The next day began as swiftly as the previous one had ended. The soft white clouds drifted aimlessly through the morning sky overhead. Luke laid still, silently watching the first signs of dawn arrive. After the restful sleep he had, the young Lucario was ready to begin the quest toward Kyurem. Upon noticing his mother sleeping next to him, he sat up and smiled, remembering their conversation from the previous evening.
In an effort to not disturb his mother, Luke calmly stood up, grasping the Dark Stone in a protective manner. As he stood there, Luke scanned the stone's mostly featureless surface as he looked at the forest that still surrounded him. The Dark Stone was an interesting artifact; it seemed so basic, yet it held such an expansive history and weight that granted more questions than answers.
Luke was still awestruck toward the knowledge that his friend, who now assumed the form of the Dark Stone, was once a fragment of Kyurem's own being. Even more amazing was the realization that, because of the unexpected fight against Reshiram, Zekrom would become a part of Kyurem once again. Time seemed to stand still as Luke pondered this and so much more.
"Well, you're up early," Amber said, gently.
Luke shook his head and turned to face his mother. Though he was stirred out of his reverie, Luke's mind still raced with the concerns of his upcoming journey.
"I'm sorry," she said. "Am I interrupting?"
"No, not at all," Luke replied. "I just have a lot on my mind."
"I understand. I trust you slept well."
"Yes, I did. Thanks."
"No problem. Good morning, by the way."
"Good morning to you, too," Luke replied with a laugh.
After standing in silence for a while, Luke's concerns turned to the conversation he and Amber had the previous night.
"Mom, I was wondering about what we talked about before," he said with a sigh.
"You're wondering about Kyurem?" Amber asked.
"Yes. We've established that he's in the arctic region up north. My concern now is how we'll find him once we've made it to the frozen wasteland."
"That is a valid concern. The best answer I can give is that he's most likely in a cave somewhere in that direction. We'll have to be careful and highly aware of our surroundings and the like, however. Once we've traveled far enough north, we'll have to do some mountain climbing before we actually get to the region Kyurem calls home."
"So," Luke began, "Kyurem is most likely in a cave hidden in the frozen wasteland at the top of a northern mountain range?"
"Yes," Amber confirmed. "As I mentioned before, the region is so cold that even most Ice-type Pokémon have a hard time withstanding it. Beyond that, we'll be hard-pressed to find food, water, and shelter. Because of that, we'll have to be vigilant. Hopefully, we'll find someplace to stock up on some supplies on the way there."
Luke shuddered in response to his mother's words.
"Do not worry, my son," Amber whispered calmly, sensing her son's anxiety. "You will not be making this journey alone, as I have said before. I will keep you warm when the time comes. That, I promise you."
"Thank you, mother," Luke said calmly before falling silent again.
A few moments later, after collecting his thoughts and regaining his composure, Luke spoke again. "I guess this is it then; if we're to get the Dark Stone to Kyurem, we had better get going. After all, we've got an intense journey facing us, and who knows how long it'll take us to get up that way? We'll want to cover as much ground as possible."
"Very well, then. Let us be off," Amber declared with a smile.
Luke nodded and turned to walk away, but only managed a few steps before Amber spoke again.
"However," she cut in, "I've never actually been on a mission, as I chose not to be a Rescuer. As a result, I'm not overly versed in actual mission procedure, though I can take care of myself when necessary. Since you're the one who accepted the mission that led you out here, and you are the one between the two of us with experience as a Rescuer, I will follow your lead. I will follow you without question, but as I said before, I can handle myself in a tough situation, so don't worry about that."
"Thanks, Mom," Luke said in response to his mother's declaration. "That means a lot. Truly, I'm honored that you're trusting me so easily. I promise I won't let you down."
This elicited a smile from the elder Pokémon, easing Luke's fears.
After making sure he had a careful grip on the Dark Stone, Luke silently restated the promises he made to Zekrom.
After Luke and Amber had a quick breakfast of berries from the forest, the two found their bearings and began the long journey out of the forest and toward the arctic north. Their goal rested in a cave hidden deep within the frozen wasteland awaiting them at the end of their journey, and neither wanted to waste any time—the entire world counted on them to find the Legendary Dragon of Ice and return the Dark Stone to him, and failure was no option.
