Ch.1: Beginning of the Past! A New Team's Origins Explored!

The Snow Zone was a very unforgiving zone, not a place for many to live out in. Very few cities or towns existed in the zone, rounding up to about ten major cities in total. There were some remote villages, however, that took to the cold as natives, whether they be Ice-Types or those who simply adapted.

In that unforgiving tundra was the home of a bright-eyed, plucky girl who was getting ready to begin her own journey.

Krystal Frostwood, a teenage Delibird who was preparing to head out on her first adventure. Many teens her age sought adventure through treasure hunting, but she had a different path to follow. Raised by two battle hardened parents, her destiny was to become the top fighter of the Mysto region. She may be sixteen, but she had a future that was calling out to her. Screaming her name!

"Oh YEAH!" she exclaimed, throwing her wings up in the air. "Look out, world! Krystal Frostwood will take on any challenge you throw at her! And she's bringing it with a loud 'BANG!'"

Her attire consisted of a red scarf and a dark blue duster coat. She regularly kept her coat undone, which showed off her black t-shirt with a comical red and yellow 'KABOOM' printed on it and her gray sweatpants.

"Now Krystal, don't get too ahead of yourself." The Delibird looked over her shoulder and smiled. Standing behind her was an older, female Delibird, wearing a red shirt and sweatpants like her daughter's, and a male Dragonite, who was bundled up in a blue parka and snow pants. Her mother held her daughter's shoulders. "You are aware this is a big step up for you, right?"

Krystal waved it off. "Relax, Mom." She pounded her chest proudly. "I've got the spirit of a fighter! I've taken on some pretty neat tournaments, but I know I'm ready for the big leagues!"

Her father grinned. "Heh, that's my little girl." He picked her up and gave her a noogie. "Don't go blowing yourself up. We don't need any more training accidents from you."

Krystal laughed and shoved his hand off. "Chill, Dad!"

"That's what I'm trying not to do." He set her down and rubbed his arms. "Phew, I better get the fire started again."

The older Delibird held her hip and smirked. "You were the one who said he could tough it out in the Snow Zone."

"Hey, I bear the Frostwood name for a reason! I can handle the cold like any other in my family!" He sniffled and scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Well, I may have also been slightly drunk when I said that." He walked over to the fireplace.

The Delibird rolled her eyes playfully, then nudged Krystal's side. "Word from the wise, sweetheart: make sure whatever guy or gal you get with isn't a buffoon like your father."

"I can hear you!"

"I know, that's why I said it out loud!"

Krystal giggled to herself. "Well, I can't leave without saying goodbye to Summer and Brecken."

"Oh, they're both going to miss you, sweetie."

"I know." She cupped her wings together. "Hey, Sis! Bro! I'll be leaving soon! Get out here!"

Rushing out from her room was a younger Delibird than her, about twelve years, followed by a Dratini of eight years old. The Delibird wore a thin blue jacket and black pants while the Dratini was wearing a plain white scarf. The youngest Delibird ran up and hugged her. "Good luck, Krissy! Make sure you kick some butt!"

Krystal hugged back. "And make sure Dad doesn't catch hypothermia!"

"One time!" the Dragonite shouted. "I'm tough, I swear!"

The girls giggled, then Krystal bent down and hugged her younger brother. "Take care, Brecken. Maybe one day, you and I can have a proper sparring match."

He wrapped himself around her as his own version of a hug. "I'll make sure I can throw explosives as good as you, Big Sis!"

"In the meantime, good luck on your writing. You're really good at it."

"Thanks!" he exclaimed with a wag of his tail.

Krystal pulled away, then hugged her mother. "Any other lessons to teach me before I go?"

"Don't eat a magic bomb, no matter how tempting it may sound." Krystal pulled back and raised her brow. Her mother shrugged exaggeratedly. "Look, I was curious one day! Don't give your mother that look, young lady!"

Dragonite rose up and laughed. "Who's the buffoon now, Esmerelda?!"

Esmerelda smirked and pushed him. "Just hug your daughter, Holden."

Holden lifted Krystal and gave her a tight hug, which she returned. "Keep practicing with your explosives! You'll do great out there!"

"Thanks!" She squirmed out of his hug and stepped back. "Though, I still need to do some prime scouting before I pick any ol' tournament to participate in."

Brecken tilted his head. "You said you were going to Ironworks Kingdom for a job, right?"

"Something nice to pay off a hotel." She smirked. "But once I become a regular fighter, money won't be much of an issue."

Esmerelda smirked and held her hip. "Just don't get ahead of yourself. Your father and I worked really hard to become top tier fighters, but we still had other jobs to keep ourselves stable. Make sure to think about a stable job for yourself."

Krystal waved it off. "I will, I will. I'll be sure to come home in six months, too."

Brecken bounced up and down. "Bring me back a souvenir from Ironworks!"

"Same here, please!" Summer exclaimed. "Gifts are the best!"

Krystal smirked and held her hips. "Greedy little siblings of mine…" She gave them one last hug. "You two better toughen up when I get home!"

"Just don't peak too early, Sis!" Summer countered with a sly smirk.

"Please! Plenty of potential wrapped up in here!" She pounded her chest.

Holden laughed and shooed her off. "Alright, get moving, kiddo. You've got a long walk to Ironworks Kingdom."

"Of course." She grabbed her bag and swung it onto her back. "I'll be seeing you!" She opened the door and stepped out into the cold winds.

"Goodbye! Take care!" her family shouted as the door closed.

Once it did, Holden and Brecken shivered from the remnants of the cold. "D-D-D-Dad!"

"Stay tough, buddy! I'll get the fire roaring!" He rushed back to the fireplace.

Esmerelda and Summer looked at each other, then sighed with exasperated grins. "Stay tough, he says."

"You better have a good reason for taking us this far out in the Snow Zone~," said a Hakamo-o carrying a sheathed sword over his shoulder. "My feet are beginning to freeze~." He spoke in a dragged-out manner, almost like he was singing.

"Trust me! This is a brilliant idea!" the Breloom walking alongside him assured. "Ironworks Kingdom has some of the best training grounds in Mysto. I need something a bit more with my workouts. Sandbags can only hold out for so long against the Ultimate Fist."

The Hakamo-o sighed. "If you say so. This better be worth it. I can feel my scales already chipping off~."

These two are known as Saffiro Blazburn and Oswald Meadowfist, two amateur treasure hunters. They were wearing heavy duty snow suits since they both were susceptible to the cold. Though, Oswald seemed to be fairing better than his dragon companion.

"How come you're not freezing out here?" Saffiro asked with bored eyes.

"That is the secret of breath control!" Oswald inhaled deeply, then breathed out in a relaxed breath. "The Ultimate Fist requires full concentration of the body. I can keep myself warm for hours." He glanced at Saffiro. "How come you're complaining? You literally summon fire at your command."

"Hardly effective when we're being pelted with snow and wind~."

"Oh, fair enough." Oswald grinned. "But come on, even you must be excited! I've heard good things about Ironworks Kingdom. This is the place where you go to get stronger. They have some of the greatest military advantages against high tier magic. We're practically inviting ourselves to one of the top training grounds of all time!"

Saffiro simply tapped his sword against his shoulder and sighed. "You and your training."

"The Ultimate Fist requires constant physical maintenance of the body to work at my full limits!"

Saffiro smirked. "I'll just stick to my sword and my flames~."

"Oh, you of all people can benefit from a little training! Maybe I can teach you some of the Ultimate Fist's basics! I warn you, it's a lot of pain and hard work!"

"I'll pass." He looked ahead. "How much farther is Ironworks Kingdom again?"

"Eh, shouldn't be too long a walk. Give it…an hour?"

"An hour?" Saffiro sighed and tilted his head to the side. "Just start planning my funeral here and now~."

"Oh, don't be a drama queen!"

Saffiro smirked. "Yeah, yeah…" He waved his hand around. "You just better hope these training grounds are actually worth it, otherwise I may have to kick your ass and leave you for dead~."

"Hey, don't be like that!" Oswald then smirked. "You? Kicking my ass? HA! I'll have you punted over the moon and back!"

Saffiro gripped on his sword and smirked back. "That a challenge~?"

Oswald spread his feet apart and raised his hands, assuming his fighting stance. "Best two out of three! Loser buys the winner lunch!"

Saffiro parted his legs and held his sword by his side, gripping the hilt in preparation. "Get your bits ready, then."

They glared fiercely at each other, ready to start their fight, when a much stronger wind blew past them. A moment after, they shivered from their feet to their heads and hugged themselves as their teeth clattered together.

"Um…h-h-h-how about we c-c-continue this in I-I-Ironworks? F-F-For your sake, of course!" Oswald exclaimed.

Saffiro had no objection. "Sooner I get out of this cold, the better." They marched through the snow as the winds grew stronger. "Yeesh, I'd hate to get lost out here."

"I'd hate to run into any bandits running around out here," Oswald added, pulling an oversized hood over his mushroom cap.

"Bandits?" Saffiro questioned.

"Yeah, didn't you see the wanted boards back in the Swamp Zone? There's quite a few bandits hidden out in the Snow Zone." Oswald sniffled and wiped his nose. "I heard a rumor some of the bigger named ones have been behaving aggressively recently. They'd march into towns and not steal anything. Something about looking for someone."

Saffiro gritted his teeth. "That's hardly a good sign~. Some poor sap must've pissed them off~."

"Real badly if they aren't even focusing on their usual routine." Oswald held his chin. "I've been hearing a lot of weird stuff about the Snow Zone lately."

"Like what?"

"Don't know, that's just it. Heard from some officers that a few criminals were mumbling about weird stuff happening out in the Snow Zone. Some even claimed to have seen 'the work of the gods' for themselves."

Saffiro sighed. "There's a lot of weirdos on the road. Probably nothing."

"Well, that's the simpler way of putting it, but it's hardly as gripping a story. I mean, come on, you're more superstitious than me. I'm sure you think something's off."

Saffiro raised his claw. "Could simply be strange things happening in the Snow Zone, nothing more."

"You would make a terrible researcher. 'Hey Saffiro, what do you suppose this spooky scepter here does?' 'It's a strange artifact, therefore it is dangerous.'"

Saffiro rolled his eyes and smirked. "I do not sound like that."

"Oh, you're right. I forgot to drag out my words at the end, like this~."

Saffiro knelt and took hold of his sword. "How about we get to that battle already~?"

Oswald took his stance and laughed. "Very well, young grasshopper!"

Once again, though, they were interrupted by the cold chill passing over them. They shivered in place and shot up rigid. "As…s-s-soon as we get to I-I-Ironworks!" Saffiro reminded.

"Agreed!"

The clockwork like kingdom of Ironworks was bustling with work as usual, from the blacksmiths to the markets to the mechanics out on the streets. Being one of the most innovative lands in all of Mysto, hidden between the thin veil of magic that separates the two dimensions, one wouldn't see a lot of magic being used in the day to day life. It stood out from the other places one would see in Mysto.

Even through the bustling noise, there was still time to unwind in the quieter parts of the city, namely the local church where many would go to confess misdeeds to Arceus. A holy place protected under Arceus' will, serving as a place of solitude to rest the mind.

The church was mostly empty today, save for two individuals. One of the priests, a Trevenant, and one of the regulars, a Furret. The priest wore a black dress jacket over a white buttoned shirt underneath, as well as a pair of pants made for his lower half. Around his neck was a necklace with a golden cross wheel. He was reading from a book with the same symbol on the front.

The Furret leaned back into the altar seats, half-listening. She wore a gray sweater with a brown vest over it, wrapped with buckles and pouches. She had a pair of jeans, also designed for her species. Around her neck was a pair of goggles and the same cross wheel necklace, only silver. She rubbed her eyes a bit, which were faintly bloodshot.

"My child." The Furret looked up at the Trevenant as he walked over, book held to his chest. "You are usually more attentive when I read the passages of Arceus' great voyage creating the universe. You seem distracted today."

She yawned and rubbed her eyes. "Apologies, Father Hugo." She sat up and straightened her back. "I may have stayed up all night…a lot longer than usual."

"Whatever possessed you to break your nightly routine?"

She reached into one of her pouches and pulled out some eyedrops. "Same thing as usual. I was practicing with my rifle." She held the bottle over her eye and dripped the fluid into it. "I was trying to break my previous ricochet record. I managed to create seven mirrors before I lost track."

Hugo sighed. "My child, while I know you're fairly responsible with your training, it shouldn't interfere with your sleep. You're a young girl. You still have a lot to look forward to in the future." He narrowed his eye. "Are you still having trouble deciding what to do with your future?"

She shrugged. "Don't know. Maybe?" She dripped the eyedrops into her other eye. "I want to be a great sniper like my parents, but I don't want to take up bounty hunting necessarily. It gets…I don't know, kind of boring."

"Boring, you say?" Hugo waggled his finger. "With that sort of profession, boring isn't the word I would use." He scratched his cheek. "Course, I personally find bounty hunting rather appalling, hiring rogue goons across the region to hunt down others for their criminal actions."

"Rogue goons?" the Furret questioned, raising her brow.

His eye widened before immediately correcting himself. "Not to say you or your parents are goons! I do hold a lot of respect for you, dear Cybil, even if I don't personally approve the…violence of bounty hunting." He sighed. "Though, I will commend the notion that there are hunters like your parents who have a moral compass guiding their actions. Even so, let that not affect your daily sleep cycle. Good mental health is essential for anyone, even a sniper."

Cybil smiled a bit, then looked down. "All that aside, I just want something a little more…unpredictable in my life."

"What is wrong with the perfectly predictable?" Hugo asked. "We live in a society of order. Why, I'd go mad if my daily rituals were broken. I cannot go through the day without my eight o'clock tea."

"Yeah, well, predictable just isn't my thing. I don't want total chaos, but…" She groaned and leaned over the end of the seat's armrest. "Well, look at me for a moment. I'm not exactly the most excitable Pokémon in the kingdom."

"That's not true. You're bursting with excitement, my child. Like when you helped me organize my bookshelves. Wasn't that a…blast, as you kids would say? Oh, or when we mopped the church aisle? We had some good ol' fun, didn't we?"

Cybil raised her brow. "…Is that a serious question?"

Hugo sighed. "I enjoy menial tasks, I'll have you know. It keeps my mind preoccupied." He sat down beside her. "Cybil, I have a serious question for you."

"Shoot."

"Do you have any friends?"

"Well, there's you."

"Cybil, while I agree we are on close terms, I mean friends your own age. You go to school. Surely you've talked to some people."

She shrugged. "I mean, sure, but…they're more like school chums than anything else. People I don't mind talking to at school, but not people I would hangout with on my time."

"What about relationships? Have you tried dating?"

"Take a wild guess."

"My, aren't we extra snappy today."

"It's the lack of sleep."

"And we circle back to the original topic of discussion."

"I don't know about dating. Plus…" Cybil blushed and rubbed her neck awkwardly. "I'm not attracted to boys. Not many girls, if any, take interest in me."

Hugo nodded. "I understand. Still, you said you have school chums. That must count for something, right?"

"My pals at school are cool and all, but they don't exactly like firearm testing as a hobby. Something about the noise freaking them out…or was it because of me ricocheting bullets around the air?"

Hugo bent down and touched her shoulder with his finger. "Please understand that I ask only to your benefit, my child. There's a wonderful world out there that you have yet to experience. Believe me, there are many wonders to behold outside of the kingdom." He rolled his eyes. "As…soon as you make it through the snow."

"Ah, so you haven't been cooped up in this church your whole life?" Cybil snarked with a dry smirk.

"For someone claiming to not boil with emotion, you're rather snappy." Hugo turned away. "But yes, I have been outside of Ironworks, though to do some priest training out in the Swamp Zone. It takes a lot of discipline to be a priest." He blinked, then turned back. "Say, perhaps you could—"

"No."

"You didn't let me finish."

Cybil held her hand up. "Look, as nice as it sounds, I don't want to become a priestess."

"If this is because of your gunmanship, I can assure you the will of Arceus doesn't denounce such actions. From a warrior's standpoint, it's actually encouraged. Why, I'm sure you could even find firearms designed to fire the holy will of Arceus himself!"

"No, not that. The job just sounds boring."

"My feelings…"

"Hey, I'm not going to deny you help a lot of people out with their personal problems, me included. That's just not me. I made a kid cry because I was honest with him."

Hugo raised his brow. "How…honest are we talking?"

"Have you ever been in a situation where you're asked to tell someone if something doesn't look as bad as they think?"

"…Was this a fashion question or an art question?"

"Long story short, I'm not the best art critic. Though, to be fair, when you say a sculpture that clearly resembles a mug was supposed to be a sculpture of Rayquaza, I'm going to be straight and to the point with you."

Hugo sighed and scratched at his horn. "Cybil, I can assure you if you tried to be a bit more open with someone, or a little less brutal with your honesty, you might find something worth your while. Maybe try taking up some new hobbies in your free time. Join the Ironworks Guard. Take a cooking class. Write a novel. My point is that you still have so much potential waiting to open up inside you. I think now is the time for you to explore some possible futures."

Cybil crossed her arms and looked off to the side. "…You really think so?"

Hugo nodded. "Believe me, my child, I don't say these things without your best interests at heart." He looked to the altar. "That's why I became a priest to begin with. I want to guide the youths of the world towards a righteous and just path. I want to spread the will of Arceus to all so that they can find their purpose in this day and age. I want people to feel satisfied with themselves, to appreciate themselves."

Cybil tilted her head a bit. "…You know, for everything you've taught me, I never learned that much about you." She hopped off from her seat. "Why did you want to become a priest in the first place?"

"Ah, yes, a fine question. Well, for one, my father was also a priest at this very church, so I wanted to follow in footsteps. However, I do have a more personal reason." He gazed down at the book in his hands. "I devoted my life to following the teachings of Arceus. The divine creator of all. And those teachings did help me through some troubling times…" He sighed and turned away. "But, I don't have time to recount my tale."

Cybil groaned. "You just HAD to hype it up, didn't you?"

"Still think I'm boring?" he asked, showing an amused glint in his eye. "A dual meaning to this deception, of course. I request you get some sleep. Immediately."

"I'm not tired," Cybil argued, even though her eyes were drooping.

"Don't make me contact your parents." He started shoving her gently to the door. "Rest. Please, lest Cresselia won't bless you with good dreams tonight."

Cybil groaned. "You're like a helicopter parent…"

"As is Arceus, for He watches over all His creations. And even He would say you need your sleep." Hugo opened the door and shoved the moody Furret out.

"Alright, alright, I'm leaving…" She yawned and scratched her chin. "Don't be alarmed if I fall asleep on a bench."

"I rather you sleep than care of the location." Hugo waved to the Furret as she headed off. "Rest easy, my child. May many wonderful dreams come about in your future."

"Yeah, yeah…goodbye, Father Hugo." Cybil yawned again and mindlessly walked in whatever direction that was the clearest of traffic. If she was lucky, there'd be a leaf pile for her to collapse into.

After their daring trek through the blustering snow, the duo of Saffiro and Oswald reached the perimeter of the dimensional barrier. After Saffiro used the spell to open a passage, they stepped through the silvery light, immediately feeling a difference in temperature.

"Oh, sweet relief!" Oswald exclaimed, ripping open his jacket. "I have icicles growing under my tail!"

"I definitely lost some scales back there," Saffiro muttered.

They stepped into the new realm, where they got a glimpse of the clockwork kingdom in action. The ticking gears of the many buildings, the fresh open air for miles, and the centerpiece of the realm: the great castle of Ironworks, home to the royal family.

Saffiro scratched his chest. "So far, doesn't look like a bad place. I must admit, Oswald, I had my doubts, but you were on the mark with this one~."

"Heh. I aim to please." He held his hand over his eyes and peered down the hill. "Now then…where's the entrance to this…ah, there!" He pointed to the built-in gate of the kingdom's walls. "Come on, hurry up!" He slid down the hill with Saffiro not far behind.

As they slid, the Hakamo-o asked, "So, first stop is the training grounds?"

"Eh, not today." Saffiro raised his brow in shock. "No, hear me out. I don't want to go to the training grounds yet because there's supposed to be some nice restaurants we can check out first!"

Saffiro rolled his eyes. "That explains it…"

"As my master once said, the secret to breath control for the Ultimate Fist is—"

"—proper training and a hearty appetite," Saffiro interrupted. Oswald gave him the stink eye. "I had to. You'll understand~."

"Sometimes there's a part of me that hates you."

"I feel the same way." They reached the bottom of the hill and headed for the gate. "This place is supposed to be heavily guarded, right?"

"Relax. We should get through just fine. As long as we don't start up trouble, we're good."

"Do you think there's some bounties we could check out?"

"Probably, but you won't find any criminals here. This place keeps the criminal population at a low. You cause trouble, you get the knights on you." Oswald shrugged. "Simple as that."

"I can see where the kingdom earned its reputation."

"Yep! It would take a pretty sizable army to shake Ironworks. Now then…" Oswald smirked, then started sprinting. "Race you to the first restaurant we see!"

Saffiro rolled his eyes, deciding to walk instead. Even with Oswald's sporadic behavior, the dragon was hoping for a nice, relaxing time here.

The Snow Zone was many things. Vast, empty, cold, and a perilous journey that only the bravest of souls could travel on their own. Not much life could be found wandering these snowy hills, lest you run the misfortune of losing consciousness and doomed to an eternal grave in the snow, where no one will ever find you.

For others…it made for a great getaway from trouble.

Against the roaring winds, a figure marched through the snow, which crunched under each step. She grabbed hold of her scarf and kept it over her face. The scarf wasn't made of wool like most others. It was made up of one massive strip of binding cloth. Several rows of the bindings made up the scarf, giving it a ragged look over her face.

As for the rest of her, it was pretty simple. A purple coat and thick blue pants that fitted to the fluff around her waist. Over her coat was a black duster, with two long, jagged tails poking out at the waist. They dragged behind in the snow as she marched onward.

What stood out was a large pack she carried on her back. It was one of those enchanted bags with voluminous space. It costed her quite a fortune to afford, but the payoff earned her far more in return. Floating inside the empty space was the rewards for her efforts.

The Buneary kept a tight hold of her scarf, smirking under it. Heh, should've lost them by now. What losers~. It took me a few months to gain their trust, but I finally managed to weasel my way into the boss' good graces. Gullible chump~.

She had been traveling for two days, putting as much distance between herself and a group of thieves she rather not stick around to talk with later. They must've been plenty sore after realizing they were bamboozled out of their stolen goods. She'll make sure they're put to good use. Perhaps she'll afford a nice condo on the shores of Spring Wells City, where she can live out the rest of her life on a permanent vacation. Maybe even pick up a guy or two, assuming she doesn't swindle them first.

She pulled her scarf over her face as the winds picked up. Yeesh, I probably should've considered my escape plans before I left. Alright, I might be lost…and I don't have a map or a compass or…anything. She sighed with an exasperated smirk. In retrospect, planning a heist while you're drunk off your ass wasn't the best call. Buuuut…I'd totally do it again!

She bounced and clicked her heels, then continued her trudge through the snow.

The Buneary stopped suddenly and grabbed her scarf. A bullet flew at her, piercing through the deafening winds, and nearly landed its mark into her skull. She used the scarf to block and deflect the bullet into the endless white plains.

She bared her teeth and huffed. "Well shit, they found me."

Figures veiled in the snowy winds rode up on the Buneary and circled her. She could see they were riding on boards with attachable sails, using the endless winds to ride along the snow. Though they were hard to make out, they were heavily covered in snow gear, almost appearing as bulky monsters with solid, gleaming glares.

They furled the sails and parked in the snow, surrounding the thieving Buneary with hands on their holstered weapons. She removed her bag and dropped it in the snow, then flashed a cheeky smirk.

"Evening, gang. Lovely day for a walk, isn't it?"

One of the gang members pulled a knife out and aimed it at her. "You've got some nerve, Ebony."

Ebony shrugged. "What did I do?"

"Don't play games. Hand over the stolen goods, and we might not leave your corpse to wither in the snow."

Ebony shoved her hands inside her pockets, showing a wide, toothy grin. "Oooh? The chopping block? Don't we live in a society? I deserve a fair trial."

"You stole our treasure!"

"Yes, and the sky is blue. What's your point?" She snickered through her teeth. "Your boss was an idiot for even trusting me. You know how I operate. What? Did he think he could control me like the rest of you lapdogs?" She heard a gun click behind her, and felt the barrel press against the back of her head.

"We know your M.O., Ebony, and we know you're smart enough to understand the mistake you're making," the second thug stated. He then scoffed. "You're nothing but a no-named thief. The world will go on with their lives and won't bat an eye if you were gone. You either die with dignity or die out here. You die regardless, but at least you get a tombstone for cooperating."

Ebony narrowed her eyes. "Think you can outmuscle me just because you have numbers?" A smirked grew over her face. "Good. It'll be a fair fight, then."

"Don't screw with us, you treacherous rogue!" the thug yelled as he pulled the trigger. His eyes widened when the gun clicked, but nothing came out. "Wha—" He took an uppercut to the chin and went flying in the snow.

Ebony landed in the crunchy snow, then juggled a handful of bullets in her hand. "You dropped these."

"Get her!" Ebony looked over her shoulder as three more thugs rushed her.

She smirked and flicked the bullets at them, nailing two for each forehead. They hit with such force that they flipped backwards and sank under the snow. Gunshots went off as Ebony took off running out of the circle. She swiped the air and caught the bullets in her hand before firing back with enough power to pierce shoulders and legs.

"Ha! You idiots are too slow!" Ebony leaped into the air and extended a band from her scarf, grappling one poor sap's ankle. "You've got nothing on me!" She gripped the binding and pulled the thug into the air, swinging him around a few times, then chucking him into five more. They went tumbling off the hill, buried into the vast white.

Two thugs pulled out chains with hooks attached to the end and threw them at Ebony. She dodged the hooks, grabbed the chains, and allowed herself to be reeled in to kick the two mooks in the face. She kicked off their faces, gripped the chains tightly, and yanked the dazed duo into the air. She targeted another group charging her and slammed the airborne mooks down on them.

A Seviper hissed irately. "This is outrageous! How is that puny little rabbit packing so much…so much…" He and a bunch more thugs felt a sudden fatigue come over them and dropped into the snow.

Ebony curled her fingers as a red vapor danced around her hand. "You're all just chumps swinging metal around. You've got nothing on me." Her grin grew as a Feraligatr charged her from behind with a large battleax heaved over his shoulder. "Speaking of—" She spun around and slammed her fist into the gator's stomach.

Feraligatr gasped, feeling all the air in his lungs rushing out. He stumbled backwards, nearly tripping over the snow and his fallen battleax, and clutched his aching gut. "That strength…!"

"Tsk. You must be weak if that was enough to double you over." Ebony spun and kicked him across the temple, knocking him off the hillside. She reached into her jacket and pulled out a bottle of scotch. "The Bitter Winds Gang? Hah! You're supposed to be the most fearsome bandits in the Snow Zone? Talk about pathetic! You pathetic losers ought to step up or I'm sending your sorry rumps back home to your mamas! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

One of the thugs picked themselves up from the snow and snarled. "I'm going to kill that bitch!"

"Stand down." The thug looked up as five cloaked members of the gang stepped forward. "We'll carry out the boss' orders ourselves. Don't waste your time in a fight you can't win."

Ebony finished chugging down a helping of scotch when she saw the five approaching figures. She didn't recognize any of them, not even in the few weeks she spent infiltrating the gang's ranks. Of their numbers, there was a Turtonator, an Aggron, a Heracross, a Jynx, and a Combusken. Three males, two females respectively. They each wore a white mask over their faces, matching the nearly invisible white cloak flowing off them.

Ebony wiped her lips and put her scotch away. She smirked at them. "What is this? I know there's a festival for honoring those who died in the Snow Zone, but I don't recall cosplay being involved."

"We are an extension of the boss' will," the Heracross answered. "Though you brand him as a fool, he has been keeping an eye on you. He expected this treachery long in advance."

Ebony clapped her hands. "Oh, bravo! Your idiot boss mastered the art of hindsight. Very good! It's like when a child first learns how to do sarcasm, or when the concept of death finally sets in. So cute~!"

"Do not underestimate the boss' will, no-named thief," the Combusken continued, speaking in the same plain, almost emotionless tone as her partner. "You've made a grave error making an enemy of the Snow Zone's gangs."

"Your actions shall be judged, and you will be executed," Turtonator said.

"Resistance is futile," Jynx added on. "Do not continue with this foolish game—"

"BAHAHAHAHAHA!" Ebony howled with laughter, slapping her knee and doubling over. "Oh, you idiots! Again, like a child! Oh, that sweet, sweet ignorance to your own demise. So sad, so true, so cute." Ebony smirked. "I don't give a flying shit about your theatrics or your philosophical warnings. The only thing that matters in this world is me, myself, and I. I'll crush anyone who stands in my way, whether they be a child, an old hag, or dumbasses like you."

Aggron narrowed his eyes. "So, you've accepted death?"

"Hahahahaha! Such arrogance! Hahahahahaha!" Ebony pointed at them. "Tell you what. I'll let you have your laugh. In fact, I'll give you a handicap." She tucked her arm through her sleeve and hid in behind her back. "There you go. Now, when I kick your asses, your sensitive little egos will know the true definition of failure. So incompetent that you couldn't beat me at my weakest. HAHAHAHA!"

The group looked at each other, then back at Ebony. "Very well." The Jynx stepped forward and raised her hands. "Thank you for your generous offer. We'll make sure it doesn't go to waste." The tips of her fingers glowed green. "Shall we begin?"

Ebony's smirk grew to maximum length. "Oh cute. Are you going to fire lasers at—"

Ebony had zero seconds to anticipate the sucker punch thrown across her face. She went flying through the air and skipped off the snow before sinking into a deep patch. She pushed herself up, shook the snow off, and glared over her shoulder as she massaged her chin.

"What the actual flippin' hell?"

One of the goons she knocked out had gotten back up, though their posture seemed off. Their arms hung loose in front of them, and they were slouching, almost like they were made of jelly. Most notably, their eyes were glowing a vibrant green.

Ebony glared. "Okay, that's freaky." She looked around and noticed more goons getting up all at once, mimicking her attacker's posture and freaky green eyes. Ebony stood up and cracked her neck. "Haven't learned your lesson yet? Maybe it's time for you idiots to—" She gasped as the goons sprinted at her all at once. "Hey! Are you ignoring me?"

One lunged and threw their fist at her. Ebony jumped off his head and kicked him into the snow, but was met with two surprise punches to the gut. She snagged their wrists with her scarf, flipped over them, and threw them against the other bandits. She only managed to knock down one of them while the others avoided the sweep and rushed her.

"Viribus Swipe!" Ebony extended her hand and started stealing strength from them. To her shock, they didn't slow down and tackled her to the ground. Thanks to the strength buff, though, she kicked them off and sent them into the snow. "Okay, what—"

A hand reached out of the snow and grabbed her face. She muffled a surprised cry as a larger grunt rose out of the snow and glared her down. Ebony's eyes flickered rapidly, detecting numerous grunts rushing her from all sides. She raised her hand to her captor and stole more strength before punching him across the face. She narrowly avoided being tackled by the other grunts, who dogpiled on top of her captor.

"What the heck?" she grumbled. "They weren't nearly this organized a moment ago—" Two more got her amidst her escape and showed her into the snow face first. They pinned her arms and head down and held her in place as two more came up and repeatedly stomped on the Buneary's head.

Ebony growled beneath the snow and wiggled her fingers until she detected something. "Greed's Reach!" A gun appeared in her hand. She twisted her wrist just enough to shoot one of her captors in the cheek. However, she didn't feel them flinch or loosen their grip. What the hell is going on here?!

Ebony uncurled her ears to full length, drawing in the stolen strength and bashed the two off. She grabbed the two kicking her by the ankles, spun on her back and tossed them through the air. She stood up and brushed the snow off herself, but froze as everyone she took down started getting back up again.

Ebony narrowed her eyes and focused on them. That's when she saw it. Green magic flowing through the nervous system all the way to their brains. She noticed a thin, invisible trail of magic protruding from the heads. She followed it all the way back to the Jynx, seeing those exact magic string extending from her fingers.

"Finally caught on?" Jynx asked smugly.

Ebony glared. "A hivemind spell. You connected your consciousness into these saps so you could use them like puppets."

Jynx smirked. "Anyone I mark with the magic formula with this spell can be used as a puppet under my control, provided they're unconscious first. I can completely nullify their pain. Plus, the more bodies I have connected together, the less input lag there is between my command and their actions. In other words, try as you might, you won't be able to overcome my little army."

Ebony wiped some blood off her lip and smirked. "Not if I cave their skulls in first." She kicked off the ground and threw herself at two goons, cracking her fists across their heads.

The Heracross stepped forward and held his arm out. "I don't think so." A blue ring formed around his wrist, then extended out into the shape of a bow. He drew his hand back, conjuring a bowstring to the bow. He followed Ebony's erratic movements before releasing, firing a barrage of magic arrows.

Ebony gasped and covered herself as the arrows bombarded and exploded against her on impact. She flew backwards, catching herself on the snow, then dodged another wave. She ran right into an ambush of six goons, each simultaneously catching and pummeling her.

"Argh!" Ebony grabbed one by the parka and bashed their head into the others. "I'm getting real sick of this shit!" She looked up and saw the Combusken and Aggron rushing her down. "You want to fight? Be my guest!" Ebony kicked off into a sprint and reared both her arms back. "I'll break all you losers!"

The Combusken lifted her cloak and drew a sword from its scabbard. With the hilt firmly grasped in her hands, she swerved around Ebony's assault and slashed past Ebony with great speed.

Ebony turned around and tried to counterattack, but gasped out in pain as thousands of cuts opened up all over her body. W-What? She grasped her throat, feeling blood trickle down her neck. The cuts felt surface level, so nothing important was cut, but they stung. A lot. It was like she was doused in lemon juice prior to being cut.

There's no way…she could've cut me that fast. Ebony tried to stand, but the Aggron barreled into her with a full-body tackle, sending her body flying limply through the air. The sharp cold winds aggravated the cuts on her body even after landing.

She picked herself up and panted heavily. She glared at the Aggron as he rushed toward her again. "Okay, screw you! Viribus Swipe!" She extended her hand and sapped away as much strength from him as she could. Adding onto what little stolen strength she had left, she launched herself at the steely monster and whipped her fist.

Aggron huffed and puffed out his chest. "Reinforce!"

Ebony slammed her fist into his mighty chest, crackling the air as her magic exploded off his. She couldn't make a dent into his body and bounced off like a rubber ball to brick. She landed in the awaiting arms of more goons, using their combined strength to hold her in place.

Ebony attempted to flex herself free until the Combusken returned and slashed her two more times. Twice the number of cuts appeared over Ebony's body, some even overlapping with previous cuts. She clenched her teeth and tried not to scream She was grateful the alcohol was mostly dulling the pain.

She lifted her head and snarled. "This…is nothing." She cracked the back of head into one of her captors, loosening the combined restraint enough to squeeze herself out. She kicked them all to the ground, then rushed at the Combusken. "I'm dealing with you first, little miss—"

CRACK!

A spiked, metal club swung into her vision and walloped her with tremendous force. Though it softened what could've been a lethal impact, the final blow shattered her defensive aura and sent her flying through the air. She crashed into the snow, landing on some rocks hidden underneath.

Ebony's whole being trembled as blood gushed from her nose and various cuts. Her neck ached from taking a direct shot to the head. Her scarf was a tangled mess wrapped around herself. That final hit rattled her brain, making the world spin around her. She felt her scotch bottle rattling inside her coat in pieces.

She lifted herself, biting back screams of pain, then looked up to the five masked figures standing over her.

"Just so you know," the Jynx said, "you gave up on your own handicap thirty seconds in."

Ebony bared her teeth. "Bastards…"

"You've made many gangs very unhappy, you no-named wench," Heracross said, aiming his magic bow at her. "But you were a fool to think you could outwit the boss."

"We are his will, and we will carry out his orders to the end," Combusken stated, aiming her sword at Ebony. "There's no use running anymore."

Ebony tried to shuffle back, but Combusken pressed the tip of her sword under her chin. She growled. "You think I give a shit about your boss? I'll escape, and I'll make him pay for this. He should've just been complacent like the rest of those losers."

"Oh?" Aggron huffed. "I guess you're not as clever as you think you are."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

The Turtonator, the one wielding the spiked club, glared down at her. "Like we said, our boss was wise to your tricks. Though he wanted to put your skills to use, he always expected this day to come. We should thank you, actually. The Bitter Winds Gang has never seen such an escalation in number until recently."

Ebony spent a moment deciphering what he meant, then her eyes widened to the horrible truth. "You don't mean—"

"By the will of the Bitter Winds," Jynx continued, "and the will of everyone you wronged, we shall rise and claim the Snow Zone in our name. So, in thanks to your actions, our boss will make sure to immortalize you as the Buneary who gave rise to the greatest thieves guild known to the Snow Zone: Ebony the Traitor."

Ebony gripped her jacket. "I…won't die here."

Turtonator raised his club. "You don't have much choice."

"Tell your boss he'll pay for this."

"Tell him yourself when the reaper claims him in fifty years." Turtonator swung his club down with all his strength.

"Hunter's World!"

The club smashed into the ground and threw up a curtain of snow all around them. The other masked thieves hid behind her cloaks as the snow fell on top of them. They lowered their cloaks as Turtonator lifted his club, revealing no body or bloody pile of flesh underneath.

He glared. "Well then…"

"Tch," Combusken grunted. "Did anyone else know she could do that?"

"Must've been her trump card in case something like this happened," Aggron guessed. "She couldn't have gotten far, though."

"On the other hand, there's practically nothing we can do," Jynx stated as she looked around. "I can't sense her magic or anything. Doesn't look like she teleported, but I don't see any indication she fled the area either. Not a trace of her left."

Heracross dispelled his bow. "She's tenacious. Even with those injuries, she'll probably find her way to the closest village or town."

Turtonator huffed. "I'd be surprised if she made it to the next town, not after striking her with one ton of force."

"Are there even any towns this far out?" Combusken asked.

Turtonator turned and waved them along. "We should regroup with the boss and decided our next plan of action. If she is alive, we need to scour the area and finish the job. If we're lucky, she may die in the snow. Gather the rest of the underlings."

The masked thieves sheathed their weapons and followed him. Jynx snapped her fingers and manipulated the remainder of the goons to rise and follow her. They trudged into the raging blizzard, vanishing the farther they went out.

Five minutes of cold winds past before a change occurred. A flicker of light appeared in the snow, and Ebony pulled herself out. She had since calmed her breathing, though blood still dripped down her body. She looked at the spot she was nearly smashed into. Half an inch off and she would've been flattened.

She stood up, but nearly collapsed. Pain shot up her leg all the way to her arms. The snow continued exasperating her cuts, and the lack of a defensive aura worsened the cold on her body. She had no idea how long she would have to wait until it replenished itself.

"Eff my life," she grumbled. She looked around for any indication of civilization, but sensed nothing of the sort. "Alright…guess I'm walking. If I'm going to die, I rather not be remembered in the snow." She turned herself around and started her perilous trudge through the snowy environment, hoping to find something other than another search party.