This morning was one of the worst mornings I had ever woken up to. Some of my hair stuck to my face thanks to the cold sweat. My breathing was uneven as I gripped the blanket that had fallen on my lap. I felt like absolute shit and my whole body felt exhausted in some way. Jeez, talking to Xerneas really took a toll on me.
When I managed to calm myself down, I brought my hand up and wiped away some of the sweat from my sickly warm skin. My hand passed by my eyes where I felt a stray tear roll down my face. Had I been crying in my sleep without realizing it?
Xerneas had placed this unbelievable pressure on me; she made me the savior that would save the world from impending danger. As noble as it sounded, I had no clue what the hell this impending danger was. I only vaguely recalled her mentioning something about an Ultimate weapon, but that could literally be anything. I was left to fix something without any directions to follow.
I shouldn't be dwelling on it too much, yet the stakes were high. I had to figure something out before it's too late. Stretching my arms over my head helped me relax the tension in my muscles, which was something I needed if I was being honest. I dropped my arms and got out of bed, proceeding to prepare myself a nice warm shower in the bathroom.
Taking my time to get ready was something I had rarely done since starting this journey, but it helped me calm my constantly wondering worries. After drying my hair completely with a cheap hair dryer, I shrugged on a black leather jacket for the chilly weather outside. I packed up my things and left the room.
I left the Pokémon Center as soon as I returned the room key to Nurse Joy. The original plan was to eat breakfast in the cafeteria, but their food selection certainly wasn't my taste. Unfortunately, with only limited cafés here that were still closed, I had no choice but to get something from the convenience store. I came out of there with an overpriced breakfast burrito and warm coffee. I'd rather have something else, but I guess it's still food that I didn't mind eating.
I found a decent spot to eat my food on an unoccupied bench and started eating away. To my surprise, the burrito was okay, but still overpriced. The coffee was average; nothing amazing yet nothing terrible. I wished to have that sandwich from Shalour City. That was a very delicious breakfast.
I was halfway done with my breakfast when I spotted a familiar ginger boy not too far from me. I rose a curious eyebrow when I saw that he was coming toward my direction. His light green eyes met my dark green irises, causing a small grin to appear on his face. I took a quick sip of my coffee and mentally cursed. I didn't want to be around company at the moment, but I also didn't want to send the boy away.
"Hello, Emilia," Trevor greeted as he took a seat next to me.
"Hey," I responded. "Are the others with you?"
"No, we all went our separate ways after you left Laverre City," he explained.
"I see..." Hopefully, he didn't want to know the reason behind me leaving so suddenly from that town. "So, what brings you here?"
"I'm off to go look for Pokémon in the Frost Cavern and fill up my PokéDex." Trevor removed his gaze from his lap and looked over at me. "Do you want to come along?"
I leaned back against the bench and pondered on his offer. Should I go? I didn't have anything better to do and the plan was to leave once I was done eating. On the other hand, there was no harm in accompanying Trevor on his trip to the Frost Cavern so he could fill up his PokéDex. Also, I was a little worried he might have another run-in with Team Flare, who were reported to be near the area. Maybe I should go just to keep him out of harm's way.
In addition to that, Fletchinder could get some training in. It's been about a week since he fully recovered and yes, Fletchinder was a male. Running a quick PokéDex scan helped me learn more about my new team member. Based on his outstanding performances in battles with other trainers, it was clear he was close to evolving.
"Eh, why not?" I shrugged before taking one last bite out of my burrito. "Let's got."
"Great!" Trevor beamed with genuine excitement. "Follow me. I know the way."
I nodded and stood up, gathering my things and the trash from my breakfast. I placed the burrito wrapper inside the empty styrofoam coffee cup and threw it in the trash nearby. Trevor and I left the small town and walked the path that led to the Frost Cavern.
Apparently, the weather report was accurate when it read that it would be extremely cold today.
A sneeze erupted from my mouth due to the cold weather around me. I brought my hands near my mouth and began to blow my warm breath on them. My entire body trembled from the cold weather to the point where I started hugging myself for any warmth I could radiate. The winters in Sinnoh were tolerable, but this was a whole other story. Then again, I should've prepared better considering it was called the Frost Cavern for a reason.
I released a sigh, which only came out as a mist in this cold air. A scowl formed on my lips as I shoved my hands into my jacket's pockets. They were starting to get warm, but I knew it wouldn't last because they were going to get cold again inevitably. How did people tolerate this kind of weather?!
Trevor looked over his shoulder at me wearing a concerned expression. I sniffled and gave him a twitchy smile, but my trembling body made it obvious I was freezing to death. For someone who was only wearing a thick sweater, he sure as hell looked unbothered.
"Are you going to be okay?" he asked politely. "You don't look-"
"I-I'll be f-fine!" I tried to convince the ginger boy. "L-Let's just f-fill up that P-PokéDex of yours, o-okay?"
Trevor looked reluctant, but agreed nonetheless. We both entered the cavern, which was even colder than the outside. There was snow in here along with blocks of ice scattered in random edges of the perimeter. What took me by surprise was the handful of trainers in here, but unlike me, they were clothed in thick jackets, scarfs, and winter gloves. Seeing them enjoying themselves in this cold weather made me bitter. It must be nice being all warm in their comfortable clothing.
Trevor wandered off to go find Pokémon he hadn't registered in his PokéDex, which was very productive of him. Out of us five trainers that received the PokéDex, he was the only one that made the effort to fill it up. We should all aspire to have that dedication toward something we're passionate about. He most likely had the most entries out of the rest of us combined.
I kicked a small piece of an icy rock as I walked around in the cavern. Since Trevor was doing his own thing, I might as well do something to pass the time. Plus, following him around would be quite boring. I was far enough from him to where he had his space, but not far enough to where I couldn't keep an eye on him. So far, there were no signs of Team Flare, which was good.
As I was watching a couple of Swinub interacting with one another, a startling growl echoed suddenly ripped the calm atmosphere. Some of the trainers immediately ran out as soon as the cave trembled from a small tremor caused by the growl. Another growl echoed, only this one was louder than the last. The icy walls trembled more violently, causing some of the loose icicles to fall from the ceiling. My eyes widened when I saw one aiming to fall on Trevor's shoulder.
I immediately grabbed him by the arm and roughly pulled him away just in time. When I looked at him for injuries, which thankfully weren't there, I released his arm. Trevor took a deep breath as his eyes looked at the broken icicle that would've hurt him had I not pulled him away in time.
"Thank you, Emilia. You saved me..." He sighed in relief.
"Don't worry about it." I waved off before looking at the direction where the growling had came from. "We should go see what that was."
Trevor wasn't too thrilled about the idea, but accompanied me anyway. We both ran off further inside the cavern while also being careful of the slippery ground in opened areas. The deeper we ventured, the colder it became. It felt like I was stuck in a freezer at its lowest temperature. The little warmth I radiated was no more.
Aside from the drop in temperature, it also became somewhat dimmer due to lack of sunlight. The growl came back again, only this time it sounded like it was closer. I turned to the left where I was certain the growling came from. From my place, I spotted another opening just around the corner. I quickly made my way to the opening, only to immediately hide from sight upon seeing those ridiculous red uniforms.
My eyes hardened as I kept my gaze directly on the back of their heads. Trevor was close to walking in on them, but I managed to pull him next to me. The ginger boy gave me a puzzled expression, but it went away when I signaled him to be quiet. He nodded while I peered at the inside while remaining hidden.
Three Team Flare members surrounded an uncomfortable Abomasnow against the ice wall. Two of those Team Flare members were admins while the third appeared to be another scientist. What was different about this scientist was her vibrant blue hair. I didn't know what they were planning, but I knew it wasn't anything good.
"What's going on, Emilia?" Trevor asked in a whisper.
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out." I looked at him with a stern expression. "Stay here for now, okay?"
He obeyed my order without hesitation, which I was grateful for. I quietly stepped out of the corner and worked my way into the opening. The sudden drop in temperature made me want to gasp out loud. Thankfully, the Team Flare goons hadn't noticed me despite my teeth chattering from the cold. I was able to get close enough to where I could hear what they were talking about.
The blue-haired scientist laughed suddenly, which threw me off. I carefully let out a shaky breath as I stood still. Any closer and I would've been caught.
"This Abomasnow is a fine specimen!" she exclaimed gleefully. "It's absolutely brimming with energy. The more we agitate it, the stronger its Snow Warning ability becomes, making the snow fall even more furiously."
That explained why it was so damn cold in here. Those assholes were harassing the poor Pokémon for research!
"Let's catch it swiftly and get out of here," she informed the two admins. The Abomasnow growled angrily at her, creating yet another tremor that could've brought the whole place down. I needed to get them away from the Abomasnow before they get us all killed!
"Hey!"
My eyes widened incredulously when Trevor ran passed me and into the opening. He stood against the Team Flare members on his own. On any other occasion, I would've been impressed that he overcame his shyness to stand up on his own. Right now, I was annoyed he disobeyed me.
"Get the hell back here!" I demanded as I chased after him. He ignored me and stood his ground against Team Flare, who seemed ready to squish the boy like a parasite. Trevor pointed an accusing finger at them.
"Hey, you PokéBall thieves!" Trevor glared at him. "What are you doing here?!"
"What does it look like? We're catching Pokémon. Why else would we have grabbed all of those PokéBalls?" the scientist answered sarcastically. She looked over her shoulder at the Abomasnow. "It was all so we could catch powerful Pokémon like this Abomasnow. It's full of potent energy!"
"Energy?" Trevor mumbled with an unsure expression.
A sudden thought occurred to me at that moment. Xerneas mentioned that someone was trying to bring her back to life, but she didn't know what they were doing to achieve that goal. Perhaps the answer was Team Flare! Why else were they after Pokémon with potent energy? It would be the perfect power source to bring back a powerful legendary Pokémon.
The blue-haired scientist looked over at Trevor and me with a smirk on her blue-tainted lips. What was she planning to do now that we knew her little secret?
"You're not the brightest one, are you?" She laughed at Trevor. The poor boy went red from embarrassment.
"Leave him alone, Blueberry!" I spat with a glare. The woman scowled at me with an irritated expression.
"My name is Mable for your information," she hissed, making me roll my eyes at her just to irritate her further. "Anyway, whoever has the most Pokémon and the most energy will come out on top! Lazy people who just wait for things to be handed to them don't get to have these resources!"
"That's fucking stupid!" I blurted out, which earned me three glared from all the Team Flare goons. "If that's true, why accumulate Pokémon, energy, and money?"
"To put it another way, why is Team Flare always trying to take everything for themselves?" Trevor added.
"Allow me to spell it out for you," Mable's smirk became evil like a serpent. "It's so Team Flare, and only Team Flare, can survive! After all, why should we care about saving people who aren't on our side?"
"That's the most idiotic philosophy I've ever heard," I growled. Were they really using that excuse to justify their decision to destroy everyone who wanted nothing to do with their pathetic organization?! "You'll bear the guilt of not saving people and letting them die. Can you really live with that for the rest of your lives? Can you?!"
How could any human live with themselves knowing they were responsible for the deaths of so many people. Hell, I couldn't handle taking responsibility for not being able to save my little brother before it was too late. It costed me too much: my happiness, my family, my sanity...
Who did these imbeciles think they were to even say such a thing without considering the consequence?!
The overwhelming anger I felt made me glare daggers at them, my eyes probably trembling. It was no mystery to see why people wouldn't cooperate with them because Team Flare was too prideful.
"Anyway..." Mable rolled her eyes, most likely disregarding everything I just said. "I don't mind a healthy curiosity, but I'm afraid I just don't have any more time for you."
"Hey, Emilia," Trevor spoke to me. "Is it just me, or do these people have a few screws loose?"
"Fuck a few screws loose. There's nothing even constructed in that empty skull of theirs," I confirmed. Mable threw me another glare for my insulting comment.
"You know what?! I've had enough of you!" She shoved the admins away and rudely pointed an accusing finger at me. Her left hand held a PokéBall, so I knew what was coming next. "Time to teach you a lesson!"
"Come at me, Blueberry!" I retorted as I took out a PokéBall from my belt. "I'll make you cry for being such a fucking dumbass!"
Mable threw her PokéBall in the air, releasing a typical Mightyena. It stood protectively in front of her, bearing its sharp fangs at me. I tossed the red and white capsule and let out Fletchinder, who looked more than ready for battle.
This was going to be one sweet victory!
Mable was at a loss for words when her Mightyena slid across the icy floor and collided into a few large stones. My newly evolved Talonflame landed next to me as the opponent fainted upon impact. I brought my hand up to Talonflame and stroked his soft blazing red feathers, earning me an affectionate cry in return. The female scientist gritted her teeth as she frustratingly returned her fainted Pokémon, followed by a string of curse words coming out of her mouth.
Obviously, someone was a sore loser.
I thanked Talonflame before returning him to his PokéBall. Once I put his PokéBall away, I looked over at Mable. She pinched the bridge of her nose, but the smirk on her blue lips made me mary. She looked over at me, placing a hand on her hip.
"You're more powerful than you look. Not ordinary indeed..." She dropped her smirk and crossed her arms over her chest. "Hmph! I've got no patience for losing. Let's get out of here!"
The two admins followed her out of the cavern. Mable didn't fail to purposely bump my shoulder roughly when she passed by me. I glared at her back and gave her the middle finger. It's not my fault she couldn't handle getting bested.
A sigh left my lips as I scratched the back of my neck. Those people caused nothing but trouble for civilians and Pokémon too. I really needed to find out who was behind all of this before they awaken Xerneas and bring her back to life.
"Doesn't battling with Team Flare scare you, Emilia?"
I turned around when I heard Trevor's voice. The ginger boy looked crestfallen and kept his gaze on the ground. I approached him, but he still didn't look up at me. Rather, he didn't dare look me in the eyes.
"No way." I placed a hand on his shoulder, making him stiff upon my touch and unable to raise his gaze. "What's wrong? Are you scared of them?"
He hesitantly nodded his head and said, "I'll admit it scares me. I don't like batling them, but..."
"But what?" I pressed. Trevor managed to work the nerve to look up at me.
"We managed to protect Abomasnow by pitching in there." He grinned, but his lips fell back into a thin line as he dropped his gaze to the floor once again. "I know I'm the reserved type, and I'm okay with that, but it's important to be bold when necessary."
"I agree," I admitted and dropped my hand from his shoulder. He looked up at me with a puzzled expression. "You disobeyed me and confronted Team Flare on your own."
"S-Sorry..." He frowned, but I waved it off.
"No need to apologize," I assured him. "Look, I came with you because I wanted to protect you in case those Team Flare folks were still around. After what you did today, I know now that you can take a stand when you see something wrong. Just because you're the reserved type doesn't mean you can't confront the wrongdoings around you. I'm proud of you."
I playfully hit his shoulder with my fist. Trevor was flustered with a heavy blush on his face, which was kind of adorable for him.
"T-Thank you," he stuttered. It was a habit I hadn't heard in quite a while. "But I wish I was more like you, Emilia."
"Why do you say that?" I questioned with a confused look.
"You're aggressive and arrogant somethings," he spoke, earning him a light glare from me. "But your heart's in the right place. Your confidence lets you go up against anyone no matter how dangerous they may be. That's something I admire about you."
His sudden confession took me by surprise. I was certain he didn't like me, or was scared of me, this whole time. The way he said it reminded me of how I told Reese I wanted to be like her. Now it was my turn to get all flustered. I brought my hand up to cover my warm cheeks.
"T-Thanks, Trevor. I mean it," I mumbled before turned around. "Let's get the hell out of here."
We left the cavern together after that. I felt so much better being outside of the freezing cave. We found ourselves back to Dendemille Town after fifteen minutes since Trevor still wanted to find more Pokémon to record in his PokéDex. We arrived back at the bench where we met up. I cleared my throat, drawing his attention away from the device.
"Where are you going now?" I asked him.
"Hm, nowhere in particular. Maybe just around this area to find Pokémon," he answered. "Why do you ask? Where are you going?"
"Anistar City," I answered. "I'll be aiming for my seventh gym badge."
"In that case, I wish you luck on your next gym battle." He grinned. "Best of travels, Emilia!"
"Likewise!"
With that, Trevor and I parted ways. I crossed the town's exit and entered the route that would lead me to Anistar City. This cold weather wouldn't get in the way of me going forward!