I'm done my summer class! *Does the robot* XD This just a quick one-shot I thought up and wrote at work. It's just me venting, as usual. On another random note, I bought myself a few Monster Rancher figurines. I'm very excited for them to arrive. I've been checking the mail religiously for them. XD Anyways, enjoy and thanks for reading!

This is based on the episode "Blue Skies".

Disclaimer: I don't claim to own Monster Rancher or the characters. I'm just a huge fan. Tecmo owns everything. I just own the plot.

Pressing Cold

A horrific and pain filled roar emitted from the mighty monster, Moo, as the legendary Phoenix tore it's talons into the flesh of his back. The battle to end Moo's reign was coming to an end, and victory was just around the corner. Moo's eyes widened in pain as the Phoenix latched onto him and suddenly began to glow. Just like the ancient times, Moo and the Phoenix were destined to destroy each other. Other monsters fighting for the safety of the world watched the scene in awe as Moo and the Phoenix began to disappear and as the once evil Baddies stopped in their tracks while their Baddies Crests vanished.

"Come on, Phoenix! You can do it!"

The yell came from a young boy who wore an orange hat as he sat on the back of a dragon. His eyes stayed focused on the battle as he watched the Phoenix, who was created by the strength of his friends, begin to disappear along with Moo.

"Suezo… Mocchi… Hare… Tiger… Golem…Father…" A young brunette girl whispered to herself as she, too, rode on back of a dragon. "Please, be safe!"

Suddenly, just as the Phoenix and Moo disappeared, a large light filled the area. The young boy felt a large gust of wind hit into him, and he quickly felt himself falling off of the dragon and plummeting to the ground. His mind was too filled with shock to yell as his eyes grew large as he anticipated the incoming impact.

"GENKI'S FALLING! CATCH HIM!"

The girl's screams echoed through the battle field as her dragon flew down as fast as it could in an attempt to save the falling boy from a brutal death. The edge of her eyes formed tears from the speed she was flying at and from the fear of losing Genki.

"GENKI!"

"HOLLY!"

At the last moment, just before the boy's body could crash into the ground, a colorful flash emitted from nowhere and he suddenly vanished into thin air. The dragon and the girl couldn't react fast enough as the dragon tried to soar back up, but to no avail. The large monster came crashing down into the cold snow with a loud thump as Holly was sent flying several feet away. The brunette let out a shriek laced with pain as she landed brutally on her back before her body skidded to a halt. She lay there dazed for several minutes, breathing violently, before a voice broke her out of her trance.

"HOLLY! ARE YOU OKAY?"

The yell came from Granity as she ran over to her fallen companion's side. Holly looked up at her with dazed and confused eyes, but at least she was alive. Holly's body shook slightly from the shock of the impact and from the cold temperature as she tried to regain her senses. Her fallen dragon slowly got up as well as it strode over to Holly's side to make sure it's rider was alive.

"Are you okay, Holly? Can you hear me?" Granity repeated as she helped lift the girl into a sitting up position. Holly sat up weakly with the support of Granity as she looked around with confusion and horror.

"Where's Genki? Granity, did you catch Genki?" Holly pleaded as she slowly stood up, though her head was pounding. "Is Genki okay?"

"We… we saw him vanish before he hit the ground. He just disappeared." Granity said with a frown, and her expression softened when she saw Holly's eyes fill with tears as she slumped down to her knees.

"I lost Suezo, Tiger, Hare, Mocchi, Golem, and my father all at once, and I couldn't even save Genki… I couldn't catch him! I couldn't catch him…" Holly trailed off as she covered her face with her hands before beginning to sob. "I lost everyone…"

"That's not true, Holly! The Phoenix's soul split again into five separate pieces! Your friends are out there, Holly, and only you can find them." Granity said as she gave Holly's hand a comforting squeeze. "And you still have your other friends out there like Falcon, Alan, and me."

"…and what about my father…?"

"If the pieces of the Phoenix's soul can be revived, then I'm sure the same thing goes for Moo."

"…and Genki…?"

Granity shifted from discomfort as Genki was brought up again. She had no answer to that, and she was let off the hook when Monol and several of the Pirate Dragons came over to see the only remaining member of the Courageous Seven. One of the dragons slowly walked in front of Holly before placing an object in front of her. There was Genki's backpack with his rollerblades still strapped to the back of it.

"Thank you…" Holly whispered as she wiped away her tears and picked up the bag before slinging it over her shoulder. Her eyes gazed up at the sky that the Phoenix and Moo were once battling in, but both were no longer there. Was that why Genki was gone? Because Moo was defeated? Was it because the Phoenix felt he was no longer needed in this world?

'The world might not need him for protection anymore, but I still need him…' Holly thought to herself as she held back more tears that threaten to spill.

"What will everyone do now?" Falcon, the head of the Pirate Dragons, asked with curiosity. "Without the threat of Moo, things will be a lot different now."

"Well, after all that's happened, I think I'm going to actually relax for some time." Granity said with a sad smile as she looked down at the ground. 'Big Blue will guide my way.'

"I will travel to tell people my story." Monol stated as the rest of the group sweated. This monster had a one track mind.

"I'm taking my dragons back with me to our home. We've had enough adventure to last us awhile." Falcon said with a wryly grin, but his mood dropped as he looked down to see Holly. Her shoulders were slumped and her head was down as she looked at the snow miserably.

"…Holly…?"

"Holly, why don't I take you back to the mainland? It'll be a quick trip and will beat walking in this weather." Falcon offered as he looked at the brunette with sympathy. "I can drop you off wherever you want to go."

"…thank you, Falcon, but that's okay."

"But, where will you go?"

"…is it ironic that I'd normally ask the Magic Stone that?" Holly smiled bitterly as she looked off into the direction they had originally come from. She remembered the fun times they had here in the frigid region. Her mind still remembered the amazing feeling of first laying eyes on the body of the Phoenix and how breath taking it had been. Now, part of her regretted ever finding the legendary bird. Now, she was all alone. With that, the young girl began to march through the brutal snow as she held onto the straps of Genki's book bag tightly.

"Holly! You'll freeze to death! Let Falcon give you a lift!" Granity shouted in concern as she watched Holly stubbornly stumble through the snow.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. I hope to see all of you again someday." Holly called back as Granity looked quizzically at the girl.

"Why can't you go with Falcon? Why risk getting yourself killed in the tundra?" The Pixie sub breed scowled as she watched Holly continue to leave.

"Why…?" Holly asked herself, before closing her eyes and letting a smile form on her face. "Because I have to find my friends, and I know deep down this is something I have to do alone. I need to search every corner of the world to find them, including this tundra, and I'll never stop looking."

"Grrr…! You're being as stubborn as Genki!" Granity shouted in frustration as she watched Holly turn around before responding one last time.

"…I know."

Just a quick, very short crap one-shot. I always felt so bad for Holly at the end of the episode "Blue Skies". I mean, she literally lost everyone. It does lead nicely into season 3, though. I have no idea how I came up with this. XD Thanks for reading!

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3