Chapter 6

Touch

. . . . . . . . . .

10:30, July 7, Unified Year 4731 - ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

. . . . .

"Mum, w-what are we doing here…?"

Given the hostile nature of the environment we were in, it was imperative that plenty of effort was given to the act of finding supplies and nourishment. As a matter of fact, a substantial amount of my time was spent following Wisteria around as we looked for food to eat. Today was meant to be another one of those days, so by all means, it should have been an ordinary and uneventful day.

This was particularly so now more than ever because, despite the frigid temperatures, the undeniable fact was that it was technically summer. Which, in turn, meant that now was the ideal time to forage for food. The slightly warmer temperatures often heralded the arrival of an abundance of fruits, berries and edible roots, or at least, as compared to the winter months.

Added to this was the fact that, under Wisteria's guidance, I had become a lot more proficient at finding sustenance out here in the frozen wilderness. As a result, I had foolishly assumed that we were making good progress in terms of finding food to keep frozen in storage so that we wouldn't starve in the coming winter months.

Yet, despite that, Wisteria says that food has been unusually scarce this year. Having no point of reference to go by, I was at first oblivious to just how severe our situation really was. But even I had to concede that Wisteria's usual foraging grounds were surprisingly barren, especially given how she often talked about how bountiful that patch of earth usually was.

It was because of this that she had decided to try and find more supplies in different, rarely-visited locations; a move that I fully agreed and supported. Unfortunately, after a good two weeks of searching, we were still coming up empty-handed. It had been so long since we had found a good source of food that we were starting to eat into our winter reserves; something Wisteria desperately wanted to avoid having to do.

So, it's not as if I wasn't aware of just how serious our current situation was. But what we were doing now seemed far too reckless, even for our circumstances.

"Seriously, mum, t-this… This is crazy."

"Hush now, dear. Keep your voice down."

This is madness… If Ivan finds out that we're stealing pecha berries from his berry patch, we're as good as dead.

I hurriedly helped Wisteria, glancing around apprehensively before throwing in another pecha berry into the basket strapped behind her back. I would carry some as well, but given my size, any basket that I could carry would more than likely only be able to hold two or three berries at a time. Not that I would want to carry one in the first place; if Ivan finds us, there's no way I would be able to run at any speed while carrying a basket full of fruit.

The potential danger of our current situation didn't appear to be lost on Wisteria either. I've never seen her this agitated before; a stark contrast to her usual calm and collected self. The way she collected the pecha berries was sorely lacking her usual flair and grace.

"Sweetie, you know that I don't like his anymore than you do."

"So why here? It's not like we've checked all our other locations! There could be other places!"

Wisteria quickly hushed me in an effort to keep my voice down, before replying with a sigh.

"I'm sure there are, sweetie. But, as I'm sure you know, we really don't have the freedom to gamble with our time. I don't much like it, but this is the only place that can guarantee a worthwhile harvest."

I frowned. I could understand her logic and, quite frankly, I had to agree with what she was saying. But that didn't mean that I liked it one bit.

"We're only going to be doing this just this once, so please bear with me, dear."

"Is this what you meant when you said we had a long day today?"

Wisteria allowed herself a wry grin in response.

"Hee-hee… I suppose you could say that, dear."

I have to say, despite the apprehension that filled my body, I had to admit that our progress so far had been nothing short of spectacular. The number of berries we had picked in just the last ten minutes alone was greater than what we would normally have found during the span of a month. While our plan was undeniably risky, it was clear that the results, should we get away with it, would be well worth it.

"Dear, can you keep an eye out for me, please? We're almost done."

I nod in reply, throwing in the berry that I had just plucked before standing my ground, slowly scanning the area around me. The lack of meaningful contribution from me aiding in filling out the basket made it clear that I would be better off helping her in some other way instead. Even I could tell that I would be much more useful to the both of us if I kept an eye out as lookout. Allowing me to focus purely on watch-duty was particularly helpful, given that I could barely see through the bushes and trees in here. If I wasn't giving it my full, undivided attention, I most definitely wouldn't have been able to spot anything through all this.

Wisteria pulls my attention away for a brief moment as she hands me a pecha berry. I carefully take it in my paws, feeling its cold, fuzzy skin on my paw pads.

"Eat up, dear. It's not easy to find fruit this fresh around here."

Taking a bite out of the fruit, I slowly surveyed my surroundings again, savouring the sweet, juicy flesh of the pecha berry. I had to admit, this berry patch that we were stealing from was nothing short of a marvel. It certainly wasn't its size that astounded me; the garden at my old school was much more substantial. But the fact that Ivan could get anything at all to grow here was nothing short of a miracle. So much so that I can't help but wonder just how he managed to get something like this here.

Wisteria said that Ivan used to be a farmer before being sent up here, something that I had no trouble imagining given his peculiar, heavily slurred country accent. And, as much as I hate to admit it, if the existence of this patch really was because of his mastery of agriculture, then I had to give him credit where credit was due.

Of course, regardless of how good Ivan was at growing all this fruit, the only reason that this patch could really grow at all was because nobody that lives up here on this frozen mountain would dare to steal from it. It's an undisputed fact that he was the strongest Pokémon here; even Wisteria, with her incredible mastery of special attacks, could only play second fiddle to his strength. Getting caught by him would be nothing short of a one-way ticket to an unceremonious burial.

Reminded of just how dangerous of a threat he was, I hurriedly looked about again, refocusing on my task at hand.

My wandering eyes stopped as I spotted a hulking Abomasnow off in the distance.

His eyes were staring straight back at me.

I hurriedly nudged Wisteria's side, who was a little too preoccupied with the berry picking to be considered safe.

"Mum, w-we have to go."

"Nonsense, dear. Ivan won't be here until-"

"He's right there."

Wisteria abruptly stopped, turning around to face the direction that I was staring at. Upon seeing him, her face, like mine, turned ghostly pale.

We both flinched simultaneously as a loud, thunderous roar echoed through the air.

"That's the last fuckin' straw, 'Steria!"

I stared straight at him, my legs starting to tremble as fear slowly crept over me. Despite my best efforts to overcome it, I still couldn't get over what had happened to me all those months ago. I had thought that perhaps training myself to be stronger would help me fight my fear of him, but seeing him before me made my body seize up in a panic.

It wasn't until I heard Wisteria's voice that I managed to free myself from my self-inflicted paralysis.

"Dear?"

I cautiously glanced up at her, replying with an equally hushed voice.

"Y-Yes, mum?"

"Run."

I immediately obeyed, quickly turning around before darting away from him, running as fast as my legs could carry me. Taking a quick glance to my side, I noticed that Wisteria had done the same, clutching her basket full of fruit as she hurriedly glided across the snow as quickly as she could. Not far behind, I could hear the thunderous sound of Ivan's feet crashing into the snow as he began to storm after us.

I would have been able to make a much faster escape if I had Wisteria carry me. After all, her movement isn't hampered by the layers of thick snow that covered the ground. That said, given just how heavy the basket full of pecha berries she was carrying already was, it would be too much, even for her, to have to carry me as well. After all, her speciality was in special attacks, not in pure strength.

Or perhaps it was pride that prevented me from asking her for her aid. I can tell that my training with Wisteria is changing me for the better. Even I can feel that I'm able to run much faster than I used to before, which is why I'm so reluctant to admit that he's still managing to outpace me. Were this to be a simple running race between me and Ivan, I'm confident that I would be able to outrun him now; quite unlike what had happened all those months ago when I first met him. Unfortunately, I'm not fast enough to outpace him and dodge the hail of Ice Shards that he had begun shooting towards the both of us. Slowly but surely, I can hear his heavy footsteps coming ever so closer towards me.

Wisteria, having noticed it herself, quickly spun around, igniting a blueish-purple flame in the palm of her hand, before shooting the Will-O-Wisp right at him. The attack struck him dead-on, momentarily engulfing him in a sinister fire. Yet, despite the super-effective move, Ivan continued to charge forward, letting out a savage roar as his body left behind a trail of steam from the burn inflicted upon him. If anything, the attack appeared to have sped him up.

So much so that, in just a blink of an eye, he was right on my tail. His eyes staring me down with malicious intent, he brought his right arm up before making it glow with a bright green light.

"I ain't letting ye go this time, kid. Wood Hammer!"

I watched as he charged up his attack. I desperately wanted to dodge, but given the circumstances, it simply wasn't possible. Not with my pace and not with the lack of distance between us. Deviating from my current path right now would mean that I would lose too much speed to keep up with him. My only choices now are to get hit by his attack or to get trampled underneath his crushing feet.

My eyes followed his arm as he swung it down. But instead of feeling the power of his blow, I instead felt a sudden shunt to my side. As my body flew off at a tangent, I realized, horrified, that Wisteria had abruptly pushed me away. My sight shifted towards her just in time for me to bear witness with mortified eyes as Ivan smashed his Wood Hammer down onto her back, her body slamming down onto the frozen earth with so much force that shockwaves rippled through the snow.

"M-Mum! No!"

I screamed out after her, my body skidding to a halt after witnessing the blow. Ivan, too, had slowed down to a stop, lumbering above Wisteria who lay writhing on the ground in agony.

"You've gotten soft, 'Steria. I knew you was weak when it came to that kid but this is just darn too easy, even for you."

Wisteria groaned in reply, trying her best to not let her pain show on her face.

"Don't… cough… Don't you dare touch her, Ivan."

"Don't fuckin' tell me what to do."

Ivan gave her a hefty kick to her side, sending her tumbling in the snow, coughing up blood as she stifled her moans.

"Leave her alone!"

In a breathless panic, I screamed out at him before mindlessly running towards him with the intent to force him away from her.

"Stay outta this, kid, or I fuckin' swear you'll be next!"

Instead, I found myself tumbling head over heels as Ivan swatted me aside, flashing me a vicious glare before returning his sights back towards her.

"Y'know, 'Steria, I thought you was the prettiest lil' thing I ever saw when I first saw ye all them years ago." He crouched down next to her, grabbing her head firmly within his hand as he forced her to turn and face him. "A real shame you turned out t'be such a bitch."

Wisteria, in an act of defiance, simply smiled at him with as much grace as she could muster, before spitting on his face.

"…You're insufferable, Ivan."

Ivan, in reply, slammed her head down against the ground, forcing an excruciating gasp to escape her lips.

"Ye been leadin' me on for the past ten years, 'Steria! No more! I'll end this today, I fuckin' swear! I'll bash yer head in, ye whore!"

Watching the scene unfold before me, I knew that Wisteria's fate now rested in my paws. Unless I intervened in some way, her death was all but guaranteed.

But this isn't simply just a matter of saving Wisteria's life anymore.

The memory of being so helpless at the face of my dad's demise still haunted me to this day. My dreams were still consumed by the guilt that I felt from being unable to do anything at all to save him.

But now, things were different. I'm not the same weak, pathetic girl that I used to be and I'm not the same cowardly girl who couldn't live without someone constantly looking after me. I may have been helpless once before but to hell with me if I can't do anything now.

And though the terror I felt from Ivan's presence was undeniable, my fear of him wasn't enough to offset the boiling rage that had started to build within me.

Anger over the cowardice of my past self. Anger over the wicked depravity of those who burned my home.

But more than anything, anger at the Pokémon who defiled and hurt my newfound treasure.

I had finally found someone who would care for me. Someone who had saved me from the endless abyss of misery.

I had finally found myself a new family. A new home.

And I'm not going to let this asshole take it away from me.

"Ivan!"

The Abomasnow stopped, his arm held above his head as he readied another Wood Hammer.

"The fuck d'ya want, kid?!"

"Attract!"

I quickly charged up my attack, before shooting the pink heart straight at him. Ivan barely managed to turn around before my attack struck him square in the chest, exploding in a cloud of hazy pink smoke that surrounded him in his entirety. He paused, reeling and stunned from the attack, before turning to face me with a smile that made my skin crawl beneath my fur.

"Woah-ho-ho! Kid, I knew you was a brat but I didn't know you was a slut as well."

It's almost scary just how effective my attack was on him. Despite having just been hit by my attack, I can already smell the sickeningly musky scent of pheromones emanating from his overweight body.

"Alright, girlie. C'mere. Uncle Ivan'll play with yer body just the way you like it."

His body heaved as he laughed, a sinister and creepy snigger, before lumbering forward as he started to make his way towards me, his hands reaching out, groping the frosty air. Keeping a close eye on him, I started to make my retreat, allowing myself the freedom to let out a sigh in relief as I began to move. Now that his attention was on me, half of my work was complete. The other half was going to be far more challenging to accomplish.

Leading him away from Wisteria's battered body, I groaned as he called out to me. Though his motives were delusional, influenced by my attack, his actions certainly were not. I had managed to save Wisteria from meeting a premature end, but by doing so had put myself in a position where, were I to make a single misstep, I would have fated myself to an outcome so stomach-churning to imagine that even death seemed preferable.

Although that said, this is exactly where I wanted him, wasn't it?

Actually, this is even better than what I was hoping for. Now that he has no intention of killing me, he's no longer launching volley after volley of Ice Shards at me, which brings the feasibility of outrunning him much closer to the realm of possibility. Not that it was difficult to outrun him in the first place. Despite his wholehearted attempts to reach me, the effects of my Attract were taking a toll on his ability to walk and run properly. Either that or the burn that Wisteria had inflicted on him was doing a lot more work than I was first led to believe. As a matter of fact, the way that he stumbled and staggered towards me as I led him up the mountainside made him appear almost intoxicated with alcohol. I only needed but to keep a brisk pace in order to keep myself well out of his reach.

Keeping my distance from him wasn't my main concern. Given his impaired movement, it was awfully easy to stay just out of reach from him. What was concerning, however, was what to do with him. Attacking him head-on was out of the question; not only was he far too powerful for me to take out on my own, but one wrong move and he would get his grubby fingers all over me. And just leading him around like this wasn't going to work either. Sooner or later, the effects of Attract were going to start wearing off on him, and I definitely don't want to be nearby when that happens. Not that being clear of his immediate vicinity when he came back to his senses would make much of a difference; left to his own devices, it was only going to be a matter of time before he would track down the both of us. And once that happens, our fates would be all but sealed.

"You playin' hard to get, girlie? Uncle Ivan'll play along with yer lil' games, he-he."

Please, don't touch me.

Or maybe it was taking me so long to come up with a course of action because, deep down, I wanted more than to just simply incapacitate him. I could simply let his burn bring him to his knees, but it would only take so long before he recovered.

No, I wanted to cause him the most severe degree of pain that I could possibly inflict upon him.

I can feel his eyes tracing along my body as he spoke. Though his glare was no longer malicious, what replaced it made me feel so disgusted that it made me want to hurl.

But more pervasive than my loathing was the boiling rage I felt towards him. His constant sexual harassment, along with the way in which he brutalized Wisteria, invoked a fury within me so fierce that my vision was starting to turn a dark shade of crimson. And though the revulsion I felt from his crude and undignified advances towards me was more than noticeable, nothing could compare to the seething anger that coursed through my veins.

"How 'bout you stop leadin' me around and git over here, girlie? I'll have you beggin' fer more before you even know it."

"For the love of God, please, shut up!"

My rage finally boiling over, I quickly turned around, facing him with an aggressive stance, desperate to unleash at least one attack in an attempt to alleviate my anger.

"Shadow Ball!"

My vision seemed to darken slightly as I opened my mouth to let my hatred manifest itself into pure energy, the black orb that had begun to form pulsating ominously as it seethed with unadulterated rage. Releasing it, I watched as it rocketed towards him, exploding with an awe-inspiring blast as it struck his stomach.

Ivan staggered back from the force of the attack, reeling from the blow before finally recovering his balance. He didn't appear to be significantly injured from the hit, but the surprise and confusion on his face were evidently clear.

Even I was astounded by the sheer strength of the attack that I had just unleashed. The sinister power that exuded from my Shadow Ball was so unlike the one that I launched yesterday while training with Wisteria that it almost seemed incredulous to call it my own attack.

Is… Is hatred the answer…?

I couldn't come up with another reason to justify my sudden increase in power. Nothing else had changed between now and yesterday, so this was the only logical explanation.

I don't think it's a necessary tool for every attack in my arsenal, given that Shadow Ball was the only attack of mine that I was struggling with. But if the missing ingredient to my Shadow Ball really was anger, then I had to admit that it seemed to make an awful lot of sense. After all, hatred and darkness were qualities that weren't too dissimilar to each other.

Were this discovery to be a product of my usual training sessions, I would have loved nothing more than to have some time now to think and reflect upon what had just happened. After all, revision and reflection are crucial when it comes to solidifying one's understanding of newfound knowledge. But the liberty to do so was robbed from me as I watched him return his gaze back towards me, his confusion slowly giving way to a barbaric looking grin.

"Ain't you a feisty lil' slut! But that's a-okay with me, girlie! Uncle Ivan loves the tight slit of a girl with a lil' attitude! Wa-ha-ha-ha!"

Eww.

His brash and brazen attitude, which once terrified me, now only served to irritate me even further. Up until just a few months ago, I had thought it to be impossible for the world to carry Pokémon who were as uncouth and as uncivilized as him. And though I knew now just how wrong and naïve my starry-eyed view of the world was, it nevertheless astounded me that there were Pokémon like him who could feel no shame from speaking in such a vulgar manner.

Wait… Slit…?

A spark lit up in my mind, setting my thoughts alight in a frenzy.

That… That's it!

The bottomless crevasse from the first cave I found when I first came here! That's exactly the sort of thing that I need! While I can't defeat him through one-on-one combat, pushing him down that pit had to be enough to finish him off.

I hurriedly glanced around me to gain my bearings. My enthusiasm skyrocketed when I spotted a familiar-looking rotten and decaying sign, its arcane words now legible after months of studying the Old World textbooks that I had brought with me to Wisteria's home.

Route 217

If this sign is here, then that cave had to be nearby.

My loathing for him was making me almost giddy at the prospect of what I was about to do to him, even more so now that I knew we were almost at our final destination. The fact that it was cruel to wish death upon him was not lost on me. And yet, despite knowing that it was undeniably wrong for me to feel this way, I have to admit that the idea of getting rid of him for good seemed unnervingly satisfying.

No, stop! I'm creeping myself out! I need to focus!

Spotting the cave off in the distance, I turned my head to look back towards him, flicking my bushy tail from side to side and swaying my hips a little as I walked in an effort to entice him.

"Come on, Ivan~. I thought you wanted me~."

Ivan grinned a toothy smile in reply, wiping the drool that was hanging from the corner of his mouth with his arm.

"Heh, heh, now we're talkin'! Just wait till I git my hands on ye, girlie!"

I could feel my cheeks reddening from the sheer embarrassment of my actions. But even so, I pressed on, forcing myself to perish the thought. It would be a disaster now if he were to lose interest in me, and though the effects of Attract should be sufficient to keep him hooked till the very end, I wasn't willing to take any chances. Especially not now.

Quickly running to the mouth of the cave, I glanced back at him to make sure that he was still following me, before running in. Just as I had remembered, the crevasse was still there, its foreboding depths sending shivers up my body. Upon the visual confirmation, I let out a sigh in relief; had I not remembered correctly, I would have essentially trapped myself by leading him in here.

Standing by the edge of the crack in the ice, I turned around to face him, who had stopped by the entrance to the cave.

"Looks like you've got nowhere to run now."

"Who said anything about running?"

I responded with a sly grin. Under the circumstances, I really ought to be terrified, given just how critical the next few minutes would be. But instead, I'm thrilled. It's very much unlike my usual self to be this way, but I've never felt more alive than I do now.

"Pretty lil' place ya found fer the both of us, girlie. Romantic for a dirty lil' slut like yerself. I thought you was fine with fuckin' out'n the snow."

I gave a curtsy in reply, more as a sarcastic gesture than anything else, before replying to him with the same thinly veiled disdain that Wisteria shows when she interacts with Ivan herself.

"Gee, thanks Ivan! But that's not why I brought you here."

I'm not sure if Wisteria acts this way because of this very reason, but if she does then I'm starting to see why; something about this attitude is undeniably satisfying.

"Yeah? Well it sure is why I followed ye all t'way here. S'stop makin' me work fer it and git over here!"

We faced each other down, our bodies frozen in place as we both waited for each other to make their first move, the silence of the cave broken only by the sound of us breathing with adrenaline-fueled breaths.

It was time for my retaliation to begin in earnest.

"You want me?" I snarled at him, my fur buzzing with welcomed anticipation. "Come and get me!"

Ivan immediately began to charge towards me like a runaway freight-train, his tongue hanging out as he let out a beastly roar. His sudden burst of speed momentarily astonished me; his movement now was nothing like the way he lumbered after me just a moment ago.

I swallowed hard, staring him down as he rapidly closed the distance. The easiest way to victory would be to have him simply run into the crevasse on his own. And though it was unlikely that he would be stupid enough to make a blunder like that, I had to give it a try.

Waiting until I could practically feel his heaving breaths against my fur, I dived out of the way, rolling on the ice before positioning myself to put him right between the crevasse and myself. Like I had thought, Ivan had managed to slow himself to a halt, stopping himself in a spectacular display of bodily strength and dexterity before turning around to face me as he stood by the edge. He may be crude, but he's not stupid. And he definitely knows how to use his body effectively.

Which is why I had already prepared a Shadow Ball, bringing forth my anger and despise into physical form before launching it straight at him. My attack had already been set in motion by the time he turned his body back towards me, the black and purple orb throbbing with evil intent as it hurtled towards him.

Given how he reacted to getting hit by it previously, I was confident that there would be a significant chance that it alone would be able to knock him off his feet and into the abyss, especially now with the floor made entirely of ice.

But instead of standing around to let it hit him on the chest, he drew his arm up, calling forth his Wood Hammer before striking the orb with a powerful swing of his arm, causing it to explode in mid-air, releasing a thick cloud of black and purple smoke.

"No more games, girlie, I've waited long enough! I'm gonna have my way with you whether ya like it or not!"

His sudden outburst left me stunned at what I had just witnessed, my head scrambling to come up with answers.

Is… Is Attract starting to wear off of him…?

A second look at him proved otherwise. His eyes still gleamed with predatory lust and his body swayed slowly from side to side with all the composure of a drunkard making his way home after a full night's worth of drinking.

It was now I remembered that, while Attract had a guaranteed chance of infatuating the correct target upon a successful hit, it didn't guarantee that they would not fight back as well. After all, it was still possible to grievously injure a loved one if you really meant to do it; not every instance of domestic violence comes as a result of a lack of affection between the parties involved.

Great time to forget something so important, me.

Yet, despite the unsuccessful Shadow Ball, my current situation isn't quite a lost cause yet. Ivan was still standing at a prime location to be pushed down into the crevasse. He was still under the influence of my Attract, and by now, the burn that was inflicted upon him was really starting to show. Better still, the Shadow Ball that he had destroyed had created a familiar looking smokescreen that filled me with a sense of déjà vu in all the right ways.

This… This is exactly like yesterday…!

No, to call this as 'not a lost cause' is a huge understatement. He may not be halfway down the crevasse quite yet but I still have the advantage.

I can do this.

"This ends today, Ivan! Tackle!"

I began running towards him, my feet moving with ever increasing velocity as I made a beeline for him. Despite the thick smokescreen, it was easy to spot him given his sheer size and his unruly flailing.

I'm not going to let him terrorize me or Wisteria anymore.

I charged up to him, ploughing through the thick smoke before leaping up towards him, slamming my body against his with all the strength that I could muster. This wouldn't have worked without the smokescreen hiding me from his line of sight. But now that I had the element of surprise, even an attack as weak as my very own tackle, which normally would do nothing against him, would be enough to unsettle his balance.

Sure enough, I can feel his body giving way as he started to fall backwards.

Putting my paws on his chest, I readied myself to jump off of him and back onto the safety of the icy cave floor.

I had won. It's time to let gravity do the rest of the work.

Or so I thought.

"W-What the…?!"

Just as I was about to leap off of him, I felt his fingers wrap around my hind leg, holding me with a firm and painful grip. Turning around to look back, I came face to face with him, staring me down with sickeningly smug eyes and a devilish grin on his face.

"Gotcha, kid."

My stomach churned, the queasy sense of weightlessness enveloping me as my body began to accelerate down towards the abyss, the edge at the top of the crevasse rapidly sailing up and away from me.

N-No…! This… This wasn't supposed to happen!

As some sort of self-preservation reflex mechanism, my body made a desperate attempt to jump up towards the top on its own in a last-ditch effort to save me from ending up splattered at the bottom of the pit. But instead of leaping into the air, Ivan's grip caused the force of my jump to slam me back down onto his stomach, eliciting a cry from me as his firm grasp twisted my ankle.

Ivan, on the other hand, didn't appear to show an ounce of fear at his imminent demise. Or perhaps it hadn't occurred to him that the bottom of this crevasse awaited nothing but his doom. Regardless, all that I could read from that devious smile of his as he reached to grab my other ankle was that, in his mind, he was the one who had come out victorious in the end.

"Get ready, girlie! Once we git down there, I'm gonna fuck yer brains ou-"

His sentence was cut short as his head smashed against a lump of ice that stuck out from one of the sides, instantly rendering him unconscious. The blow appeared so violent that, even considering my disgust and disdain towards him, I couldn't help but flinch at the terrible sight.

That said, now that Ivan was knocked out cold, his grip on my hind leg had loosened considerably. Shaking my leg out of his hands, I finally freed myself, if you could call a Pokémon falling towards her inevitable death as 'free'.

Looking up, my heart sank as the top of the crevasse vanished from sight, being far too high above me to even be seen clearly. The small window of opportunity I had to jump back out onto the cave floor above had long since disappeared. All that I could do now was wait for the inevitable impact that awaited me below.

I sighed. I never expected myself to die in such a dramatic fashion. As a matter of fact, ever since I moved in with Wisteria, I didn't expect myself to die anytime soon at all. At least Wisteria was going to be safe now that Ivan was gone as well.

Clinging tightly onto the ragged fur on Ivan's stomach, I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the ground that came rushing towards us.

. . . . . . . . . .

? ? : ? ?, July 7, Unified Year 4731 - ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

. . . . .

I have to be dead.

Those were the first thoughts to enter my mind as I regained consciousness. The dark surroundings that I had found myself in only served to prove my point, though whether I had reached Heaven or Hell I couldn't quite figure out. It couldn't have been anything other than one of the two, though. It was the only logical explanation, after all. Most Pokémon would find falling from heights much less severe than the one I just fell from to be nothing short of fatal. Nobody could have survived a fall quite like mine.

Or maybe not… God, my body's sore all over.

Wasn't the afterlife supposed to be free of pain? Or, at the very least, the first few moments of it? If the afterlife is meant to be a spiritual realm where the soul leaves the mortal body behind, why does it feel like all my bodily pains had come with me?

No, this isn't the afterlife. Despite my initial disbelief, I had to concede that, against all odds, I had managed to survive what should have been a fatal fall. But more than that, it was nothing short of a miracle that I managed to survive it relatively unscathed. After all, a sore body is infinitely better than a broken or even a dead one.

Though, perhaps it wasn't that surprising given how soft the surface I was laying on was. I had never felt anything quite as plush and warm as this, and quite frankly, its sheer springiness suggested that it could break the fall of anything from any height with the greatest of ease. Whatever this material is, I would love to have it as a mattress for my bed; I can easily imagine myself having night after night of peaceful sleep if I had something like this to look forward to at the end of each day.

But as I looked about to try and figure out what this material was, I froze, a cold shiver rushing through my body.

It's fur. White, with a familiar shagginess to it.

Below my mistaken bed was a pool of dark crimson, accompanied by the unmistakable stench of congealed blood.

Oh God…!

I quickly jumped off of Ivan's cadaver, shocked not only by the fact that I had been lying on his dead body, but by just how comfortable I had been on top of it. But as I jumped down onto the cold earth, my paws missed the dry ground and instead landed in the pool of blood, a sickening splatter echoing around the cave walls as my paws made contact with the sticky liquid.

I think I'm going to be sick.

Hurriedly jumping out of the puddle of blood, I wiped my paws clean against the cold earth before turning around to look back towards him, almost as if to reconfirm if he was truly dead or not. Now that my eyes had adjusted to the darkness, I could finally see the extent of his injuries.

His body lay still and motionless on the cold ground, his arms and legs contorted to grotesque and unnatural positions. Worse still was the deep gash that ran from behind his ear down to the side of his head, blood dribbling out profusely from the open wound. There was no doubt that the injury was a result of his accident while falling down the crevasse; the blow he took to his head was strong enough that it had to have, at the very least, cracked his skull. Quite frankly, I'm amazed that his head wasn't cut clean off.

I backed away from the horrifying spectacle. Now that I was no longer possessed by my rage-filled stupor, the end result appeared infinitely more terrifying than I had imagined while I was possessed by bloodlust. The very fact that I had wished for this to happen sent chills up my spine. And yet, despite it all, there was an undeniable part of me that found my victory over him disturbingly euphoric

As a matter of fact, the entire fight with Ivan had put me in an unnervingly good mood when it really should have left me terrified for my life. Taking a moment to recall what had just happened, I shivered, realizing just how close I had been to a much more sickeningly sinister outcome.

To be honest, it wasn't as if I was unaware of the danger that I had put myself in. Quite frankly, I had known the potential risks from the moment I had used my Attract on him. It was only now that the sheer severity of my situation dawned upon me, and it seemed unbelievable now that I was so calm about it up until this point.

Especially given that I was the one who had initiated the conflict in the first place. I admit that I had thoughtlessly put all my effort into the Attract I used on him, simply out of a panicked desperation to save Wisteria. But now that I had seen what a fully charged Attract could really do to a Pokémon, I was starting to understand just how dangerous a tool it was. Needless to say, it was scary just how potent Attract could be.

I definitely have to learn how to control it before I use it again… If I use it again.

That said, at the end of the day, the most important thing right now was that, despite everything that had happened, I was still alive. Even after resigning myself to a painful death by falling down that chasm, I had managed to survive with barely a scratch. If this isn't the act of some greater power telling me to stay alive, then quite frankly, nothing is.

If I'm not dead, then I should at least try to keep myself that way.

I turned around to start looking for a way out.

"Yer… cough… Yer just like her… cough… Usin' yer Attract to get what ye want."

My blood ran cold as I heard a deep, familiar voice from behind me. Quickly turning back around, I realized with no small amount of disbelief that Ivan was still alive, his bloodshot eyes staring me down intently.

"H-How… How are you not dead…?!"

I immediately positioned myself into a combat stance, preparing myself to fight him again. Now that my fury had subsided, so did my desire to fight. The last thing I wanted to do now was to engage him in combat, especially given that it was entirely possible for the effects of Attract to still be in effect.

But upon giving him a second glance, I let out a sigh in relief. Given that he no longer reeked of lust, it was clear to see that he was no longer under the influence of Attract, making him much less of a danger. Not that he would be a threat if he was; he was so injured that he was slipping in and out of consciousness between sentences.

"This… cough… This ain't over, kid."

I'm dumbfounded by his response. Even in his half-dead state, he still has the energy to be so hateful. His hostile and uncooperative behaviour irritated me just as much as it amazed me.

"I'm sorry for stealing that berry, but we had no choice! You know what it's like to live out there. Why can't you see that it's easier for all of us to just cooperate?"

"Cooperate?" He scoffed at the thought. "Gimme a break, kid. Damn Pokémon only wanna cooperate cause em' weak. Well, let me tell ya something. The weak don't survive. Not here, not anywhere. Ain't nobody gonna save you if yer weak."

"Do you seriously expect me to believe that? Not everyone is like that, Ivan. Not everyone is like you."

"You really think there're good souls n'the world?" Ivan raised his voice slightly, his anger clearly apparent despite the pain that his mangled body was under. "Then why don'cha ask yer precious 'Steria? She ever tell ya why she was sent up here, huh?"

My ears drooped in response. Now that I thought about it, she really hadn't told me much about herself.

"Don't fool yerself, kid. She ain't no lovin' mother like she wants ye to believe. She's a monster. We all are."

My body froze as his words sunk in. Perhaps it was because I was blinded by her motherly antics that I hadn't considered it before, but Ivan's words did hold some degree of truth to them. I have no idea where or what this place is, but given that the residents of this frozen wasteland are all formal criminals, it made perfect sense that even Wisteria, despite her favourable first and lasting impressions, would be a criminal too, and a high profile one at that.

"You're right… She never told me why she was sent here. But whatever sort of Pokémon she used to be; she isn't that anymore. Pokémon can change for the better, Ivan. The world's too cruel to afford not believing that."

My own words reignited my confidence in her. Perhaps it was nothing more than wishful thinking on my part, but I desperately wanted to believe that he was wrong. And with every word I spoke, I was starting to believe in myself a little more.

"Yer a fool, kid. A real fool fer trustin' her."

"Maybe you're right, Ivan. But it's a lot better than living the way you do."

Fueled by a newfound self-determination, I turned around and began to walk.

"Where'd ya think yer goin'?"

"Out of here. I'm done talking with you."

I stopped, drawing as much confidence as I could before turning my head to look back at him one last time.

"Let me know if you want to fight again. I'll smack that hate right out of you."

Despite the enraged bellowing that echoed behind me, I continued to walk down the tunnel-like cave. There isn't much point in continuing this conversation with Ivan. I know in my heart that he's capable of changing for the better, but now isn't the time; he's just not ready for it yet. More importantly, I've noticed that there's a faint breeze blowing through this cave, almost undoubtedly originating from outside. And since there's someone important to me out there, outside is where I'll go.

But as I walked through the inky darkness, I couldn't help but let a small flame of doubt linger in the back of my mind. Was it really so foolish of me to believe in something so optimistic? Was there something that Ivan had managed to see that I had completely missed? I wouldn't be surprised if that really were the case, given the sheer difference in age between the two of us. Because with age comes wisdom. And regardless of what form or shape that wisdom ends up taking, the undeniable truth was that it could only have come from years and years of experience. Experience that Ivan had, and I didn't.

Are we really nothing more than mere parasites fated to prey on one another for our own selfish gains? Is it really in our nature to be so barbaric that only the strong deserve to prosper and survive? Ivan certainly seems to think so, given all that he had told me. In fact, his actions make perfect sense now that I have a clear understanding of how he sees the world. If it seems as if the world is set against you, then it's easy to see why one would feel so little remorse or regret for striking out against it. As a matter of fact, all that had happened in Winteroot town made perfect sense if I looked at it through his world view.

But to admit that he was right would be to also say that his hostilities were justified. To admit that he was right would be to forgive the fact that he tried to kill me over a berry. Twice. No matter how I looked at it, his actions could only be described as those of a psychopath.

No, I can't let him sway me away from my own beliefs so easily. Especially when the points he made were as skewed and as pessimistic as his personality. After all, if I were to blindly accept and believe in everything that everyone told me, what would I be but a walking mess of contradictions and flawed opinions? I would lose all semblance of my own self, of my own identity.

I have to believe in myself, to believe that souls can change for the better. Swallowing the shadows of doubt that lingered in my mind, I lifted my head and began to run towards the light that was starting to shine at the end of the tunnel. It may be naïve of me to think so, but I want to believe that what I said was true. No, I have to believe that what I said was true. Because, after everything that I had gone through, if I were to lose faith in that as well, living itself would truly be the most unbearable suffering imaginable.

Finally making my way out of the tunnel, I shielded my eyes as the bright light blinded me, temporarily halting me and my train of thought. I braced myself for the soft snow beneath my paws and the harsh cold of the outside air. But when I felt neither, I slowly opened my eyes, letting them adjust to the sudden change in brightness before surveying my newfound surroundings.

Rather than being greeted by the vast openness of the bleak outdoors, I instead found myself in a cavern made of pure ice. Roughly circular in layout and absolutely vast in size, the sheer height of the blue, frozen walls made it seem more like a banquet hall than a natural cave. Had it not been for the rough, chiselled surfaces of the walls and the extraordinary icicles that hung from the dome-like ceiling, I would have struggled to believe this place to be natural at all.

There's a small opening at the other end of the room, through which I can faintly make out the bleak, snowy expanse of the outside world. But the dazzling brightness of the room wasn't coming from there. Rather, this flurry of light was emanating from the most striking object to adorn this cavern; a giant crystalline structure, complex and intricate in shape and design, that sprouted from the centre of the cave. Like a rainbow entombed in ice, the crystal sparkled with a million different colours, filling the cavern with a flurry of bright and vibrant hues. The spectacle dazzled me.

It was beautiful.

It seemed unbelievable that such a thing could exist in a place as bleak and barren as this wasteland. After all, the only place that I knew of up here that was even remotely welcoming was Wisteria's home. But like Wisteria herself, I had managed to find a gem of unfathomable beauty hidden amongst this endlessly dreary landscape.

I'll show you, Ivan. I'll show you that I'm right.

If it was possible for even this desolate wasteland to hold a treasure as mesmerizing as this, then it had to be true for Pokémon as well. Ivan may not realize it yet, but I'll show him. I'll show him that we're not just monsters, that genuine good can and does exist. And if I can't convince him with words, then I'll convince him through the only way he seems to understand. And if even that fails to work, then at the very least, I'll stop him from terrorizing me or Wisteria ever again.

I may not be strong enough to beat Ivan in a fair fight yet. Chances are, I probably won't be for quite some time. But one day I will be. I'll keep training. I'll keep training until I can finally prove him wrong. I'll train until I'm finally strong enough to protect Wisteria, so that she won't have to suffer like she had today ever again. It terrifies me to think about the things that will happen to me in the future, to the both of us. But it's time now that I stop relying on the protection of others. Like Wisteria had done for me, it was now time for me to serve as her aegis.

I turned my attention back towards the gargantuan crystal before me. But this time, it wasn't the hypnotizing beauty of it that compelled me towards it.

I can feel an inexplicable energy radiating from it.

Something about its energy connected with me on a fundamental level. I can't quite put my paw on what it is, but it felt right. Like it was meant for me.

I'm not really sure how, but I know exactly what this is.

The gift of power was undeniably enticing, but the prospect of change made me hesitate. I would be lying to myself if I were to deny the fear of the unknown, the fear of becoming something different. More so now, knowing that the changes would be forever irreversible.

I peeked behind the crystal. The exit awaited me with what felt like open arms, its promise to preserve the way I had lived until now just as, if not more desirable. Nobody would blame me if I were to choose to leave, and nobody was forcing me to take the offer that had presented itself. But if I was earnest in my desire to protect Wisteria, then I was going to need all the help I could get.

Chances are, even if I do change, I'll probably still be the same shy, introverted and socially awkward girl that I had always been. But perhaps now, I won't be a helpless girl too.

I had made up my mind.

Bringing my paw up the crystal, I drew in a deep breath… And touched it.