"Are you certain that Articuno has disappeared?" The man in the screen had crimson spiky red hair, he's calm and collected nature were now replaced with a look of grave concern. He's tittle as the champion of Kanto had made him intimidating to all who battled him, yet none had ever doubt his kind and and compassionate nature that made him so beloved by his people. He was Lance of Blackthorn city, the pride of Kanto and the master of all Dragon types. Steadfast and honourable, he will defend the innocents to the best of his ability.

Oh and he also has a cute cousin he absolutely adore.

"Yes, the local townsfolks reported that they haven't seen Articuno for the past few weeks. Her nest in Seafoam Island and Icefall Cave are empty, it's concerning that one of the legendary birds of Kanto has disappeared without a trace." The woman before Lance was a lithe and beautiful woman. Curvy and voluptuous in all the right places, her cold and calculative personality combined with her mastery over ice types had earn her the tittle "The Ice Queen of Kanto". She was Lorelei, the first member of the Elite 4, the pride and joy of Sevii islands. Her scarlet red hair was tied into her usual ponytail, with her black jacket and black pencil skirt that made her look like a teacher or a secretary.

"Perhaps she is visiting her siblings Moltres and Zapdos?" Lance aired on the side of optimism, it's not unheard of for legendary pokemon leaving for extensive periods of time. Maybe Articuno is visiting her siblings? They are very close after all.

"According to our intel, Zapdos and Moltres have displayed signs of aggression and frustration as of late, particular Zapdos who has been summoning wicked thunderstorms for the past weeks." Lance sighed as he rubbed his face, Kanto has been engulf in torrential storms for the past few weeks. Heavy downpour and booming thunders, it was no doubt that Zapdos in angry, which implied that Articuno didn't visit her siblings at all.

"This is concerning, the other two legendries will wreck havoc if this keep going on. The 3 of them are responsible for the seasonal change and the ecosystem of Kanto, losing even one of them will spell doom for our country." Articuno for winter, Zapdos for summer and Moltres for spring. Losing one of them would because seasonal imbalance, crops to be destroyed and disrupting migration patterns for bird type pokemon. All these little things combined can have a profound impact onto Kanto.

Seeing the concern expression on her friend's face, Lorelei held her head high and placed her fist on her chest, giving a firm yet determine shout.

"Lance, I volunteer to find Articuno." The champion named after a medieval weapon blinked, he sighed and yank off his bothersome cape that was in the way of his arm. As much he loved his cape and the style he carried with it, it can be annoying at times. Such childish action from him admittedly made Lorelei smiled in amusement, good to know that he doesn't carry himself seriously all the time.

"Are you sure? This is an arduous task, you know that right?" He didn't want Lorelei to be responsible for any mishap or failure. If word of Articuno's absence reach the Kanto public, wide spread panic and media speculation would ensue. They have to keep this discreet between them.

"Please give me some time." Lorelei's hazel eyes of determination made Lance groaned inwardly, why does she have to put him in such a situation. He sighed, she's a stubborn woman and would never take no for answer. He grabbed his cup of coffee on the table and finally gave a reluctant nod of permission.

"Very well, I know how important this is to you. I will temporarily relief you of your Elite 4 duties, if you need any additional help or resources, please let me know." Lance drank his coffee, only to find it to be empty. Not wanting to look like an idiot, he pretended to drink from his empty mug and placed it down afterwards, trying look cool and suave in the process.

"Thank you Lance." Always professional and courteous, Lorelei looked undeniably stressed and depressed over Articuno's disappearance. He didn't blame her though, Lorelei had met Articuno face to face when she was a young girl, a fated encounter that lead to her desire to become an ice type trainer.

"You're welcome, but in return, I would like to see my favourite Ice type user to smile again." Lorelei blinked before giving a small smile, she knew that Lance played the big brother role to her, never showing any signs of romantic interest in her since he viewed her as a sister. Which was well received by her because she viewed him as a close friend too, nothing more, nothing less.

"There much better! I want to see you smile more." Lance crossed his arms with a grin, hearing the gentle breathing of his Dragonite who curled next to him. He's jovial expression soon turned back to his serious self, remembering the grave situation they are dealing with.

"Look, I know this is a difficult task, but given your close connection to Articuno, do you know where to start looking?" The ice type master crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes once she remember the recent Team Rocket invasion to the Seafoam Islands.

"Team Rocket has been invading the Seafoam Islands as of late, I believe Articuno's disappearance has something to do with them." Team Rocket again? Lance wanted to bang his head against a wall, how many times does he have to deal with these nincompoops? They have been a vicious thorn in the Indigo League's side since its inception, so what are they up to now?

"Hmm their activities in Kanto have been relatively tamed as of late, it seemed that they are plotting something huge. My counterparts in Sinnoh have reports of suspicious Rocket activities in Sinnoh, can't be a coincidence." Lorelei furrowed her eyebrows, Team Rocket in Sinnoh? She was aware of the Rocket's influence outside of Kanto, ranging from Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos and Galar. As for Alola, for some reason the Rockets never got to establish a foothold there, apparently Guzma, the leader of Team Skull was very keen on kicking out the Rockets out of the region. Though no one knows why.

"But Sinnoh is occupied by Galactic right? The two would have turf wars no?" Rarely criminal organisations tolerate each other's presence. They have a strict code of honor amongst them, don't interfere in my plans, and I wouldn't interfere yours. Neutrality is the keyword here, so to have Team Rocket stirring up trouble in Sinnoh is concerning.

"Unless they join forces." Lorelei gasped audibly at the thought, she glanced at Lance who clasped his hands together before him, eyeing her with the utmost urgency and seriousness. The Ice Queen of Kanto clenched her fists before giving a frustrated sigh.

"That's- that sounds probable." Lance nodded, readjusting one of the photo frames on his desk, it depicted his cousin and him together when they were younger.

"Indeed, both organisations have essentially the same goals and ideals, to rule the world with each of them on top. With Rocket's extensive connections, networks and resources, and Galactics' advance technologies and brilliant minds, their joint forces would render them pretty much unstoppable." Lance trailed off, watching Lorelei scrolled through her tablet that she held dearly to her. She seemed to be searching for something on her device, rather frantically if he might add.

"Regardless, our main priority is to find Articuno now." They can deal with the Rocket's shenanigans on another day, right now they need to find Articuno. Lorelei's expression of calmness finally broke into a smile, as if she discovered something of importance.

"I will start with Sinnoh." This raised Lance's eyebrows, he leaned forward while placing his cheek against the palm of his hand, surprised by Lorelei sudden firm dedication to start looking in Sinnoh.

"What? Do you think Articuno is in Sinnoh?" The Sevii island native nodded, displaying her tablet to lance. It was a weather forecast of Sinnoh that showed the wind patterns, temperature, precipitation and the abundance amount of snow fall. The graph itself was nothing out of the ordinary, except for the very high levels of snow that is concentrated in one area.

"Possibly, look at this weather chart. The sheer intensity of snowfall in the Northern side of Sinnoh has increased drastically, which coincidentally started when the rumors of Articuno's disappearance became first known. The harsh and the unprecedented drop in temperature is strange and suspicious don't you think?" The northern side of Sinnoh such as Snowpoint city has always known to be a frigid and mountainous, but to this extent? Lance was surprised that this was the first thing Lorelei thinks, then again, she is a remarkably intelligent and bright woman who's a nerd at heart.

"That's the first thing you think of huh?" Lorelei dismissed Lance's playful tone, pushing her glasses up to reinforce that this situation is grave and that he needs to be serious about this.

"Articuno's ability to create frigid weather at a moment's notice is unparalleled, the fact you mention the Rockets and Galactics potential cooperation, I fear that our worst fears have been realized." Lance nodded, perhaps the two criminal organisations are working with each other. He knew Giovanni's personality well, he's ability to persuade and use others to his advantage were impressive, so no doubt he was utilizing the Galactics resources and assets in Sinnoh to further his own agenda. As for the leader Cyrus, well Lance doesn't know much about the Galactics, it was outside of his responsibilities and expertise.

"So what we gathered right now is that Articuno disappeared when the Rocket's activity in Sinnoh has started to spike. The sudden drop of temperature and abundance of snowfall in Snowpoint coincidentally also started with her disappearance, thus you suspect Articuno is currently in Sinnoh." Lorelei gave a curt nod, holding her tablet close to her.

"Correct." Lance sighed and leaned behind his chair, glancing at his bookshelf that contained classified information. He turned to Lorelei and found her hazel eyes laced with worry and concern, as if she was thinking of something unfathomable.

"Then is it too bold of us to assume that Team Rocket kidnapped Articuno and brought her to Sinnoh?" Articuno is a powerful pokemon, able to freeze all non-pseudo legendary pokemon with a flap of her majestic wings. To think Team Rocket is able to subdue and capture Articuno is pretty much impossible, unless they utilize all of their resources.

"No, that would explain everything, the drastic weather change and the sudden increase in Rocket activity in Sinnoh, except-"

"Why." The age old question of motive, what could the Rockets possibly gain from having Articuno in Sinnoh? As far as Lance is concerned, Galactics don't care about the legendary Kanto birds, they want to change the world, not the weather and the seasons. Unless they have a change of heart? Gah, this was all speculative, not a single solid evidence to prove their theory correct.

"Lorelei, make haste and investigate this matter. I will inform Cynthia regarding this matter so you will have easy access to your investigations." Lorelei nodded with her fists clenched, feeling the pressure and weight of the world on her shoulders. Articuno is vital to the survival of Kanto, in addition to balancing the seasonal changes, she is also responsible for keeping her more volatile and aggressive siblings Moltres and Zapdos in check, particular the younger brother Zapdos.

"Thank you Lance, I hope she is safe and well." The raw childish innocence in Lorelei's voice made Lance sighed inwardly, as much as Lorelei is a mature and sophisticated woman, her adoration for Articuno and collecting cute pokemon plushy made Lance wonder how much of a tough facade Lorelei puts on everyday.

"Me too Lorelei. I wish you luck." The ice type master only nodded bleakly.


"You have everything prepared?" His mother handed him the last of his winter clothing. Warm and durable, they were specifically made to withstand the cold winters of Sinnoh. She smiled when her son gave her a firm nod, overseeing his clothes and the bare necessities he packed along for the school trip. Staring at her son's towering figure, Delia had the sudden realization over how much he had grown. More muscles, longer hair and filled with even more self-confidence, her son certainly grew up quick.

'Look at him now, Its only been half a year since he started high school and now he grown so much.' Delia wrapped her arms around her son, hugging him from behind as she started to feel sentimental at how fast he grown.

"M-Mom, hey." He spun around and hugged her back with a small sigh, surprised that she was embracing him so tenderly. Maybe she was feeling sad and lonely that he has leave for Snowpoint? It's only a few days, nothing to feel sad about right?

"Sorry, it's just- I don't know, you grew up so quickly." Ah so this was what's it's about, Ash patted his mother head as if she is a child and chuckled at how displeased she was at the way he was treating her.

"I'm still your little Ash, I don't think that's every going to change." Ash stuff the remnant of his winter clothing into his bag, eyeing the the dark blue coat that seemed fluffy and soft.

"I know, my little Ash is such a ladies man too." He froze almost immediately upon hearing those words, surprising his mother before she realized she might had brought on the complicated issue that plagued his mind for the past few weeks. She went towards him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, showing her motherly smile that melted away his anxiety and guilt.

"Have you resolved the issue yet? Or?" He really didn't want to have the conversation now, but he will do it for his mother's sake.

"I-I'm still deciding, honestly it's been occupying my mind for the past few weeks. I can't seem to focus on anything else now." Delia sighed and leaned behind the staircase railing, glancing at the furniture of the house that were well kept and polished.

"I see, I don't want to pressure you Ash but please make a choice quickly. The girls are probably as nervous as you are." He knew that, the girls have been rather fidgeting lately. Korrina doesn't even ask him to join her skating sessions anymore, which made him feel sad that there is a invisible wall between them. If this keeps on going, a huge wedge would drive them away from each other.

"I know, I think I will date one of them just to end all of the tension. I don't want this to keep going on between us." The quiet tone from her son worried Delia. She dearly hoped he wasn't forcing himself, Ash has the tendency to sacrifice too much for others. Whenever she was sick, he would ditch away all plans to play games or hanging out with his friends, instead he will dedicate 110% of his energy tending to her. It was heartwarming to see her son cared so much for her, but at the same time, it worried her that Ash can tunnel vision himself just for the sake of others.

"Alright, but they are still offering to share you right?" Why does he mom sound onboard with the idea? He clenched his fists, shaking his head violently at the thought. He was tempted, so tempted to say yes but he can't, it won't work between them, he was sure about it.

"Mom that won't work, you know that. Even if I want it." He spoke quietly, glancing at the floor beneath him. He felt his mother's gentle hands on his cheeks as she raised them up to her eye level, flashing a smile in the process.

"Ash, I won't think of you differently alright? I still love you no matter what, if the girls are the ones who are offering, then perhaps you should consider it." His mother should have been the one who objects the idea of polygamy. Cheated and abandoned by her husband, she should have a vendetta against men having multiple partners. Yet she's been supportive of the idea, which confused Ash. Why was she so okay with the idea of her son having a harem?

"But-" Delia gave Ash a firm stare, still holding onto his cheeks as she gave the commanding look that screamed authority.

"You're not your father Ash. You will treat all of them fairly and lovingly, trust me." Ash felt his eyes dilate, he e;d onto his mother's hand as he finally gave a confident nod. She saw right through his sentiments and his inner conflict, not surprising considering she was his mom.

"I will think about it mom." Delia smiled, that's all she asked. With the tense conversation over, Delia glanced at the clock and realized that it was 6 PM, which meant it was high time they should start to leave for Jubilife. She helped Ash carry his luggage before opening the door with her keys.

"Come on let's get a move on, you're leaving tomorrow after all." Ash nodded and took his own luggage from his mother's hand and entered the car. With the car on the road, Ash was left to his own thoughts and imagination as he watched the row of tree pass by him in rapid succession.

'Share me huh, would it really work.' He liked all of them, he really does but he was more worried of what others may think of them. Submissive, weak, an object for his own self pleasure, these are the words the girls would be associated with by society. If word of his so called harem does go out, the school might expel them for being in such a forbidden relationship. All their hard work would be swept under the rug and for what? Just to be with him? It didn't seem worth it, the risks were far too great.

'But at the same time, I'm that important to them." He didn't forget the scene of Bea's earnest and heart wrenching confession or when Dawn and Misty leaned towards him and confessed their earnest feelings to him. He couldn't possibly forget that, so he has to act as a balance to ensure the girls' feelings don't get to the best of them while at the same time returning their sincere feelings to the best of his abilities.

It wasn't long before they reached his apartment with the familiar white brick buildings staring back at Ash. He exited the car with his luggage before waving good bye to his mother with a smile on his face. He would have given her a kiss on the cheek had it not been the ominous looking clouds above him that rolling in quickly. With their farewell gone, Ash entered his apartment and waved hello to Soledad in the process, the pretty receptionist whom help him on the first day.

"Hey Ash, are you going to the Snowpoint trip?" Ash nodded as he placed his luggage next to him, leaning onto the receptionist desk for a short conversation.

"Yeap, I'm kinda excited." Soledad chuckled at his enthusiasm and stamped one of the documents before placing it neatly into a file holder.

"I bet you are, enjoy your trip!"

"Thanks Soledad, have a good evening." Ash waved her off and entered the elevator, hoping to reach the apartment in time before and relax under the tub.

"I'm home." It was funny that he would shout out his arrival back home like this, akin to a husband who came back from work. Such thought conjured up the image of the girls welcoming him back from home, with each of them giving him a peck on the cheek with the sultry bedroom eyes that screamed passion and lust.

'What the hell is wrong with you Ash.' He rubbed his cheeks dryly, he consider himself screwed in the head right now. Any more thoughts about the girls he held close to him and he was sure his libido will go to maximum overdrive. Amidst his inner dirty thoughts, Misty waved to Ash while wearing her hot pants that doesn't leave much to the imagination. Despite the healthy distance they were maintaining from him, Ash swore that Misty and Dawn wore more revealing and provocative clothes around him just to tease him.

"Hi Ash." He waved back at her as he placed his bags down in his room before joining the redhead.

"Is Dawn not back yet?" The other housemate was nowhere to be seen, which wasn't surprising since all of them went home for the weekends in order to prepare for the school trip. Since Misty's family is in Kanto, she went to her auntie's place in Sinnoh to pack up her winter clothes.

"Nope she's still packing her winter clothes back home." The frigid weather of Snowpoint shouldn't be underestimated, Ash himself did extensive research regarding the city. It is known for its beautiful snowy landscapes and the amazing scenic view at night with the dazzling aurora borealis dancing in the skies. It was a perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the Jubilife, and it was a city that Ash dreamt of visiting.

That being said, the recent reports of harsh snowstorms and avalanches were a cause for concern, but Ash wasn't too concern with the thought of being stuck in a blizzard since they would mostly be indoors most of the time.

"Ah, alright." He sunk into the couch and scrolled through his phone to make sure he didn't miss any messages and to his delight, no one messaged him over the weekends, perfect.

"Hey little buddy." The little rock type jumped into him as he licked his cheeks, giving him a hearty greeting as he went home to Misty's place for the weekends. Ash sat upright and placed Rockruff on his lap, as it cuddled on top of his stomach, earning a smile from Misty who was typing on her phone.

"Dawn and I are planning to bring him with us." Ash blinked, bring him along with the school trip?

"What? But what if he gets caught? How are going to explain to the school?" He definitely do not want to let the school know what had happened in Eterna, or that he is secretly harbouring a wild pokemon. Besides, the cold weather of Snowpoint is not really suitable for Rockruff who lives in the hot and humid climate of Alola.

"We can't leave him here, who's going to feed him?" Compelling argument, Ash eyed the Rock type in the eyes and find its adorable face staring right back at him. Aww, how could he possibly leave him alone for a few days?

"Your aunt?" Misty shook her head, stating that her aunt had to left for Kanto yesterday. Ash sighed and wondered if he's mother was willing to take care of the rock type. Admittedly he's mother might not be pleased to drive back to pick up Rockruff, but given that she has a thing for cute pokemon. Ash was sure his mother would spoil Rockruff to his hearts content.

"I don't think that's a good idea, leaving Rockruff with someone he doesn't know while we leave him for a few days." Misty was very adamant on bringing Rockruff along and he didn't blame her. They were very attached to the rock type given that he was 4th member of the household. So with a reluctant sigh, Ash nodded and rubbed the puppy's belly.

"Fine, but how on earth are we going to carry him to Snowpoint?" Smuggling a pokemon with their bags does not seem ethical or wise, and Ash wasn't going to put the little one through such horrid condition just to bring him along.

"I will leave that to Dawn." Misty spoke softly, not looking Ash in the eyes. That of course caught Ash's attention, it seemed that Dawn had something planned for him, a plan that Misty knew as well.

"Huh?" Not wanting to elaborate further, Misty scratched the back of Rockruff's ear, flashing a cozy smile to Ash.

"Just wait for her to come home." Ash nodded, feeling Misty's hands brushing against his stomach every now and then when she rubbed Rockruff's belly. Was it intentional? Maybe, the way she moved her hand is certainly a good enough indication. As the two converse about the upcoming school holiday, the sound of the door being unlocked brought smiles to their faces.

"Hey guys!" The bubbly tone from the blunette came shining through as she placed her bags down onto the sofa, she grinned when she saw Misty and Ash sitting together rather intimately, despite the aforementioned "maintaining a healthy distance", it seemed that the two couldn't resist the presence of each other and to be honest, neither can she.

"Dawn you're back, you pack everything you need?" The girl named after the first light of day plopped next to Misty and glanced at the little puppy who snuggled on Ash's stomach. The heavy downpour outside has finally started with the temperature dropping rapidly. The gale winds started to kick up, with the leaves of the surrounding trees waving violently. The horrible weather was not surprising given that the monsoon season has arrived, which made Ash worried if the trip to Snowpoint would be a smooth one or not.

"Yeap, I even showered before I came back." Her hands make their way towards Rockruff as she stroke its bushy tail filled with affection, watching it sighed in content against her caress. Ash took the ample oppurtunity to stare at Dawn and her getup, her hair was now tied into a ponytail with side bangs while her black jacket and pink top were still striking to the eye.

"Ash can we talk in your room?" Her request surprised the young lad, did she caught him staring at her? He composed himself and held Rockruff in his arms, careful not to touch the sharp jagged rocks decorated around his neck. Why do they need to talk in his room? Is it something that private?

"Sure." Wordlessly, she entered his room while he stay behind with Rockruff. He glanced at Misty who nudged him to follow Dawn and not to leave her waiting, which he assumed that it was something of great importance. He sighed and walked to his bedroom, with Rockruff following closely.

Once he entered the room, he felt his face flushed red when Dawn took off her jacket and sat on his bed. The little puppy pokemon quickly jumped into her lap and waste not time snuggling into it. Cautiously, Ash sat on his gaming chair and stared at Dawn who was busy scratching Rockruff's ears.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Dawn pointed at the puppy that curled on her lap, causing Ash to raise his eyebrows.

"Its about Rockruff." Ah, perhaps she was thinking of taking him for the school trip.

"Oh you want to bring him along for the school trip right? Misty told me, I'm fine with it, as long as we don't get caught." He ended with a chuckle, causing Dawn to smile. She patted the spot next to her, beckoning him to sit next to her. He obliged and reluctantly sat next to her, wondering what on earth is she planning.

"About that, here." She took a pokeball from her jacket and cupped it in the palm of her hands. It was perplexing why she was giving him a pokeball given that he can't even legally own a pokemon yet.

"A pokeball? I don't have a trainer license you know."

"We have our Pokedex, which qualifies our status as a first year student right? No one would bat an eye if you have a pokeball if you show them your Pokedex." That's true, they recently received their very own Pokefex after passing their first exam. It was an incredible piece of technology that allowed Ash to better understand Pikachu and the abilities he possessed. He would have never known Pikachu learned the powerful Thunderbolt move had it not been for the Pokedex.

As Ash took the pokeball from Dawn's hands, he glanced at the Rockruff who seemed to be awake. It nuzzled his arm briefly and stared at the empty pokeball in his hands, which made Ash realized what Dawn's intentions are.

"Are you giving Rockruff to me?" The bashful nod from his roommate surprised him, he would have normally placed his hand on her shoulder had it not been his conscience nagging him about maintaining distance with the girls.

"But why? You were the one who saved him." Dawn shifted closer to him, allowing the rock type to sit between them. She clasped his hands and placed it on top of her thighs, smiling at him in the process.

"Ash, Rockruff is a natural born battler, coordinating isn't for him. Besides, it's not like both of us are going anywhere." It seemed that she was planning to give him from the start. While he knew Rockruff displayed excellent combative skills, he wasn't sure if the rock type was willing to become his pokemon.

"Still, are you sure?" Dawn raised the puppy in front of her, which made her look freaking adorable.

"Why don't you ask him?" Wagging its tail in delight, Rockruff stared at his future trainer and barked in delight when Ash patted his head.

"Rockruff do you want to be my pokemon?" Seeing it nodding enthusiastically, Ash was thoroughly surprised by Rockruff's lack of hesitation. Something tells him that Dawn and the puppy had made a prior arrangement before this, as if they were waiting for the right time to break the truth to him.

He raised the pokeball in his hands and pointed towards Rockruff and immediately, it booped it's nose against the pokeball, instantly sucking him in. With the lack of resistance coming from him, Ash gave a childish grin when a "ding" noise was all he could hear.

"There, now we can easily bring him along." Ash released Rockruff from the contraption and watch it nuzzled his leg, it jumped off the bed and exited the room, presumably to find Misty. The awkward air of silence slowly sipped in as Dawn sat next to him, his mind were still preoccupied with the situation with the girls.

"If there's nothing I will go back to my room, make sure you wake up early alright? Don't want to miss the bus now do we." She seemed to sense the tense situation in the room and hastily made an excuse, it did saddened Ash that their once closeness and openness with each other are now gone. Instead, it was met with a painful awkward tension that forbidden them to be close again.

Of course this didn't apply to just Dawn and Misty. Skating sessions with Korrina? Gone. Gym sessions with Bea? Gone. Casual hangouts with Serena? Also gone. Pretty much, the dynamic of the group has drastically changed because of him and it was ironic that all of this happened due to his desire to prevent the group from fracturing in the first place.

'Maybe, I should give the harem thing a shot?" Nothing ventured, nothing gained. At this point, Ash could easily see how choosing even one of them would affect all of their relationship with him. It was fine before because he didn't have a girlfriend, so it was somewhat okay for them to be flirty and clingy with him. Now, if he does have a girlfriend, well he could say goodbye to the close and special interactions he has with the girls.

'And this is before I even chose one of them, I can imagine how awkward it is when I officially date one of them.' He wasn't looking forward to their usual afternoon cafe sessions, they barely look at him now. The distance they forcefully created between them, it was horrible. Ash can barely have a decent conversation with them in public since most of them were wary of each other's feelings for him. So they were reluctant to show any ounce of affection to him in front of others.

"Dawn." The blunette managed to halt her movements and turned to Ash, surprised by the emotion laced voice behind Ash's tone.

"Yes?" Damn he didn't think this through did he? Just shout out her name like that without thinking, what an idiot. He paused himself from blurting the words out, he had to handle this carefully. To say he would accept the proposal of dating all 5 of them out of the blue, even if it is experimental was uncalled for right now, especially on the eve of their big school trip.

'Maybe after the school trip, all 6 of us can sit together and I can discuss with them.' The last thing he wants was to distract the girls with this topic, a school trip is arguably one of the most unique experience in the world, he didn't want to ruin it for them now. This can wait, his own desires and gratification can take a back seat for now.

"Good night Dawn." Dawn raised her eyebrow when Ash forced the words out, only to slowly break off from the serious mood and started to laugh like an idiot. Almost as if he thought of a joke to himself and laughed at it.

"What so funny?" Dawn's tone was more of amused than concerned.

"Nothing it's just your name is Dawn, and I'm saying good "night" to you." She sighed and gave a deadpanned look to Ash, puns regarding her name is nothing new. In fact, her mother has always said she was the light of life, and she was the first person she sees whenever her mother wakes up. It was incredibly corny on her mother's part, but it did made young Dawn smile at times.

"Very funny Ash." Seeing her closed the door with an unimpressed expression on her face, Ash breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness that he managed to conjure a lame joke to mask his blunder, he wasn't mentally prepared to tell Dawn yet. With that interaction out of the way, he lay down on his bed and glanced at the winter clothing that were in his closet.

'Tomorrow's the day. After this school trip, I will tell them.' For now, all of them should enjoy Snowpoint city and enjoy the beautiful night view of the city.


The ride to Snowpoint has been relatively calm and smooth. Mountainous, mysterious and profound, Ash and Pikachu were thoroughly enthralled by the snowy terrain that had no shortages of glaciers and misty caves. The snowy alpine trees and the cozy looking log cabins were a delight to the eyes, it was as if they were no longer in Sinnoh, and instead have traveled to far away lands where magic and wonder awaits them.

Amidst his high spirits and excited the mood, Ash felt someone tapped his shoulders. He turned and smiled at the sight of the honey blonde teen who waved at him, her adorable pink coloured hoodie and black leg warmers were a nice addition to her already beautiful and cute appearance that he admired wholeheartedly.

"Excited?" Her starter Fenniken pounced onto his lap as it exchanged greetings with his Pikachu. The two pokemon exchanged trainers for the time being with Pikachu curling onto Serena's lap for warmth and comfort. The trainer from Pallet smiled at the interaction and nodded wordlessly to Serena's question, unable to contain or hide his excitement of the school trip.

"Very, I haven't been to Snowpoint before and seeing the mountains and peaks were something special." Serena noted the awe and wonder in his tone and smiled, he still had the adventurous and childish spirit she grew to love. She took the opportunity to look around the school bus, smiling in amusement when most of her classmates and other students were sleeping. They had to get up early to board the bus, so it was to be expected that most of them would be asleep. Some students were playing mobile games, listening to their playlists while others were just chatting with each other.

"I can't wait to reach Snowpoint and explore the city." Ash chuckled when Serena kicked her feet in the air excitingly. He can relate to her excitement since Snowpoint city is a complete different city compared to the other cities. Abundance of snow, interesting architectures and unique history, it all adds up to a different experience.

"I don't think the school would allow us to go around the city as we please." No doubt the teachers would watch over them like a Braviary, Snowpoint is a huge city and its easy to get lost among the quiet streets. Not to mention the snowy alpine forest and misty valleys that beckons curious souls.

"They have to bring us around the city, it just under the supervision of the teachers that's all." Ash leaned onto the window and sighed, as excited he was, he dearly hoped that nothing bad would happen to this trip. Given past experience such as Eterna, Ash was very wary and even paranoid that something bad might happen.

"I hope nothing bad happens." Serena was about to tease Ash's regarding his insecurity before she realized why Ash was so paranoid, she gave an empathetic smile and shuffled closer to him, placing a comforting hand on his arm.

"Ash it's just a school trip, I mean sure, the snowstorm and blizzards might be scary but if the citizen of Snowpoint can live with it, I'm sure we can bear with the harsh weather for a few days." Ash glanced at Serena and felt flustered at the bright blue eyes staring back at him, oh why does she have such a dazzling smile that is so enchanting to him?

"Always the positive one huh." Serena grinned at the compliment and scratched Pikachu's ears in triumph.

"You bet." Ash tickled Fenniken's ears, smiling at the memory of Serena running with him towards the lush fields of Pallet during the evening sky.

"I like that about you." Serena was surprised by the soft and gentle tone he used, but decided not to pursue it. She interlocked her hands with his, pulling toward the center of their armrest. As the two enjoyed the silence with each other, Serena noticed Bea walking towards the empty seat next to them. She grinned and waved her over, to which she responded in kind.

"Hey Bea." Serena was careful not to raise her voice too loud as many of their classmates were still sleeping. Bea plopped down next to the Kalos native and waved a casual hello to Ash.

"Hey thought I swing by here." Ash nodded before looking around, it was unusual for Korrina to not accompany Bea or Serena. So Ash did had a slight panic attack when he can't spot her in the bus.

"Korrina?" Bea pointed towards one corner that showed Korrina snoozing with her Riolu. Ash gave a sigh of relief, good lord was he getting so jumpy now. He focused on Korrina's facial feature and smiled at the radiant beauty she is, with a bubbly smile and an upbeat attitude, she was the type of friend who would support you till the very end.

"She's sleeping right now." Bea leaned back on her chair, feeling comfortable in her reclining position.

"Tired huh." The Galar native gave off a sigh as she tied her hair into a short ponytail. She had decided to grow her hair because of well, Ash. He had made a quick remark about her appearance and how she would look good with longer hair, nothing serious just a casual sentence that he mentioned during their many workout sessions. She was admittedly disappointed when Ash didn't seem to notice her change of hairstyle but oh boy Ash did notice alright, he was just stunned that she actually listened his casual remark and left her hair out longer.

'Why do I have a thing for ponytails.' He was thoroughly aware of how different Bea looked now, she was still the same tomboyish and rough girl he knew, but now she looked so feminine and different. It was really hard to describe it honestly. But her change of appearance also make him realized that the girls took his words to heart, even if it was casually. So he had to be careful with what he say in the future.

"That girl forgot to pack her stuff until the very last minute, she spend her night packing her clothes." Doing things at the very last minute? It didn't seemed like Korrina to be so tardy given that her grandfather was all about discipline and punctuality.

"That doesn't sound like her." Bea patted Pikachu on the head, giving a rare and girly giggle when he nuzzled her hand to return the affection.

"She spend her entire night binge watching K-drama." He didn't share Korrina's enthusiasm for K-dramas, but he can relate to her on a personal level when he stayed up all night watching seasonal anime to prevent his friends from giving spoilers. Bastards.

"So Bea what are you looking forward to this school trip?" The gray haired teen placed a finger on her lips, assuming a pondering pose as she gave a off a "hmm" noise. She smiled and took her phone out, showing Ash and Serena the picturesque city of Snowpoint during the night.

"Personally, I want a good view of the city during the night. I saw pictures of it and it looks so beautiful." She scrolled through the different picture, each image depicting the beautiful views of the city. Warm, cozy and quaint, Snowpoint is certainly a different city during the night.

"Never thought you were one for sight seeing." Bea narrowed her eyes at Ash's amused voice before poking his forehead.

"Hey I can appreciate the nicer things in life too you know." Serena chuckled at their interaction, she was surprised by Bea's love for sight seeing. It seemed out of character for her but maybe she wasn't as uptight or as strict as Serena thought.

"Heh sorry." Ash watched Fenniken and Pikachu nuzzled each other, huddling together for warmth and comfort. It made Ash ponder if Pikachu was interested in any of the girl's starters. Dawn's Buneary showed interest in him, so did Serena's Fenniken, maybe Pikachu was also facing a similar problem as he was?

Preoccupied with his starter's potential love interest, Brawly stood up from his seat once he noted they were close to Snowpoint. The weather has been looking good so far, so it was safe to assume that everything would be smooth sailing for the remainder of the trip.

"Students we will be arriving in Snowpoint in approximately 20 minutes. So wake up and make sure you have all your belongings with you." His loud voice awaken most of his students up, he grinned when he noticed the groggy and annoyed state of his students, satisfied that they were all fully awake right now. He sat back down on his seat and sighed when Erika was still sleeping next to him, though undoubtedly she did looked peaceful and serene when's she sleeping.

"Erika wake up, hey." He poked her shoulders repeatedly, causing the other supervisor teachers Fantina and Wulfric to chuckle at Erika's annoyed awakening. The teacher from Celadon groaned and gave a loud yawn, tired from handling the logistic of the school trip.

"Are we at Snowpoint?" Brawly shook his head, browsing through the list of students who participated the school trip.

"In 15 minutes or so." Erika stretched her limbs and sighed, glancing the icy wonderland outside of the bus. She looked behind her to monitor the students and smiled at how excited and pumped up they were. This was a unique experience after all and probably their first school trip ever too.

It wasn't long before they finally reached their destination with the abundance of red roof buildings of the city welcoming them in. The snow covered streets and the gentle snow flakes falling in the wind was something Ash expected. He felt like a kid again watching all snow surrounding him. The thought of snow angels, hot cocoa and warm fireplace instantly filled his mind with nostalgia and glee.

"We're here." Brawly stood in an intimidating and authoritative manner, hoping to control and quell down the student's excitement before things get out of control. Dressed in his winter clothing and fluffy scarf, Brawly exited the bus, feeling the effects of the cold weather of Snowpoint instantly.

'Man I miss Hoenn's beaches already.' Pristine waters, showing off his surfing skills to hot babes, he missed it all. He sighed inwardly, before he felt a piercing cold attacking the back of his neck. He jumped and turned around, only to find his students and his peers laughing at his reaction. He glared at the culprit who grinned at him, who was still holding some remnants of snow in her hands.

"That's for poking me." He couldn't stay mad at Erika, in fact he was sure it was scientifically impossible for anyone to be mad at the kind hearted teacher. He sighed before breaking into a chuckle, relieved that she was being more open and less professional.

"Is this where we are staying?" Giselle held her Cubone in her arms, dressed in his own custom made winter clothing. She glanced at the giant inn before her that was made out of lacquered pine wood. Unfortunately, Ash also spotted sharp daggers of ice surrounding the edges of the roof, which made him worry that one of them would fall on his head at any moment, potentially killing him the process.

'I got to stop assuming the worst.' To be fair, he's pessimistic and paranoid nature had kept him alive for this long.

"Mhmm, that's right, this is the famous Audenbern inn." Famous among tourists, it was difficult to get bookings in during peak seasons such as August. It was fortunate enough that Wulfric, a teacher of Jubilife is a well connected man in Snowpoint. Not surprising given that he was formerly an ice type gym leader in Kalos who is well respected by everyone.

As Brawly began the headcount of the students to ensure everyone was present, Erika and Fantina were busy leading the students into the inn to ensure they weren't wandering off on their own. Once Brawly finished the headcount, he stood in front of the students and raised his voice in an authoritative and commanding tone.

"Listen up, you are given 1 hour to place down your bags down in your respective rooms. Gather at the main hall by 10 o'clock sharp, understood?" He watched the students disperse to their respective rooms, with Fantina leading the girls to their rooms, and Wulfric supervising the male students to theirs. It was done in an orderly manner to ensure they do not cause a ruckus in the inn's lobby.

'Looks like I'm sharing with Paul, Clemont, Goh and Trip.' Ash was one of the last few students to disperse as he sat in the far back of the bus. He glanced at his card that showed who he would be sharing a room with and he wasn't surprised that he was sharing with his 4 classmates. Clutching onto his luggage, he knocked on his room door before opening it.

"Hey Ash." The Kanto native return the greeting back to Clemont as he placed his bags on the bed that wasn't taken yet. He glanced around the room and found it really cosy with pine wood walls and modern heater warming all of them up.

"I was thinking that perhaps we can catch a glimpse of Abomasnow you know? I like to take a picture of it." Trip as always had his iconic and sturdy digital camera with him. Snowpoint city is arguably a photographer's dream with the stunning landscape and scenic night view that makes even amateur photographers look like they were professionals. Such were the photogenic wonder of the city that brings out the natural beauty of snow during the night.

"Given that Abomasnow's natural habitat is in Snowpoint, it shouldn't be too hard." Abomasnows thrive in snowy areas, their abilities to create large avalanches at a moment's notice shouldn't be underestimated. But if photographer maintained their distance and secretly admire them from afar, they should be fine.

As Ash unpacked his luggage, a particular conversation between Trip and Clermont caught his attention, though he tried his best to hide his interest and curiousity.

"Say Clemont, I heard you that you like Korrina." The teen from Unova swing his arms around Clemont, grinning at his flustered reaction that seemed to confirmed the classroom rumours. The Kalos blonde pushed his glasses up, nodding slowly in agreement as he didn't see the need to deny the rumours.

"H-Huh, uh I guess." Trip crossed his arms and sat on his bed, thinking of Korrina and her Riolu. She was a pretty girl with a bright personality, but she was deceptively strong with her Riolu. She seemed to be the type to turn guys down though since she didn't seemed to show interest in dating.

"She's a cute one, a really strong trainer too." Goh nudged Clemont, giving him a smug look in the process.

"You interested in Korrina Clemont? First time I ever heard of it." Clemont sighed and rubbed his arm, not liking the fact they were picking on him regarding his crush on Korrina. Seeing that Clemont looked uncomfortable with their teasing, Trip decided to attack Goh next to lay the pressure off Clemont.

"And you Goh? You and Chloe?" The boy from Vermillion city shook his head, placing his arms on his hips as he boldly proclaimed that they were just friends, nothing more.

"We are just childhood friends." Trip and Clemont gave a deadpanned expression to Goh, not believing an ounce of Goh's words. He was really protective over Chloe, getting easily jealous over any male who even came close to her, so there was without a shadow of a doubt that Goh was head over heels for Chloe, even if he won't admit it to others or himself.

"Uh huh, sure." Annoyed by the sudden array of questions, Goh decided to counter back.

"How about you Trip? Who do you like?" He pointed at the Unova native with his finger, which redirected all the attention to him. He calmly shrugged, closing his eyes in pure smugness and arrogance.

"No one to be honest, I mean Dawn is pretty cute, but she's off limits." His comment about Dawn being off limits stirred the curiosity of everyone in the room. Even the unapproachable and unwavering Paul glanced at Trip in a curious manner.

"Off limits? Why?" Trip shifted closer to Clemont and Goh, careful not let a certain trainer with a Pikachu to hear their conversation. Paul himself managed to leaned to their conversation, though he did tried his best to act natural and busy with his own stuff.

"Ash." The three of them didn't seemed to be surprised by Trip's explanation, they glanced at the Pallet Town native who had his earphones on, listening to some anime music OP as he bobbed his head up and down to the tune of the music. Relieved that Ash didn't catch onto their conversation, Trip continued his explanation as he was fully aware that Paul was listening in as well.

"The two are roommates but uh, I reckon the two are something more you know?" Goh and Clemont nodded in agreement, it came to no surprised that Ash was pretty unique and different person. He only hung out with girls and he remarkably close to all of them, which did earn the envy of Clemont as Ash was close to Korrina. But the young inventor never held any animosity to Ash, he was a nice person after all.

"I guess, how about you Paul?" Paul raised his eyebrows at the question before assuming his cold and gruff facade.

"No one." Trip smirked, knowing full well he was lying through his teeth.

"You sure? I saw you checking out on Dawn when she wore her cheerleading outfit." The small red blush on his face seemed to support Trip's comment. Admittedly, the Elekid trainer did had a mild attraction to the blunette coordinator, but it had something to do with her looks more so than her as an individual.

"Shut up." Trip seemed to hit a nerve, which made the situation all the more enjoyable.

"Don't be so grouchy Paulie, it's fine to admit you like Dawn you know? I mean who won't?" Dawn was a natural born beauty, with an amazing slender body that begged everyone's attention. Her bubbly personality and supportive nature made her the quintessential supportive and sweet cheerleader that can magically boost your spirits and morale.

"I highly doubt she would like either of us, she seem to like Ash." Paul commented slowly as all of them glanced at Ash who seemed to be lying on the bed with his earphones on.

"Jealous?~" Trip knocked his elbow to Paul's, smirking at the jealous laced tone coming from the usually stoic and emotionless teen.

"I'm not."

"Sure, you're not. She seemed to like Ash-" Trip was about to swing his arm around Paul's neck when Ash took off his earphone and spoke in a calm and collected manner.

"You know I can hear everything you all just said right?" The absolute look of horror and despair on everyone's face, yes Paul included was amusing to Ash. He crossed his arms and stared at them in a expressionless manner, feigning anger and disappointment in the process. In truth, Ash was surprised that they managed to catch on to he's feeling for the blunette, though not really surprising given how open he was with his affection towards her.

"Sorry." Trip muttered a rare, humble apology, feeling nervous that Ash would be pissed off at them. He's opinion of Ash greatly changed after the Braviary's incident, so he did respect him for saving his life. In addition, he was a good battler himself, so another point of respect for Trip.

"No need to apologize." Ash reached for the cup of tea provided by the inn, pressing the button of the water boiler that instantly dispense hot waters into Ash's cup. He calmly placed the tea bag into the cup, watching the clear waters slowly turning into a dark shade of rich brown.

"Ash, are you and Dawn? You know a thing?" Trip asked cautiously, curious of their relationship.

"No, we're not." It was false in some ways, given how they feel for each other. But at the moment, they weren't dating and she is free to pursue anyone she likes. Though Ash would be lying if he said he would be okay with the idea.

"Right but she's off limits right?" Ash smirked, crossing his legs in the process.

"Well if you can get through Misty-" The boys stopped him there. The redhead was a nightmare to get through, not because she was violent but because how cold and blunt she could be to others. When it comes to guys wanting to date Dawn or even herself, she was quick to reject and bluntly told them the reasons why she won't date them. Harsh on Misty's part, but Ash wasn't one to judge.

"Say no more, won't want to piss her off." Ash believed he done a pretty good job at that, not pissing Misty off seemed to be a good idea. As their conversation diverge into other more casual topics, Clemont glanced at his phone and raised the issue of meeting up with the rest of their classmates.

"We got to go soon, most of our classmates are at the hall." Trip sighed and laid down on his bed, feeling the soft fabric of the foreign bed against his back.

"Sheesh so quickly? Can't we stay a little longer?" The warmth from the heater and the soft firmness of the bed was luring him to sleep, the frigid cold of Snowpoint was too much for him to handle. He would prefer to stay here in his room and just relax.

"Stop complaining and let's get a move on." Paul took his coat and his pokeball from the nightstand, already dressing himself for the harsh winters. With a reluctant sigh, others followed suit and started to wore their winter clothing, with every intention to get this over with.


"Dawn, Misty!" Serena cheerfully waved to Dawn and Misty, happy to see them in the trip. The two roommates were placed in a separate bus from them, so she didn't get to see them during the ride to Snowpoint. Dawn wore her red winter coat and white leg warmers, her white scarf and the white beanie really brought out her cute and sweet nature. Serena didn't hold the urge to freak out over Dawn's attire as she hugged her, causing the blunette to laugh.

As for the redhead, she wore a sky blue coat hoodie that had fluffy cuffs. Unlike Dawn though, she wore leggings instead. Her yellow scarf were wrapped around her neck, showing off her long hair that had now reached her waist. Dawn had persuade her to grow her hair out and tied it into a long sideways ponytail, but Misty was too embarrassed to do that given that it made her look too girly and cute for her liking.

However if Ash was the one who requested it instead, she might consider doing it.

Maybe.

"Hi Bea, Korrina." Misty chuckled when Korrina's Riolu sneezed before being wrapped in a nice blue scarf sewed by his trainer. The aura pokemon relaxed under the warm fabric, causing Korrina to pat his head in a comforting manner.

"Hey Misty, are you excited for the trip?" The swimming enthusiast nodded as the 5 of them walked outside of the inn, with thick layers of snow piling beneath them.

"I'm am. I mean look at all the snow, it so beautiful." The alpine forest and the mysterious mountains, everything adds up to a profound experience. She can't wait to see the different water and ice type pokemon of the region, she heard that adorable Spheal and majestic Lapras migrate to the far north of Sinnoh due to the perfect environment.

"Yeap! Wait, where's Ash?" Korrina seemed to notice that a certain raven haired teen wasn't with them, she looked around and saw her classmates talking with each other, with some of them even throwing snowballs at each other when the teachers weren't looking.

"He's still in his room I think." Bea rubbed her gloved hands together, feeling the frigid wind of Snowpoint through her body. Her eyes perked up when she saw Ash walking towards them with Pikachu perked on his shoulder as always, wearing a custom made red scarf that had a lightning symbol at the end of it.

"Hey girls." He was utterly amazed by the girls' winter clothing, sure he saw Serena and Bea's clothes during the trip. But seeing all of them standing amidst the snow with the snowflakes decorating the background made them look angelic. The radiant smiles on their face warm his heart, as the numbing feeling of the cold in his body slowly subsided. He felt his face flushed at the sight of all them, talk about snow angels.

"Hi Ash." Pikachu waved hello to the girls who squealed at the sight of the electric rodent in his scarf. Their starters began to converse with the electric mouse who greeted back wholeheartedly, making a cheeky compliment of Buneary's orange vest in the process.

"Alright students listen up, we didn't come all the way here just for a holiday." Brawly clapped his hands, successfully becoming the center of attention of his students. He's Hariyama faithfully stood next to him, with his ability Thick Fat mitigating any possibility of hypothermia and freezing.

"Where are we going?" Brawly forced a coughed, staring at his colleagues who avoided eye contact with him. He scowled inwardly, Arceus why does he have to be the one to break the news to the students?

"Originally, we plan to bring you to the famous training school in Snowpoint for a brief study sessions but due to the recent harsh blizzards, all class and schooling sessions have been canceled." The expected cheers of joy erupted from the students made Brawly sighed, he turned to his colleagues as he remembered he had a brief conversation with them when the students were in their rooms.

"So what do we do now?" Brawly crossed his arms as he stared at the message he received from the principal of the training school. He had made the swift decision to close the school temporarily due to the frequent blizzards and harsh whiteouts happening as of late, but he failed to inform Brawly of the school's closure, leading to a last minute ditch.

"Its a miracle that we even made it here in the first place, I know Snowpoint has an abundance of snow, but this harsh?" Fantina was a coordinator teacher, tasked with the responsibility to raise the next generation of talented coordinators. She was Dawn and May's homeroom teacher as well, strict but also beloved by many of her students.

"Constant blizzards and unexpected hailstorms, it might be a bad time to bring the students up to the temple." Wulfric muttered in a gruff manner. He was no stranger to harsh blizzards and winter storms, but the students are far too inexperienced to handle such extreme weathers. Even for an ice type trainer like him who shrugged off snowstorms and blizzards, the sudden fluctuation and temperature drop in Snowpoint was too much for his old body to handle.

"But the school already paid most of the accommodation and the facilities, how are we going to explain to Principal Rowan?" Erika spoke softly, holding onto her tablet that showed the schedule of the school trip.

"After the trainer school, we stick to the schedule and bring the students to the ancient Snowpoint temple correct?" Erika nodded to Brawly's words, tapping her tablet as she showed him the schedule of the school trip that was meticulously planned by her and the school committee.

"Yes but the recent avalanches had blocked the main road, no vehicles can make it through there." Brawly groaned, everything they planned seem to be gone wrong now. Just a few hours ago before the trip started, everything was going well! The weather was clear and there was no reports of road blocks. Now, he was told that landslides and avalanches are blocking the road the temple? Does Arceus hate him?

"Is there an alternate path to the temple?" Wulfric glanced at Erika who nodded in a cautious manner.

"Our guide told us that there is a beaten path through the rugged mountains that leads directly to the temple and the upper town of Snowpoint." Brawly almost perked back up before the thought of blizzards engulfing the students plagued his mind. He spoke in a serious manner, prioritising the student's safety first.

"Is it safe?" Erika reluctantly nodded.

"The guide told us that it is safe, the people of Snowpoint often trek through the mountains. But given the unpredictable hailstorms as of late, it can be challenging and dangerous." Why does the weather of Snowpoint had to be so shit when they are having a school trip? Can't the weathers of Snowpoint take pity on them and screwed up the roads on another day?

"Hmm, we can't coop the students in the inn and force them to study, the point of this trip is to expose them to the rich culture and history of Sinnoh." It would be no different than normal classes if they cooped the students in an inn or in a room. Snowpoint temple is such a beautiful and remarkable place to admire, not visiting the temple is such a waste.

"The guide might have exaggerated when he said it was dangerous, while its true avalanches and landslide happen from time to time, its usually safe if you stick to the valleys. I personally think its a good idea to have the students to trek through the mountains to get them appreciates the beauty of nature and hone their tolerance to the cold weathers of Sinnoh." Brawly stared at Wulfric who seemed confident in his words, when it comes to firsthand experience of winters and harsh blizzards, Wulfric is your man. He thrives and lives off in snowy regions, so he's opinion regarding the matter should be sound.

"I trust your insight Wulfric, what about you ladies?" Fantina glanced at the students who slowly made their way to the lobby. They don't have a choice right now do they? They can't just tell the students that all of their plans have been ruined and leave them hanging.

"Well I don't mind, Erika?" The Celadon native nodded with a small sigh, why does she have to be one to decide everything?

"As long we are with the students, I think its fine if we take a slight detour. Besides, who knows when would the local authorities clear up the road blockage." Brawly snapped his fingers, completely agreeing with her point. It would take days or even a week to clear up the blockage. From what he heard from the reports, the slush of snow that covered the streets were gigantic. Fire types can clear through the snow but given the cold weather that weakens their ability to breath out fire, it might be too taxing to rely on them to clear the road.

"Exactly, our job is to ensure the students enjoy their school trip." Brawly turned to Wulfric and place an arm on his shoulder, surprising the old man.

"That being said, Wulfric can you go scout out the coast and see if it's suitable for a safe trek? Getting caught in a snowstorm is not really fun." The former ice type trainer smirked, nodding to the younger man's words in the process.

"Alright, I will get my Abomasnow and see if the coast is clear for a hike. Try to calm the students down will ya?" Wulfric swiftly left for the mountains with his Abomasnow out, their ability to sense and create snowstorms were unparalleled. Relived by his friend's confident abilities, Brawly turned to the students who started to gathered outside of the inn and sighed.

Snapping back to the present, he turned to his students and patiently waited for Wulfric's return. It was fortunate that he didn't need to wait long as the older man arrived with his Abomasnow faithfully standing next to him. The ice type trainer gave Brawly a nod, implying that it was safe to hike the mountains to the temple.

"Instead, we will be trekking through the mountains of Snowpoint." The blunt and unexpected sentence from him caused the students to be shocked. They turned amongst each other and began to converse, wondering why would they be trekking through the mountains during this harsh weather.

"Wait we doing mountain trekking?" The student's worried tone wasn't unexpected, after all the school trip made no mention of trekking through the snow. In addition, they were ill prepared for it too, not many of his student screamed the athletic type. Whether they can go through with the weather is a coinflip.

"Its would be part of your training." He hated lying to his students but at the same time there was some truth to his words, honing his student's resistance to the harsh elements is a great way to teach them about the importance of being aware of your surroundings and how it can be utilized in battle. Though even Brawly knew that those justifications were a bunch of crap.

"Sounds scary." Erika chipped in, giving her trademark smile of reassurance.

"Have confidence, we're all in this together. Besides, you will be surprised by how beautiful and amazing of an experience it will be. Trekking through the mountains and admiring the scenery around you." Ash raised his eyebrows, while he was surprised by the sudden change of plans, he didn't mind trekking through a mountain just to reach a temple. It sounded like an adventure, overcoming trials and tribulations just to reach your destination. It honestly gave off Breath Of the Wild vibes.

With the students finally coming to terms with the idea, Wulfric lead the way as the students began to follow him up the mountains. He glanced at the city of Snowpoint and was appalled at how quiet the city was, for a city that experience snow all year around, they seemed to be struggling to cope with the harsh blizzards. Which made him concerned over the fluctuation of temperature and frequent blizzards.

For the first 15 minutes, the trek was relatively peaceful and smooth. Students who were struggling with the long walk slowly began to adapt to it, conversing with their friends as they admired the scenic view of the forest. The snowy alpine trees and the sound of the gushing rivers that wasn't frozen solid yet really brought out the atmosphere of a lonely mountain. Ash himself glanced at Serena and halted his movements when she struggled to move up the steep parts of the stairs, he extended his hand and helped her up, earning a grateful thanks from her.

"This is tougher than I imagine." Dawn leaned onto the rope fence as she panted, earning a motivational cheer from her starter who pushed her to continue. Misty sighed and hugged her from behind, giving her motivation and a brief moment of warmth that instantly boosted her vitality and energy.

"Feel better?" Dawn nodded eagerly, feeling energized from the hug from her best friend.

"Much!" Misty chuckled and watch her hike up the rest of path, feeling quite accomplished of her effect on Dawn. She glanced at Korrina and smiled when she was taking pictures of the ice glaciers and stone statues that surrounded them.

The rest of the trek was going smoothly until Wulfric's Abomasnow stopped walking. It earned the attention and concern of Wulfric who was leading the group to the temple, causing him to turned to his partner who looked shocked and surprised.

"Njal what's wrong?" Referring to his partner's nickname, his Abomasnow shook his head rapidly as it began to flail his limbs, which alerted Wulfric that a blizzard is approaching. He quickly turned behind him, watching the students and his colleague trekking through the road in a laidback and peaceful manner.

'A blizzard? Njal should have sense this a mile away.' Suddenly a gust of frigid wind pierce through his body, as the high winds started to kick up, the abundance of snowfall started to engulf them.

"Why is there a blizzard?" Brawly managed to yell out his words as the visibility began dwindle rapidly. He wore his goggles and composed himself when he realized what was happening, they were trapped in a blizzard and it seemed that the size and strength of the snowstorm is only increasing.

'Snowstorm right now? You gotta be kidding me.' He's Hariayama narrowed it eyes, as if it sense something was terribly wrong.

"Students! All leaned onto the rope!" He shouted loudly, fully aware what was going on. He had to maintain composure and authority as he held onto the rope fence. He watched his students struggling to hold on, with the grueling realization started to set in.

"Is this a snowstorm?" The frantic tone from his students were beginning to reach others, if this situation prolongs much longer, his students would panic and an accident would ensue. He hastily hiked back down the mountain, with his Hariyama helping the struggling the students to move up upwards.

"Erika, Fantina, ensure all the students are safe and well!" Fantina nodded and released her Drifblim who began to lift struggling students up to higher attitudes. Erika grimaced from the harsh cold and released her Vileplume who bravely shrugged off the harsh winter and began to help her students up. Particularly using its rejuvenate and healing abilities to help students and their pokemon suffering from frostbite.

Brawly smiled at the quick movements, all they have to do was to make it up to the Snowpoint temple and take refuge in it. He was cautiously optimistic of the situation given the blizzard was getting harsher and harsher by the minute. He should have expected this, but given Wulfric's Abomasnow's ability to sense upcoming snowstorms, they should be in the clear. So how could this happened? How could such harsh blizzards be created at a moment's notice? No windup and no warning signs, it didn't make sense.

'They are ill prepared.' Most of the students didn't have goggles or proper winter clothing on, it would be nightmare if any of them suffer from hypothermia. As Brawly was making his routine check and shouting out words of encouragement to his students, the sound of snow slushing down rapidly alerted Brawly. He turned toward the sound and was horrified when he saw a large gush of snow rushing down the valley, anyone who is in the path of snow would be swept away by the powerful force and subsequently perish with it.

"Lookout!" Alerted by his teacher's scream, Ash looked behind him and gasped when large amount of snow started to come for his classmates from behind. Frozen and shocked by the avalanche, they stood powerless and petrified as the snow quickly made their way towards them, as if death itself was imminent.

"Pikachu Light Screen them!" Utilizing his starter's defensive abilities, Pikachu managed to focus in the frigid cold and conjured a powerful barrier around the students. He gritted his teeth when the pressure and force of the avalanche was too great for him to handle a cracks started to form on his barrier. It seemed all way lost and Pikachu was doomed to fail when suddenly, divine intervention came in full force.

"Abra Magic Coat." With the help of the psychic type, the two pokemon managed to surround their trainer's classmates in a barrier, rendering them unharmed by the avalanche. As the rest of the students evacuated the area and the snow rush had stopped, Abra and Pikachu began glow their eyes and expand the force field, pushing away all the snow and allowing the students to escape under the pile of snow.

"Are you alright?" Ash held his Pikachu who seemed dazed and tired from expending his mental powers. His starter managed a nod before it felt a vine wrapped around him, Ash turned and smiled when he saw his teacher's Vileplume supplying his Pikachu with energy to replenish his vitality.

"Thanks miss." His teacher beamed a smile before checking on Sabrina's Abra, surprised that it barely looked tired and didn't need any revitalization. It made Ash sighed in relief as he stared at the people he helped saved, surprised that the people turned out to be May, Drew and their coordinator friends.

"We're fine miss." Erika would have hugged each other them have it not been the harsh snowstorm they were trapped in, she quickly ushered each of them to get a move on to prevent being trapped by the avalanches again. They were in a valley where they can get trapped easily by the snow gathered from the mountains above, they have to get out of here fast to reduce the likelihood of being engulfed by snow slides.

"Thanks Sabrina, Ash." May bowed to the two of them, earning a smile from both trainers. The Kanto native waved them off and ushered them to get a move on, temporarily staying back to make sure the girls he held dear to him have made it before him.

"You're welcome." The brunette coordinator smiled and left with her boyfriend, leaving Ash to scout out the students behind him with Pikachu in his arms. He reached for Erika and tugged her hand, barely seeing what was in front of him.

"Miss did you see the girls? Did they made it?" He shouted his words out, he could barely hear his own voice given the sound of the howling winds were deafening. His heart pounded at the thought of the girls being trapped in the snow, screaming his name for help. He's expression of anxiety and concerned swiftly turned into one of relief when his teacher smiled.

"Yes! They are in front of you!" He gave off a relieved sigh, glad to know they made it before him. He turned in front of him and realized that he was one of the few people left behind, with Sabrina standing not far from him.

"Sabrina, we should get a move on!" The psychic type trainer who dressed in purple winter clothing nodded. She decided to leave her Abra out for the time being. She was keen on letting her starter out to ensure she was equipped to deal with snow slides and blizzards, his ability to create barriers and teleport them out of safety is crucial.

Back to Brawly, he breathed out a sigh of relief when the coordinator students were all safe and sound. He would praise Sabrina and Ash later, right now he needs to maintain leadership and ensure everyone listens to him. He took his phone out and called Wulfric, cursing at the fact there was no signal to reach him. He wasn't keen on hiking up to reach Wulfric and waste his energy, instead he's mind instantly went to his Xtransceiver that was strapped on his wrist.

He contacted Wulfric and prayed to Jirachi that he would pick up during the harsh snowstorm and as if Jirachi was watching over him, Wulfric's bearded face showed up on his wrist mere seconds after dialing his number.

"Wulfric! How much longer?" He could hear the frigid wind howling from his Xtransceiver. He watched Wulfric flinched from the cold, but his Abomasnow quickly stood in front of him to block the frigid winds, allowing him to converse with Brawly.

"We're not that far Brawly! I can see the temple from here!" Brawly finally gave off a smile, finally a ray of hope. He swiftly closed his communication device and shouted words of encouragement to the students, ensuring that none of them were falling behind.

As the students approached the temple, the steep mountains below them allowed them to see how far they have came. The ominous caves and jagged rocks and icicles below them fueled their anxiety, one false move or a slip up would be fatal. It was fortunate the snow gathered on the nearby peaks seemed stable and stationary, otherwise it would sweep all of them off the path.

"Where's Ash?" Serena looked around the temple, feeling anxious as many of her classmates were huddling together for warmth. Some were even comforting each other, reassuring them that everything would be okay. Yet, there is no sign of the trainer from Pallet anywhere, which concerned her greatly.

"I don't know, wasn't he with you?" Serena bit her lower lip, she remembered amidst the panic and hazy vision, Ash helped her climb up the rest of the steps. What happened next was that her teachers helped pushed her and others forward, not able to stay behind with Ash.

"We got separated." Bea patted Serena's shoulder, rubbing them to as she was blaming herself for Ash's disappearance.

"It's not your fault Serena, Ash is a strong person. He would make it." Despite her optimism, the Galar native couldn't help but to worry for him. The harsh blizzard is no joke, especially when the snowfall and wicked winds are not subsiding. Misty sighed as she leaned to Dawn, hugging her close to her as they worried about the boy the loved. She glanced at the path they once came and frowned that she can barely see anything now, it was a complete whiteout.

"Is everyone accounted for?" Brawly spoke quietly as he leaned onto the pillar of the temple, glancing at some of his students who had their fire types out, making a bonfire for warmth.

"Erika is not here." Fantina rubbed her shoulders from the frigid cold when Wulfric placed his coat around her, drawing a grateful smile from her.

"I don't see Ash and Sabrina either." Wulfric sighed at Brawly's tone of despair, he slapped the younger man's back and glanced at the whiteout before him.

"They stayed behind to help the rest of the students." Brawly added on, watching the snow piling up bit by bit. There was something peaceful watching the snow piling up like this, but given their current predicament, it's not exactly the best time to enjoy the sight.

"We have to go find them." Brawly sighed and stared at the older man, he shared his desire but he can't risk losing anyone else. It's completely suicidal to attempt a search and rescue in this horrid weather.

"We can't risk it, we can barely see anything. I believe they would make it, have faith." Wulfric groaned in frustration, feeling utterly helpless as his Abomasnow placed a comforting paw onto him. Between the sound of snow falling and the fire cackling, Korrina's Riolu picked up a familiar aura approaching them.

"Riolu? What's wrong?" Korrina let go of her starters as it began to jump in glee, it pointed its paws against the path they once came. The beautiful blonde was confused until she realized that her Riolu picked up Ash's lifeforce.

"Ash?" Seeing her starter nod enthusiastically, Korrina picked her starter up and went to the girls, shaking Serena's shoulder with a giant smile plastered on her face.

"Riolu picked up Ash's aura! He's near!" The absolute look of relief and joy on their face was undeniable, they almost ran outside of the temple when Brawly's Hariyama managed to stop them with his huge stature. Brawly raised his eyebrows and was about to question them when his eyes spotted 3 silhouette walking towards him.

'They're here!' Brawly sighed a breath of relief was more of his students started to pile up on the entrance of the temple, cheering in joy when the saw their classmates and teacher walking towards them.

"We're almost there, keep going." Ash spoke vehemently with Pikachu clinging onto his shoulder. He looked behind him and was relieved that Sabrina and Erika were doing well as the trudged through the thick powdery snow. As they were about to reach the temple, a fierce rumble caused the large chunk of snow and ice gathered on the high peaks started to come crashing down the steep slopes.

"Ash!" Misty watched helplessly as the snow and ice from the peaks began to slide downwards towards Ash, Sabrina and Erika. She attempted to run out to help him when Fantina managed to hold onto her, pulling her back as she frantically shouted for the boy from Pallet.

With the window of oppurtunity to escape the excessive slush of snow and ice being next to nonexistent, Ash knew that setting up a barrier would be useless as the amount of snow was too large for both of their starters to handle. He's critical thinking skills went overdrive as the mere glance at Sabrina's Abra gave him an idea.

"Sabrina teleport us!" She leaned onto him, scared and terrified at the sight of the avalanches coming for her. She shook her head at Ash emotionally, shouting in despair and dread. Erika herself seemed to brace for the worst when she realized they can't outrun the crushing force of the giant snow slide, she clenched her fists and took a last ditch attempt to protect her students as she held Ash and Sabrina closely, almost as if to shield them.

"Abra can only take two." Despite her Abra's incredible powers, he does have its limits. Teleport itself is difficult move, but to used it on multiple people? It requires a lot of training and talent. Hearing the defeated tone from Sabrina, Ash made a hasty decision and violently pry off from his teacher's embrace, creating a good distance from them. He felt his heart beat and his stomach churned when he saw the absolute look of fear on his normally calm classmate and teacher.

"Take Erika!" As the avalanched started to creep closer to them with frightening speed, Ash knew that they didn't have time to debate about lives and who's life is more valuable than others. He glanced at the temple and noted the short distance that Abra needed to teleport, which meant it shouldn't take long for him to channel the spell. He saw the terrified expression on the girls' face for the briefest of moments, almost as if he could hear them pleading for him to not do this to them.

'I'm so sorry.' He forcefully turned his attention back to Sabrina and Erika, hearing the sound ice crashing against the steep hills, as if to taunt him that he was about to get swept off by them. But right now Ash couldn't careless, he has to get the two out of harm's way.

"But-" Erika recovered from her shock finally registered what Ash's said, she attempted to reached for Ash when he glanced at Sabrina with a determined look that showed he's conviction. He knew this was an incredibly difficult decision for Sabrina, and it was unfair for her choose to who gets to live. But Ash couldn't careless now, she needed a little push and so he raised his voice to push her to do it. Any more stalling, and the 3 of them would die.

"Do it damn it!" Sabrina stared at her Abra who already began channeling the spell. She felt tears gathered on her eyes as her starter could barely keep it together over the fact they have to sacrifice one life to save the other two. But the earnest look in Ash's voice was too much, she bit her lower lip and nodded at him, making Ash smile at her softly in thanks.

"Ash wait-" Erika could barely finished her sentenced when Sabrina ordered the teleport spell with a strained voice, instantaneously teleporting his master and her teacher to the safety of the temple. Within seconds of the successful teleportation Ash can feel the tremble of the ground beneath him as the pile of snow started to reach him. He attempted to recalled Pikachu back into his pokeball to saved him from the dreaded fall when his starter violently shook his head, perching into Ash's shoulder faithfully as always.

"Pikachu." Seeing his starter's unwavering loyalty and stubbornness, he knelt down and hugged his starter tightly to his chest as he attempted to use his body as a shield to soften the blow of the avalanche. Just as Ash managed to clutch Pikachu tight to him, the slush of avalanche instantly swept him off his feet, pushing him down the cold abyss of beneath the mountain. The impact of the force and the sudden numbness of the sheer cold instantly hit him, but he never loss his grip around his starter despite the intense pain.

"ASH!" The faint echo of his name was all he could hear before darkness consumed him.