the final piece to her charade.

When she returned to the kitchen JC was struggling to keep both babies’ mouths full, unable to keep up with their insatiable hunger.

“It’s like they just don’t stop,” he said as Kira entered the kitchen, “How can those tiny stomachs hold all this?!”

Sure enough their small bellies were starting to bulge from all their feeding and Kira decided they had had enough.

“Can’t have fat Pokémon,” she laughed, packing the leftover meat away in the freezer, “They wouldn’t be much help in a battle!”

JC laughed, too, scooping up his increasingly lethargic Pokémon into his hand and settling down on the couch. Kira followed with Kamé, scooting in next to JC.

“You know, I hadn’t even really thought about battling with them,” JC admitted, “When do you think Pokémon are old enough to fight? When do they learn their first move? How do they learn their first move?”

“It’s probably instinctual,” Kira yawned, mimicking Kamé. Tori and JC soon followed suit, so JC dimmed the lights and turned on the TV for background noise as the storm started to pick up in the darkness outside. The four all snuggled closer, the heavy winds making them feel cold despite their room’s generous heating.

JC soon felt Kira’s head roll onto his shoulder as she fell asleep, exhausted from the extensive walking and lengthy shopping trip. JC leaned over and kissed her head, catching sight of the crystal necklace still around her neck. Kira stirred in her sleep, shifting slightly and causing her necklace to move; as it did it caught the light from the TV and sparkled, shimmering a beautiful blue.

The first time JC had seen that necklace he could’ve sworn he’d seen it glow slightly; back then he just dismissed it as a trick of the lighting. But there was no mistaking it this time: that crystal was glowing. In the low light JC could clearly see a soft blue hue on Kira’s dress emanating from that crystal.

JC thought it was pretty cool, but he just couldn’t shake a slight nervousness about it. Something just didn’t feel right about that thing. Maybe it was just his imagination, or maybe it was just logical suspicion after what had happened that day, he wasn’t sure. But one thing was for sure: he was going to do everything in his power to keep Kira safe. And if this necklace had something to do with her little lapse today, well… he was going to find out.

◄►

The next morning brought white clouds and sunny skies to Floaroma Town, allowing three particular travelers to finally explore beyond the town limits and lifting their spirits tremendously.

Kira had invited them to visit her father at his Ironworks just north of Floaroma, so they had decided to use their first sunny day to do just that. Leaving shortly after breakfast, Dawn, Cameron, Serina and Lartar hiked through Floaroma’s soggy fields until they reached Route 205, exchanging wet grass for a muddy route.

“This is most unpleasant,” Serina groaned, removing her sloshing shoes and taking the rest of the route barefoot. “Why are my shoes the only ones that seem to get soiled?”

“That’s why you wear sandals,” Cameron smiled, lifting his leg to wave his shoe at her, “They’re cheap, waterproof, and they just look awesome.”

“And I’ve got boots, so…” Dawn added, the thick mud splashing only inches up the sides of her bright pink boots.

“Ugh, in Alto Mare there is no mud, nor staining grasses; everything is cobblestone and canals.”

“Sounds dull,” Cameron said flatly, picturing gray stone as far as the eye could see. Dawn nodded dramatically from behind Serina, comically confirming his suspicions.

“It is anything but,” Serina said happily, envisioning the true picture of her home. “The buildings are so beautiful and the waters so clear! My brother and I could spend hours fl—” she paused, “Watching the gondolas traveling back and forth. It is the most glorious place I have ever seen! Do you not agree, Dawn?”

“Oh yeah, totally,” she shrugged, playing the part of supportive friend. “But you know, Sinnoh’s nice, too. We’ve got the Coronet Mountains, the Great Lakes, Suzuran Island, the castles…” Dawn pointed over the next hill, “Even the Windworks are impressive when you look at them right!”

The other three followed her finger, seeing the massive, white windmills rise over the hilltop as they drew closer. Over 50 turbines were all lined up in perfect rows throughout the valley, expertly aligned to catch every gust of wind falling from the towering mountains to the east.

“Yes, clean power is beautiful,” Serina agreed, “But do they have to be such a bright white? What a strain on the eyes…” she snickered.

“You’re telling me,” Cameron laughed, “I’m seeing all of the propellers painted in bright neon colors and spinning like tie-die!”

“Tar lar!! Lar lar!!”

“Lartar says they should be painted olive green and orange,” Serina interpreted, sighing heavily. “No offense, Lartar, but I must side with Cameron’s pattern instead… Yours is a bit, how shall I put it, earthy?”

“Tar…” he pouted, trudging along behind them.

Cameron and Dawn chuckled at how much a part of the group Lartar had become. It was almost like having another person around to talk to with Serina interpreting his speech patterns for them!

With the Valley Windworks falling into the backdrop a few signs along the route directed them off of their current path and down a smaller dirt route, one that ran alongside of a wide river that would lead them directly to the Ironworks. Cameron let out his Feebas into the river for a swim, the poor Pokémon having been cooped up inside his ball since Jubilife City.

“Ya know, it doesn’t matter how you look at that thing; it’s still ugly,” Dawn pointed out, watching Feebas splash about in the cool waters. “Why would you ever want such an ugly Pokémon?”

“We’ve been over this before,” Cameron said, explaining slowly so she’d understand, “She’s not ugly; she has inner beauty!!”

“The saying ‘it is what is on the inside that counts’ does not apply here,” Serina commented, “When you are that repulsive on the outside no one cares to experience your inside.”

“Well I don’t see her as ‘ugly’ or ‘repulsive’. I happen to think she’s amazing!” Cameron defended, “And you two had better stop hating on her!”

“Or what?” Dawn laughed, “She’ll splash us? Bring it on!”

Cameron’s face wrinkled in annoyance. “She doesn’t have to prove anything to you two!”

“Calm down,” Dawn sighed, patting his shoulder, “We’re not going to pick a fight with your weakest Pokémon,” she assured.

“Yeah, well… you made the smart choice,” he replied, beaten but unable to accept it.

The river directed their path into the woods, leading them through a wide pass cut through the thick trees. It was a short pass, and in minutes they emerged into a vast clearing where the massive Fuego Ironworks greeted them in the distance, the enormous complex spreading hundreds of yards in either direction. Along the way the river diverged from the dirt path, flowing right up against the east wing of the Ironworks and providing the precious coolant for the plant.

“I knew Kira’s dad ran a factory but… wow!” Cameron gawked, “That’s huge!! Bigger than the Pokétch Company building, even!”

“Well it’s a big industry,” Dawn explained, “And it’s not like this is his first Ironworks; he’s got several more back in Johto!”

“And he did a wonderful job of preserving the landscape,” Serina added, “You would not even know this was back here if not for the signs!”

“Speaking of the landscape…” Dawn nudged her boyfriend, “I had a feeling we’d see something like that. Look over there,” she pointed, her finger singling out a cluster of flat stones on the opposite side of the river. On one large stone in particular a bright orange lizard lay curled up asleep, basking in the warm sunlight. Its long tail hung off of its makeshift bed, a small flame dancing at its tip.

“Metalworking plants like these are usually havens for fire-types,” Dawn continued, “You’re bound to find at least one or two hanging around no matter the time of day.”

Cameron’s eyes grew wide. “That’s a Charmander!” he said excitedly, pulling out his Pokédex.

BingBing! “Charmander: the Lizard Pokémon. Charmander’s flaming tail is an indicator of its physical health; the flame wavers when it is weak and burns fiercely when it is in good health. When Charmander dies, its flame is extinguished.”

“This’ll be no problem for Piplup,” Cameron smirked, digging a Poké Ball out of his pocket and kicking off his shoes before hopping the few rocks rising above the water’s surface to reach the other bank. But just as he was about to throw his ball Feebas leapt out of the water and landed on the ground in front of him, flailing in the grass to get his attention.

“Wait, you want to fight him?” he asked. Feebas gulped what Cameron assumed was an affirmative and he smiled, proud of his little Pokémon. “Okay…” he agreed hesitantly, “Just don’t strain yourself…”

Feebas flopped single-mindedly towards the Charmander, eager to prove herself to her Trainer. Awakened by the sudden commotion the fire Pokémon drowsily opened one eye, but when it saw Feebas advancing its way it lazily returned to its nap, paying her no mind.

“Now let’s see…” Cameron said, skimming through his Pokémon’s moves on his Pokédex, “Feebas, use tackle!”

Upon hearing Cameron’s voice the Charmander quickly opened both its eyes and stood up, realizing it was in a fight. It jumped off of its rock and looked around anxiously for its opponent, its eyes once again falling on the fish Pokémon flopping in for an attack. Charmander’s shoulders drooped, unamused as it watched her pathetic advance; when she was finally within range, Charmander forcefully swung its tail and sent Feebas flying back into the river with a small “plunk”.

“Feebas!!” Cameron cried, his Pokémon floating to the surface on her side and obviously unconscious. “Looks like we’re back to Plan A: Piplup; take this thing down!” he said, choosing his primary Pokémon. Piplup materialized on the ground ready to fight, releasing a bubblebeam directly at Charmander without prompting. The lizard Pokémon quickly retaliated with a flamethrower, the intense heat bursting the bubbles on contact.

Charmander let out a cry, the flame on its tail burning brighter as its excitement at facing a real challenge grew. It let fly another flamethrower from its mouth, the flames quickly licking their way across the grass towards Piplup who immediately dodged, tumbling out of the way and smoothly rolling back onto his feet.

“Nice work, Piplup!” Cameron congratulated, “Now let’s try that new move of yours!” Piplup nodded his head and chirped, planting his feet firmly in the dirt.

“No, Cameron, wait!” Dawn warned him as she clambered across the river, but he didn’t hear her.

“Hydro pump!!” he shouted, his Pokémon closing his eyes as the rush of water burst from his mouth. The attack swirled back and forth like a hose left on full blast, blasting water around with no sense of accuracy at all.

When Piplup’s attack finally ended Charmander looked up from its huddled position, taking in the soaked landscape but still perfectly dry itself; Piplup had missed it completely.

“How..?” Cameron gasped, looking around in disbelief.

“Hydro pump’s accuracy sucks!!” Dawn chided from the riverbank, “You can’t expect to hit such a small Pokémon with it without practice! I would’ve expected you to have known something like that!”

“Well excuse me!!” he retorted a little embarrassed, “But I’ve never used this move before!”

Piplup watched as they argued, not noticing the Charmander slowly creeping up behind him.

“Lar lar!!” Lartar shouted as he waved his arms in a desperate attempt to get their attention, but by the time the two Trainers noticed him it was too late. Not ten feet from Piplup, Charmander, took in a deep breath, breathing out a wave of blue and black flames that completely enveloped Piplup and sent him reeling on the ground in pain.

Cameron was horrified; he’d never seen his Pokémon take a hit like that before. “Piplup!” he shouted as he ran to his side, his Pokémon laying charred in the damp grass.

“Piplup! Piplup!” he cried as he rolled him back and forth, trying to bring him to. Charmander started to leave—assuming Piplup had been beat—but its opponent grunted softly, painfully lifting himself off of the ground with his flippers.

“Piplup…” Cameron sighed, relieved. His Pokémon returned to his feet, his eyes locked on the Charmander as he breathed heavily.

Charmander looked back at him impressed, facing Piplup again as their battle resumed. Without any ordering from his Trainer Piplup charged, pointing his beak straight ahead as he quickly closed the distance between the two of them.

Charmander defiantly stood its ground, launching another flamethrower directly at Piplup who merely plowed through it, his water-typing reducing the damage he took from the normally burning fire-move. In seconds his beak made contact with the lizard Pokémon, throwing it to the ground and stopping the flamethrower cold.

Piplup stood over his fallen opponent and wiped his brow with his flipper, his entire body rising and falling with his labored breathing. As the Charmander started to move Piplup unleashed a powerful bubblebeam from his beak, pounding the Pokémon back onto the ground and ending their fight.

Cameron, Dawn, Serina and Lartar all watched on in surprise; who knew Piplup could be so… brutal?

Piplup turned to face them, his body starting to glow brightly. In a flash he evolved, and a much taller Pokémon now stood in his place.

Cameron’s Pokédex vibrated loudly; “Prinplup: the Penguin Pokémon, and the evolved form of Piplup. Because each Prinplup believes itself to be the most important they can never form groups, instead living solitary lives. Their powerful flippers are strong enough to snap young trees.”

“Awesome!” Cameron exclaimed, admiring his newly evolved Pokémon. Piplup—or rather, Prinplup—was the same deep blue Piplup had been, with four white spots, instead of two, dotting his pale blue stomach. His flippers were now tipped with what appeared to be hardened feathers, very thick and bulky looking and also a lighter blue. His most impressive feature, however, were the large golden-yellow crests atop his head that ran from the top of his beak to the back of his head, giving him a rather regal appearance.

“Plup,” he grunted, nodding towards his fainted opponent.

“Oh, right,” Cameron remembered, digging a spare Poké Ball from his pocket. He captured the Charmander with no difficulty, his Pokédex vibrating once more.

New Pokémon Captured: Charmander

Gender: Male

Condition: Weakened

No Urgent Medical Attention Required.

“Very well done!” Serina applauded, “I was not sure you were going to emerge victorious!”

“Psh!” Cameron scoffed, “Me and my Pokémon always win.”

Dawn put her hands on her hips and gave him a sideways glance, “Really? Always?” she asked in disbelief, “Kira told me you and JC lost to two of her friends right before I got to town; care to explain that?”

She would… Cameron thought to himself. Mental note: get back at Kira!

“Well, see, you weren’t there…” he reasoned, “It wasn’t really a fair match! Kylie had a grass-type, and Kara’s Mudkip got off a cheap move!”

Dawn laughed to herself, giving him a peck on the cheek. “You’ve got an excuse for everything, don’t you?” she poked at him.

“It’s not an excuse!” he defended, “Right Pip—I mean Prinplup?”

“Plup, plup,” he agreed, crossing his flippers and nodding assuredly.

“It sounds like one to me,” Serina added slyly, she and Dawn giggling together at Cameron’s reddening face.

“Guys…” he urged, seeing even Lartar joining in on the laughter.

“Okay, okay, that’s enough,” Dawn laughed, trying to purge the last of it out of her system. “How about we actually go inside of the Ironworks now? Don’t forget your fish, Cameron.”

“Oh yeah,” he said, pointing Feebas’ Poké Ball towards the river to recall her. The Poké Ball fired its red beam into the river, but no Feebas; in fact she was nowhere in sight.

“Feebas!!” Cameron shouted again, the fearful cries for his fish Pokémon beginning to sound all too familiar. Lartar was the one to finally spot her, floating several yards downriver.

Serina and Dawn burst into another fit of laughter. “This is too perfect!! Dawn laughed loudly, “What a ridiculous Pokémon!”

“She has floated away!!” Serina managed to choke out between her hysterics, her eyes full of tears as Cameron raced alongside the water toward his Pokémon, “I think I might just die!!”

Feebas floated along on her side until she bumped into a wedge of rocks, her body getting stuck and halting her unconscious escape. Relieved, Cameron started to wade out into the water to get a better angle on her with the Poké Ball, only to shout in shock and frustration as a Buizel popped its head above water and, thinking she was a free meal, snatched Feebas in its mouth and took off further downriver.

“Aw, come on!!” he shouted, diving after them.

◄►

Kira was alone. JC had left just a few minutes ago to drop the babies off at the reception counter, so that they could have another afternoon off, and also to do a bit of supply-stocking at the mart in the lobby. Left to her own devices, Kira went about exploring their room, something she hadn’t really had the chance to do since they’d arrived two days ago. Surprisingly though, there wasn’t much to see, and she soon found herself in the kitchen in front of the open refrigerator, her eyes passing over the meager selection of food they’d brought along with them.

“There’s nothing to eat,” she sighed hungrily, closing the fridge, “I hope Jemkyn gets something good at the mart…” Kira leaned back against the counter while her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she had skipped breakfast.

She absentmindedly gazed around the kitchen, finding herself bored without a supply of food, but something soon caught her eye: the tip of an envelope sticking out from underneath one of her shopping bags from the day prior.

“That’s right,” Kira said aloud, “I got mail!” She slipped it out from under the bag and ripped it open, glancing over the letter. She recognized the handwriting; it was her father’s again, and she suddenly felt bad at forgetting to open it the day she received it.

It read:

My Dearest Kira,

I heard you were going to be in Snowpoint for a few days. It just so happens that I will be heading up north on business for a while myself, and I’d love to see my little girl while I’m there! The view of Snowpoint is absolutely gorgeous from the Temple; you should meet me there on the 11^th of June, around, say, 4 o’clock? I’ll probably be in transit when you receive this, so don’t worry about responding.

Bring this letter with you if you can, and I can’t wait to see how that necklace looks on you.

Again, wishing you the best,

Dad

A solitary tear fell onto the paper, having fallen from Kira’s cheek.

Dad wants to see me, she thought happily, it’s not like he’s making a special trip or anything, but he’s carving out time on his trip just for me! 

She read back through the letter, making sure she had in fact read everything properly.

“Wait, the 11^th… that’s today!” she said excitedly, overjoyed that her negligence hadn’t ruined her meeting with her father. She glanced at her C-gear, “It’s almost three!! I have to get ready!!”

Not long afterwards, JC returned to the room and set his grocery bags on the counter next to an opened envelope, his ears picking up the sound of running water.

“Kira..?” he asked loudly, picking up the envelope. It was the one that was delivered to their room a few days ago; he had completely forgotten about it.

“Oh, you’re back!” he heard her respond from the shower, “You won’t believe who that letter was from!!”

“Who?” he asked, remembering that there hadn’t been a return address on the envelope.

“My Dad!!” she exclaimed as the water shut off, “He’s going to be in here in Snowpoint this evening and he wants to see me!”

JC was honestly surprised. “No way; that’s a crazy coincidence!”

“I know! But I’m so excited! I’m supposed to meet him at 4 today. I can’t wait!!”

“I’m so happy for you,” JC said, “Where are you meeting him?”

“Oh, just in town…” she lied, not wanting JC to worry. Candice had just told them how dangerous it was to head up there, but danger or not, Kira was going to see her father.

“Well I really hope you enjoy yourself. I’m guessing you’ll want me to stay here?”

“Would you please?” Kira asked, walking into the kitchen wrapped in a towel, “It’s just that I get to see him so rarely… I’d rather it be just the two of us.”

“Say no more,” JC obliged, kissing her damp cheek, “I completely understand. And hey: an evening with no kids and no girlfriend? It’ll be tough, but I’m sure I’ll find a way to manage.”

Kira rolled her eyes, wrapping her arms around him and pressing her wet hair against his shirt.

“Thanks,” she smiled, standing on her tiptoes to kiss him back. She released him and started for the bedroom, stopping as he called out her name.

“Yes?” she asked, looking over her shoulder.

“It’s just that I’ve never seen you like this before,” he said, looking her up and down, “You look great.”

Kira quickly turned her head as she blushed, slowly dripping water onto the tile floor. She didn’t face him, but JC could tell when she spoke that she was smiling.

“Thanks. I’m trying something new.”

JC smiled, too, unable to look away from the stunning sight before him. He didn’t say anything, instead leaving a silence that Kira softly broke, looking back over her shoulder at him.

“And I like it.”

◄►

“That has to have been the funniest thing I’ve ever seen!” Dawn chuckled, barely able to speak from her lack of breath. She and Serina were holding their sides, still aching from the overpowering storm of laughter they’d just recovered from.

“Whatever,” Cameron dismissed as they walked through the Ironworks’ revolving door, “I’m just glad I finally got Feebas back.”

“Oh, Dawn,” Serina giggled, “Do you remember when Cameron went to grab that Buizel and it…” she laughed, unable to finish.

Dawn picked it up though, “Yeah! And then when he tried to do that!!” she laughed, again, “And then the rapids!! Ooh, priceless!!”

While the girls carried on about the day’s hilarity, Cameron walked directly to the reception counter and rang the bell, getting the attention of both receptionists.

“Hi, is Mr. Fuego around?” he asked, “We’re friends of his daughter; she wanted us to give him a message.”

“Yes, actually, I believe Mr. Fuego is on site today…” one of the receptionists thought as she scanned her finger along her desktop calendar. “I’ll page him for you right away.”

Cameron thanked her and returned to the girls and Lartar who were no longer laughing hysterically, but now transfixed at the wide windows overlooking the iron plant. The windows were set up as a sort of tour leading around the large reception area; each window displayed a different stage of the ironworking process, chronicling each portion with a description and a short history on a fancy plaque.

Completely engrossed in the activities of the factory, the group was unaware of the elevator that arrived at the lobby floor, and they jumped as a loud voice suddenly boomed behind them.

“I see you’re all enjoying my Ironworks!”

The three turned to get their first look at Kira’s dad, the wealthy Mr. Fuego. He was a surprisingly portly man with two patches of dark hair on either side of his balding head. He wore a bright orange suit over his large body and an equally large smile on his face, the man nearly exploding with good cheer.

“Well if they’re your Ironworks, then you must be Mr. Fuego!” Dawn said smartly, “I’m Dawn; and this is Serina and Cameron. We’re friends of Kira’s!”

Mr. Fuego’s face suddenly grew serious as he raised a hand to his chin pensively, “I know Cameron; Kira used to talk about him being Jemkyn’s best friend. But you two… you two I don’t know! And it’s a pleasure!!” he shouted happily, shaking the girls’ hands enthusiastically.

“It’s nice to meet you, too,” they smiled, a little overwhelmed by his personality.

“So, son,” he said as he turned to Cameron, “Where is your best friend? Do I not get the pleasure of meeting him as well?”

“Actually…” Cameron started, trying to keep a straight face while the girls snickered in the background, “Well, he’s actually off with your daughter…”

“Oh he is, is he? Well wonderful!! I’m sure Kira’s overjoyed!!”

Serina and Dawn had to cover their mouths to keep quiet; they’d never heard of a father so happy to hear his daughter was running around the region unsupervised with a boy he’d never met…

“Yeah, they’re definitely having a good time,” Cameron dismissed, not wishing to be the one to discuss the details of Kira and JC’s relationship to her father. “That’s actually why we’re here; Kira told us to stop by and say hey to you, and to tell you she misses you and all that.”

“Oh how sweet!” Mr. Fuego smiled, “You know, with all the travelling I do between here and Johto, I rarely get to see my wife and my little girl. But it fills my heart with joy to know she still cares as much for me as I do for her!” He stopped, noticing Lartar standing next to Serina’s leg, “And who is this little one?” he asked with a smile.

“This is Lartar,” Serina introduced, “He is a good friend of ours!”

“Lartar, hmm?” Mr. Fuego thought, “You know what you need, Lartar?” he asked, reaching into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out an individually wrapped cookie nearly as big as his hand, “Something sweet!”

Lartar was in shock, taking the cookie from him as though he was accepting an award he never expected to win. The small Pokémon held his treat over his head and turned to his friends, eager for them to share in his excitement.

“Tar lar lar tar lar!!”

“Yes, we see it!” Serina nodded, smiling herself at his delight, “It looks absolutely delicious!”

“Well, if you think so, why don’t you all have one? I have plenty!!” Mr. Fuego said, reaching into both his pockets and pulling out equal handfuls of the cookies. “They’re a favorite of mine from the Hoenn region; a little treat called a Lava Cookie! And to be honest,” he said as he lowered his voice, “My wife thinks I eat too many of them myself, so she’s forbidden them in the house. Sort of her way of getting me to slim down,” he said, patting his big belly. “Luckily I keep several crates of them here in my office!”

They all laughed as they packed the exotic treat away in their bags—no wonder he was so fat—quickly turning to Dawn as she gasped in pleasure. She had apparently skipped the packing-away phase and instead gone straight to eating, taking a rather generous bite of her cookie.

“These are amazing!” she said with her mouth full. The “cookie” was actually a sort of dried rice wafer, slightly spicy but overly sweet and full of flavor. “I wish you were my dad!”

Mr. Fuego laughed loudly, “I just love giving back! And presenting young Trainers with gifts is one of my favorite ways!”

“Speaking of which,” Cameron said, “That necklace you sent was beautiful. Kira loved it a lot!”

“What’s that now; a necklace?”

“Oh, I must be confused,” he corrected hesitantly, “Wasn’t it you that sent her that gift..?”

Mr. Fuego pondered for a moment, “No, I honestly can’t say I’ve sent anything her way… Although now that you mention it, I really should do that!” he laughed, his bright attitude suddenly dimming. “Wait, why do you ask? Is something up with my little Kira?”

“No, not at all!” Cameron quickly covered, nudging Dawn to be silent. “I, uh, must just have you confused with someone else… Didn’t mean to worry you!”

“Oh, well, alright then!” Mr. Fuego said, his jovial attitude returning. “Well, I have business to get to, but it was very nice to meet you all! As a father I can’t help but worry about my daughter every so often, but it puts my mind at ease to know that Kira has made such wonderful friends. Be safe in your travels and good luck!” he said happily, separating himself from the group and returning to the elevator, “Eat lots of Lava Cookies!!”

“We will!” Cameron waved to him as he departed. But as soon as he was out of sight, Cameron whipped out his Pokégear and began dialing.

“Why didn’t you tell him about the gift?” Dawn asked nervously.

“There’s no need to upset him if nothing’s going on,” Cameron answered, anxiously staring at the screen of his Pokégear as it connected to the other line. Soon JC’s face flashed onscreen as he picked up the call, his Snowpoint Center room adding a cozy backdrop.

“What’s up, man?” JC asked happily, “You’ve got to be in Eterna City by now, right?”

“No time,” Cameron interrupted, “It’s about Kira; I think we’ve got a problem…”