It all started when Lyra defeated Lance. Blue was a bit impressed with her, and challenged Lyra to go retrieve the other 8 badges from Kanto. Of course, Lyra obliged to her challenge, and in less than a month she had plowed down the competition. Blue decided on the final gym battle she would go and watch, since her friend Green was the leader. He was crushed under Lyra's tennis shoes. Green seemed vaguely surprised. A friendship sparked in between the three, eventually bringing their groups of friends together. That was a year ago.

Since then Professor Oak had asked Green to research the habitat of Mount Silver to study how the Pokemon there survived. Green was pained at first to accept. Red used to be his best friend, even though he never thought that Red felt the same way. He was always torn off from reality. He spoke almost to no one unless it was mandatory, and his face never gave away any emotion. He was an amazing trainer, though, easily commanding his Pokemon, even without words. He went up Mount Silver a couple years ago, never came down.

Green hoped for a while that he was all right, but several other trainers climbed Mount Silver and couldn't find a trace of him. Green let the realization hit him. Red was dead. There was no way he could be alive, not in those conditions. Several reports even said that Pokemon wouldn't wander to the peak. Living there would be suicide. Maybe that's what he wanted.

So, Green took the job. Blue and Lyra decided to come with him, along with Black, a trainer from Unova, who just wanted to see the mountain up close. When the word got out to him that three other trainers were going, he demanded to go, too.

And there they were, in a cramped cottage. It had two bedrooms, a living room with an old fashioned TV and a couch (which was also partly connected to the kitchen), and one bathroom. Oh Arceus, the horror of having four people under one roof with one bathroom. The small home was part of a town at the base of the mountain. It was pretty easy to get to Mount Silver.

Blue and Lyra had claimed the living room as their bedroom, Black and Green getting separate rooms. They switched of using the couch, usually stayed up late into the night watching TV or gossiping.

Lyra usually accompanied Green on his expeditions, trailing along behind him happily some days, observantly helping him study the habits of Pokémon on other days, but mostly she just went off on her own to train in the main cave system. Green warned her not to go far, and she smiled at him, but not in a sly way, and agreed, telling him that he shouldn't worry too much.

Black also came along about once a week, but he disliked the cold and ended up complaining about it continuously. Green was fed up with it, but Lyra seemed amused, and usually stuck around when he decided to come. This usually ending with a snowball fight and Black running home.

Today was one of those days. Green glanced behind him, the snow crunching under his feet, as he heard the two other people behind him scurry around making snowballs. Black got a good one to the face, and Arceus, that snow is icy. Lyra laughed at him and fled into the main cave, taking out a Pokeball while she did. Black did the same and sprinted after her as quickly as the snow allowed.

Green sighed. "Don't go too far!" He called after them. He doubted that they heard.

It was about 3 PM when they came back. Lyra was stumbling along the slope, trying to move quickly. She was gripping something in her hands, and her face conveyed excitement. Black was looking around. Seeing that Green was nowhere to be found, he shouted to her, "Let's head back! I don't see Green."

She nodded happily, and they made their way home.

Blue was furious when they arrived, "You morons!" She roared at them, "Do you know how long you've been gone!" Lyra hid the item behind her back.

"An amount of time that you won't rip our heads off our bodies for?" Black tried.

"We have a surprise for you guys if you don't rip them off." Lyra smiled widely. Blue quirked an eyebrow.

"What kind of surprise?"

"Get Green and sit on the couch."

Blue gave a suspicious look and scurried off to get Green. Lyra and Black stood in front of the couch. She turned to Black. "Do you want to give it to them?" Her head tilted ever so slightly. He shrugged, staring where Blue had run off to.

"Can't this wait? I'm writing the report up…" Green mumbled from down the hall.

"No! Now come on." Blue came out dragging Green, and they both sat on the couch. Green eyed them with a tint of curiosity.

"We found something that you guys would probably like to have. We found it on one of the lower slopes under some snow." Black said slightly quieter than usual. He nodded to Lyra, and she pulled the item out from behind her back. In her gentle hands was an item that caused Green to gawk and Blue to gasp. It was a hat. Not any hat, though. It was Red's hat.

Lyra held it out to them with a polite smile. "Here." Blue took it, observing the clothing accessory. It was soaking wet now that the ice had melted off it, but it was definitely his.

"Holy shit…" Green finally managed to say. His eyes were as wide as dinner plates.

"So..," Lyra started Blue looked up at her. "That means he might be alive, right?" Blue stared, and then looked back at the hat in her hands. Green muttered something under his breath. The hat still looked relatively in good condition. Nobody said anything for a while. Minutes passed, and Lyra broke the silence, but ever so gently. Her voice was small and quiet. "… I want to battle him." Green shook his head silently.

His neon eyes looked to hers. They were blazing. "He's probably not there. It would be crazy to go to the peak."

"We don't know if he's there or not." Black muttered.

"Yeah, what if everyone thinks that? Nobody's going to go to the peak to just go there." Lyra paused. "Maybe that's why nobody's seen him." The silence took over again. Blue looked at green. Her eyes were piercing. He ignored her. Black's eyes drifted to Green, and suddenly the pressure of the whole group was placed onto him. He sighed, leaning back into the cushions.

"I guess we should get ready for our little adventure, then." Black and Lyra smiled at each other, exchanging a fist pound. Blue beamed and tackle-hugged him. Green sighed again. i'I must be crazy.'/i