I dreamt of ice. I saw her again, the woman with green hair. Somehow, she felt familiar. She curled up in the space before me, shivering. The chills started to set it. My breath was visible. I could see it, Kyurem. It was a shadow hovering in the distance.

The world generated around us, a snowy forest. Kyurem appeared in the treeline, groaning as it approached. The woman screamed.

I was awake, in the pokemon center bed. I sat up. That was it, I definitely wasn't getting back to sleep. It wasn't even midnight. I rolled around in the bed for a few minutes before giving in and getting out of bed. I gathered my things and walked outside. It was drizzling. I stood outside of the pokemon center, thinking.

"You wanna get a cold?" Bianca appeared beside me, her hat missing. She smiled and took off her glasses.

"It's just a drizzle." She frowned.

"What happened?" Her tone had changed. I sighed.

"Neo Plasma attacked Mistralton. Colress used that serum on Thundurus and messed with its head. They also had this city hostage."

"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about you." I lowered my eyes. Bianca waited, unmoving.

"They want me… They need me."

"What for?"

"I'm fated to connect with Kyurem." She cocked her head.

"What do you mean by connect?"

"I don't know." I folded my arms. "Zinzolin said that if it happens…" I hesitated. Bianca leaned closer.

"If it happens?"

"I'll disappear."

"Like, you'll die?" She covered her mouth.

"I don't know," I insisted. Bianca took a breath.

"I won't let that happen." I blinked. "I promise I'll protect you."

"Protect me?" She nodded.

"For starters, come on, get out of the rain before you sneeze your brains out." She pulled me back into the pokemon center. "I'm sure Kenya and Cheren feel the same way." She ruffled my hair. "You're family. We'd do anything for you." When I didn't respond, she continued. "That includes stopping you from merging with an ancient ice dragon." She sat down on a bench.

I hesitated before joining Bianca on the bench. We watched the rain through the window. We stayed there until morning.

I was half asleep when Kenya came barreling out into the lobby. Bianca was sleeping, slouched over. The sun was barely coming up.

"Andrew's not in his—" she paused, staring at me. "Hi." I waved and shushed her, gesturing to the snoozing Bianca. "What are you two doing out here?" Kenya asked in a hushed voice. I shrugged. She sat down across from me on the bench.

"I missed you guys." She blinked, seemingly taken aback.

"Well, it's good to have you back." We sat in silence for a few minutes. I tried to think of something to say. Talking to Kenya was usually easy. "I'm gonna get something to eat." Kenya got up and walked away. I stifled a yawn and got up. It was time to see Clay. I nearly collapsed onto the table. Bianca jumped awake.

"Where's the egg?" She looked around, eyes wide. "Egg?"

"W-what?" I sunk into the bench, staring at her. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, that's right." Bianca chuckled. "The egg hatched a while ago." She fell back asleep. I put my head down, falling asleep.

Kenya woke me up, apparently hours later. The lobby was busier than it was before. Kenya was standing by me, shaking my shoulders.

"Get up!" She insisted. "Andrew!" I stretched, yawning.

"I'm up." Bianca was nowhere to be seen. "What time is it?" Outside, the sky was bright and blue.

"Past noon," Kenya said. "Clay just got back from Mistralton, Bianca saw him arrive. Nows your chance!"

"Is that where Bianca went?" I got up, grabbing my bag.

"Let's go!" Kenya ran me out the door into the strong sunlight. We headed down the street to the gym. The door was unlocked. Inside, Bianca was laughing.

"Wow, that was a lot easier than I was expecting!" Clay looked past her at me.

"Well, well." Bianca turned, beaming.

"Hey, Andrew! I won!" She waved a badge in the air. Clay grunted, walking past her.

"Once I saw the hyperactive one, I knew you wouldn't be far behind." Clay stopped a few feet away. "You helped save my people." Kenya took a bite out of a candy bar; Clay all but ignored her. Bianca crossed her arms. "I feel I owe you this." Clay extended a hand, offering me a gym badge. I stared at it.

Suddenly, Cheren came to my mind. I recalled his battle with Clay and Kenya's battle with Clay. He raised an eyebrow.

"Go on, take it."

"No." Clay scowled.

"What?"

"I'm gonna battle you." Bianca walked over, glancing between us.

"What's happening?"

"Fine, you stubborn brat. You had a chance. Don't go begging when you lose." I scoffed, following Clay to the battlefield. He took a moment to heal his pokemon.

"Let's do this."

Clay sent out Palpitoad. I sent out Pansage.

"Mud bomb!"

"Vine whip!" Palpitoad fired blobs of mud at Pansage. Pansage easily dodged the projectiles, slashing at Palpitoad with whips. Palpitoad staggered but kept its ground. "Seed bomb!" Pansage fired a volley of seeds at Palpitoad. Palpitoad fired a mud bomb, consuming them and hitting Pansage. Pansage was blown onto its back.

"Earthquake!" The ground rumbled, knocking Pansage out. It seemed like an eternity since id battled. I sent out Tranquil. It flew into the air, circling Palpitoad.

"Aerial Ace!"

"Echoes voice!" A sonic attack, hitting Tranquil and knocking it off balance. Tranquil recovered fast, slamming into Palpitoad. "Again!" Palpitoad started attacking with the sonic waves, again and again. Tranquil dodged a few but took a few hits, each growing in power.

"Air Slash, stay out of its range!" I ordered.

This is making me dizzy!

Tranquil's voice stunned me for a moment. Tranquil cut through the air, getting another hit on Palpitoad. But Palpitoad wasn't going down.

"Again!" Tranquil narrowly avoided another sonic attack and slashed at Palpitoad again and again. "It's tough." I considered swapping Tranquil out for Musharna or Emboar. I'd intended to save Emboar for Krokorok and Musharna for Excadrill. Tirtuoga was for backup, but it couldn't do much against Palpitoad.

"Muddy water!" Clay shouted. A wall of brackish water rose on the battlefield.

Uh oh!

"Aerial Ace!" I ordered. Tranquil hesitated but dove through the water like a missile, nailing Palpitoad. The impact threw Palpitoad onto its back. "Keep it up, again!" Tranquil slammed into Palpitoad again, finally knocking it out. Bianca cheered enthusiastically.

"Good work." Clay returned Palpitoad. He gave a half-smile as he sent out Krokorok. "Dig." Krokorok tunneled into the ground.

Tranquil immediately took flight. Krokorok burst from the nearby ground, leaping high into the air and biting into Tranquil.

"To the ground!" Clay shouted. Krokorok fell, pulling Tranquil down with it. It slammed Tranquil into the ground, knocking it out. I silently returned Tranquil and sent out Emboar.

"Let's do this." Clay crossed his arms.

"I've seen what that Emboar can do. Krokorok, dig." Krokorok dove into its new hole. Emboar looked around, prepared.

I don't think—

The ground under Emboar collapsed, a pit forming under it. Emboar fell.

"Heat crash!" fire erupted from the pit. Smoke spewed from Krokorok's tunnel. Emboar hopped out of the hole, throwing Krokorok. "Hammer arm!" Just as Krokorok landed, Emboar was on top of it, bringing down a fist. Emboar punched Krokorok, propelling it across the battlefield. Krokorok didn't get up. Clay returned it. He sent out Excadrill. I returned Emboar and sent out Musharna.

"Hone claws." Excadrill raked its claws together threateningly.

"Hypnosis!" I immediately ordered.

"Drill run!" Excadrill spun into a drill, flying at Musharna. Musharna floated up, barely dodging Excadrill's attack. Excadrill landed and jumped at Musharna again with shocking agility.

"Psychic!" Excadrill froze, glowing. Musharna propelled it into a nearby wall. "Hypnosis!"

"Get moving!" Clay ordered. Excadrill drilled underground, dodging the attack. I was getting tired of this. Excadrill erupted from the ground under Musharna, slamming into it. Musharna was sent spinning through the air. "Follow it up, metal claw!" Excadrill slashed at Musharna, knocking it out.

Clay grinned, adjusting his hat. I returned Musharna and sent out Emboar. Clay tutted, nodding at Excadrill.

"Flame charge!" Emboar erupted into flames, rushing forward. Excadrill dug underground. Emboar paused, looking around. Excadrill burst from the ground. "Now!" Emboar spun, slamming its fist into Excadrill.

Excadrill flipped, landing on its feet.

"Drill run!" Excadrill charged again, this time head-on.

"Heat crash!" Emboar exploded, lunging forward at Excadrill. The two of them collided, perfectly matched for a moment. Excadrill was thrown backward into the wall. Clay was silent for a moment. Bianca was cheering.

"You win, kid."