Pokemon: A Marvelous Journey, Johto Arc

by SaoirseParisa

A young autistic girl is elated to be able to have her own Pokemon, and content with her life. But when her world is thrown in upheaval, she realizes it's time to step out into the world and face it head on. Can she survive with her friends by her side? Or will the world be too much for her to handle? COMPLETE!

56. Caiseal's Sorrow

Chapter 47: Caiseal's Sorrow

It was a beautiful day on the road to Blackthorn City. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky, and the path before them was lined with perfect rows of trees on each side. However, not even the sun making its attempts to warm their skin was enough to protect them from the dropping temperatures. That being said, it was only October, so the weather was starting to get colder anyway.

"Brrrr!" Frigid cold shot through Julia's entire body, and she shivered even as she buried half her face into the collar of her large purple coat. "Even with these heavy jackets, it's still cold!" Julia groaned, stuffing her chafing hands into her pockets. Immediately, she could feel the warm fabric against her skin, and although it was helping somewhat, she knew she couldn't keep them in there forever. Doing that would just make her hands feel dry and cracked, and the cold was doing a good enough job of that already with the rest of her body.

"I know, right?" Caiseal agreed, scratching his wrist with one hand. "Then again, we're getting close to the mountains, and it gets a lot colder around this area, even during the fall."

Perrine stopped to adjust her shoes. "You gotta admit, we're lucky the Pokemon Center let us borrow these jackets and ear muffs," She told them, attempting to see the positive side of things. "Considering how we need to get to Blackthorn to begin with, these are a big help."

Caiseal furrowed his brows and clenched his teeth. Indeed, they did need some winter clothes in light of where they were going. The Pokemon Center they departed from offered free winter clothing to traveling trainers if they wanted to go through the Ice Path, on the condition that they give them to the PMC in Blackthorn City afterward. The Ice Path...his stomach began to tighten, and his legs felt like lead. They were getting closer to that place. A place where he didn't want to go ever again. Anywhere but there. But he reminded himself that this was not the time to be scared. His friends were here. The last thing they needed was for Caiseal to be a liability. No, he wasn't going to be a liability.

Then a revelation popped into his head faster than a Pokemon using Agility. He remembered! "You know, the Ice Path isn't the only way to get to Blackthorn City!" Caiseal suddenly exclaimed.

The girls stopped in their tracks, turning to face him. "Is there?" Julia asked.

"Since when?" Perrine asked, raising an eyebrow.

Caiseal dug through his bag and pulled out a travel book he had picked up from the PMC hours before. He flipped through some pages before stopping at one and pointing to the map inside. "See here?" Julia and Perrine leaned in to get a closer look. "Here's the Ice Path, but here's a road that goes around it," Caiseal explained, pointing to a side road that was closer to them than their actual destination. The strip of road led to right around the cave in question, and going right into Blackthorn City. "I went down this way once, and it's much safer and more convenient than going into the Ice Path. It does take a little longer to get to Blackthorn this way, but it's so worth it!"

"Ooooh. I had no idea," Perrine marveled at this new information. Caiseal did make a good point. This side road completely changed everything. "If we go down that road, we can make it to Blackthorn without going through the Ice Path!"

"That makes sense!" Julia agreed, already liking the idea. Anything was better than going through a cave frozen in ice, and if it was too cold, she wasn't sure if she could even move at all, much less go through a cave. Then again, having Twilight would help with that. Even so, having an alternative was already proving to be an intense relief.

That is, until she read about said road in question. She had taken the book from Caiseal's hands to read more into it herself, and her green eyes came across the kind of Pokemon that lived on that road. Weedle, Kakuna, Beedrill, Ekans, Arbok, and Spinarak. All poison-types. As her brain processed this new information, any relief she had was kicked to the curb, and her hands began to shake, making the book in her hands shake right along with her. Her heart started thumping in her ears as she imagined all the horrible things that could happen if she went down that road. A Beedrill horde chasing after them. Wild Ekans and Arbok attempting to bite them or eat them alive if the kids so much as stepped on their territory. The thought of it all made a weird, horrible feeling swoop down into her stomach, and she could feel her skin itching all over.

She didn't even notice Caiseal gently taking the book from her hands. "This'll be perfect! I say we go this way," Caiseal announced, oblivious to the fear etched all over Julia's face. "Besides, we-"

"Uhh, Caiseal?" Julia finally found her voice. It was barely above a timid squeak, but she could feel her friends staring into her. Their eyes locking onto her burned her from the inside out. "It says the road has a lot of poison-type Pokemon living near it," She explained, pointing to the paragraph in question. "It's possible they might attack us if we trespass onto their territory," She tried to keep herself as calm and composed as possible, hoping that would convince him. She hoped she didn't sound whiny when she made her request.

Unfortunately for Julia, Caiseal simply waved his hand dismissively, brushing off her concerns. "It'll be fine. I've been down this way before, and none of the Pokemon attacked me," He explained in a matter-of-fact way. "If you don't mess with them, they don't mess with you, so it's not dangerous."

Fear suddenly began to morph into anger. Caiseal actually thought going down a road infested with dangerous poison-type Pokemon, who could easily kill them, was safer than going into an icy cave? He knew about her fear of poison types and never made her feel stupid about it. He never even used it against her, nor did he ever make her do anything she didn't want to do when it came to poison-types. Why was he suddenly going against that? This wasn't like him. Rebellion mounted within her. Now she felt cornered, desperate, even. Sure, going into the Ice Path had its own share of danger, but compared to potentially getting herself killed by vicious poison Pokemon, she'd gladly endure below zero cold temperatures any day.

"I say we go into the Ice Path!" Julia suddenly announced before she could stop herself. Both Perrine and Caiseal's jaws dropped. "I-I-I-I bet it's way safer! There's no poison-type Pokemon in there!" She hated the fearful stammer her voice was adopting, but she could already feel herself trembling. Nothing she tried could stop it.

Caiseal shot a glare in her direction. Julia winced. His hazel eyes burned right into her, and it hurt, even as he marched right over to her. Even Perrine could see the very sudden change in him, and she wasn't liking what she saw.

"Listen, Jule!" He pointed his finger right at her, like a teacher singling out a naughty child in class. "I've been down this road, and it is not dangerous! You shouldn't believe everything you read in books!"

"You're saying the Ice Path is more dangerous than a road full of poison-type Pokemon?!"

"Are you kidding?! It's practically a death trap in there!" At this point, Caiseal was shouting. Not even covering her ears could muffle the noise. But there was no way she was going to let him walk all over her. She was done being silent for the sake of being polite.

"A road full of vicious poison-type Pokemon who could easily kill us is a death trap in and of itself!"

"Only if you mess with them first! We are NOT going into that darn Ice Path and that's final!"

"Why are you even getting all upset about this?! Is the Ice Path really that bad?"

"Why don't you go in there and see?! You go in there and almost get killed by a big falling icicle, or turned into a living popsicle by a bunch of Swinub, or cut into ribbons by a Sneasel horde?!"

"We have plenty of fire-type Pokemon, so for all we know, we can handle the Ice Path no problem!"

"You guys!" Perrine finally stepped in between them, holding her hands out. "Calm down. There's no need to fight about this."

An idea flashed into Julia's head. "She's right! We DON'T need to fight about this!" Julia exclaimed, raising her hand in the air. "I say we settle this with rock-paper-scissors!"

Caiseal smirked, liking the proposition. "Challenge accepted!"

They both got out of Perrine's way and held their hands out. "Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" They shook their hands thrice, making full fists. They tried it again. "Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" This time, both of their hands were wide open, flat as paper. They shook their hands a third time. "Rock, paper, scissors, shoot!" Julia's hand was a fist, and Caiseal's was open and flat.

"Haha!" Caiseal put his hand on top of Julia's fist. "Paper covers rock! I win!" He jumped into the air jubilantly, throwing his arms outward. "We're going to the side road! Woohoo!" Without waiting for them to catch up, Caiseal made a mad dash for the dirt road like he couldn't get there fast enough.

Julia could only stand frozen in place, fist in front of her, completely defeated. They really were going to walk down that road full of poison-type Pokemon! "Awwww man…" She hung her head down dejectedly, putting one foot in front of the other as she made her way down the dirt road. She hoped that they could get to Blackthorn City without getting hurt, as part of her did gracefully accept defeat, but her entire being was still screaming to get the heck off this path.

"It's okay, Jule," Perrine tried to reassure her, putting on a smile as she walked alongside her. "We can get through this. We're here for you, and our Pokemon can help us out if we're in a jam."

"I know…" Julia murmured, trying to remind herself that there were still some positives in this situation. "But I don't get what Caiseal's deal is. Does he really hate the Ice Path or something?"

Perrine held a hand to her chin. "Beats me. He was pretty adamant about not going in there," She said, noting Caiseal's insistence on going down that one side road. "Maybe he had a really bad experience in there or something."

That seemed reasonable. Julia didn't want to go anywhere near Violet City because of what Ms. Amoretto did to her way back when. She had thought about asking why Caiseal was so cagey about it, but he never wanted to talk about anything involving his past. It was wrong to pry, and Julia did want to respect his wishes, so she gave him his space. If he didn't want to talk about it, then he didn't, and she had no right to force it out of him. Still, the desire to know why Caiseal had some kind of intense hatred for the Ice Path kept gnawing at her brain, like an Arbok wanting to swallow its prey whole.

"Whatever the case," Perrine continued. "He'll tell us when he's ready. I wouldn't try to push the issue."

"Yeah, you're right," Julia agreed, mentally telling herself that maybe this side road won't be so bad. She still had her Pokemon, and if any wild ones attacked, she'd either make a run for it or her friends would help. This was not the time to be picky.

It didn't take long for the girls to see Caiseal close by. But instead of walking, he simply stood in the middle of the road, still as a statue. The girls caught up to him, noticing that he stopped. But when Perrine turned to ask him a question, she found herself taken aback. Caiseal was white as a ghost, eyes wide with absolute terror, and his mouth had fallen open. Any enthusiasm and confidence he had was completely gone, like it had been knocked right out of him. Usually, the only times he looked like that was when he woke up from his terrible nightmares.

"Cash?" Now Julia was worried. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Caiseal didn't say a word. Perrine looked toward the road, but instead she was face to face with several white and orange barricades, one of which had a big white sign on it that said ROAD CLOSED in big, black letters. The girls' jaws dropped once more. The side road was closed? Since when? What happened? Julia peeked over the barricade. She could see several large trees laying on the road, having fallen right off. Several branches and leaves scattered all over the path, and many of the trunks had claw marks and teeth marks in them. Some of them looked so deep, she could dip her whole finger into them. Some of the trees that fell down didn't even break off. Gnarled roots curled out from the bottom of most of the trees, many of which looked like they had been ripped right out from the ground, whole and intact.

"Oh wow," Julia exclaimed. "What the heck happened here?"

Suddenly, an Officer Jenny came bounding toward them, police baton in hand. "Excuse me, kids!" She cried out. "I'm sorry, but this path is off limits for the time being."

"How come?" Perrine asked.

Officer Jenny adjusted her hat before explaining. "We've gotten reports that several members of Team Rocket have been making mischief around here, and the wild Pokemon here have been extremely upset," She explained matter-of-factly. The kids could see the destruction laid out right before them. Upset was a gross understatement. "Some of my fellow officers have apprehended a few of them, but others are still at large. We're still investigating as of right now, and the Pokemon have gotten to the point where they'll attack any human, docile or hostile, so this path is closed for your own safety."

So that was it. The kids could only sigh. Of course Team Rocket would be responsible. Julia couldn't help but feel bad for the Pokemon living in this area. They had every right to be mad. Nobody would like it if random strangers started attacking them or their homes, and of course they'd fight back. If someone broke into Julia's home and attacked her and her family, she'd want to fight back, too. She silently hoped their situation would improve. She wanted to help out in some way, but she could tell Officer Jenny looked quite serious about this whole thing. Did she really need a bunch of kids throwing themselves into danger?

"I apologize for the inconvenience," Officer Jenny told them, her tone having softened. "You kids aren't the first trainers I had to warn about this, and at this point, the Ice Path is your only option."

"How long ago did this happen?" Perrine asked.

Officer Jenny glanced toward the barricades. "Last night."

She was right about one thing. The kids had very little options. None of them could climb the mountain without proper equipment, not that they could even hope to climb the mountain to begin with. They didn't have any flying-type Pokemon who could fly over said mountain, let alone one that was big enough to carry all three of them at once. If the Ice Path was the only choice, then they might as well take it.

"Alright. Thanks anyway," Conceding defeat, Julia gave a slight bow, thanking her for taking the time to explain things to them. "We're sorry to bother you."

With that, the kids turned right around. The rock-paper-scissors game she played against Caiseal didn't seem to matter now. They were going to the Ice Path whether they liked it or not. Normally, Julia would be happy about sudden twists like this. But she couldn't bring herself to smile. Instead, her whole being was wracked with worry, mostly for Caiseal. He seemed to drag his feet with every step he walked, and she didn't need to look at him to know that the fearful expression on his face didn't change one bit. Obviously something must have happened to him in there. Whatever it was, it must have been extremely traumatic.

"...Sorry about that, Caiseal," Julia stammered, trying to make some conversation. Caiseal's silence was starting to make the air around her feel tense. Almost suffocating. "I guess we can't go down that side road. Hehe."

"It's fine," Caiseal finally choked out in a low voice. "How were we supposed to know that would happen? It's not like we can see the future or anything."

"Yeah. True," Julia agreed sheepishly. She could hear subtle contempt in his voice when he finally answered. Was it toward the Ice Path? Probably so, she assumed.

No words were exchanged during this time. Julia could feel the temperature in the air dropping with every step they walked. Her hands were starting to get dry and itchy, more so than earlier. Her jeans started to itch against her legs. Rubbing them together didn't help much. At least she had a pair of fluffy, white earmuffs on, which was good protection for her ears. Not long after, the entrance of a cave came into view. In the light, Julia could make out the icy floor, and large, frozen rocks greeted them, sunlight glinting off the ice's surface, like a little show was being put on for them.

"Wow…" Julia was in awe. Icicles of different shapes and sizes hung from the ceiling, and they seemed to go on forever. Some were as small as her pinkie fingers, others were as big as she, maybe even bigger. Frozen crystals sprung out from some of the crevices in the cave walls. "It's so pretty in here! I've never seen a cave made out of nothing but ice before!"

Caiseal wrapped his arms tight around himself, shivering. "Yeah, pretty," He hissed under his breath. "Freakin' death trap…"

By this time, Perrine had already walked a little deeper into the cave, holding her PokeGear out and taking some photos. Her PokeGear was a newer model than Julia's, so hers had the camera function. "Oh man. I am so sending these pics to Mom and Dad when we get out of here. They're gonna be so jealous!"

Indeed, the Ice Path was a sight to behold. The floor beneath them was nothing but solid ice, with a few cracks on the surface here and there, probably from exposure to the heat from outside. A river of icicles ran across the ceiling, shimmering like beautiful chandeliers. There were even icicles that made contact with the cave floor, merging with the frozen ground, as big and as tall as the kids, forming frigid stalactites. Large boulders took up most of the walls, their frozen surfaces sparkling under the sunlight. Perrine could make out a few holes and smaller caves going further in, probably being used by some of the native Pokemon.

On the other hand, Caiseal completely ignored the Ice Path's beauty, wanting nothing more than to just get out. Just being here was making his stomach tie into a knot. He kept his arms wrapped tight around himself, but his legs continued to feel heavy with every step he walked, like someone put lead inside them. Not even the winter clothes he put on were enough to push the cold away.

"Oh look! Over there!" Julia's shout pulled Caiseal out of his mind. The kids turned to their left, seeing something moving in front of one icy stalagmite.

That something turned out to be a Pokemon. A very small one, about the size of their heads, covered in dense, shaggy brown fur with darker brown stripes going across its back. The little Pokemon used it's pink, pig-like snout to sniff at the bottom of the stalagmite, like it was searching for something. "Swinub swinub…" The furry Pokemon muttered to itself, oblivious to the three humans looking at it.

"Awwwww! It's a cute little Swinub!" Julia squealed, her hands flying to her cheeks. "Look at it! It's sooooo adorable!" Her heart was close to beating out of her chest. Goodness, was that Pokemon cute!

Perrine pulled her PokeDex out to get some information on it.

"Swinub, the pig Pokemon. Swinub have an extremely developed sense of smell, so they are capable of picking up any kind of scent, even several feet underground or far away from their location. They can even smell things under frozen ground. Once they pick up a smell, they run right toward the source without hesitation, especially if the aroma is particularly enticing. Swinub rub their snouts on the ground to find food, and they have been known to discover hot springs in the process of doing so. Their favorite food is a special type of mushroom that is said to grow underneath dried grass. Swinub are commonly found in cold places such as icy caves, mountainous regions, and frozen tundra."

Seconds later, a blue male sign popped up on the PokeDex's screen next to the Swinub's image.

Julia wasted no time pulling a PokeBall out from her pocket. "I'm gonna catch it! I always wanted a Swinub!" She exclaimed.

Just then, the Swinub turned around, finally taking in the presence of the three humans looking at it. "Swinub?"

"Twilight, go-!"

Before she could even let Twilight out, Swinub suddenly let out a stream of sparkling powder in her direction. The second the powder made contact with her exposed skin, her whole body turned rigid. She didn't get frozen in actual ice, but the cold completely cut through every single skin cell, nerve, and vein in her body. The air around her dropped to a temperature she couldn't handle. Julia screeched before running away from the powdery substance Swinub shot out, hiding right behind Perrine and dropping to a fetal position, shivering rigidly.

"Cooooooooold!"

Just like that, Swinub's attack ceased, and the pig Pokemon hopped out of sight.

"Dude. You got beat by a Powder Snow attack," Caiseal noted sarcastically. "And you didn't even get the chance to do anything."

"I know…" Julia agreed ruefully. She wished she wasn't so hypersensitive to everything around her, especially a Pokemon's really cold attacks. Not to mention that Swinub was really quick to attack, noticing her presence right away. It probably smelled her scent. Whatever the case, any answers she could come up with didn't push away the humiliation of being outsmarted by a cute Pokemon.

Thankfully, Perrine was quick to find the bright side in this situation. "Don't worry. There's lots more Swinub in here. Maybe you can try catching another one."

"Yeah, I guess," Julia agreed, making a mental note to send Twilight out before doing anything else. Caiseal simply buried himself in his jacket collar as the kids walked further down the path.

As peaceful as this place was, Julia couldn't help but feel a little tense. She looked to her right and saw Caiseal ambling next to her, his arms wrapped tightly around himself like a shield. He kept wincing like he was in pain. Was he okay? Julia could tell that he wasn't. Actually, he'd been like this the entire time they've been in here. She could feel his irritation plain as day. Maybe Perrine was right. Maybe something bad happened to him in here and he's developed an intense hatred for the Ice Path as a result. She wanted to ask, but he'd always been cagey about his past, and she didn't want to pry. Caiseal's past wasn't any of her business. Even so, he certainly looked like he needed some cheering up. What could she do?

"Umm...hey, Caiseal!" Julia said. "You mentioned before that you have a little sister. What's she like?" She asked, figuring this would be a good way to start.

Slowly, Caiseal unwrapped his arms and stuffed his hands in his pockets. "Yeah, I do. Her name's Violet."

"Ooh. That's a pretty name."

"It is. She's a good kid," Caiseal mused, his voice quiet. Julia could still hear the subtle irritation in his voice. "I bet you'd like her. She loves Pokemon. She wants to be a trainer, too. We did pretty much everything together. If I was doing something, she'd want to do it, too. She is kind of a girly girl, though. Always wanting to dress in sparkly clothes, wear cute hair clips, and collect lots and lots of dolls," For the first time since they entered the Ice Path, a proud smile spread across his face. "Goodness, she's got so many Johto Girl dolls, you'd think her room was a whole museum of them, and they're pretty darn expensive."

"Oh, I know what you're talking about! I knew a girl who collected them, too! But last I checked, she only had three or four that I know of. But how'd Violet get so many? You said they're expensive, right?"

Caiseal nodded. "My mom always bought them for her. If Violet wanted something, my mom always got it for her no matter what, even if it was super expensive," Suddenly, his smile turned right back into a frown. He looked down at his boots with a grim look on his face. "...She always got everything she wanted...Nollaig never gave me the time of day…"

Although his voice was small, barely a whisper, Julia could hear it in the stillness. Nollaig? What was that? Or...who was that? Was that his mother's name? More than that, she could make out everything else. Did his mother prefer Violet over him? She had heard stories of parents who neglected one child and deliberately favored another, but she thought those were just stories. Was that why Caiseal's been so sour about his past? If that was the case, then Julia couldn't blame him for being angry about it. Any kid would be mad if their parents ignored them in favor of their sibling. But...was that really all there was to it? Her desire to know more was growing.

"More Swinub! See?" Perrine's announcement pulled both Caiseal and Julia out of their reveries.

The kids looked toward one big ice crystal on their left. Three Swinub were frolicking around said crystal, happily cheering and throwing their snouts into the air. One of the Swinub stopped to sniff at the ground some more. Julia's heart melted at the sight, and her cheeks turned pink, not just from the cold. Why did Swinub have to be so cute?

"Nnnnngh!" Julia's hands started flapping up and down, as she was unable to contain her overflowing love for those cute little furry Pokemon. "I MUST catch one!" She exclaimed, rummaging through her pocket to get a PokeBall out. "Come on out, Twilight!"

A white light shot out of the PokeBall before materializing into Twilight. The fire horse Pokemon let out a disgruntled huff as she examined her surroundings.

"Hey there, Twi!" Julia stroke her equine friend's neck gently. "Sorry you had to stay in the PokeBall for so long."

Twilight simply stared up at a big icicle hanging from the wall, not minding too much.

"Would you mind doing me a favor? See those Swinub over there?" Julia asked, pointing to the Swinub in question. "I want to catch one of them, so would you like to help me out?"

Twilight stole a quick glance at the pig Pokemon...only to hold her head up and away from Julia and the Swinub. The only response Julia got from her was a quick huff.

"What?! Why not?!"

"Nnnngh," Twilight snorted.

Caiseal and Perrine could tell from the flabbergasted look on Julia's face that whatever Twilight was saying to her was not good. "Aw, come on!" Julia bellowed.

"So...what'd she say?" Perrine asked, half-curious and half-unsure.

"Twilight's all like, 'I don't fight weaklings. You really expect me to waste my time and energy on little runts? Give me a battle that's actually challenging!'" Julia explained. Of course, she knew that Swinub were ground and ice types, with their more dominant type being ice, so fire type attacks could beat them easily, even with Twilight's weakness to ground. The Swinub didn't look very strong, and they were still minding their own business. Even so, Julia had always known Twilight to try and attack anything that looked at her wrong. Since when was Twilight suddenly picky about her battles?

"I guess Twilight prefers battling strong Pokemon," Caiseal mused, crossing his arms. "Eh, I can see why."

Considering Twilight's legendary stubborn nature, Julia figured pushing the issue wasn't worth it. "Alright. I understand, girl," Julia gently patted her equine friend's back before pulling out another PokeBall. "Hikaru's not an option since she's weak to ground, so...how about-"

"Swi?!" Suddenly, all three Swinub stood on their hind legs, looking all around themselves. The kids could see some of their fur standing straight up. "Nuuuuuub!" Then, without warning, the Swinub trio scurried away, running deeper into the cave.

"Hm?" Julia raised a quizzical eyebrow. "What was that all about?"

Whatever it was that scared them off, Twilight picked up on it, too. Her ears perked right up, catching a faint sound that was steadily growing louder. The scraping of claws and feet against the ice. Moving bodies rushing over the frigid air. Suddenly, Twilight stood on her back legs, front hooves in the air, bellowing a harsh whinny. Since Julia was right next to her, the sound was far too loud for her ears to handle, and her hands flew to protect them right away.

"Twilight?! Wha-?!"

"Look!" Perrine exclaimed.

It didn't take long for the reason the Swinub ran away to appear. A group of Sneasel appeared from the ice-studded crystals, ceiling, and walls. There were about nine or ten total, all of them circling around the kids and the fire horse, their sharp eyes sizing them up, claws sharp and ready for slicing them to ribbons. The kids huddled closer to each other for extra security. They were cornered!

"The heck?! What's with all these Sneasel?!" Perrine yelped. One Sneasel held its claw right toward them, hissing at its compatriots.

Julia could hear everything they said. It did nothing to ameliorate the fear that threatened to consume her. "They say we've trespassed onto their hunting grounds, and they're gonna have us for dinner!" Julia wailed.

The only one who wasn't afraid in this situation was Twilight. Instead of cowering, the fire horse bellowed once more, stomping her hooves onto the ice right in front of them. "Neeeeeeigh!" ("Now this is more like it! You wanna fight me?! Take me on, then! I'll burn you alive!")

The group of Sneasel flashed sinister smirks in the horse's direction. So the horse was challenging them. This was going to be fun. With harsh cries, the Sneasel all pounced, ready to completely rip the kids to pieces. Of course, Twilight beat them to the punch, unleashing a stream of flames in their direction. Two of the Sneasel weren't fast enough to get away, and as soon as the flames made contact, they fell to the ice, unable to move any further. The other Sneasel managed to avoid the flames, only they were too surprised to compose themselves quick enough. A few others still charged at Twilight, but the horse fought back, knocking them away with her hooves without losing a beat. She even found time to fire a few Ember attacks at some other Sneasel who attempted a sneak attack.

"Alright!" Perrine pulled a PokeBall out. "I'm not gonna sit around and be scared! Go, Kit!" Following Twilight's example, Perrine sent Kitsune out, knowing she'd be able to stand a chance against these Sneasel.

"Nine!"

"Use Flamethrower!"

As ordered, Kitsune unleashed a stream of blazing fire that cut right through the frigid air of the Ice Path. Unlike with Twilight, the Sneasel were faster and managed to evade the raging flames. Unsurprisingly, the strength of the heat melted any ice that the flames made contact with. Julia could only watch as her friends fought against the little army of Sneasel. Courage began to rise within her. Perrine was right. This wasn't the time to be sitting around, scared and allowing themselves to be their prey. Twilight already knew this and fought them right away. Not only that, this was her chance to see if she and Twilight could work together as partners.

She clenched her fist before shouting, "Twilight! Use Double Kick and hold them off!"

"Neeeeeeigh!" ("No need to tell me twice!") Twilight brayed before swiftly knocking one Sneasel to its feet with her hoof, hard as diamond. The poor Sneasel stood no chance against the hotblooded fire horse as it flew to the wall before slumping to the ground. Even as other Sneasel charged at them, the fire Pokemon duo held them off as best they could, whether by kicking them around or firing flames at them. But these Sneasel just wouldn't give in. One of them managed to climb onto Twilight and scratch her body with its claws. Sharp, searing pain ran through the wound, but Twilight paid it no heed. She barely felt it. The horse galloped and leaped all over the ice, braying and whinnying in an attempt to force the Sneasel off her rear. Kitsune was quick to headbutt the sharp claw Pokemon, pushing it right off her back.

"Guess we better turn up the heat!" Perrine commanded. "Use Flame Burst!"

"Niiiiine!" At the right moment, Kitsune spat out a small, flaming sphere, shooting it right at three Sneasel in particular. As soon as the flame made contact with them, it exploded, shooting embers of all sizes in every direction. The girls were quick to back away, managing to avoid the explosion of flames coming their way.

"Man, these Sneasel are tough!" Perrine noted as some of the other Sneasel charged at Kitsune. "They just refuse to let up!"

"You're right. Hey Caiseal, how about-?" Julia turned to convince Caiseal to join the fray...only to completely stop the second she saw him.

Caiseal's eyes were wide, like saucers, the very picture of absolute terror. His mouth had fallen open, and he was as white as a ghost. A hand clutched his chest tightly, so tight that he balled some of the coat's fabric into a misshapen sphere. Never before had Julia seen such naked, unadulterated terror in Caiseal's eyes, or his very being for that matter. Julia could see his legs wobbling, and he kept shaking his head, like the very idea of attempting to fight off those Sneasel was practically a death sentence.

"Cash? Cash, what's wrong?" Now she was getting worried. What was it about this place that traumatized him so much that it made him like this? "We won't let those Sneasel beat us!" She told him reassuringly. "Can you send Apollo or Mallow out? They're strong against them!"

As if having heard her, two white lights sprung out from Caiseal's pockets, materializing into Apollo and Mallow. The bone keeper Pokemon was quick to whack two of the Sneasel with his trusty bone, even if some of them did use their claws to block the attack. On the other hand, Apollo surrounded himself with fire, charging right at the Sneasel, who hopped in all different directions to evade the onslaught. As a result, Apollo wound up ramming into one ice-covered wall, sending chunks of frozen rock sliding all over the place.

"Thanks, guys!" Julia cried out. Even though the Sneasel were extremely persistent, the tables were starting to turn, and the kids had the advantage. She made sure to stay close to Caiseal, that way he wouldn't be alone and exposed during this whole brouhaha. No way was she going to let those Sneasel get their hands on him, especially when he looked as though his whole life was frightened right out of him.

One Sneasel pounced right onto Kitsune, dredging its claws into her fur. "Niiiiiine!" Kitsune yowled, falling to the ground from the force of the pounce.

It didn't take long for Twilight to fire Ember at it, forcing it off of Kitsune. Mallow was quick to come to Kitsune's aid and help her up. But it was easy to see a patch of fresh blood forming on the fur around Kitsune's neck.

"Kit!" Perrine's hands almost flew to her mouth. Those Sneasel actually managed to hurt her friend to the point of drawing blood. She rummaged through her pockets to pull a PokeBall out, but Kitsune had managed to push another Sneasel out of the way. It helped that Twilight was right in front of her, acting as a barrier, keeping the Sneasel away from her.

"Neeeeeigh!" ("You want some more?! Come and get me, you wimps!") Twilight bellowed, daring them to try and lay one claw on her friend.

"Come on, Twilight! Don't egg them on!" Julia groaned. As much as she liked Twilight's enthusiasm and eagerness to fight the Sneasel, she was sure mocking them wasn't going to improve their situation.

Sure enough, it only got worse.

All of the Sneasel regrouped, standing back up despite their injuries slowing their movements. Many of the Sneasel were still covered in burns, with some clutching their wounded body parts with their hands. Others were reduced to limping rather than their usual swift moments. Then, the group of Sneasel shot death glares at the kids before letting out a high pitched, piercing shriek in unison.

"Sneeeeeeeee!"

"Ugh!" Julia recoiled, her hands flying to her ears. But even then, she could still hear the awful noise, and it was making her eardrums throb like a quivering heartbeat. Mallow, Apollo, and Twilight stood together, readying themselves for whatever the Sneasel were planning. Exactly what they were doing, they had no idea. Then, a dark cloud suddenly materialized above them, resembling a rain cloud. Perrine and Kitsune took two steps back, their eyes wide with a combination of curiosity and fear. Just what was that, and what were the Sneasel doing? The cloud expanded in size until it was bigger than both the group of Sneasel and the two kids.

Then, in no time at all, a wall of snow came crashing down. Nobody could react. Julia suddenly saw, felt, and tasted white and cold. Her feet no longer touched the floor, and it hurt to breathe. She was moving fast, and her arms couldn't move, unable to reach anything.

"JULE! CASH!" Perrine's pained, horrified voice was little more than a faint echo at this point. The roar of rushing snow blocked out everything else. Julia felt nothing but hard rock all around her. Everything went black.

---

The first thing she felt when she finally came to was ice on her hands. She opened her eyes, seeing a floor of ice underneath her. Her palms were wet, probably from her body heat making contact with the ice. She looked up, blinking. Was she alive? She curled her fingers inward, forming a fist. She was alive! But relief didn't come just yet. Where was everyone? She pulled herself up, looking around to take in her new surroundings.

"Caiseal? Perrine? Twilight?" Where were they? She looked behind her. Sure enough, Caiseal, Twilight, Apollo, and Mallow were right behind her, unconscious, with half of their bodies covered with a big pile of snow. Perrine was nowhere in sight. As she approached the still unconscious Caiseal, she could see his chest rising and falling. Relief washed over her. He was alive!

"Caiseal!" Julia wrapped her arms underneath his armpits and heaved, pulling him out of the snow. Surprisingly enough, Caiseal slid right out easily. Julia assumed that was because Twilight and Apollo were around, and their heat helped melt the snow somewhat, being fire-types and all. She could tell they were alive as well. Twilight was beginning to stir, and Apollo's ears twitched a little. Slowly, Julia laid Caiseal back down. "Caiseal, wake up!" Then she shook his shoulders, not too hard, but hard enough that it'd wake him up for sure.

"Wake up!" Julia pleaded once more.

"Nnngh...wha?" Finally, Caiseal's eyes sprung open, hazy, almost glazed over from confusion. He sat right up with a yelp, and Julia backed off a little to give him some space. "What the...the heck happened?!" Caiseal exclaimed, his throat hoarse, almost dry.

Julia looked over at the wall of snow. "Those Sneasel unleashed a really strong attack on us…" She told him calmly. Just studying the situation, she could tell this wasn't the time to be scared or frightened. If she was scared, Caiseal would be too, even though he was already scared out of his mind long before this. It was time to take the initiative. "I think we got separated from Perrine. I don't see her anywhere."

Just then, Twilight let out a loud bellow, and the flames on her mane burned bright and hot, melting the snow on her back in an instant. Afterward, the horse got back on her feet and shot an angry, almost deadly glare at the wall of snow. Julia practically felt the anger emanating from her, like heat from an open flame.

"Those freakin' Sneasel…!" Twilight brayed. "They're goin' DOWN!" The horse's trainer could also hear the rage in her voice clear as day. With the way the Twilight glared at the snow, eyes burning red hot, Julia was sure she wanted to straight up murder those Sneasel.

At this point, Julia didn't even have it in her to scold Twilight for her...skewed priorities, even though she did agree that those Sneasel needed to be taught a lesson. Thankfully, Mallow and Apollo woke up soon after, and managed to pull themselves out of the snow. They were both quick to run right over to Caiseal, gazing at him with concerned, worried expressions. Apollo even helped Caiseal stand back on his feet, with the latter putting his hand on the former's left shoulder to help himself up.

"I wonder what that attack was?" Julia had to admit, she had never seen that kind of attack before, especially not from a Sneasel. In seconds, snow had rained down from a cloud they created just by screeching, and she and Caiseal had gotten swept away.

"Hraaaaaah," Apollo let out a low growl, and Julia was quick to translate. "It was Avalanche. That was the attack they used on us earlier," He had explained.

Mallow nodded in agreement. "Marowak marowak," ("Yes. I've seen that attack before. But I've never seen a Sneasel use it before.") The bone keeper Pokemon held a hand to his chin, pondering. During his journey with Caiseal, Mallow had battled many ice type Pokemon that knew Avalanche, and had experienced said attack first hand. This wasn't the first time Mallow had been swallowed up by a wall of snow. Of course, having been hit by walls of snow multiple times didn't mean he had gotten used to it enough to know when to expect it.

This was bad. Julia could feel it in her bones. They were trapped in an icy cave. Having Apollo and Twilight here did help, and their attacks would be very useful, but she knew she couldn't just have them shoot fire at everything willy-nilly. Wild Pokemon could likely attack them again, and that was the last thing Julia wanted right now. Any thoughts of wanting to catch a cute little Swinub were kicked to the curb, and all of her thoughts were focused on getting out of the cave.

"Wait!" Suddenly, a realization hit her like a Thunderbolt attack. Her PokeGear! She could call Perrine and see if she was okay! Julia rummaged through her pocket, pulling her PokeGear right out. Unfortunately, the little green screen showed no bars. "Ugh! Of course there'd be no reception!" She yelled, scolding herself for forgetting that cell phones didn't work in caves. If there was no reception at all, then it was impossible to make any kind of call. It was worth a try. But she reminded herself that this was not the time to complain or moan.

Shaking her head, she looked towards the Pokemon and Caiseal. "Alright. We're separated from Perrine and deep into the Ice Path, but that doesn't mean we won't be able to get out of here," Julia told everyone, keeping herself calm. Her insides were doing backflips, and parts of her wanted to scream and just run out of here. But she squished them down and kept her focus. "If we all work together and try to use our best judgment, we should be able to get out of here safely. Our chances of-"

"Marowak!" Unfortunately for her, she didn't get the chance to finish her speech. Mallow sprinted toward Caiseal, who was leaning against a frozen cave wall, a hand clutching his chest tight to the point that his knuckle was white. His hazel eyes were small, but completely wracked with terror, and his breathing was fast, breaths short and labored. His chest heaved up and down, up and down, and Julia could practically feel the naked fear and terror just from being near him.

"Caiseal!" She was quick to join Mallow. What in the world happened? This had never happened before. "Caiseal! What's wrong?!" She shook his shoulders, but his harsh breathing continued. It was like he had changed into someone she didn't recognize. "What's going on?!"

Suddenly, Mallow gently pulled Julia back, nodding in Apollo's direction. In response, Apollo nodded, knowing what needed to be done. He gently helped Caiseal sit on a block of ice, then pushed his head down so it was between his own legs. Apollo was calm throughout the entire process, keeping his warm hands on Caiseal's head. Julia could make out what he was saying in the confusion. "Deep breaths. Deep breaths. Breathe," Apollo told his panicking trainer.

It didn't take long for Julia to figure out what was happening. Mallow was quick to confirm it for her, saying, "Marowak marowak," ("He's having a panic attack.")

A panic attack...She had heard of them a few times before, but only vaguely, and she had never seen one before. So that was what happened. "Did...did the avalanche just now…?" She asked, wondering if that caused it. Mallow nodded, confirming her suspicion. Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. She had no idea just being somewhere could make someone be so scared that they'd react like that. The fact that his Pokemon knew what to do and were actively trying to help him through it told her that this wasn't the first time this had happened. Whatever Caiseal went through, it had to have been extremely traumatic. Eventually, Caiseal's heavy breathing subsided, and his breaths were slower, deeper, less frantic. Apollo smiled, letting out a soft grow as his trainer looked him in the eye.

"Apollo...thanks, bud," Caiseal croaked.

Julia was quick to run to his side. "Are you okay? You really scared me just now."

"Sorry. I...I'm better now. Not totally, but…" Caiseal stood up from the ice block he sat on, taking hold of Apollo as he did so.

Guilt started to creep into Julia. She had insisted on their going into the Ice Path, and she never even knew that Caiseal hated it so much that just being here would make him feel like he was dying. 'How could I be so insensitive and careless?! I shouldn't have done this to him! This is my fault!' She scolded herself for not having seen this sooner. But getting out was their number one priority, and so was Caiseal's well-being. Finding Perrine was third on the list, but still high up there. The sooner they got out of here, the better everyone would be.

"Do you think you can walk?" Julia asked, her green eyes wet with concern.

"Sure I can."

He didn't sound sure, and she knew it in her heart that he wasn't okay. They decided to just go down their current path and see where it led them. All throughout the walk, Julia could see Caiseal locked in some kind of daze, simply staring at everything listlessly. His pace was sluggish and slow, and he wobbled when he walked, looking quite unsteady on his feet. Not only that, his face was starting to turn a sickly green color. Was he sick? Was he even still in reality? Obviously, there was no point in asking him if he was okay. He wasn't, and everyone knew it. His Pokemon knew it. Why else had they broken out of their PokeBalls to fend off those Sneasel when Caiseal was incapacitated with abject fear?

"Caiseal?"

"Hm?"

"Do you...need something to drink?" The urge to do something, anything to help him out, kept itching at her entire being. "I still have some water bottles with me. You can have one."

Caiseal simply shook his head listlessly, not even looking at her when he did so. But it was a good enough response. "You're probably tired. Maybe we can find a place to sit down and take a short break," She suggested.

"Marowak!" "Grah!" Both Apollo and Mallow agreed, motioning for Caiseal to take it easy.

Once again, Caiseal shook his head, only slower this time.

Julia clenched her teeth, frustrated. Why was Caiseal refusing to just take it easy? She could clearly see that just being here was making him feel like garbage. Did Caiseal feel like he needed to endure this at the cost of his health and welfare, or was he extremely desperate to just get out of here? Julia wished she could read his mind, that way she could learn why he was refusing their suggestions to take a break. But humans couldn't read minds, and she hated that. She hated feeling so helpless and having absolutely no idea how to make him feel better.

Before she could think about this a bit more, a huff from Twilight took her attention away from Caiseal. She turned around, seeing Twilight in a battle position. Her ears were standing up, and her mane was burning quite hot. She could see the air around Twilight rippling like waves.

"What's wrong, Twi?"

"Neeeeeigh!" ("There's a Pokemon coming this way!") Twilight whinnied, ready for battle.

Her trainer clenched her hand into a fist. Was it one of the Sneasel from before, or the whole group of them? Like Twilight next to her, Julia readied herself for a harrowing battle.

...Only to find that the Pokemon in question just walked right out in front of them, and it wasn't a Sneasel at all.

"Huh?"

"Smooch?" Trotting out from a branching path was a small Pokemon that almost looked human if Julia didn't know any better. Blonde hair reaching down to its shoulders, a round, cute, purplish pink face, a cream colored torso, a plushy set of lips, and green eyes like wet forget-me-nots. The Pokemon scratched a tuft of its hair, tilting its head to one side, examining the human and horse standing before it.

Twilight huffed. "Hmph! Another weakling. Why am I even surprised?"

On the other hand, Julia absolutely melted just from the sight of the Pokemon alone. "Oh my gosh, a Smoochum! It's soooooo cuuuuuuute!" She squealed like a fangirl, pulling her PokeDex about to examine it, even though she knew the Pokemon already.

"Smoochum, the kiss Pokemon. Their lips are very sensitive, and Smoochum often use them to investigate foreign objects. Because the nerve endings in their lips are extremely developed, Smoochum are able to always remember how the things they kiss feel, so they have a good idea of what they like and don't like. Smoochum like to keep their lips moist by drinking tree sap daily. Smoochum are very popular among humans for their sweet nature and endearing personalities, especially girls. Smoochum are very particular about their appearance, and sometimes they look for objects that show their reflection to make sure their faces don't get dirty. Smoochum are always female, and when they evolve into Jynx, they reproduce asexually upon meeting certain criteria."

"Smoochum!" The Smoochum squeaked, walking closer to Julia and Twilight. Uninterested in the little half-pint, Twilight let out an ambivalent whinny and averted her gaze. Julia simply kneeled down to Smoochum's level, beaming.

"Hi there, little Smoochum!" Julia greeted it in an uncharacteristically high pitched, squeaky voice. She couldn't help it. Just looking at the adorable little Pokemon made her entire being melt and turn warm and fuzzy. But the Smoochum was more focused on Mallow than anyone else.

"Wak?" Mallow could only raise a quizzical eyebrow, feeling the Smoochum's gaze lock onto him.

Suddenly, the Smoochum ran right up to him, fluttering her eyelashes in his direction and nuzzling him. "Smoooooch…!"

But Julia knew exactly what the Smoochum was saying. "Will you go out with me? I'd love to go somewhere nice with you!"

Mallow showed no reaction except for a slightly disgusted look. Using his bone, he gently pushed Smoochum away and told her, in no uncertain terms, "Marowak marowak." ("Not gonna happen. You're too young, and you're not my type.")

"SMOOCHUM!?" The kiss Pokemon squawked, completely flabbergasted by Mallow's blunt rejection. Heartbroken, Smoochum walked about a few feet away and cried a river of tears. "Smooooooch!"

'So...Smoochum has a crush on Mallow and was following us around?' Julia thought. It was the only plausible explanation she could come up with. Even so, the fact that this was happening right out of nowhere still threw her for a loop. Everything else did a good enough job of throwing her mind out of whack. First they get attacked by a group of Sneasel, separated from Perrine, then Caiseal had a panic attack, and now this. Still, she did feel a little bad for Smoochum. She walked over and kneeled to her level.

"I'm sorry, Smoochum," Julia told her kindly, taking care not to talk too loud, lest she scare the little one. "I'm sure you'll find someone who'll definitely love you."

"Smooch…"

An idea suddenly popped into her head. This Smoochum lived here. Maybe, with a little convincing, she could have Smoochum show them the way out. It was definitely a big risk. For all they knew, Smoochum could lead them right into a trap. But at this point they didn't have any other options, and just blasting fire through the entire cave wasn't going to solve the problem either. They couldn't just sit here and do nothing. She had to try.

"Little Smoochum? Do you happen to know how we can get out of here?" Julia asked.

Finally, Smoochum stopped crying, staring up at Julia with her big eyes, curious. "Chum?"

"My friends and I are trying to find our way out, but we got lost. You live here, right? Would you happen to know where the exit is?"

After a brief silence, Smoochum squealed and pointed further down one corridor. "Smoochum smoochum!" ("I don't, but my mommy does! She can help!")

Julia clasped her hands together. It wasn't ideal, but it was better than nothing. "Thank you so much, Smoochum! By the way, I'm Julia, and these are my friends," She pointed to the Pokemon and Caiseal behind her. "Twilight, Apollo, Mallow, and Caiseal-"

Suddenly, Caiseal fell on all fours, making strange retching sounds. Everyone whirled right around. What was happening this time? "Caiseal!" Julia was the first to run over to him, followed by a just as worried Mallow. But before they could get close, a stream of vomit poured out from Caiseal's mouth. Julia's hands were quick to protect her nose from the thick, pungent smell, and Mallow and Apollo backed away as soon as it happened. Caiseal threw up once more, unable to keep it all in. Some of the puke melted the ice as soon as it made contact.

"Ewwww!" Julia recoiled, clamping her hands over her nose. This made no sense. Why was Caiseal throwing up, and in the Ice Path, no less? But her disgust turned to worry once she heard Caiseal heaving. He must be really sick. Keeping one hand on her nose, she gingerly approached him as Apollo helped him up. "Caiseal? What's wrong? Are you sick?"

"Ugh…" At this point, Caiseal's voice turned hoarse and phlegmy. "I feel like garbage…" That answered her question.

"Chuuuum!" Smoochum had her hands on her nose as well, unable to handle the noisome odor that wafted through the cave. Mallow simply put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, though he wasn't sure if that would do any good. For now, he just let Caiseal have his space.

"You want some water?" Julia pulled a water bottle out from her pocket. "My mom says you get dehydrated when you throw up, so it's good to drink some."

His face green and sickly, Caiseal took the water bottle, but didn't drink out of it yet. "Thanks...sorry about that."

Why was he apologizing for something he couldn't control? Julia waved her hand dismissively. "It's okay! It's not like you wanted to puke just now. But let's just focus on getting out of here. Maybe we'll find Perrine while we're at it," She turned over to Smoochum. "So...you ready to lead the way?"

Smoochum held one of her hands over her head, like she was doing a military pose. "Smoochum!"

With that, Smoochum led the way, and the kids and Pokemon followed from behind. Twilight barely paid them any attention, as she kept her eyes and ears open, waiting for those Sneasel to come back. She was itching to give them a good beatdown after that stunt they pulled. But they all focused on walking through the Ice Path, and not straying from the caverns Smoochum led them through. But all throughout the walk, Julia could tell Caiseal looked worse for wear. His face was still green, even after he drank the water she gave him, his eyes were red and puffy, and he looked more like he was hobbling unsteadily rather than walking. Apollo and Mallow stayed on both sides of him, so he wasn't in any danger of falling over. Still, Julia became more worried than before. First Caiseal was just cagey about being in the Ice Path, then having a full blown panic attack, and then getting so sick that he threw up?

What exactly did the Ice Path do to him?

Suddenly, she noticed something on one of the walls. It was a white piece of paper with a green arrow on it, leading further into the cave. She could make out some writing underneath the arrow, and it read 'Follow this path to the exit toward Blackthorn City.' It took no time at all for her to light up.

"Guys! It looks like we're heading the right way after all!" Julia announced, her voice bright with cheer. "We'll be out of here in no time!"

Caiseal could only flash a weak but relieved smile in her direction. Yes, the end of this tunnel was near. After this, he was never, ever, ever going back into the Ice Path ever again. Good thing the Smoochum kept her word and didn't try to trick them or lure them into a trap. None of the Pokemon sensed any malice in the little one's heart, so at this point, they were just happy to be one step closer to the end.

"Smoochum!" The kiss Pokemon trotted along the ice without a care in the world.

"How much farther?" Julia asked.

"Smoochum smooch!" ("Not much farther! My home's near here!")

Then, ice ran through everyone's veins. Not literally, but they all stopped in their tracks. Twilight was the first to react. She let out a great bellow, standing on her hind legs, throwing her hooves into the air wildly. "Neeeeeeeigh!" ("Those darn Sneasel are back!")

Black shadows pounced out from behind the crystals, forming a circle around the group. Gold eyes leered at them, burning with a desire for revenge. Apollo fell on all floors, the flames on his back flaring as he let out a roar. Julia ran to Caiseal's side, mostly to protect him than for him to protect her. The Sneasel had returned! She could make out some of the burn marks on their bodies from before.

Julia stood in front of Caiseal, holding an arm out in a protective stance. "Leave us alone!" She yelled in the Sneasels' direction. "We don't want to fight! We just want to get out of here!"

Unfortunately, her pleas fell on deaf ears. "Sneeeee!" All of the Sneasel leaped towards the kids and their Pokemon, claws out and ready to slice them to ribbons. Mallow was the first to react, leaping into the air to smack two Sneasel out of the way with his bone. Then, Twilight took charge and shot a stream of flames at them. Some of them evaded the attack, but only one Sneasel was hit. Twilight had no sympathy for the sharp claw Pokemon even as it screeched and howled from exposure to the intense flames.

"Raaaah!" Two of the Sneasel managed to sneak up behind Apollo and slash his back with his claws. Julia squeaked in fear as she saw them rip huge chunks of Apollo's navy blue fur off his back. Good thing Apollo retaliated quickly, covering himself in flames before throwing himself at them, sending them flying into the icy walls.

Julia knew she had to get away from those Sneasel. Everyone did, especially since Caiseal was still unable to do anything. She wrapped an arm around him, holding him close. "You think you can keep walking?"

Wordlessly, Caiseal nodded.

"Everyone!" Julia cried out. "Try and hold them off as much as you can! I'll take Caiseal somewhere safe!"

She didn't even get the chance to move as one Sneasel charged straight for them. The sharp claw Pokemon leered at the two kids as it swiped at them. Julia could only hold her leg out in an attempt to hold it off. Unfortunately for her, the Sneasel was just too agile, jumping all over the place and swiftly backing away every time she tried to kick at it. Eventually, she did manage to send her sneaker right into the Sneasel's midsection, sending it rolling on the ice, unable to breathe. Sneasel curled into a fetal position, clutching its throbbing stomach, unable to suck in any air.

Twilight fired flames at the Sneasel with no hesitation, intent on getting some sweet revenge on those pesky things. Mallow held his bone up like a shield, holding off two Sneasel until they simply jumped over him and swiped at his back. Thankfully, Apollo was there to charge at them with Flame Charge, knocking them into the icy walls with such force that parts of it actually broke into larger shards that slid onto the floor. With Caiseal by her side, Julia glanced all around herself, looking for someplace, any place, she could hide him. There was nothing. No big cracks, no crevices, no cave entrances, no big crystals for him to hide behind...they were wide open.

"Smoooooch!" A piercing wail made Julia whirl behind her. Smoochum was backed against a cave wall, eyes wide with sheer terror, with three Sneasel in front of her, claws out and ready to attack. Julia sucked in a big breath. Smoochum was in danger! She hadn't done anything to them. Of course, it was easy to tell the Sneasel would be the type to attack one of the weaker prey. Weak Pokemon were easier to subdue in the wild, and Smoochum was basically helpless.

Unable to stand by and let Smoochum die, Julia could feel adrenaline rushing through her. No way was she going to let them hurt poor Smoochum! Her legs moved on their own, and she found herself charging at the Sneasel, her sneakers sliding across the ice. "Leave her alone!" Taking advantage of the slippery ice beneath her feet, she intentionally bent down and stuck one leg out, barreling into the trio of Sneasel, sending them sliding across the ice. "Take that!"

"Chum?" After being paralyzed with fear before, Smoochum could feel her body relax as Julia kicked the Sneasel down the icy corridor.

"Smoochum!" Julia called out. "Run and hide! Quick!"

"Smooch!" Not wanting to take any chances, the kiss Pokemon made a break for it, sprinting down the icy cave as far as her stubby legs could carry her.

Twilight's braying pulled Julia to her senses, watching as the fire horse pummeled two Sneasel with her hooves with Stomp. Finally, seeing that they were no match, a few of the Sneasel exchanged glances at each other before running away. A few of them had to be forced down the corridor thanks to Apollo barreling into them with Flame Charge yet again. Finally, the Sneasel had disappeared completely.

"Neeeeeeigh!" ("That's right! Run away, you wussies! Nobody messes with me!") Twilight bellowed a victorious whinny, flailing her front hooves into the air like she won a race. Apollo and Mallow slapped their hands together in a jubilant high five.

A sigh of relief escaped Julia's throat. "Whew! Thank goodness they're finally gone! Good job, everyone!" Julia exclaimed, hastily recalling Twilight back to her PokeBall, figuring she needed some well deserved rest. "Especially you, Twi. You were great," She turned towards Caiseal, who still stood in the middle of the icy corridor, his arms wrapped tightly around himself again. "We did it, Cash! We're safe now!"

Her relief lasted all of five seconds. A subtle crack right above her caused her to look up. A river of big icicles lined the ceiling. One of them had a huge crack going across the base of it. Small pieces of ice fell into her and Caiseal's hair. Caiseal looked up as well, both children realizing right away that the icicle was going to break completely. The crack extended further, then the icicle began to break off. Apollo and Mallow looked up, their eyes wide with terror.

Finally, the icicle broke off, descending right for them.

Right towards Caiseal.

"CASH!" Again, her body moved on its own. With a great jump, Julia rammed herself right into Caiseal, pushing him and herself out from underneath the falling icicle. Apollo could only cover his eyes as the icicle crashed onto the floor, shards exploding all around them like glass that had shattered to pieces.

"Marowak!" Mallow quickly sprinted over to the two children, hoping that they were alright. Julia and Caiseal lay sprawled across the ice, with the former right on top of his trainer, her back facing the ceiling. Mallow let out a sigh of relief. They were alive, and from what he could see, it didn't look like the icicle touched them in any way. No scratches, cuts, bruises, or gashes on their skin. Realizing that she wasn't hurt, Julia finally opened her eyes, sat herself up, and turned around.

"Whoa! That thing could have killed us!" Julia exclaimed, removing herself from Caiseal and standing up. Then she brushed some ice off her coat and extended a hand out for Caiseal. "Good thing I heard it cracking when I did, huh?"

In silence, Caiseal grabbed her hand and helped himself up. Both kids could feel their hearts still pounding in their chests, racing a million miles a minute. "Man! You're right, Caiseal! This place really is dangerous!" Julia said, just glad to be alive in this place.

On the other hand, Caiseal's hazel eyes were absolutely huge, his irises so small, they looked like small marbles. The icicle falling towards him replayed in his head over and over. This was too much. Too much. Everything seemed to close in on him, threatening to swallow him whole and never let him go. It was exactly the same as back then. Images flashed through his mind. An icicle breaking off the ceiling, falling towards him. A hysterical woman flailing her limbs violently, shouting at him. Red and blue lights illuminating the ghostly winter clouds. Snowflakes aimlessly floating down onto his burning skin. Everything attacked him all at once.

"You're not hurt, are you?"

Not even Julia's concerned voice could reach him anymore.

Instead, a woman's violent screams assailed his ears, overwhelming everything else.

"YOU'RE ROTTEN TO THE CORE! YOU'RE A MURDERER! I HATED YOU EVEN WHEN YOU WERE INSIDE OF ME!"

He couldn't stay here. Everything was closing in on him. He needed to get out, and he needed to go NOW.

But he couldn't escape.

Caiseal screamed. A strange, almost animalistic howl that seemed to echo through the entire Ice Path. The sudden sound made Julia yelp, startling her to the point of making heart thunder harder than before. Mallow and Apollo simply whirled in his direction, their eyes wide with a combination of confusion and concern. Julia's hands flew to her ears and they stayed there. What in the world was going on? Then, Caiseal made a break for one of the walls, using his fists to pound on the ice, screaming and bellowing like a prisoner trying to escape from jail.

"We gotta get out!" Caiseal's voice had risen higher than anything Julia had ever heard, and it, along with his pounding on the icy cave walls, exploded all around and inside of her. But the absolute horror and fear in his very being and everything else was unmistakable. "WE GOTTA GET OUTTA HEEEERE!"

"Caiseal!" Both she and Mallow wrapped their arms around Caiseal, attempting to pull away. Caiseal continued to scream, kicking his legs and throwing his arms in all different directions, like getting to the ice was a matter of life and death.

"We're all gonna die! WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!" Finally, Caiseal pried himself out of their grip and continued to beat on the wall. He didn't care if his fists were throbbing with pain and cold, turning red like stubs of raw meat. Julia could see, hear, and feel the unadulterated pain practically emanating from him. She was sure he would hurt himself if he continued like this. Not wanting to give up, she wrapped her arms around his stomach once more.

"Stop it, Caiseal! Stop! You'll hurt yourself!" Julia pleaded, knowing he wouldn't listen. But she couldn't just sit by and do nothing while he was suffering so much. This time, Mallow and Apollo both wrapped their arms around each individual arm, preventing any further beatings on the ice.

He still continued to scream, and he didn't care that his throat was rapidly growing dry, both from vomiting earlier and wailing so much now. Julia tightened her arms around him, not wanting to lose him to whatever was hurting him so badly. But what could she do? Her hug wasn't calming him down one bit.

"I know this is what you want, Nollaig!"

Nollaig? Julia looked up, seeing only Caiseal's curly blonde locks. What was a Nollaig? Or rather...who was Nollaig?

"You threw me in here so I'd die! Well, guess what?! You're finally gonna get your wish and be rid of me forever!" Caiseal screamed to the ceiling, seeing and hearing nothing around him, not even the pleas of the friends who tried to keep him from hurting himself. Who was he talking to? "Are you happy now, huh?! DOES THIS MAKE YOU HAPPY?!"

Despair had completely taken him over. "Caiseal, stop! Don't do this! What's going on?!" Julia cried in desperation. This was all wrong. None of this made any sense. Why was Caiseal acting like this? Hearing, seeing, and feeling him like this hurt her all over, like someone had smashed a glass bottle inside of her. This wasn't like him at all. Her desire to help him overpowered the awful, throbbing pain in her ears.

Gradually, Caiseal's agonizing screams simmered down to little more than pathetic, wretched sobbing. Apollo and Mallow released his arms from their grip, letting him down gently. Huge waterfalls of tears rushed out from his puffy, reddening hazel eyes, drowning his cheeks in warm water, not intent on stopping anytime soon. Julia closed her eyes. The sight of Caiseal looking so sad, so absolutely broken and full of despair was like a slap in the face. Goodness, she wanted so badly to help him! But how? How could she help him when she had no idea what was going on? Could she even help him at all?

"What's wrong?" She finally pushed out, the words little more than a meek whimper. "Caiseal?"

"I can't...I can't...go on like this…" Caiseal's normally cheery, boyish, steady voice was now trembling, shaky with abject sorrow. Julia could feel the despair all the way down into her bones. "I nearly died here once...and that's what Nollaig wanted!"

Julia pressed her lips into a thin line. Obviously, whoever this Nollaig person was, they were the reason Caiseal was like this now. She needed to know what happened, and she needed to know NOW. Caiseal needed someone to be here for him and help him. She, Apollo, and Mallow were here. They could help him right here, right now. But she knew she couldn't just barrel straight into asking him about his past. She needed to do it gently. It took all but seconds for her to get an idea of how to begin.

"Do you...want to talk about it? About what happened? I'll listen. We all will. I know there isn't much we can do to help, but...we're here for you," She hoped to Arceus this was right, that she wasn't being rude or pushy or doing something she shouldn't.

The walls Caiseal put up finally broke down, leaving nothing left. All this time, he had kept it all inside, figuring the girls didn't want to hear about his rocky past. It wasn't any of their business, he told himself. What would they gain from hearing about it? What would he himself get out of it? There was no point in dwelling on the past. But Julia made him feel safe. She withheld judgment and let him express himself. What was the point of hiding it now, especially since he, Perrine, and Julia had been through so much together? They accepted and liked him already. Something told him to finally open up to her. Enough was enough. Finally, he told his story.

All his life, Caiseal never felt wanted in his family. His father was barely around, usually working a lot of the time. His mother...she was around, but for some reason Caiseal was never able to figure out, his mother always treated him like he was a perpetual troublemaker. She usually ignored him 24/7 unless he did something bad, which was pretty much anything from not cleaning his room to helping his sister with her homework. He would even be blamed for things his little sister Violet admitted to doing, which made even less sense. Why would she blame him for things his sister confessed to doing? Neither he nor his sister knew, and even when he asked his mother why, she never gave him an answer.

It wasn't restricted to just at home, either. Whenever the family would go out, his mother would outright refuse to speak to him or about him in public. She would even refuse to buy him gifts on holidays or his birthday. Violet would draw pictures for him just so he could get something, and his friends and teachers gave him gifts as well. She never even picked him up from school. Caiseal had to learn to walk home from school from kindergarten onward. "You have two legs! You can walk yourself home like a man! If you expect me to carry you around all day, you're nothing but a big fat baby!" His mother barked at him, like the thought of picking her son up from school was like having to eat a rotten apple.

Nothing changed much over the years. But the more he went to school, the more he noticed that all of his classmates had mothers who loved them. Their mothers hugged them, gave them kisses, took them home from school, complimented them on their accomplishments, gave them birthday gifts, took them to places like the mountain or the park, all those things. Caiseal's mother never did any of those things with him. Only with Violet. Whenever Caiseal asked her questions at all, his mother would always either snap at him, ignore him, or yell at him, never answering any of his inquiries. It was all so confusing. She was always angry at him, verbally attacking him every chance she got, even when he wasn't doing anything.

"You're still wetting the bed at that age?! Are you ever going to grow up?! God, why do I have to be the one to deal with you?!"

"I'm the only person Violet needs! You're just gonna be a bad influence on her, I know it! You can't even be near her without causing some kind of trouble!"

"Oh, stop playing the victim, Caiseal! It's your own fault you broke your leg! I take my eyes off you for one second and you go and pull this stunt! Now I have to waste my hard earned money on hospital bills! I hope you're happy!"

"What is wrong with you?! I go out of my way to put food on the table and a roof over your head, and you straight up break my vase?! I don't want to hear your excuses! You dumb blockhead! You're setting a poor example for Violet!"

"You seriously want me to come to your school's festival and watch you run some relay race? Are you kidding me?! I have better things to do than watch you waste my valuable time! Don't ever talk to me about this crap ever again!"

"I'd be much happier if I didn't have to put up with you every single day of my life! Do you have any idea how embarrassing it is to be outside with you! Neighbors are always gossiping about me! Now whose fault do you think that is, huh?!"

Julia's heart sunk as Caiseal described the things his mother said to him. She actually said all of those things? To a child, no less? She had heard stories about children being abused and mistreated by their parents, but learning that Caiseal's own mother hated him for seemingly no reason...no wonder Caiseal hated talking about his mother. She didn't even dare to think about what life would be like if her own mother had treated her that way. How could a mother, a person who was supposed to love and care for her children no matter what, possibly find it in her to hate her own child? If she ever saw Caiseal's mother, she'd punch her so hard in the face, she hoped her teeth would come flying out. As far as she was concerned, a person like that shouldn't be having kids if she was going to treat him like that.

Caiseal continued on. Even though he did ask his mother why she treated him the way she did, he still never got an answer. Then, out of the blue, when he was nine, his mother put him in the car and drove him all the way out to the Ice Path. It was all the way at the edge of the city, far from their house, and Caiseal had no idea what was going on. To his horror, his mother did the unthinkable: she pushed him down into the Ice Path and left him there, driving away without looking back.

"Whoa! What?!" Julia's eyes went wide with alarm, standing right up from the block of ice she was sitting on. "Your mother just dumped you in here and straight up abandoned you?! Just like that?!"

Caiseal gave a solemn nod. "Pretty much."

To say Julia was appalled would be an understatement. What kind of mother would throw her child into a dangerous place like this? But more than that, a wave of guilt washed over her. No wonder Caiseal was so adamant about not wanting to go through the Ice Path, and everything else that led up to his breakdown earlier. To him, the Ice Path held too many terrible memories for him. Julia wished she hadn't been so persistent about dragging him through here. She felt horrible. What kind of friend would force someone to go through a place that traumatized them? A bad one, and Julia had done exactly what a friend shouldn't have.

"I...I had no idea…I'm sorry…I never should have been so pushy about this whole thing."

"It's alright," Caiseal reassured, calmer this time. "I never told you about all this, so how could you have known I hate this place with every fiber of my being?" He scratched at his hair, wanting to get the blood in his fingers pumping. By this time, the tears he shed finally stopped. "Then again, I guess part of it is my own fault for not mentioning this a lot sooner. I didn't want to bother you with my angst."

"You're never bothering us!" Julia exclaimed. "Don't ever think that!"

The down-trodden boy flashed a sad smile before continuing on. "Thanks. The minute I got in there, a big icicle almost fell on me. I could have died, but I got out of the way."

An icicle almost falling on him...just now, a big icicle almost fell on them both, had Julia not managed to push him out of the way. That must have been what triggered his breakdown before. The pieces came together. So that was what happened. Caiseal must have found himself reliving the same trauma from when he was thrown here all over again. Just like Geraldine when she would be lost in her memories and scream as they played in her head over and over. It all made sense.

"But how did you get out? Did someone rescue you?"

"Actually...a Jynx found me and led me out," Caiseal explained further.

After almost getting maimed by the icicle, a Jynx happened to appear out of nowhere. It seemed to notice his distress and didn't attack him. Instead, the Jynx gently showed him the way out. Seeing sunlight again never felt so good before then. But before Caiseal could say thanks, Jynx had already disappeared. However, being outside led to a whole new set of concerns. How was he going to get home? He was so far away from his house. It would take weeks, maybe months to get back home on foot. As far as Caiseal knew at the time, he had no money or any means to contact anyone.

With no other solutions, Caiseal just walked wherever he could. Since he had no money, he couldn't do anything like order food or stay at an inn or a hotel. Basically, he was rendered homeless. He did attempt to ask people if he could borrow their phones and call for help, but they all rejected him. They either ignored him, pushed him out of the way, or straight up told him to leave for whatever reason. Some of them outright said that they didn't want some homeless kid getting in the way of their business or getting their things dirty. He had to resort to stealing unfinished food from trash cans and sleeping in cardboard boxes just to get through every day. The more Julia heard, the more appalled she became. She did hear him mention he spent some time on the streets, but never heard the details. She couldn't help but imagine a sad, scared kid walking the streets, cold, hungry, and wearing nothing but rags, trying desperately to survive in a cruel world that didn't like anyone who was homeless.

"It went on like that for two months," Caiseal told her. "I was pretty lost. I had no idea where the police stations were, and asking for directions didn't work since nobody wanted anything to do with some kid in rags. I was starting to forget my phone number, and I couldn't call anyone…but then...one day…"

(flashback)

Caiseal shivered as he trudged through the snow, his soaked, water-heavy boots weighing his calloused feet down with every step he took. Snow crunched underneath his boots, with some of it melting into the rips in the seams. Sharp, frigid cold cut through him, his entire body shuddering. His nose was red and itchy, and he was sure he could feel the snot running down his nose turning into ice. His fingers were starting to go numb, and nothing he tried could warm them up. Not even Mallow rubbing them with his own hands worked anymore. Worse than that, Caiseal had no idea where they were. What was this place? Was he even still in Blackthorn? Nothing stood out to him. There were no landmarks he could identify, and the street signs might as well have been leading to another world.

Suddenly, his legs gave out, and he fell to his knees. "Ugh!" His soaked pants and exposed fingers met the snow, exacerbating the still lingering pain in his body. Everything stung.

"Cubone!" Mallow ran to his aid, putting both hands on his arm, looking at him with a worried expression. Even he could tell Caiseal wasn't going to last much longer out here. Humans weren't like Pokemon. "Cubone cubone!"

"Sorry, Mallow…" Caiseal could barely recognize his own voice. It had turned hoarse and dry, almost raspy, mostly from dehydration. Any water they could hope to access was frozen, and he didn't have any money, so just buying a bottle from a vending machine was impossible. So many things were in his reach, but he didn't have the means to actually get them. "I couldn't get you any food today…"

Mallow's eyes shrunk. Caiseal was more worried about Mallow's welfare than he was for himself? The Cubone shook his head, dismissing his friend's concerns. "Cubone!" Mallow was quick to put both hands on his shoulders, holding him up. But he could tell Caiseal was too tired to keep moving. His stomach roared in an undignified manner, begging for food, and the temperature was dropping. Caiseal didn't look as though he would last for much longer. His clothes were dirtier and more tattered than before, leaving him open to getting frostbite or hypothermia. Mallow couldn't let this happen.

"Ugh…" With a grunt, Caiseal found some extra energy and helped himself back to his feet. His legs wobbled, and he found himself unsteady, but he knew he couldn't stay here. "I'm so...hungry…" His eyesight blurred. Bodies all around him began to look more like blurry ovals, abstract colors against a white and gray background. Nothing looked real. He ran into something soft, but barely processed it.

A voice was quick to pull him out of his daze, and it wasn't Mallow's.

"Oh, goodness! Are you alright?" A woman's voice.

Caiseal looked up, meeting the woman's wide, shocked gaze. The blurry shape before him turned into a tall woman with deep brown skin, straight black hair arranged in a neat, smooth bob cut with her bangs held back with a light blue hair band. Pink lip gloss glittered along her mouth, glistening like freshly fallen snow underneath the sun's rays.

"Poor boy," The woman immediately dropped to his level, feeling his frigid face with her hand. "You're so cold! I'll bet you're hungry, too. Here, I think I have a granola bar in my bag I can spare," She was quick to rummage through her bag, searching for something she could give him.

But the more Caiseal stared at the woman, the more he realized...she was familiar. Her voice, her hairstyle, the shiny lip gloss. It was all starting to make a picture in his head. Wait a minute…

"...Mrs. Asher?!" The words just spilled right out, and Caiseal couldn't stop them.

The woman, Mrs. Asher, turned to face him, her eyes again wide with shock. Her hand was still in her bag, nowhere close to finding the granola bar she promised. "How do you...know my name?"

"It's me! Caiseal! Caiseal Brownstone!" The boy suddenly cried, using both hands to point to himself. Finally, someone he knew and recognized! This was his chance to get back home! Away from the snow, away from the cold, away from tattered clothes, starving on the streets, everything. But did she even recognize him? Would she? "You were my teacher at school!"

He got his answer right away. Mrs. Asher gaped, silent for a few moments before finally finding her voice again. "Now that I look at you…" Mrs. Asher looked closer. Then a hand flew to her chin, her voice rising an octave or two from the horrible revelation. "My word! It really IS you, Caiseal! How in the world did you wind up all the way out here?! What happened to you? You look like you haven't had clean clothes, a good meal, and a bath in months!"

He had to admit, she was right. Caiseal could only shrug, but inside, relief washed over him.

A warm, comforting hand wrapped around his smaller, red one. "Well, you're not staying out here a minute longer!" Without any hesitation, she started walking, Caiseal in hand, taking him with her. "I'll take you to my house. We're only about ten miles north from southern Blackthorn, so it shouldn't be too long-"

"Wait!" But they were forgetting someone. Caiseal firmly planted his feet into the snow, refusing to budge. "Wait! Can Mallow come with me?"

Mrs. Asher stopped. "Mallow?"

Caiseal pointed to the Cubone standing just a few feet away. "He's my friend! Please don't leave him here! Can he come, too?"

Mallow could hear the desperation in his voice. It was impossible to resist going with him. The lonely Pokemon ran right up to them, standing by Caiseal's side in a reassuring, protective stance. Mrs. Asher couldn't believe her eyes. Where had this Cubone come from? Had it been with Caiseal this entire time? From what she could tell, Caiseal seemed to like this Pokemon, and it liked him. At this point, there was no room for arguing or questioning anything further. Without a word, she nodded and escorted the two of them to her car. They both sat in the back seat, and Mrs. Asher called her husband on her cell phone, letting him know what happened and that she was on her way home. As soon as he went inside the car, Caiseal wanted to stay in there forever. It was warm! The heat was on at full blast, far better than the wet, slushy snow that always made him feel wet and soggy all the time.

But even better was the hot bath and the warm meal Mrs. Asher made for him when they made it to her house. Warm water! Real food! Clean, fresh clothes! A roof over his head! Before, Caiseal had always taken these things for granted, and normally hated meatloaf, even if it was served with white rice and corn. Now, he wouldn't trade these things for all the gold and jewelry in the world. The food warmed him right up from the inside, filling his empty stomach, finally satiating the lingering hunger that had plagued him for so long. Caiseal wanted to just melt, drowsy and happy from all of the good things Mrs. Asher and her husband were giving him. It was like he was in heaven.

His teacher took great pains to make sure he was taken care of: lending him some of her husband's clothes, big as they admittedly were, blow drying his wet, matted hair, and giving him seconds whenever he asked for more to eat. She even took care of some of the cuts and injuries on his hands, feet, and legs, disinfecting them however she could. Not only that, she had some Pokemon food to spare for Mallow. After about three hours, Caiseal and Mallow found themselves sitting in front of a fireplace, watching the big flame dance before them, listening to the crackling noises the wood made from being charred, happy and revitalized. Mrs. Asher sat down next to him, figuring this was a good time to finally talk to him.

"You've been missing from school for about two months," Mrs. Asher told him. "Everyone's been worried sick about you."

If Caiseal had any energy in his legs, he would have sprung right back on his feet. But at this point, his tired legs were content to stay where they were. Even so, Caiseal's eyes widened, and he almost fell over, had Mallow not managed to be nearby, stopping him from losing his balance. "Two months?! Seriously?!" He screamed.

Mrs. Asher nodded. "Unfortunately, yes. I filed a missing person's report when you didn't show up after four days, and I did stop by your house to check on you, but nobody answered the door. I eventually called the police, but they said there wasn't much I could do, since I wasn't family," She explained calmly. "Thank Arceus I ran into you when I did."

Thank Arceus, indeed. Caiseal flashed a sheepish smile. Yvette Asher had always been his favorite teacher in school. Kind, friendly, open-minded, enthusiastic, but not excessively so. She made learning fun, and even when Caiseal had trouble with his homework, she always made time to help him out and assist him in solving problems in ways he could understand. She actually cared, not just about him, but all of her students. Unlike his mother, Mrs. Asher made him feel appreciated, like he mattered. He remembered the radiant joy on her face when Caiseal made her a special card out of construction paper for Valentine's Day. It was just a silly little card with lace glued along the edges, nothing more. He had made it for his mother, but decided against giving it to her, knowing she'd hate it and yell at him for it. He had nothing else to do with it, so he gave it to his teacher, thinking she'd like it a little. But from the way she reacted when she received it, smiling so big that her cheeks hurt, it was like a king had given her a million dollars.

It was one of the happiest days in Caiseal's young life.

"Now, can you tell me what exactly happened?"

Where could he start? There was so much to say, but Caiseal could barely put it all into words. He did manage to tell Mrs. Asher about how his mother suddenly drove him to the Ice Path without word or warning, then left him there and never came back. After that, everything seemed to spill right out of him, how he and Mallow subsisted on the streets, trying to find food and never getting any most days. He had no access to a phone, and had no idea where any police stations were. Anyone he met wanted him to just go away, wanting nothing to do with some kid in rags. The more he talked, the more appalled Mrs. Asher became, her eyes widening and mouth falling more and more with every word she heard. Even Mallow couldn't believe what he was hearing, having almost fallen over from shock himself when he heard Caiseal mention how he got into the Ice Path. That really happened? To both Mrs. Asher and Mallow, it was a miracle Caiseal managed to survive.

"My God...you've been through so much!" Mrs. Asher exclaimed, her voice shaking. She took a deep breath shortly after, taking a second to compose herself. "Caiseal. What your mother did to you is not okay. Driving you all the way out to the Ice Path, leaving you there, and never coming back, straight up abandoning you? That's child endangerment. She put your life in danger. You could have died."

It hit him like a lightning bolt right then and there. That's right! Everything did start with his mother throwing him into the Ice Path! But...did she really abandon him? She and Caiseal never did have the best relationship, but would she really be so bad as to abandon him? Could parents really be that cold and cruel? No, it couldn't be right. His mother wouldn't do that. Would she? But he couldn't deny what Mrs. Asher was saying. It was true that his mother was the reason he was on the streets, and he did want answers. Why did she do that to him? Why didn't she come back for him? Why? Nothing about his mother's actions made any sense.

Something else worried him as well.

"I need to see my sister," Caiseal finally said, clutching a piece of the warm blanket Mrs. Asher's husband wrapped around him earlier. "She's probably worried sick about me. I want to get home and let her know that I'm okay. She probably thinks I ran away or died or something."

Mrs. Asher's eyebrows furrowed. "I honestly don't think that's a good idea. Considering that your mother did this to you, I highly doubt she'd even let you inside, much less let you see your sister."

He had expected this response. But it did nothing to suppress his desire to go back home. Unable to accept this answer, Caiseal raised his voice, but only slightly. "But Violet needs me! I want to see her!" He exclaimed. No longer was his voice hoarse and dry like before. Even he was surprised at how quickly it returned just from having a hot meal. "Can't we at least stop by?"

A firm hand rested on Caiseal's shoulder. "I understand your concerns. Really, I do. I know you want to go home so badly," She looked straight into his eyes. Caiseal could see kindness and concern in her bright irises. Something he never saw in his mother's eyes. But her voice left no room for arguments. "I'm just concerned about whether your home is a good environment for you or not. I'm not stupid. I've seen the way your mother treats you and talks about you. None of what she's been doing to you is okay. For all you know, she might not react favorably to your return."

It wasn't like she didn't have any good points. Caiseal could see grains of truth in her words. In fact, she was right. She had seen the way his mother had treated him. One time, kids and their parents had to meet with their teachers to discuss the child's progress in their education, with the kids present. Caiseal's mother did meet Mrs. Asher, but instead of actively trying to engage in a dialogue with her, Caiseal's mother kept complaining about getting dragged here instead of attending Violet's music lessons, and kept asking if Caiseal caused trouble. When she didn't get the answers she wanted, she simply walked out of the classroom, dragging Caiseal along with her, and then yelling at him all throughout the walk to the car. Mrs. Asher could hear everything from down the hall, Caiseal's mother was so loud. Mrs. Asher had every right to be concerned, and knowing that she cared for him was everything Caiseal ever wanted and never got from his own mother.

"That doesn't matter!" Caiseal clenched his fists. At this point, he didn't care if his mother would reject him if he went to his house. More than anything, he wanted to see his baby sister again. The only person in the family who ever cared about him. "I still want to let Violet know I'm okay! Please? It'll just be for a few minutes!"

There was a brief silence. Caiseal could see the pensive look on her face. She pondered deeply. Then, she looked back at Caiseal.

"Alright. I'll take you to your house first thing tomorrow morning," Mrs. Asher finally answered. "But I'm going with you just in case things get ugly. The second something bad happens, I'm getting you out of there."

As happy as Caiseal was in that moment, he was going to wish he had never gone back to his house, even just to see Violet.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, Caiseal and Mallow slept in a warm, comfy bed, happy and safe, protected from the elements. Caiseal slept like a log, lost in beautiful dreams, deep in the best sleep he ever had. The next morning, Mrs. Asher-her husband referred to her by her first name, which was Yvette-made breakfast for everyone and let Caiseal get ready. True to her word, she drove her student and his Pokemon to Caiseal's house. As it turned out, it was only about ten minutes from Yvette's house by car. Caiseal had to wonder how he managed to travel so far on foot and manage to come this close to getting home.

When the car pulled up, Caiseal looked out the window, unable to believe his eyes. His house was the same as it always had been. Finally, he was home! Unable to contain himself any longer, Caiseal burst out of the car, running toward the porch. "Caiseal, wait!" Yvette and Mallow followed him. Caiseal pulled a key out from under a mat, opened the door, and went right inside.

"Mom? Violet?" The second Caiseal stepped into his house, a warm feeling washed over him. He was home. After so long, he was back where he belonged. But where was his mom and Violet? "Hello? It's me, Caiseal!"

"We're sorry to intrude…" Yvette stepped inside soon after, with Mallow catching up to Caiseal.

Then! "Caiseal?!" A young girl's voice cut through the silence. Footsteps thundered in the next room, and a small girl of about seven or eight years old came sprinting into the living room, stopping upon meeting Caiseal's eyes. The girl's blonde ponytail swished with her movements, and her purple eyes shrunk in a combination of both shock and joy. Caiseal was sure he'd melt right then and there. His cup of happiness was overflowing by this point.

"Hi, Violet. I'm back."

"BIG BROTHER!" With a loud, high pitched squeal, Violet threw herself onto her brother, almost making him stumble and fall over. But he was bigger than her, so he managed to keep himself steady. Her thin arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders, squeezing him hard, like she didn't want to let him go ever again. Caiseal couldn't blame her. He hugged her back just as tight. By God, it felt so good to be with his sister again! Her warmth, her love, the scent of lavender laundry detergent coming from her shirt, her sun-kissed blonde hair...it was just as he remembered. "I thought I'd never see you again!" Violet cried. "Mom said you ran away and never came back!"

Ran away? Any joy that was in his heart was pushed to the curb. His mother said that he ran away? He clenched his hands into fists. She lied to Violet and told her he ran away? That was the biggest lie he had ever heard! But he couldn't allow himself to be angry right now. Violet needed him. Keeping his smile on, he simply answered, "I didn't run away. Man, I have so much to tell you, I don't even know where to start. Well, I'm back and a-okay," He tried to sound optimistic, but Yvette could tell it sounded forced. Mallow knew it as well.

Suddenly, Violet released Caiseal from her iron grip, her eyes sparkling with delight. "I gotta tell Mom about this!"

"Wait!" Caiseal knew where this was going. "Wait, Violet! Don't-" He tried to stop her, but Violet was lost in her excitement and already dashed into the back hall.

"Mom! Mom! Caiseal's back! Isn't this great?!"

Her upbeat, delighted voice bounced off the walls. No sooner did Violet finish yelling Caiseal's return to the entire house, that a new set of footsteps thundered across the hall. Unlike Violet's, this set of feet pounded the floors, like the thundering of a Ponyta's hooves during a stampede. A woman dashed into the living room, strands of her frizzy blonde hair flying all over the place. But what was most striking to both Caiseal and Yvette was her expression in that moment. Normally, mothers who reunite with their missing children would be overcome with joy. Running to them in tearful embraces, hugging them so tight, they would never let them go again. Telling them how happy they were to see them again, how they missed them, how everything would be back to normal, and how much they loved them.

Caiseal's mother didn't do any of those things. Instead, she just stared at him, her eyes huge and wide, and her teeth were clenched together, like she was trying hard not to say anything at all. But Caiseal recognized that look all too well.

Her eyes were wide with fear, but glowing with absolute, indignant fury.

She let out a high pitched scream shortly afterward. Everything turned into a blur at this point. Objects flew in Caiseal's direction, with some hitting him right in the face. A tissue box. Several throw pillows. An empty flower vase that he thankfully evaded. All he could see was his mother's red face, blazing hot with anger he had never seen before now. He had seen her be angry before, but this was a whole new level that was too much. Everything around him turned into blurry, abstract shapes.

"What are you doing?! Don't-!"

"You monster! I got rid of you! Did you come back to kill me?! Or kill Violet?! Why are you here?!"

Monster? Caiseal's body trembled. None of this made any sense. Why was she calling him a monster? She had never called him that before. His head and heart began to pound. Every sound he heard was like a hammer pounding nails into wood, each pound hurting worse than the last. Everything throbbed. In his head, in his heart, in his body. But one thing did register to him. She admitted she deliberately got rid of him. The scene of her throwing him in the Ice Path and then leaving played through his mind once more. Everything hurt.

She really did abandon him?

"Get out of here! Get out of my house, you murderer! I know you're here to kill me and Violet!" She screamed, having gone far beyond hysterical by this point.

"Ma'am! Mrs. Brownstone-Nollaig, please! Calm down! This isn't-!"

But Caiseal's mother paid Yvette no heed. Suddenly, his mother rammed right into him, throwing him straight out of the house. Caiseal fell right on his back, frigid snow cutting through his entire being. Cold bit at every layer of his skin, dampening the warm coat Yvette had lent him. So many things were running through his head, even as Mallow ran over and helped him up. Nothing made any sense. His head was swirling in all different directions. What was this? What was going on? She called him a murderer. But he never killed anyone. Did his mother...really hate him that much?

"Hello? Yes. I'd like to report a case of child abuse. One of my students is being attacked by his mother right now. She's absolutely hysterical!"

No. This couldn't be right. It just couldn't. Everything inside of him was breaking. Suddenly, his vision was clear. He stood up of his own volition. This wasn't right! He had to know what was going on, why she was doing all of this, and he needed to know NOW.

"Mom! Why did you leave me at the Ice Path?!" Caiseal finally shouted. All he could hear was his mother's frantic panting, Yvette on the phone calling the police, and Violet crying wildly from inside the house. It was here that he finally got a good look at her. Nollaig's eyes were blood red, and she bared her teeth like she was a Houndoom ready to eat its prey whole. It was the same anger in her eyes he had always seen directed at him and only him. "Why do you hate me so much?! What did I do that was so bad?!" Caiseal pleaded, his voice shaking.

Nobody was prepared for what Nollaig's answer would be. Absolutely nobody. Caiseal couldn't have anticipated this one bit.

"I was...pregnant with twins...but one day I wasn't!" Nollaig choked out, her voice hoarse and dry from all the screaming she did. She sounded broken. Completely, abjectly broken. "The doctor said...that one fetus...consumed the other."

What? What was she saying? Caiseal blinked several times, hoping everything she said would make sense the second time around. It didn't. Gradually, his mind broke everything down. A fetus was the name for a baby that was still in their mother's stomach. Consume was a big word for eat. A baby eating a baby while inside their mother's stomach? Could that even happen? He fell to his knees, the snow biting at the exposed skin. But at this point, Caiseal couldn't feel the cold at all. Suddenly, everything made complete sense! His mother always yelling at him for everything, calling him a murderer even though he never killed anyone, what she was saying right now.

"You...you hated me...even when I wasn't born yet?" His voice was small, weak, and pathetic, just like he was now.

It was then that everything finally hit him.

His mother truly did hate him and his very existence.

How could she do this to him?

Everything turned to white noise. Except for his mother screeching in the loudest, most hateful voice she could muster.

"YOU'RE ROTTEN TO THE CORE! YOU'RE A MURDERER! I HATED YOU EVEN WHEN YOU WERE INSIDE OF ME! IF YOU'RE CAPABLE OF KILLING YOUR OWN TWIN, WHAT ELSE ARE YOU CAPABLE OF?! YOU'RE A DEMON CHILD SENT BY DARKRAI TO MAKE MY LIFE HELL! YOU'RE GOING TO GROW UP TO BE A KILLER! I NEVER SHOULD HAVE GIVEN BIRTH TO YOU!"

"Nollaig! Stop this right now!"

Caiseal saw nothing. He felt and heard nothing. Everything except his soul and heart being torn to pieces, far beyond any kind of repair. All that unfolded before him was so strange. It was like he had been hit by a freight train and left for dead. But at this point, Caiseal didn't mind dying. He was sure death would be way better than knowing of this awful truth. Not even Mallow putting a hand on his shoulder in a pitiful attempt at comfort and reassurance could pull him out of the freezing hole Nollaig threw him into. Everything Caiseal knew was a complete and utter lie. He tried to tell himself that none of this was true. This was all just a dream. A horrible nightmare.

But the nightmare was real. He was already awake.

Ghostly red and blue lights lit up the cloudy suburb. Yvette and Nollaig screamed at each other, with the latter doing most of the screaming. Snowflakes floated down from the heavens. They were so gentle...that their ethereal touch was practically merciless.

"How can you do this to Caiseal?! He's your son! You shouldn't treat him like that!"

"Oh, like you know anything! You don't have children, so you couldn't possibly understand!"

"You're right. I don't have kids. But I know that if I were any good mother, I would NEVER abuse my child or blame them for something that isn't their fault!"

"Get that murderer away from me! Get him out of my sight! He'll hurt my darling Violet!"

"Hey, kid? Hello? Are you alright?"

Abject, unending sorrow gripped Caiseal's heart like a vice. What was going to happen now? This was so much worse than anything he could have imagined. The sadness had blasted through all the shock and horror and every other emotion that had prevented him from feeling anything else. Tears gushed down his face, stinging his reddening cheeks, warm against the merciless cold. This was awful. Too awful. How could his own mother do this to him, and right in front of Violet? Suddenly, he pounded his fist into the snow. Then pounded it a second time, and another, and another. A rush of anger went right through him, and no matter how much he punched the snow, it would never go away. Unable to take it any longer, all of the sorrow and anger that amassed in the deepest parts of his soul left him in a flood of tears and primal, almost inhuman screams that echoed into the cloudy skies of Blackthorn suburbia. He wanted the sadness to squeeze the life out of him. Death had to be better than this, right?

In that moment, his life was over. Everything was as dark as the pitch black of night, and his screams still lingered.

(end flashback)

"Wait wait wait wait wait! Hold up!" Julia waved her hands back and forth. "Let me get this straight: Your mom hated your very existence and abandoned you all because...as a fetus you supposedly...ate your twin? And because of that, she thinks you're gonna grow up to be some psycho murderer who kills people for kicks?"

"Basically."

Julia had never heard a stranger-and sadder-story in her whole entire life. Caiseal had been mistreated by his mother, then abandoned, and when he came back, his mother cast him out with no remorse or guilt, claiming he was some monster out to hurt her and her daughter. What kind of mother would do that to their kid? Her heart completely broke for him. But it was hard to wrap her brain around the concept of a fetus eating its own twin. Was that even possible? That could actually happen? She had seen plenty of medical shows, many of which showed people with all kinds of strange deformities and ailments, like a person whose legs fused together to look like a mermaid's tail. A man with many extra limbs on various parts of his body. Conjoined twins whose heads were stuck together. Babies who were pregnant with their own twins.

"Ohhh!" Julia tapped her palm with her fist, a revelation striking her like a lightning bolt. "This reminds me of something I saw on TV once! It was talking about babies who were born but turned out to be pregnant with their twins! I think it was called...fetus in fetu! Yeah, that's it!"

"Huh?" Caiseal looked up at his friend, confused. Why in the world was she talking about that at a time like this? Was this her way of trying to understand and process this new information? He hoped that was the case. If he didn't know better, he would have thought she was being really insensitive right now.

Suddenly, Mallow gently poked Julia in the arm with his bone, taking her mind off of the strange concepts swimming around in her head. Julia looked down at Mallow, wondering why he did that. She could see the serious look on his face. Mallow slowly shook his head.

"Marowak marowak," ("Please don't do that. It's not helping.") Mallow told her in a low voice.

It didn't take long for Julia to realize her error. Caiseal told her something very personal, and she was so wrapped up in the whole fetus-eating-its-twin concept and trying to make sense of it that she completely ignored him and his feelings entirely. Julia mentally kicked herself for being so insensitive, even if she didn't mean to come off that way.

"Oh! Right! I'm sorry, Cash," Julia stammered. "I shouldn't have gone on that tangent just now."

"It's fine," Caiseal said. "I thought it was really weird myself. But it turns out it's an actual thing."

Some stray tears fell from his eyes. Julia could feel some trickling down her face as well. She had never expected to hear anything like this, ever. How could anyone mistreat their own child, and for something that wasn't their fault? It wasn't like Caiseal wanted to absorb his twin. It did explain a lot of things: why Caiseal was so guarded when they first met, his reluctance to talk about his past, how streetsmart he was, the frequent nightmares he would have...gradually, everything made more sense. But it didn't make the revelation any less heartbreaking. Just looking at Caiseal right now, looking so weak, helpless, and pathetic, words that absolutely did not suit her friend at all, made her feel awful. This was too much. She wished she could heal all of his pain and make him happy! But what could she possibly do? The damage had already been done, and she knew a pain like this would never be healed in a day or two. This was the kind of scar that would last a lifetime, and there would never be a bandage big enough for it.

"I...I had no idea…" Julia wiped her eyes, putting a hand on Twilight to keep herself steady. What could she possibly say to all of this? But she knew she had to say something. The stagnant silence was making her uncomfortable. "Umm...is there...anything I can do to help? I can't...stand seeing you so sad like this."

Out of nowhere, Caiseal suddenly stood up from the frozen floor. He whirled towards Julia, staring her down with red eyes, wet with tears, but blazing hot with anger. Julia took in a sharp breath. What was going on? He suddenly got very close, too close, practically invading her personal space, fixing her with a furious stare that burned into her whole being. This didn't make sense. Why was he angry? Apollo and Mallow exchanged confused glances. This wasn't like him at all!

"Caiseal? What-?"

"So you want to make me happy, huh?" He spat the word out like it was poison.

What was wrong with that? Julia tried to back away, walking backwards, but Caiseal wouldn't let her out of his sight. The anger in his eyes...it hurt. It hurt everywhere inside her. She was trapped, and he wasn't letting her escape.

"What? Are you saying you want to fix me?! Is that it?!"

"What?!" Julia yelped. None of this made any sense. The muscles in Caiseal's arms tensed, his hands balled into tight fists, and his voice rose with every word he hissed out. "That's not what I'm saying at all! Where'd you even get that idea?!" Julia shouted back. This wasn't right. None of it was.

"Marowak!" "Grahh!" At this point, Caiseal didn't hear his own Pokemon protesting.

Everything about Caiseal overwhelmed and overpowered her at this point. Everything was turned up to the highest volume. Caiseal was way too close, his angry eyes burned into her, he bared his teeth like a hungry Houndoom, and he was screaming now. Julia covered her ears, but it did nothing to muffle his shouting. This wasn't like him. She wanted it to stop. She wanted him to just quiet down and back off. Why wasn't he listening?

"What are you gonna do, huh?! You gonna swoop in on your flaming horse and save the day?!" The indignation in Caiseal's voice bounced off the icy walls, creating explosions in Julia's ears. "Stop the nightmares?! Turn everything back to the way it was?! Make my twin magically come back from the dead?! Convince my mother that I'm not the heartless, monstrous psycho murderer she's so convinced I am?!"

The tears flowed on both sides this time. He needed to stop yelling. Stop screaming. This wasn't helping. Julia wanted to run. Run away. Run from his anger.

"Well, you CAN'T!" Caiseal roared, all of his rage pouring right out. "NOBODY CAN, AND NOBODY EVER WILL!"

"STOP YELLING AT ME!"

Unable to watch any further, Apollo grabbed Caiseal from behind and pulled him into a tight hug. His warm, long arms wrapped around his trainer as he gently backed away at least three feet, giving Julia a chance to finally escape. She didn't go too far. Only about three or four feet away from where they stood. Apollo fell to his knees, taking Caiseal down with him, squeezing him tight, protecting him like a force field. Julia buried her face in her hands, leaning against a nearby crystalized rock for support.

Apollo let out a low growl as he watched Caiseal take in fast, frantic breaths. "Caiseal...I know you're hurting. We all do. But don't take it out on her," He told him sympathetically. "Breathe. Calm down. Take deep breaths."

Caiseal's chest heaved with every breath he inhaled, cold air burning his lungs. Mallow approached him soon after, wrapping one of his hands around his trainer's and shaking his bone-covered head in disapproval. Eventually, Caiseal came to his senses, especially when he saw the frightened, vulnerable look in Julia's eyes. Remorse suddenly kicked his anger to the wayside. What had he done? How could he do this to her? All she tried to do was help and be there for him, and he did nothing but take his anger out on her! He had hurt one of the very few people who liked him and accepted him for who he was, who was extremely sensitive to anger and people yelling. More tears flowed forth as he slumped to his knees, shuddering as wretched, remorseful sobs escaped him.

"Oh God...I'm so sorry...I'm sorry Jule...I shouldn't have…!" He blubbered, voice shaking, no longer loud and harsh with anger from before.

"Marowak," ("It's fine. We know you're just frustrated and scared.") Mallow told him reassuringly, rubbing his shoulder.

It was easy to see how sincere he was right now. Julia knew he never meant anything he said just now. Wiping some of her own tears away, she took a minute to calm herself before walking up to Caiseal herself.

"It's okay, Caiseal," She whispered. She had to admit, it was strange to see Caiseal so weak, vulnerable, and so utterly, completely sad like this. He had always been brave, optimistic, and confident about everything, especially Pokemon. That was what she always liked about him. He never let anything get him down. In a way, she was jealous of how he was always able to say whatever he wanted and do whatever he wanted without getting reprimanded for it by just about everyone. He was always strong, even when things got really tough. Looking at him now, shuddering with abject sorrow, reliving his awful past...the sight was too much. Stray tears escaped her eyes.

"I'm sorry as well. I never should have been so pushy about coming here," She admitted. Guilt sprung back inside her, and she couldn't ignore it even if she wanted to. "If I had known about what you've been through, I would have gladly taken that other path you suggested without complaint, even if it was filled with poison type Pokemon. In a way, I hurt you and didn't even know it."

Caiseal simply wiped his eyes with his sleeve, not caring about all the tear stains he left on a coat that wasn't his.

"We don't have to stay here anymore," She told him. "We can leave. Go back the way we came. We don't ever have to come through here ever again if you don't want to. We can take that other road like you suggested."

The last place Caiseal wanted to be was here. This was just too much. He wanted nothing more than to run away and never come back. But...they were here now. Getting out of here wasn't going to be easy, especially not the way back to Mahogany Town. Besides, he was still alive. His friends were here with him. Julia, Perrine, Apollo, Mallow, all of his other Pokemon...they all stood by his side and never wavered in their love for him. They could have easily abandoned him once he told them about what happened to him, and they didn't. They were going out of their way to help him, even as he was scared to death. Besides, Perrine was still missing. They needed to find her.

No. He didn't want to run away anymore. He couldn't let his fear win. Sure, he never wanted to come back here again, but his desire to find Perrine, win his final badge, and get into the Pokemon League overpowered his fear in that moment.

He stood back up. "I appreciate the offer, but...I'll have to decline. We need to keep going. We're getting close to Blackthorn City, so there's no point in trying to go back the way we came," He explained, calmer and more composed this time. "I'm not going to run away this time."

Apollo and Mallow smiled. Soon after, Julia stood back up. "I...I admit, I don't know much about this whole...eating your own twin thing...but!" She clenched her fists and looked straight at Caiseal, her green eyes brimming with conviction. "Your mom's wrong about you! Everything she said about you isn't true at all! You're not a monster or a killer or a demon or a bad person or anything!"

For the first time in a long while, Caiseal found himself speechless.

"I know what you're like! You're brave, kind, strong, confident, caring, and you love your Pokemon just like I do!" Julia continued on. "A real monster wouldn't care for their friends, family, or their Pokemon! A real monster would never risk their life to help people! I still remember back in the Ruins of Alph, you protected Apollo from that one Team Rocket guy's whip! Would a real monster really do that?"

Warmth surged in his heart. She was right. The memory of that day was still vivid in his mind. Yannick's whip lashing his back. Julia and Perrine crying out for him to stop. Protecting Apollo with every ounce of strength he had, determined to make sure that man didn't lay so much as a fingernail on his precious friend. Apollo evolving into a Quilava soon afterward. Apollo himself let out a low, pleased growl, smiling in Caiseal's direction.

"Besides, just because you ate your twin doesn't make you evil or a murderer!" Julia exclaimed. "Maybe there was never a twin at all and the doctors got confused the first time! Or...or...or maybe your twin died while still in the womb and became a part of you so you could live in their place! Anything could have happened! Your mom should never have mistreated you the way she did, and what happened wasn't your fault either! It's not like you wanted to absorb your twin!" She knew just telling him all of this wasn't going to fix his problems. But he needed someone who was there for him, to support him in his time of need. She wished she had something better to say, but at this point, what she was telling him now was better than nothing.

Having witnessed the awful event himself, Mallow nodded in agreement. "Marowak marowak marowak," ("I'm with her on this one. We're all here for you no matter what.") He told his trainer.

"You're our friend, Caiseal!" Julia reaffirmed, putting a hand on his shoulder. "We would never abandon you no matter what, and we never will!"

For the first time since before he entered the Ice Path, Caiseal finally managed to smile. He didn't need to know what Mallow was saying to know he meant what he said. After all, Mallow, Apollo, and Julia were here now. He was here with his friends. Gradually, the fear in his heart began to dissipate.

"I'm so glad...you guys are here…" He murmured, his hazel eyes looking dazed. But Julia could tell he was happy.

On the other hand, Julia wasn't. Her tears came falling right out, and once she removed her hand from Caiseal's shoulder, she succumbed to a fit of passionate wailing. "You've been through so many terrible things! You're mom's horrible!"

Caiseal, Apollo, and Mallow exchanged awkward glances. "You don't need to feel sorry for me, y'know."

"I can't help it! That's the saddest thing I ever heard! You deserved better than to be treated like that by your own mother!" Julia wailed, lamenting all that Caiseal had been through. Her soft little heart broke for him after hearing his tale. She cried for him, for all of the abuse he endured, for all he missed, for what he could have been, for the terrible fate Arceus had given to him…

"Smoochum!"

A squeaky voice cut through the air. It was enough to make Julia stop crying, as she wanted to hear it better. Both she, Caiseal, and the Pokemon turned towards Smoochum, who ran right up to them, smiling brightly. "Smoochum Smoochum!" ("I found Mommy, and she's gonna help us!") Smoochum told them, flapping her stubby arms up and down.

Then, just as Smoochum told them that, another Pokemon came into view. Mallow quickly held up his bone in a defensive stance, and Mallow got down on all fours. Coming closer, the Pokemon in question appeared just behind Smoochum. It had the same color hair as Smoochum, only its bangs were part down the middle, and its hair reached all the way down to its lower back. Most of its body consisted of a red, dress-like gown, hiding whatever feet it had, and its arms were white, though its hands and fingers were purple, just like its face. Large, pink lips formed its mouth, and they moved upward as the Pokemon smiled at the two humans.

"Jynx jynx!" The Pokemon greeted them, waving at them with one hand.

Julia beamed. "Wow, a Jynx! I've never seen one in person before!"

"So this is your mom?" Caiseal asked Smoochum.

The smaller Pokemon shook its head in agreement. "Chuuum!"

Suddenly, Jynx slid slightly closer to Caiseal, looking at him with large, interested eyes, like she was examining him closely. It was Julia's turn to glance awkwardly at Mallow and Apollo. What was going on? Did the Jynx know him somehow? Or had she never seen humans before? Jynx flashed a huge grin, wrapping her arms around Caiseal and pulling him into a hug.

"Whoa! What the?!" Caiseal yelped, his eyes wide like a startled Pidgey. Thankfully, the hug didn't last long, as Jynx immediately released him. But she did keep both hands on his shoulders.

"Jynx jynx jynx!" Jynx warbled, its large eyes gleaming with delight.

But Julia heard every word, remembering what Caiseal had told her earlier. A Jynx had escorted him out of the Ice Path back when he was nine. It was her turn to smile this time. "Cash! Jynx says she recognizes you from three years ago! She's the one who found you and led you out of the cave before!"

Caiseal's mouth fell agape. This Jynx was the same one who helped him? It couldn't be! The Ice Path was home to a lot of ice Pokemon. Jynx were common in this place. But it did explain why Jynx hugged him just now. "Do you...remember me?"

Jynx nodded. "Jynx!"

A strange warmth swept over him. Her hands were cold, like ice, but to Caiseal, they may as well have been the kind warmth of a mother's hands. He remembered Jynx finding him in the path way back then, gently taking him by the hand and pulling him back towards the entrance without a fuss. It never even occurred to her to attack him. Then he stole a glance at Smoochum. Smoochum said this Jynx was her mother. It had been three years since their first encounter…

"So you have a kid now, huh? That's great," That was all Caiseal could push out from his throat.

The ice Pokemon grinned bigger. "Jynx jynx!"

"Oh!" Julia clapped her hands once and approached Jynx. "Excuse me, Miss Jynx. We don't mean you any harm," She began, keeping her voice calm and composed. "A group of Sneasel attacked us, and we got separated from one of our friends. We're also trying to find the exit. Would it be okay if you helped us, please?" The gears in Julia's head were turning. If Jynx managed to help Caiseal way back then, she could possibly help them now.

It took only seconds for Jynx to nod and beckon for them to follow her. "Jynx jynx jynx!"

"Yes!" Caiseal cheered. "Finally, we're gonna get outta this place!"

"Marowak!"

"Graah!"

With Jynx leading the way, the kids and the Pokemon stayed close, that way they wouldn't be separated again. Caiseal held a hand to his chest. No longer did he feel his heart pounding violently like before. His heartbeat returned to a steady rhythm. But more than that, he was no longer afraid.

"Julia...Mallow...Apollo...Jynx...everyone...I'm so glad you're my friends."

Not only that, he felt lighter than before, like a Hoppip floating on the breeze. Had a weight been lifted off of him? Probably so. He didn't feel as frustrated or angry as before. A thought entered his mind right then: When they met back up with Perrine and got out of here, he would open up to her and tell her everything.

---

A/N: Whew! Now this is definitely a super long chapter! It took me way too long to get this done! But it was well worth it, and I really enjoyed working on this one! I really do hope it delivers. Finally, I've revealed Caiseal's past after building up to it for over 40 some chapters! And yes, the Yvette who adopted him is the same woman he spoke to on the video phone from chapter 30 (The one called A Quarrel Among Friends). Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, even if you choose not to read it in one sitting. Next up, Blackthorn City! Until next time!

Now I'm gonna work on chapter 5 of my new Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons fic.