Holiday of a Legend
Greetings, and many great hellos! I thought it would be fun to celebrate the holidays with my favorite OC, and here's the result!
A couple of things to consider before you start reading – the first is that this is a oneshot, and has no place in the canon "Tale of a Legend" timeline. The main story will continue as if the events of this spinoff never happened. ("Tale of a Legend" actually takes place in late summer, not early winter.)
The second is that the characters are taken from the point in "Tale of a Legend" before the main character earns his eighth badge.
The third is that I do not own Pokemon or any of the canon characters that appear in this story. However, I do own the main character.
Enjoy, my readers!
'Twas the night before Christmas, and for once in his adventures,
The White Hero was relaxing in a town where no one ventures.
Seriously. Anville Town was small and far away from any other form of civilization. It wasn't a surprise to learn that not many people didn't even know that it existed.
However, trains from the famous Battle Subway came to the little town daily, ferrying passengers and cargo to and from Nimbasa City's hustle and bustle. It was a quaint, peaceful place, with a population of slightly over one hundred, and smack-dab in the middle of the Unovan wilderness. Maybe that was why one particular group of traveling Trainers preferred spending the holidays there over anywhere else.
For one, Anville Town got a lot of snow every winter. The white powder lay thick on the streets tonight, and continued to fall as large, fluffy flakes that swirled and danced in the gentle breeze. For another, night fell quickly in this part of Unova, which meant that people got to spend long hours strolling through the night-dark streets by the soft light of the streetlamps, decorated with tinsel and wreaths and other Christmassy things. And for a third, because Anville Town was such a small settlement, the hundred-odd residents got together every year to celebrate the holidays communally. Effectively, it turned the community into one big family, and as a result, the jolliness of Anville's winter holidays was unmatched.
That night, near the town square where the immense Christmas tree had been erected and groups of happy townsfolk went about singing carols, a figure in heavy winter clothing stalked. What little could be seen of his face was inflamed with cold, and great white gusts of air huffed from his nose every time he exhaled. His hands clenched and driven deep into his pockets for warmth, he crossed the square as quickly as he could, only pausing for an instant to admire the giant fir that seemed to touch the night sky. As beautiful as the sight was (and the carolers' chorus of 'Qwilfish you a Merry Christmas'), he needed to get home immediately.
The stranger wasn't used to the frigid winter temperatures that occurred this far north. He wasn't a native of Anville, instead a temporary immigrant from the slightly-less-northern town of Lacunosa. Volantes was his name, and he and his friends had come here as a sort of 'pit stop' in their journey across Unova.
Volantes, or Volan as his friends knew him, was kind of an important figure in determining the uncertain fate of the region. Apparently, he was the White Hero and destined counterpart to Reshiram, the Legendary Pokemon that governed truth. Team Plasma was the force he struggled against – a despicable cult of Pokemon Liberationists that went about preaching the evils of Pokemon training, when they weren't kidnapping innocents or searching for titanic black Dragon-types. But by no means was Volan alone. He had his Pokemon, his friends, and… well, someone close to his heart to help him in his quest.
But was there really something wrong with putting his adventures on hold until after Christmas? He didn't think so.
Finally, Volan made it to the apartment building where he and his companions were staying. It was about time too – he felt like frostbite was trying to gnaw off his toes. Without hesitation, he pulled open the door and bustled inside, and instantly relaxed when he first felt the much more favorable temperature of the fire-lit lobby. Shaking the snow off of himself, Volan walked toward the elevator at the back of the room, struggling to see through the huge fog that had suddenly appeared on his glasses. He took off his gloves and tapped the 'up' button next to the elevator door with a shaking finger, then stepped across the threshold when the doors slid open.
Ah, much better, Volan approved, continuing to take off his various winter garments as the elevator transported him up to his destination. Now, if winter wasn't so awfully cold, it would be a perfect holiday season. But then again… I don't think it would be the same. There's something to be said about coming home to a warm fire and even warmer friends.
The elevator let out its merry *ding* when it stopped moving, and opened its doors again to let its sole passenger out. Volan left it behind and walked swiftly down the long corridor that he had been granted access to, mentally counting down the room numbers as he passed them. As he did so, he gathered all of his winter gear in his arms and shook his head to let his semi-long, dirty-blond hair settle a little more comfortably upon his scalp. His toque had plastered it to his head.
When he reached the door with a tiny gold 25 on it, Volan rapped sharply on its polished wood surface. Instantly, he heard a sudden clamor from the room beyond – the yell of "I'll get it!" followed by a huge crash and panicked squawking.
Mentally, the Gurei boy groaned. Not again…
The door opened, revealing the round and slightly worried face of his best friend. "You're not going to like this," Stephan said, sounding exasperated, "but by Arceus, that girl is one of the clumsiest sort I have ever – WHOA!"
Like a feathery bullet, a yellow-and-blue blur raced across the carpeted floor, past Stephan, through the doorway, and right into Volan's chest. The force of the impact sent the teenager sprawling onto his back, his armload flying every which way. When the stars had cleared from his vision, he raised his aching head and saw a traumatized-looking Archen sitting on his stomach, accompanied by Stephan's Chatot.
"AAA-ken!" the prehistoric bird cawed loudly. "You never leave Petrie with yellow-head again!"
"Volan's back, Volan's back, wrawwwwk!" Chatot squawked.
"What did Bianca do this time?" growled Volan, fixing both Petrie and Stephan with a glare.
"Uh…" the latter answered. "A little accident with the eggnog… she tripped over the coffee table and spilled it all over the sofa…"
"Oh, that's egg-cellent," Volan drawled, the sarcasm thick. He sat up and got to his feet, Petrie obligingly hopping off of him as he did so. "Help me get my coat and other assorted garments, and then we can take care of Bianca."
Stephan emerged fully from behind the door, where he had taken shelter to avoid Petrie, and gathered up the scattered pieces of winter clothing from the floor. His wide frame was covered by a red-and-green woolen sweater bedecked with candy cane patterns, and specks of frosting could be seen on his plump cheeks (Volan guessed he had either been icing or eating the gingerbread). He was a competitive young man and had a downright fearsome desire to improve his abilities as a Pokemon Trainer, but he was also loyal and one of Volan's greatest friends.
"Oh, Stuuuuuuven~!" a sing-song voice chimed. "I need help cleaning up this eeeeeeegnooooog~!"
"Eggnog, eggnog!" parroted Chatot, and flew off.
"No one ever gets my name right…" grumbled Stephan.
With a roll of his eyes, Volan raised his voice in order to reply. "Bianca, you really shouldn't sound so happy after you've potentially ruined another piece of furniture! Do I need to remind you about the Plum Pudding Incident?"
The blonde's head popped out from around the corner leading into their apartment. A Santa Claus-style hat was perched jauntily on her nest of short yellow hair, and her usual sunny smile was present on her cherubic face. Volan sometimes suspected that the expression had been permanently plastered on. The girl was overly optimistic and always managed to look on the bright side – indeed, one could say she was the jolliest person in Unova. Christmas was definitely the Bianca time of year.
"Oh, Volan, you're back!" chirped Bianca. "Did you bring the trail mix?"
Sighing, Volan dug in his coat pocket and fished out a slightly crushed bag of the snack food she had ordered. "Honestly, I don't see why we're going to need trail mix to feed our guests. Isn't that what the gingerbread is for?"
"Yeah, but we'll need more than that in case everyone comes," Stephan replied, referring to those they had invited over to their apartment for a Yuletide get-together.
"Whatever," Volan muttered. He picked up Petrie and continued, "Let's get inside and clean up Bianca's mess. We need this place looking presentable before the rest of our friends get here."
As the last one into the apartment, Volan was the one to close the door. There was a short hallway extending in front of him, and when he turned left, he was presented with quite the scene indeed. The corridor opened up into a large room that just screamed "come in and relax". None of the lights were on, but the entire space was lit up by the Christmas lights that they had strung about the place. Off to the left, there was a dining area right next to the window, through which they could clearly see the town square. On the right was the living room, featuring a coffee table, sofa, and several armchairs, as well as a TV and video game system built into the wall. A fireplace was located behind the sofa, already lit, while a seven-foot-high Christmas tree stood next to it. Three stockings were hung on the mantelpiece over the fire.
The entire scene was so warm and homey that Volan couldn't help but relax.
Bernice, a larger-than-average Unfezant and Volan's closest companion for as long as he could remember, trilled a welcome from where she was perched. She was sitting at the very top of their tree, somehow managing to stay balanced while ducking her head to make sure she didn't hit it on the ceiling. Mistral, Volan's Mismagius, was floating directly below Bernice, telekinetically placing ornaments on the Christmas tree. Sol was also present – the quiet Larvesta cracked an eye open to regard his Trainer before going back to his nap in front of the crackling fire. Then there were Rudy the Krookodile and Rickie the Seismitoad, both lounging around in the dining room, while Sapphire the Frillish busied herself with setting the table.
"What have we got to deal with here?" Volan asked, then answered his own question. "Three chairs a-soaking, two frightened birds, and an Unfezant in a fir tree."
"Hey, that's good!" Bianca complimented him, skipping toward him with a roll of paper towels in her hands. Volan could now see that she was wearing a red sweater, skirt, and tights to go with her hat.
"You should totally rewrite that song," chuckled Stephan. "You could call it 'The Twelve Ways Bianca Drives Volan Crazy'."
"Fezant Unfeeeeezant!" agreed Bernice. "And me too! Why do you think I'm all the way up here?"
Breathing out another sigh, Volan took the paper towels from Bianca and motioned for Stephan to get the spray bottle from the kitchen. Instead of actually getting the bottle himself, the larger boy let out a sharp whistle. Immediately, Bianca's Panpour came running out from the other room. Panpour handed Stephan the item with its usual cheery smile, then scampered back from whence it came.
With that, Stephan tossed the spray bottle to Volan, who then applied it to the dark blotches of eggnog staining one of the armchairs. It took several minutes to wipe the stain completely away, although there was a rather large wet spot in the middle of the cushion. Hoping that it would dry before their expected guests arrived, Volan then got to work on the other eggnog stains.
"Hey," Stephan called from the kitchen at one point. "Who's cooking dinner?"
Looking up from a particularly stubborn mark in bewilderment, Volan called back, "I thought you said you could do it."
"No, I said I couldn't do it!" his friend disagreed.
Volan turned to Bianca, who was adjusting the lights strung around the tree. "Bianca, did you say that you could make dinner?"
She turned around, a surprisingly serious expression on her face. "Have you ever seen soup catch fire?"
It took Volan a second to ask himself whether or not the question was rhetorical before replying, "No, and I don't think I want to, either."
"Then you don't want me to cook dinner," was Bianca's answer.
Obviously, the Gurei boy wouldn't be able to cook dinner either – his level of cooking experience extended to roasting hot dogs over campfires. If somebody didn't think of something fast, they wouldn't be able to have the Christmas dinner they had been looking forward to.
And it's not like a top-class chef is going to magically appear on our doorstep, he reasoned. I guess I'll go get the hot dogs…
Bianca spoke up again, informing Volan that there was actually no need to worry about dinner, because one of their guests had volunteered to cook it. Before Volan could ask exactly who she had invited, there was a very loud rapping sound that came from the doorway, so abrupt that it almost made him jump out of his skin. Rudy left the dining room and lumbered down the hall to investigate, but reappeared only two seconds later. The red Intimidation Pokemon got behind Volan and pushed him roughly toward the hallway.
"You want me to see who's at the door?" the boy asked dubiously.
"Krooka dile," Rudy affirmed, giving him another light shove.
The atmosphere became dark again as Volan left the main body of the apartment and walked down the short corridor. He turned the corner and went right for the door, pushing his face up against it so he could peer through the eyehole. When he saw what awaited him on the other side, his mood soured immediately.
Growling "I'd better get this over with" under his breath, he twisted the doorknob and pulled. When the door squeaked open, Volan was already directing a glare right at the spot where he knew his enemy's eyes were.
"Just what this Christmas needed," he said sarcastically. "A pompous, arrogant, well-groomed, sorry excuse of a Gym Leader."
"Well, I am a Christmas connoisseur," Cilan replied expertly, adjusting his bowtie as he let himself in. Either he was ignoring the sarcasm, or it had went right over his head. Volan was willing to bet on the latter.
"'Bah humbug' to you too," snarked Iris, pushing past him as well. "For a sixteen-year-old, you're such a kid."
Once Ash, the Kantonian boy, and his Pikachu had entered and wished Volan an "awesomely merry Christmas", the now-scowling Gurei shut the door behind him a bit more forcefully than was necessary. There was no-one that could ruin the Christmas spirit quite like Cilan, who had earned Volan's eternal hatred after their battle in the Clubsplosion, where the self-important connoisseur had insulted him and Sapphire before being decisively defeated. Speaking of which, he had really better get going before the pink cephalopod herself tried to strangle the poor guy.
Back to the living room Volan trudged, where he was indeed met with the scene he had imagined – Bianca, Stephan, Rickie, and Bernice were trying to pull a furious Sapphire and her desperately-grabbing tentacles away from a stricken Cilan.
"Sapphire," Volan said wearily, "get away from him. He isn't worth the trouble."
The Frillish stopped struggling, then lowered her arms. When the others released her, she stuck her tongue out at Cilan before huffing and slinking away, her nonexistent nose in the air. Volan knew it would be a while before she worked herself out of her bad mood, so he followed her and plucked a little red bow from the wreath hanging on the wall in the dining room. Telling Sapphire to cheer up, he tied the bow to the top of her head as a little pick-me-up. The Water-and-Ghost-type loved the gift, and threw her tentacles around her Trainer in an ecstatic, suffocating embrace, giggling gleefully.
When he worked himself out of her affectionate hug, Volan asked her to finish preparing the table and reminded her to keep off of Cilan no matter how much she wanted to throttle him. He left the Frillish to it and went to join his friends in the living room – after all, he was the host of this get-together, and it wouldn't do to be rude. Or at least, no ruder than necessary.
"So why'd you invite Cilan over, Bianca?" Stephan was asking.
The connoisseur himself answered for her. "She invited me over yesterday, actually, because she wanted someone who knew how to cook. And I assure you, now that I'm here, I shall whip up a Christmas dinner like no other, a wonderful blend of ingredients both traditional and unique, a festive meal that I assure you will raise your palate's definition of 'delicious' up to new heights! Yes, it shall truly be a holiday meal the likes of which your appetite has never tasted!" By the end of his declaration, he was standing on the coffee table in a dramatic pose.
"If you keep that up, I'll lose my appetite," groaned Iris, sinking her head into her hands. Her Axew popped out of her hair and squeaked its agreement.
"And we decided to come along!" Ash enthused. "We figured that if we spent Christmas with you guys, it'd be the best holiday ever!"
"Pi Pikachu!" chirped his Pikachu with equal enthusiasm.
After Volan took a good look at all of them, he could now see that they were also uniquely dressed for the holidays. Cilan's suit was now red and green instead of black and white, Iris was wearing a sweater and pants much like Stephan was (except patterned with holly instead of candy canes), and Ash had on a hat identical to Bianca's. Volan had to admit, it was pleasantly strange to see them in this wintery get-up. They cared about celebrating Christmas as much as he and his friends did.
"Is there anyone else coming?" he asked, turning to Bianca again. "You know, so I'm not unpleasantly surprised by anyone else knocking at our door."
The blonde put on her 'I'm-thinking-really-hard' face. "Let's see," she mused. "I invited Roxie, but she and her band have a Christmas show to prepare for… Then there was Professor Juniper, but she seemed a bit busy last time I talked with her, so she might not be coming either…"
"Can you maybe tell us who you know is coming?" Volan pressed, growing impatient.
"Well, excuse me," huffed Bianca, her cheeks puffed out angrily. "You could at least give me a little time to think!"
The two of them glared at each other, while Cilan cut in between them. "Now now," he said sheepishly, "let's not ruin the holiday spirit by fighting amongst ourselves!"
Calm again, Bianca started rattling off a few more names on her fingers. "There was Cheren, but on second thought, I don't think he's gonna be willing to take a day off from training… that guy whose name I forget is definitely coming… oh, and Volan's girlfriend is too!"
Volan, who had helped himself to a mug of tea, abruptly spat out his mouthful.
"My what?" he spluttered, frantically wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "Y-You never told me you were inviting her!"
Bianca looked ridiculously pleased with herself. "I know! Isn't it great? You two can spend all night together! It'll be like the perfect date!" She squealed a long, high-pitched note at the thought.
Now, possessing the knowledge that the girl he had loved for four years straight before he finally worked up the nerve to admit his feelings would be attending their party and he didn't have nearly enough time to prepare for her arrival, Volan's face was an interesting shade of scarlet. Figures, it was just like the blonde to conveniently forget such an important detail until nearly the last possible second. Stupid Bianca…
"Ah yes, Christmas," sighed Cilan, his hands over his heart. "'Tis truly the season for romance to blossom."
"I thought spring was when stuff blossomed," Ash wondered aloud.
If Volan wasn't so flustered, he would have admitted that the exasperated looks everyone in the room gave the black-haired Kantonian, including Pikachu, were hilarious.
"What a kid," muttered Iris.
Suddenly, Bianca gasped. "Volan!" she yelped, appalled. "You're so nervous that you're messing up your hair!"
Indeed, when Volan stopped pacing, he found that his fingers were nestled into his hair and digging into his scalp. Somewhat nonchalantly, he smoothed his hair down and brushed his bangs out of his eyes.
"Not good enough," the blonde girl told him sternly.
"Bianca, it isn't a big deal," snickered Volan. "Who are you, Cole in disguise?" He remembered the fashion-obsessed teenager and chuckled again.
Unamused, Bianca planted her hands on her hips and said, "You want to look your best for your girlfriend, don't you?"
Luckily, a sharp rapping at the door was Volan's savior. He excused himself and went to let their next guest in, Bernice tagging along. The bird flapped her wings and rose into the air when they turned the corner, preventing her Trainer from reaching the door before she was done looking through the eyehole. Her beak was twisted into a look of utter disgust when she folded her wings and gave him some room.
"Please tell me whoever's on the other side isn't that unpleasant," Volan told her.
"Feeeezant," was Bernice's reply. "I cannot tell a lie."
He couldn't understand the words, but he knew that skeptical tone when he heard it. Bracing himself for the worst, Volan grabbed the door handle, twisted it, pulled…
It was ironic, in a way, how Volan had at first thought of their new arrival as his saving grace. Also, he officially hated Bianca.
The person standing on the other side of the door was none other than Trip, the green-haired jerk with the condescending attitude that made Volan's blood absolutely boil. And now, his worst nemesis was now sitting on the couch in his usual orange jacket, casually chatting away with Cilan while Stephan and Bianca served Christmas-themed cookies. As Volan stood in the kitchen over the steaming pot of hot chocolate bubbling on the stove, he could hear their conversation now…
"So, Trip, may I ask why you decided to accept Bianca's invitation and join us on this lovely Christmas Eve?"
"Well, I guess you could say the training I was doing with my team wasn't going so well. We all wanted a break, and when I heard that you were heading to Anville Town to spend Christmas, I thought it'd be something to do."
"I didn't know you celebrated Christmas."
"With my family, usually. Basic stuff."
By Arceus, Volan's face was hotter than the hot chocolate he was stewing over. He got out several mugs and a ladle from the cupboard when he sensed that the beverage was ready, his hands shaking so much that he had to take extra care not to drop the mugs. He poured each one full of hot chocolate, and he had to admit, the smell calmed him a little bit.
Why did she bother inviting him? he was inwardly seething. Scratch that, why did he even bother coming? All he cares about training and making his Pokemon more powerful – he's mocked me and my friends on every occasion we've met, ever since Bernice lost a battle to his Gurdurr. That's why he's here. It has to be. He's still making fun of us, not because he wants to celebrate. I'll give him his comeuppance, that little…
Volan stiffened all of a sudden. He was no longer alone, he could sense it. Slowly, he turned around and saw Iris standing there, her Axew in her arms. The dark-skinned girl was giving him an intense look, like she was trying to read his mind. When she noticed him staring at her, though, she broke into a smile.
"Just wondering if the hot chocolate's ready yet," she said cheerfully.
"Yeah, I was about to serve it right now," Volan replied.
"Yew yew, Axew!" Axew squeaked, waving its stubby arms around in celebration. Despite the cute sight, Volan barely cracked a smile and went back to pouring the drinks.
After a bit of silence, Iris spoke up again. "You're mad, aren't you? It's because Trip's here, isn't it? Stephan says that he's your 'arch-nemesis'."
"Thanks for summing that up," the Gurei muttered.
"Listen," Iris continued, seriously, "I get it. Trip acts like a huge jerk to anyone he thinks less of, pretty much anyone he beats in a Pokemon battle, in fact. But it's Christmas, for crying out loud! Can't you put your grudge aside and welcome him?"
"I will if he does the same with his attitude," Volan replied evenly, "which I highly doubt."
There was a sigh from Iris, and a few moments more of silence in which he filled the last of the mugs with hot chocolate. Then, he felt a soft hand on his shoulder, and drew a long-suffering breath through his nose as he waited for the girl to speak again.
"Just do it for us, alright?" she asked him. "No one wants anger or tension or negativity on Christmas Eve. All we want is for everyone to have a good time. If it helps, you don't even have to talk to Trip. Behave as if he isn't there if you have to."
The more Volan thought about it, the more he realized that Iris had a good point.
"Fine," he conceded. "I won't be the one to ruin Christmas. Help me carry the hot chocolate, would you?"
Happily, Iris complied, and soon, everyone was sitting around the coffee table and enjoying their hot beverages. Their Pokemon were scattered around the room as well, eating and drinking from their dishes. Surprisingly, Volan found it easy to ignore Trip and concentrate on spending time with his friends.
Stephan had just finished telling a joke when they heard Ash's Pikachu calling from the window in the dining room. Ash himself excused himself and went over to see what the fuss was about, then quickly returned. The frown he came back with was enough to turn everyone's heads and erase the laughter.
"Something the matter?" Trip asked in a bored voice.
"You bet," Ash replied. "It's the town square. I think they're here to ruin Christmas."
His attention caught, Volan sat up straighter and asked, "Who's here to ruin Christmas? Ebenezer Scraggy? Heatran Miser? The Abominable Snover?"
Stephan, who had went to investigate, came back all of a sudden to back Ash up. "Yep, without a doubt, they can't be here for any good reason. And no, they're worse than any Christmas villain!"
Their claims had sown a mixture of worry, curiosity, and skepticism amongst their friends. Together, they call got up from where they were sitting and made their way over to the window, taking care to walk around the dining room table and all the Pokemon in the way. The Pokemon seemed to have picked up on the fact that something was wrong, and were watching the humans.
It was difficult for all of them to crowd around the window, so Volan, Stephan, and Bianca ended up at the front while the other four had to peer over and between their heads. However, everyone managed to catch at least a glimpse at what was conspiring, and it all shocked them to their cores.
Outside, it was almost too dark to see. The town square, however, was perfectly visible from their vantage point, thanks to all the street lamps and colored lights that had been lit. There was a huge crowd gathered by the central Christmas tree, paying rapt attention to what was in front of them as if the mayor had called a town meeting. But no, it wasn't the mayor that had their attention – no, it was a line of figures wearing grey, the ones on either end holding up banners that fluttered in the evening wind. All of them were standing on the raised platform that the Christmas tree had been mounted on, all the better to look down on those they addressed. And there, in the center, was a figure they had never expected (or hoped) to see here in Anville Town, a tall man who wore an intricate cloak, an ominous red eye patch, and a drooping green hat with a jingle bell at the end…
"Ghetsis?!" gasped Bianca, beyond appalled.
"Team Plasma?!" added Stephan. "In Anville Town?! On Christmas Eve, for Giratina's sake?!"
Face contorting into a snarl, Volan muttered, "Stephan was right, no villain could compare to that cult. Why in the name of every Legendary known to man would they be here? Why… why…?"
He was at a loss for words. He wasn't simply too shocked to speak – he had too many questions that started with 'why', and couldn't decide which, over the whole multitude, to ask first.
"I've heard of these Team Plasma fellows," Trip spoke up. "Don't they give speeches about how we're oppressing Pokemon and need to release them for the greater good, or something like that?"
"That's probably what they're doing now," mused Cilan. "It's just bad luck that they showed up in Anville at the same time we did."
Volan was furious. This was worse than Cilan – heck, it was worse than Trip. If Team Plasma was here, it wasn't to give a speech. Inevitably, they would be causing trouble elsewhere.
"Let's go," he said. "We're going to pound those creeps until they wish they'd taken their preaching elsewhere."
He only stopped when he realized that no one was following him toward the door. He turned cautiously around and saw his friends and a roomful of Pokemon staring at him.
"Don't you think you're going a bit too far?" inquired Bianca.
Opening his mouth to ask what she meant, Volan was cut off by Stephan. "She's right, you know. Team Plasma might be here, and I know they've done bad stuff in the past, but from what we can see, they're only giving a speech like they do all the time. No one's getting kidnapped or pushed into a pit or… sent back in time, like what they've done to us."
Unable to believe what he was hearing, Volan replied with passion, "That's because it hasn't happened yet! Haven't you been traveling with your eyes open? Everywhere Team Plasma goes, trouble follows! Accumula Town was the only exception – in Wellspring Cave, they stole Pokemon and almost knocked me to my death, in Mistralton, they took away Bernice and the others, and need I even remind you of Opelucid City?"
"No, you don't," Iris said quietly. "Team Plasma has affected all of us in really painful ways. But what if they're only here to give a speech? What if they're going to go away peacefully this time? We can't attack them if they're innocent, especially on Christmas Eve."
"I have to agree," added Trip. "We're not affected by what they do unless they storm the building and demand our Pokemon. I don't see the point in going down there."
It didn't matter how hard Volan had tried to ignore his anger at the pea-haired Trainer before. The fury came back with a vengeance – fury at Trip, at his friends' indifference, and at Team Plasma most of all.
"I didn't ask you," he spat without thinking. "Take your opinions back to Nuvema Town, where maybe someone will care."
He turned his back on the others and, realizing the insensitivity with which he had spoken, fought down his anger until it was contained within him. There was no sense in venting such feelings on those who didn't deserve it. He hadn't even meant for that vengeful remark against Trip to escape his mouth. It had slipped out.
Maybe he couldn't keep his negativity to himself. Maybe his friends would have a better time celebrating without him to ruin things.
Forcing his voice to stay calm, Volan raised his head and closed his eyes, stating, "I'm going out there to confront Team Plasma. Whether or not I do anything is none of your concern. Just leave me alone."
Returning his Pokemon to their Poke Balls and muttering an apology to them – he hadn't meant to interrupt their meal – he then retrieved his winter clothing and walked out of the apartment. Everyone left behind was dead silent, stricken with hurt and worry, as the door closed with a final *click*.
Caught up in his decision and his emotions – currently in conflict with one another – Volan stormed through the hall, down the stairs, and across the lobby. He never noticed the perplexed and concerned young woman he passed by on his way outside, who set her mouth in a firm line and stalked after him.
The Plasmas were no longer in the square when Volan arrived. They must have finished their speech and packed up already, for their audience had already dispersed.
Now what could Volan do? He couldn't face his friends now, not after he had blown up at them so thoughtlessly. No, he needed time alone, to sort himself out.
The first thing he did upon reaching the square was release Bernice from her Poke Ball again. Before she could complain from the cold, Volan reached into his pocket and pulled out a small scarf and toque for her to wear. The Normal-and-Flying-type cooed a thank-you, then stood by his side to look up at the towering Christmas tree and its magnificent, light-giving adornments.
"I'm sorry for denying you and the others the chance to finish your food," Volan spoke up after a while. "I really thought Team Plasma would still be here, and doing something awful again."
"Unfeeeezant," Bernice reassured him. "I know you meant well."
Because she had been with him for practically his entire life, Volan was able to get the gist of what she said. "No, I didn't," he sighed in reply. "I wasn't thinking of you, I was thinking of myself. That's really not showing the appropriate spirit for this time of year."
"Fez, fezant," Bernice responded. "Then why not go back and apologize?"
A long, heavy sigh was her answer. "I'm not going back to the celebration right now. Time to myself is what I need. Want to go for a walk?"
Bernice nodded, and accompanied her Trainer on a silent stroll through the festively-decorated town. They turned down streets more or less at random, and whenever they found themselves back at the town square, they picked a different path to see where it led. It was just the thing Volan needed to settle his emotions.
Finally, the boy and bird decided to take a break. They found themselves stopping to rest on a tall hill overlooking Anville Town, dotted with pine trees and blanketed with at least a foot of snow. Although it was much darker on the hill than in the town, Volan and Bernice had no trouble seeing. They wiped the snow off of a small bench that they found under a particularly large pine, sat down on it, and gazed out over the landscape. The view of Anville and its thousands of shining lights of red, green, and yellow was breathtaking.
"This should be a part of every Christmas," murmured Volan. "Spending quality time with my best friend, relaxing in solitude and admiring the beauty of what's around us. Appreciating the simple things in life, you know?"
"Unfeeezant," warbled Bernice, shifting from foot to foot on the cold metal bench. Volan gestured for her to sit on his lap instead, and she did so with gusto, hunkering down and tucking her head under her wing comfortably.
They sat like that for several minutes more, breathing in the chilly winter air and listening to the wind rustle the needles on the pine trees.
After a while, Bernice started to get cold, so Volan put her back into her Poke Ball and promised her that they'd go back to the apartment soon. He pocketed the capsule, then froze when he detected something that sounded out of place. Footsteps were crunching on the snow somewhere close by, and underneath that was the softer sound of huffing and puffing. It sounded as if someone was climbing up the hill and having a bit of difficulty in doing so.
When Volan saw the top of her head appear, he instantly knew who she was and hastened to meet her. Her face was bright red from the combined effects of exertion and cold, and her blonde hair was contained in the fur-edged hood of her winter coat, but Volan would recognize her anywhere.
Most people thought of Caitlin as the young, maiden-like member of the Unovan Elite Four, an innocent-looking but extraordinarily powerful Trainer. But Volan thought of her differently. She had been his friend and secret crush for the four years since they met, after all – to Volan, she was a kind, encouraging, thoughtful, and absolutely beautiful young woman that he had the privilege of knowing. This was the girl that Bianca had invited without his knowledge.
"Pleasure seeing you again," Volan told her once she was by his side.
"And the same to you," Caitlin replied, smiling. "Are you having a good holiday?"
"Well, it's better now that you're here," he admitted, giving her a shy smile of his own. "Bianca told me you were coming at practically the last second, and that was a huge shock for me."
She laughed, music to Volan's ears. "Why would it be such big news?" she asked playfully. "It's not like this is a date or anything, right?"
"R-Right," said Volan, feeling his face start to burn. "We'll plan our dates on our own terms, not Bianca's."
That thought got both of them laughing this time. Caitlin took Volan's hand in hers as they walked back to the bench, and they sat down side-by-side.
"I followed you all the way up here from the building you were staying in," Caitlin murmured, leaning slightly against him. "I was about to take the elevator up when you came rushing down the stairs in a hurry. Is something wrong?"
Volan sighed, his breath fanning out before him in a large cloud. Guilt at his thoughtless actions stabbed at him, and he tightened his grip on Caitlin's hand as if that would take the pain away. He told her about the whole fiasco, and ended the story by saying, "…and I don't think I'll be able to make it up to them by merely apologizing. I came out here because I didn't want to ruin their holiday with my bad attitude."
The girl next to him didn't say anything for a long time, slowly digesting what he had explained to her. When she did speak, her voice was gentle and reassuring.
"Getting into a fight with your friends isn't going to ruin their holiday," she whispered to him. "But what would ruin it is if you stay out here by yourself."
"What do you mean?" Volan asked.
His voice didn't sound anything like he was expecting – it came out a little choked up, like he was close to tears. The guilt from the fight had had a deeper impact on him than he had suspected. In response, Caitlin embraced him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. He hugged her back wholeheartedly, hearing the fabric of his jacket rubbing against hers. The hug was an act of affection that he was almost desperate for, but it was lacking in warmth, and no matter how wonderful Caitlin made him feel on the inside, he was still shivering.
Her voice came as a soft murmur in his ear. "If I were there, I'd feel more upset about seeing you leave than about any disagreement. Volan, your friends want to celebrate with you, not without you. A fight isn't going to change the fact that you're one of them."
She was right, Volan realized.
"Come on," Caitlin continued, pulling away from him and giving him the smile that he loved. "Let's go back together. Everyone will be happy to see you, I'm sure of it."
Volan smiled back at her and stood up, ready to head back to the apartment. Hand-in-hand again, they walked down the slope in silence, toward the brilliant lights adorning the ever-welcoming town of Anville.
The townsfolk were so positive when we first got here, remembered Volan. Every time I'd bump into someone, or trip them by accident, they'd wave off my apology. And my friends… how could I doubt them? If I return and express my regret for losing my temper, they'll do the same. Caitlin's right – no fight is going to destroy our friendship.
When they reached the bottom of the slope, and Volan's boot crunched through the snow when he put it down for the umpteenth time, he found himself standing on a patch of ice buried underneath the protective white covering. He slipped and fell, instinctively letting go of Caitlin's hand right before he ended up face-down in the snow. Groaning, he sat up and tried to wipe the obscuring, half-melted powder from his glasses, while Caitlin covered her mouth in an attempt to hide her laughter.
"Glad to see that you take such amusement from my misery," he quipped, not quite as severely as he intended. A laugh of his own was buried deep in the otherwise sharp statement, dulling the sting it was supposed to have.
"Oh, but the stinging snow makes your cheeks look positively radiant," Caitlin teased him. She offered her hand, and helped him to his feet when he accepted it.
"I'll get you back for that," Volan replied, fighting back a grin.
"I'm so sure," she said sweetly, wiping some of the snow off of his jacket. "You're enjoying it as much as I am, so stop trying to hide it."
She leaned forward and pecked him on the cheek, and that did the trick. Volan broke into the wide grin that he had been struggling to keep to himself and, unexpectedly, hugged Caitlin around the waist.
"Thanks for being there for me," he said to her.
Her stunning green eyes met his blue ones, her reply clear as crystal. You're welcome, and I love you.
A sudden sound came to the couple's ears, muffled because of the snow and the distance over which it was occurring. Simultaneously, they broke eye contact and stared at where the sound was coming from. It was difficult – they were staring at the edge of the forest that surrounded Anville Town and made up the majority of the northwestern Unovan wilds, and in the dark to boot. With the sun long gone, and no source of artificial light nearby, everything was swallowed by the shadows.
But that didn't stop Volan from spotting a figure dashing frantically toward the treeline, soon disappearing into the woods.
"Team Plasma," he hissed under his breath.
Back at the apartment, things had gone more or less back to normal. Ash and Iris were having a contest to see who could drink the most eggnog before having to use the bathroom, Trip and Bianca were staring into their hot chocolate mugs, and Cilan was examining the Christmas tree.
"I must say," the connoisseur observed, "your combination of gold ornaments and silver tinsel is simply superb, Steven. I should commend you on your use of the popcorn chains and red lights as well. You really do know how to put together a wonderful tree."
"Aw, thanks," Stephan replied bashfully. "Now if someone could get my name right…"
The bathroom door opened, and Ash walked out with his face as red as a Tepig's. When he saw Bianca sitting on the couch, though, he ignored the smug-looking Iris standing against the wall in front of him and walked over to sit beside her.
"Hey, Bianca, what's wrong?" he asked.
She glanced up at him. "I'm worried about Volan. He's been out there for a while and hasn't come back."
"I was wondering about him too," Trip admitted, more idly than anything. "I mean, he had a good reason for jumping to conclusions about Team Plasma."
Iris joined them, forgetting her eggnog-related victory in favor of this more important problem. "Maybe we should go out there and look for him, and make sure he's okay."
"I'll get my coat!" exclaimed Stephan, leaping to his feet. "Is everyone coming?"
Each and every one of them replied affirmatively to his question – even Trip, who said that it would be 'something to do'. They collected their Pokemon and piled on their winter clothing, then headed single file out the doorway. There would be plenty of time to celebrate Christmas when everyone was back safe and sound, Volan included.
They reached the town square in no time, deciding unanimously that it was the best place to start looking. By the time they got there, though, there was no one in sight – no Team Plasma, no random passersby, and certainly no Volan.
"Where could they all have gone?" wondered Ash.
"That's basic. Away from here," Trip sighed at him.
"And I don't see Volan anywhere!" whined Bianca. She hugged her fur-lined coat more tightly around herself as if that would make her warmer. "Where oh where could he be?"
Much to their initial confusion (and Iris' dismay, who knew exactly what was going on), Cilan whipped out a brown investigator's hat and a magnifying glass. "There's a mystery afoot! A boy and his faithful Pokemon have disappeared into the wintery wilderness without a trace, on the night of Christmas Eve! But never fear, no mystery is too mysterious enough for the great detective connoisseur Cilan to unravel!"
"Look!" Stephan suddenly shouted. "I see his footprints!"
Cilan nearly fell over, dropping out of his dramatic pose in the process.
"They could be anyone's footprints," Trip gibed. "People have been walking up and down this plaza all day. How do you know they belong to Volan?"
"Because Bernice's tracks are with them!" the other boy told him, losing none of his enthusiasm despite the sarcasm directed at him. He eagerly pointed out a set of three-toed footprints clearly imprinted alongside the human-shaped ones.
"Awesome!" Ash exclaimed. "All we have to do is follow these footprints, and they'll lead us right to him!"
The search party set out immediately, their eyes on the trail in front of them. They were determined to find their friend and bring him back to the party – because after all, what good was a white Christmas without their White Hero?
Ordinarily, it would have been extremely hard for Volan and Caitlin to track down a single Plasma in the dead of night through an expansive forest.
But for once, Volan praised the cold winter weather, for it was the snow laying thick on the ground that provided them with a fresh set of footprints that would make following the Plasma child's play.
The one thing he didn't praise was how frustratingly dark it was. In northern Unova, especially during the wintertime, night came fast. He and Caitlin were stumbling around in total darkness, with their only source of light coming from those few stars and the crescent moon high above them. However, the tracks they followed appeared as pitch-black holes in the white snow they trudged through, making it easy to find their way around without bumping into any trees.
Soon, Volan had lost track of time. They couldn't have been following the Plasma for very long – a couple of minutes at most – but the cold was really starting to get to him by now, even soaking through his boots to sink its frigid fangs into his toes. He could only hope that they caught up to their quarry and disposed of whatever he was scheming so they could head back to the apartment and warm themselves by the fire.
"Can't be much further," he muttered to himself.
"Where could this Plasma be headed?" Caitlin asked, both confused and frustrated. "We're so far away from town. We could get lost if we keep wandering deeper into the woods."
"That is, if we weren't leaving a great trail of our own footprints to double back on afterwards," Volan corrected.
Caitlin was about to reply when Volan suddenly stiffened. He held up a hand for quiet, and stood there for a painfully long time, not even daring to move. Assuming that he was listening for something, Caitlin opened her mouth to ask what it was he was trying to hear – and that was when she heard it too.
Voices, not too far away from them.
"Let's go," mouthed Volan, and when she nodded, they both snuck toward the sound.
They got to a clearing, one that was considerably brighter than their gloomy forest surroundings. It was blanketed with silver moonlight, enough for them to see decently by, but overall it was still massively dark. When they got close enough to see the backs of seven Team Plasma grunts melt out from the shadows, Volan and Caitlin instinctively held their breaths and scurried behind two thick trees so that they wouldn't be seen. Cautiously, when they were sure that they were safely hidden, the couple peered around to spy on the Plasmas.
What they saw was surprising. The seven Plasmas, whom they could now see were accompanied by Ghetsis himself, were surrounding what looked to be a wooden sled or sleigh. Attached to the sleigh were eight distressed Sawsbuck, obviously sporting their seasonal winter coat and bare antlers. On the ground, beside the sleigh, was a cage in which were huddled three Ralts, and a six-foot tall burlap sack that wiggled and squirmed slightly.
"Lucky we got here before the Trainer did," one Plasma was saying. "These Sawsbuck won't be pulling him around at his leisure any longer. I don't know what he had the Ralts for, but they're free too, so it doesn't matter."
"He or she," a girl Plasma specified.
"I said it doesn't matter!" the first Plasma repeated emphatically. "Let's just cut these beasts loose and take the others. The donations too – better safe than sorry."
"I thought those were meant for the children of Anville Town," said a third Plasma. "Whoever this Trainer is, he's trying to do something nice."
"But he's using Pokemon to do his dirty work!" snapped the first Plasma, running out of patience. "I say we take everything and scram before he comes back!"
Ghetsis spoke up then, breaking up the argument before it could start. "Now now, my faithful Plasmas, let's not fight amongst ourselves. We can liberate these poor Pokemon, load what's left back into the sled, and carry it back to the helicopter ourselves."
The conversation continued, but Volan was no longer listening. He shot a look at Caitlin and saw that she wore the same expression as he – shocked and appalled.
"They're stealing from children!" she whispered, as loudly as she dared.
"It could potentially ruin Christmas for Anville Town," Volan added. "And whoever this Trainer is, we can't let Team Plasma steal his Pokemon."
"We need to stop them," Caitlin said in a decisive tone that left no room for argument.
Not that Volan felt like arguing with something he agreed to with all his heart.
But then… before they could take a single step from out of their hiding places…
"Freeze, liberationist scum!"
"Yeah, because I'm freezing my butt off!"
Volan and Caitlin whirled around in surprise, and saw the whole group – Bianca, Stephan, Trip, Ash, Cilan, and Iris – running the last remaining paces between them and Team Plasma and coming to a halt a respectable distance away, perfect for a confrontation.
"Way to ruin my entrance," Stephan grumbled to Iris.
"Well, it's not my fault it's like negative twenty billion degrees out!" the purple-haired girl bit, covered from head to toe in puffy winter gear that made her appear three times wider than she really was, her arms and legs sticking out stiffly.
All eight of the Plasmas stumbled several steps backwards, all at the same time, their faces expressing so much shock that it was comical. Their reactions were even more priceless when Volan and Caitlin ran out to join their friends. Even Ghetsis looked stricken.
"P-P-P-Plasmaaaaaaaa!" screamed one grunt. "It's the White Hero!"
"Volan!" squealed Bianca, smothering him with a hug. "Oh my gosh, we were so worried about you!"
Suffocating in her embrace, Volan choked out, "I'd worry more about me right now than when I left you…"
"Come on, no time for fun and games!" Ash told them. "There's bad guys to beat!"
"For once, I couldn't agree with you more," Trip replied, casually palming a Poke Ball. "Even if you are from the Kanto region boonies."
Together, the group of Trainers faced Team Plasma, an even eight-on-eight standoff if Ghetsis was included.
Said Sage stepped forward, forcing a smile to cut through the evident worry. "Why, if it isn't our old friend Volantes. Fancy seeing you here in Anville Town – I assume you're here to celebrate the holidays?"
Volan wrinkled his nose at Ghetsis, unsure whether to be disgusted by his actions or amused by the green hat with the bell dangling from the end. "Yes, as a matter of fact, and we don't really need to know how you stole Anville Town's Christmas, Mister Grinch."
"Because it's not going to happen!" declared Stephan.
Trip stepped forward so that he was in between Volan and Stephan at the head of the group. "Now move along," he recommended, "or we'll send you dashing through the snow, if you catch my drift."
Ghetsis merely chuckled lightly. "Plasmas, please take care of them."
"PLASMAAAAAA!" screamed the grunts, and all seven of them rushed to do battle.
"That's our cue," said Volan. He took out a Poke Ball and yelled, "Sol, no mercy!"
"Give it to 'em, Sawk!"
"Gooooo, Serperior!"
"Conkeldurr, go!"
"Druddigon, you're up!"
"Palpitoad, I choose you!"
"It's evaluation time, Pansage!"
"Reuniclus, I need your assistance."
The Trainer's Pokemon appeared simultaneously, producing a unified flash of blue light that made the Plasmas collectively wince and cover their eyes. The Pokemon tensed up, recognizing the grey, amoebic uniforms of the opposing team and realizing that, once again, they were battling against the despicable cultists.
However, Team Plasma's moment of unanimous surprise didn't last long, and they came back with all the bravado they had (or stupidity – sometimes it was difficult to tell which was which). A slew of Ice-types were released onto the battlefield, which consisted of a Sneasel, Snover, Vanillite, Snorunt, Cubchoo, Vanillish, and Piloswine. Then Ghetsis himself sent out a Pokemon, evening the numbers – the behemoth that appeared was none other than a titanic Avalugg, easily ten feet tall and twenty long. At the sight of the Avalugg, the Sawsbuck in jeopardy galloped to the edge of the in fright, making sure to tow along the sack and Ralts trio so that they were safe as well.
"You guys take care of the grunts," Volan told the others. "I'll keep Ghetsis and his iceberg busy until you're finished. Then we can take him down as a team."
No one had any complaints about his plan, and with affirmative nods, they engaged their Pokemon Liberation-obsessed foes in battle. Volan, meanwhile, circled around the melee to target Ghetsis.
"Sol, attack with Flame Charge!" ordered Volan.
"Vesta!" the Larvesta hissed, then spouted flames from his horns hot enough to ignite his furry coat. He took off at a run, charging at Avalugg while melting a path through the snow.
"Use Avalanche!" Ghetsis commanded.
Avalugg bellowed – a mighty, hollow sound that resonated painfully in Volan's head – and lifted a foot that was three feet in diameter. Before Volan could warn Sol to avoid it or be crushed, Avalugg crashed it down hard in front of him. The result was a wave of snow that doused Sol's flames and buried the poor larva.
Pressing his advantage, Ghetsis ordered, "Attack with Take Down!"
"LUUUUUUUGG!" roared Avalugg, and lifted its foot again. This time, though, it was definitely aiming for Sol.
"Stop it with Psychic!" Volan yelled, frantically hoping that Sol's not-yet-expert control over his newest move would be enough to save him.
And, sure enough, blue light emanated from the pile of snow, radiating outward to push against Avalugg's foot. The Iceberg Pokemon blinked in surprise and pushed harder, stubbornly trying to crush the Larvesta despite the psychic barrier. But it didn't budge, not until Sol had dug himself out of the ground and safely scurried away. Avalugg's foot came down hard, hard enough to hurt the titan itself.
"Your luck will run out eventually," Ghetsis warned. "Avalugg, Ice Ball!"
"Catch it with String Shot!" shouted Volan.
A large, blue sphere of energy appeared inside Avalugg's gaping jaws, which rapidly hardened into a solid block of ice that it spat out at Sol. But Sol was ready, and fired strings of sticky silk from his five horns. Successfully latching onto the Ice Ball, Sol reared his head back and flung the projectile right back at Avalugg, which hit it in the face.
However, Avalugg didn't even flinch. It roared, then came at Sol with another Take Down. Thankfully, the startled Fire-and-Bug-type managed to dodge, and the recoil further damaged Avalugg a tiny bit.
"Flame Charge!" Volan ordered.
Sol attacked again, turning into a Larvesta-sized meteor that charged forward at full speed. The result was less than desirable, though – when Sol slammed into Avalugg, it didn't suffer so much as a burn mark, and Sol went flying backwards to land at Volan's side!
Ghetsis chuckled again. "Foolish child. Avalugg's body is as hard as steel. A Flame Charge from that tiny flea isn't even going to scratch it. In contrast, Avalugg is powerful enough to smash anything that gets in its way."
"Then we'll focus on wearing it down," Volan growled. "Sol, use Psychic to pin it down."
"Larvesta," Sol hissed, and a blue wave of energy shot forth from his top-most horn. The energy washed over Avalugg, and immediately, the behemoth was pulled downward. It struggled, but no matter how hard it tried, it couldn't move.
"No matter," said Ghetsis dismissively, to Volan's shock. "Use Sharpen, then Ice Ball."
Immediately, a white wave passed across Avalugg's body, and its edges suddenly appeared sharper. Then, it opened its maw and launched another Ice Ball, this one impacting against Sol hard enough to throw the insect away. Avalugg shuddered and stood more upright as it found itself able to move again.
"Use Flame Charge to build up speed!" commanded Volan. "Then at the last minute, switch to Double-Edge!"
"Avalanche!" retorted Ghetsis.
Sol's fur flared up again, and it ran full force at the icy aircraft carrier. The blazing Torch Pokemon slammed into the Avalanche that Avalugg stirred up, piercing right through the snow even though it meant losing a bit of speed in the process. Right as Sol was about to crash into Avalugg, the crimson flames wreathing his body turned into a yellow glow that radiated power. But when he hit Avalugg's leg, it had exactly the same effect as last time.
Power isn't going to take down this thing! Volan said to himself, looking on with dismay as Avalugg buried Sol in another Avalanche. I thought that a Fire-type would be my best bet against an Ice-type, but the best I can do is pin it in place with Psychic and catch its projectiles with String Shot. Otherwise, it's too heavy and too solid to even dent. I doubt even Rickie or Rudy could defeat it.
He watched Sol pick himself out of the snow while Avalugg advanced. The Iceberg Pokemon's shadow fell across the moonlit clearing as it bore down on the two of them, its legs squeaking and screeching thanks to the ice grinding between its joints. It reminded Volan a bit of one of those Imperial walkers from Omastar Wars.
That's when an idea clicked in his mind, a plan that was almost suicidal enough to work.
"Flame Charge, Sol!" he encouraged the Larvesta.
"A foolish waste of time," scoffed Ghetsis. "I fail to see how you were ever chosen as the White Hero. Avalugg, squash it with Take Down!"
The scene playing before Volan's eyes was one with a predictable ending. Sol, up in flames again, rushed toward Avalugg, which was slowly raising its foot up. To any bystander, it would look as if Sol was doomed, utterly doomed.
But… they didn't know what Volan had in mind.
"Dodge it!" he shouted at the last minute.
And voila, Sol sharply adjusted his course and avoided the ice giant's foot! Avalugg stomped again, but Sol swerved again and missed it by inches. He just kept running around in circles and figure eights, neatly avoiding Avalugg's front legs every time it struck out with them.
"Ah, I see what you're doing," Ghetsis realized, not sounding very upset about it. "You're trying to tire out my Avalugg. But you'll go nowhere, because its stamina is as astronomical as its defense, and –"
Volan held up a hand to stem the flow of words. "I'll give you this much, Ghetsis. You're half right."
The green-haired man opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He was too perplexed to ask the question on his mind.
"Run in circles around it, Sol, and keep up that Flame Charge!" Volan barked, unable to keep a grin away from his face.
Trusting his master's judgment, Sol went from zooming around in front of Avalugg to plowing a twenty-foot wide racetrack around it. Every other second, the fiery figure of the little Torch Pokemon would blaze past Volan fast enough for a gust of wind to hit him. At this point in the battle, almost all the snow around their battlefield had melted from the continuous Flame Charges.
Avalugg looked left and right, left and right, left and right, then held its head up and roared hollowly in frustration. It was difficult to imagine a sentient block of ice having emotions, but the look on its turtle-like head showed clear distress, distress that was quickly evolving into panic.
"Don't lose it," warned Ghetsis, his voice confident enough to snap Avalugg out of it. "Study its movement, then smash it when it next passes."
"Lugg," grunted the Ice-type. It dipped its head and watched Sol's progress ever so carefully with its unblinking yellow eyes.
Sol made a pass once. Sol made a pass twice. Sol made a pass three times… and Avalugg lunged forward with a roar and a powerful Avalanche.
"Out of there!" Volan roared, his voice breaking from the strain of out-shouting Avalugg's bellow.
So fast he was only a blur, Sol zipped to Volan's side, extinguishing his flames as he did so. The great explosion of snow that ensued when Avalugg's foot hit the ground grazed his back end as he made his getaway.
"Ready?" asked Volan. Getting a nod from the Larvesta, he commanded, "Now run around Avalugg and use String Shot."
"Vessssssta," Sol whispered, drawing it out such was his pleasure. But first, he needed a second to warm up…
Ghetsis couldn't take it anymore. "What? You're going to run around in more circles? You are not going to win by attempting to make Avalugg dizzy, if that's what you're trying to –"
Sol was off and racing again, five long lines of silk trailing behind him as he moved. The ends of the silvery ropes stuck fast to Avalugg's leg, and Sol commenced running around in ever-tightening circles around his much bigger opponent. The Ice-type growled softly, suspicious. If it was waiting to see what Sol would do, then it didn't have too much longer to wait.
Finally, Sol stopped directly in front of Avalugg. He braced himself, and yanked.
The silken ropes binding Avalugg's four legs tightened significantly. The Iceberg Pokemon couldn't keep its balance, and began to topple. It let out a howl that surely could be heard all the way from Anville Town, teetered for a moment, and collapsed onto its side with a colossal tremor that… well, could be felt all the way from Anville Town.
"And that," Volan said, smugly, "is how you stop an unstoppable titan."
His friends and their Pokemon gathered around him in the dead silence that ensued. They all gazed upon the helpless Avalugg with awe written all over them. Ghetsis looked like someone had just torn out his heart – pale and shaking.
"Th… those… those Flame Charges…" he murmured. "They were to boost your Larvesta's speed to its maximum level… so Avalugg couldn't hit it… and then you used String Shot to bind its legs…"
"Omastar Wars style!" Bianca squealed ecstatically.
"Now let's finish this old man!" whooped Stephan.
They called their moves, and their Pokemon obeyed. Sol, Sawk, Conkeldurr, Reuniclus, Druddigon, Serperior, Palpitoad, and Pansage attacked mercilessly, closing in on Avalugg with all the fury of a hurricane. The gigantic Ice-type's entire body was hidden in the explosion, and when the smoke cleared, the eight Pokemon were standing victoriously over the limp and very battered iceberg.
Frantically, Ghetsis recalled Avalugg and stumbled over his own feet in his rush to run away. His seven Team Plasma subordinates took their own unconscious Pokemon and went after him, some of them wailing "Plasmaaaaaa!" as they did so. Their voices faded into the distance, and their figures into the shadows.
"Merry Christmas!" Ash called after them.
"You'll be decking your halls with pain tonight!" Volan added for good measure.
The friends formed a circle, all of them laughing long and loud. All were giddy at their victory and the fact that they had, possibly, saved Christmas. The Pokemon were there as well, laughing and cheering along with their Trainers in their many voices.
That was when the Sawsbuck came back with their sleigh, urged from out of the forest by the sounds of cheer. Volan and the rest fell silent after their gales had subsided, and turned around when they heard the sound of the sleigh gliding over what was left of the snow. Inside of the sled, the Ralts stared inquisitively from their cage, and the burlap sack was no longer struggling.
"I assume you little ones want out of that tight squeeze," Caitlin giggled. The Ralts giggled back and nodded their green-domed heads.
While she and Bianca worked on opening the cage, Volan, Trip, Iris, and Stephan worked on untying the knot on the sack. They found the rope to be thick, scratchy, and tied very tightly, so they worked on picking it apart one tug at a time.
"Hey," Trip spoke up, his look directed at Volan. "You weren't too bad today, defeating that Avalugg."
Volan gave his nemesis a sidelong glance, reluctant to even give him that much. "Thanks for the pseudo-compliment. And about what happened earlier… I'm sorry for blowing up at you like that. I'm not kidding, I really did regret it afterward."
"I believe you," replied Trip, for once not sounding bored. "Now, could we enjoy the rest of the night without fighting with each other?"
"Fine," Volan said, his eyes going back to the knot. "But only because you asked nicely. And you're back on my proverbial naughty list first thing tomorrow morning."
"I'm sure I can hold you to that," Trip muttered under his breath.
At last, the knot came undone, and the sack fell open. From inside, five smaller (and much more nice-looking) silky red bags tumbled out, along with a very bedraggled Delibird.
"Deeee…" the bird moaned, clutching its head, then suddenly noticed that it was free. "Dee dee delee! Delee delee delee!"
Iris laughed. "Well, you're welcome!"
"Where's your Trainer?" asked Stephan. "He's coming for you soon, right?"
The Delibird's eyes twinkled mischievously for a fraction of a second, and it shrugged as if to say, You might say that.
"Well, don't be kidnapped any more than you already have," the large boy added with mock sternness. "Those children of Anville Town are depending on you and your fellow Pokemon to deliver those gifts."
"Dee delee!" agreed Delibird.
Suddenly, Volan felt three separate sets of steel clamps constrict his arm. When he looked down, he saw that they weren't actually clamps, but a very affectionate trio of Ralts.
"The Ralts are free~!" announced Bianca.
"Now if only they'd free my arm," Volan muttered, shaking the captive limb half-heartedly.
The Sawsbuck tossed their heads and snorted, pawing at the ground impatiently. They most likely wanted to hurry and get to the town so that they could deliver their presents. If Volan thought it was odd that they didn't want to wait for their Trainer, he kept it to himself.
"Now, you Pokemon will be okay without us?" he asked them.
His answer was a set of affirmative chirps from the Ralts and grunts from the Sawsbuck.
But the Delibird had a somewhat different reaction. Its feathery face lit up, then it pounced on one of the silky red bags and commenced rummaging around inside. When it extracted itself, it was carrying a stack of eight elaborately-wrapped boxes. The Delivery Pokemon set them down on the floor of the sleigh and pushed them toward the wide-eyed group.
"Are… those for us?" questioned Trip. "As a thank-you for what we've done?"
"Delee!" Delibird chirped, nodding furiously.
Stephan hesitantly took the stack of gifts and held them carefully in his arms. Each of the group thanked the colorful bird, stepped away from the sleigh, and let the Sawsbuck pull the sleigh out of the clearing. They waved at the eight deer and their passengers as they rode off into the dark forest.
"Dee dee dee dee!" called the Delibird, and waved back.
Then it looked directly at Volan and winked at him, before disappearing into the shadows.
For a few seconds, none of the group talked… they just stared after the sleigh, thinking their own thoughts or listening to the sweet sound of silence.
"Should we head back?" Ash asked. "I don't know about you, but I'm kind of cold."
"Yes!" enthused Iris. "We should head back right now and have dinner!"
There was a loud yelp from Cilan. "Egad! I just remembered that I left the Christmas Unfezant in the oven! It's probably burnt to a crumbly, disastrous crisp by now!"
"Good," said Volan. "I was dreading having to tell Bernice that we were having one of her cousins or aunts or uncles for dinner. Let's go to the store and pick up a roast Pidgeotto instead."
"That sounds good to me," agreed Caitlin, and slipped her hand into his. He smiled at her and held tightly onto her hand.
With that said and done, they began the long walk back home. They hadn't been walking long, however, when Volan glanced over at the presents in Stephan's arms and noticed something very strange.
"Hey, I don't know if it's just me, but… these gifts are addressed to us."
The feast was done and over with. The Delibird's gifts were laid out on the coffee table. The friends were aware of the fact that it was very late, but were having too much fun to care. After all the bumps in the road beforehand, they were having the time of their lives.
Everyone had found something relaxing to do. Most of the Pokemon were sleeping, having gorged themselves to contentment. Trip and Cilan were exchanging recipes, having found a new liking for each other after they had worked together to create their Christmas dinner. Iris, Caitlin, and Bianca were chatting about… whatever it was that girls talked about. Then there were Stephan, Ash, and Volan, who were wearing out their thumbs trying to slay a Feraligatr-headed sea serpent on Pocket Monster Hunter.
"Ash, I never thought I'd say this, but I have a reason to respect you now," Volan commented, wincing as the monster on the TV screen swatted his character away with its tail.
"Why, I like the same video games you do?" the Kantonian asked cheekily.
"That, and I'm currently being beaten into submission," he replied. "That tends to have a humbling effect."
Despite their exceptional teamwork, the three boys ended up failing the mission, and were brought back to the loading screen. Volan casually tossed his controller aside and sipped the last few drops of his hot chocolate, then headed to the bathroom. On the way, he passed Sol, who sleepily opened his eyes when his master came near.
"Hi Sol," Volan greeted softly, bending down to ruffle the Larvesta's fur. "You were great today. We couldn't have saved those Pokemon without you. Even though you and I haven't been together for very long, I'd say we make a good team. What do you think?"
Sol thought for a minute. "Lar Larvessssta," he finally answered. "I would agree, Master Volan."
Smiling at the bug, Volan left him alone so he could continue his nap.
He exited the bathroom only a couple of minutes later, and reentered the living room to find a rather unexpected sight. Bianca walked right past him with a tray in her hands, upon which sat a plate of Christmas-themed cookies and a glass of milk, and placed it carefully on the floor in front of the fireplace.
Sighing, Volan said, "Please, Bianca, don't tell me you believe in all that Santa Claus crap."
As if he had uttered something totally unspeakable, Bianca gasped loudly. "Don't say mean stuff like that!" she told him. "Those're the kinds of remarks that result in coal-stuffed stockings, you know!"
She was so busy reprimanding Volan that she didn't notice Mistral swipe a cookie from the plate and float off with it.
"Oh, let Bianca believe in what she believes in," Iris said with a wave of her hand. "We all know she's a little kid, after all."
Volan sat down next to Caitlin and gave her a glance that read, She's crazy.
"It's all in good fun," the maiden replied, correctly reading the look in his eyes. "Don't go ruining her Christmas spirit."
"I'll keep my mouth closed, then," Volan assured her, leaning back on the spacious armchair, which indeed had enough room for two people to squeeze together in.
"You don't mean that literally," Caitlin said, frowning. "It won't be fun spending the night with you if you just keep silent."
True to his word, Volan said nothing.
"This isn't funny," she tried to say critically, but she was smiling.
"On the contrary," Stephan snickered, "I think it's hilarious!"
Caitlin edged closer to Volan and wrapped her arms around him. He replied by doing the same, and took extra care to be gentle with her. The Gurei boy spent a brief instant admiring the object of his affection – yes, everything about her was perfect, from her viridescent eyes to her blonde waterfall of hair. But as perfectly beautiful as he found her, he still wasn't going to answer her plea, and his teasing smirk told her that loud and clear.
"Maybe I need to resort to drastic measures then," Caitlin asserted, a smirk of her own slowly spreading across her lovely face.
Seeing the uncharacteristically sinister expression being worn by his beloved made Volan narrow his eyes. You wouldn't dare.
He was proven wrong right then and there when Caitlin suddenly flung her arms around his neck and kissed him. Initially, he was startled, but he quickly calmed and leaned in closer to her, reveling in how soft and warm her lips felt against his. He slid his arms more intimately around her delicate waist, while she did the same with his neck. This was what he had wanted when they had first hugged that night. Here, with no bulky winter clothes to get in their way, it couldn't be more perfect. He had warmth, passion, her subtle rose-scented perfume in his nose, and her cottony pink dress pleasantly tickling his fingertips as they moved past her waist and over her back.
Now, Volan would have told Caitlin how much he loved her right then and there, but he was going to wait until their mouths weren't otherwise occupied.
And, once they had separated that perfect distance where they were no longer kissing but their noses were still in contact with each other, those were indeed the first words he spoke.
"I love you," he murmured, raising a hand to gently massage her cheek.
She closed her eyes and leaned into his hand. "Love you too."
They shared another quick kiss – certainly, neither of them intended for it to be quick, but they were forced to pull apart once Bianca's ultrasonic squeal of ecstasy threatened to rip their eardrums out.
"Must she do that…?" Caitlin asked, rubbing her ear.
Volan, always the gentleman wherever the girl of his dreams was concerned, rubbed it for her. "I'm sure she just thinks we're cute together. But yes, she could certainly be less vocal about it…"
"HA! I knew it!" crowed Iris, pointing dramatically at the couple. "I called it back during the Club Battle Tournament! You do like her!"
"Wow, excellent observation, Holmes," Volan snarked back at her. "I wonder, what could have given it away? The kiss or the declaration of love that came afterward?"
The dragon-loving girl's face was as purple as her hair when she stormed out of the room, leaving a very amused crowd behind.
Caitlin's soft voice suddenly came and demanded Volan's instant attention. "I can't help but stop and wonder about what you said after we defeated Team Plasma." She gestured to the gifts lying on the table and elaborated, "You were right, they were addressed specifically to us. How could that be?"
"More importantly," added Volan, picking up a box and examining it, "how did that troupe of Pokemon know we were going to be in Anville Town? And how did the Delibird know who we were?"
With a wry smile, Caitlin said jokingly, "Maybe Bianca's right, and Santa Claus really does exist. Maybe we even saw him ourselves tonight."
Volan was about to protest, but before he could, he remembered the Delibird's parting wink. Doubt flooded his mind.
"Don't be ridiculous," Trip scoffed dismissively. "Santa Claus, no matter what Bianca says, does not exist."
Then they all heard a sound in their heads.
It sounded strangely like the laughter of a certain red-and-white bird.
The White Hero sprang to his feet, to his friends gave a call,
And to the window they flocked, standing brave and tall.
The cold not a bother, the eight cried into the night,
"Merry Christmas to all, except for Team Plasma, who should get out of sight!"
Yes, I grossly overestimated Avalugg's size. But come on, it's an aircraft carrier – six feet seven inches just won't do. And yes, Volan took it down Hoth-ATAT style.
Now, as far as the Voltlin moment goes, I originally intended for Bianca to drop a box-load of mistletoe on them and physically force them into each other, but… hey, can you blame me for caving and going for romance instead of humor?
It isn't often that I speak in all caps, but let me leave you with one final message… MERRY CHRISTMAS, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, AND BEST WISHES TO ALL OF MY FAITHFUL READERS!
~ Cottonmouth25