Chapter 14: Where the way to the dungeon is exhausting already.

Aaron closed his bag, filled to the brim with stuff.

"Good thing we stocked up and can go right to our destination once we know where we need to go!"

"Aaron?", Mo said. "You know, I tried to stay positive the last weeks. And you know it went pretty well lately."

"What is it?", Aaron asked him. Behind him, Charlotte was already fast asleep again, rocking on her log.

"They probably wouldn't hide something important like this key somewhere everyone would be able to go to.", Mo explained. "What I'm saying is, this could be our hardest mission till now. And I'm a little afraid."

Aaron sat by his side and put one of his ribbons around him.

"Don't hug me when I'm scared.", Mo told him and Aaron let him go slowly.

"It's always funny when you're the one who is afraid of something. When we walk around, many Pokémon are afraid of you.", Aaron tried to joke.

"That's not funny. That's just sad.", Mo told him.

Silence. They just sat there and waited for something to happen.

Mo broke the silence.

"I appreciate our friendship.", he just said.

Shortly after, Alfons entered their room and told them to meet Hilarius in his room now. It was their turn now.

In the guild master's room, Hialrius was expecting them. He handed them a map of the Grass Continent and pointed out an island covered in snow on the most south-western part on it.

"The dungeon were I will send you is Mt. Avalanche, located on Blizzard Island near the Grass Continent and part of the Sea of Wonders.", the guild master explained. "The key could be located somewhere on the peak."

"That's incredibly far away!", Mo pointed out. "And ... doesn't this mountain belong to Articuno?"

"The legendary bird wasn't seen there for some time now.", Hilarius said to the group. "This also makes a good hiding spot for the key. Articuno could be the secret guardian of it."

Hilarius handed Aaron the map.

"I've made arrangements for your travel. There will be a Lapras at the harbor of Baram Town. She'll take you to the island."

"Guild master?", Mo said. "Do you really believe we will be successful?"

Hilarius shook his head.

"I just say we have no other choice right now. I'm counting on each an every member. I'll put my faith you will make it and my trust you will not abuse what this key might be able to. All I can do for you now is ... good luck you three."

"Before you go!", Alfons stepped forward. "The Exploration Guild on the Grass Continent has also been notified. They also do whatever they can to help. If something goes wrong, you can contact them, too."

And like this, Team Purple stood in front of the HQ.

"What do we do now?", Mo asked Aaron.

"You heard him. To the harbor.", Aaron said and with that Charlotte dashed away towards Baram Town.

"Charlotte! Wait!", Mo yelled as he and Aaron went after her.

Some time later, Team Purple arrived at the Baram Town harbor. The wind was strong this morning but the smell of the wide ocean was still refreshing. as the team arrived, a Lapras was already waiting for them.

"Team Purple, I suppose? I'll bring you right to Mt. Avalanche."

"Oh! I didn't expected to go right away. I thought we have to wait for you.", said Mo in surprise. He was holding a box of donuts and a small cup of coffee he got shortly before at the local shop."

"Come on!", Aaron told Mo and climbed on the Lapras' back. "Time is running. Normally you're the one who is always in a hurry."

Mo handed him his donut box, climbed on Lapras as well and helped Charlotte to do it, too."

"Is it okay when ...", Mo said to the Lapras and pointed at his donuts.

"No problem.", Lapras said. "Then let's be off!"

And with that they left the chores of the Air Continent into the wide of the sea.

It hasn't been long since they left, but Team Purple and Lapras were awfully quit. In the meantime the team shared their donuts. It was a six pack box. Aaron had one, Charlotte had one, and Mo already ate three. He was also realising there they couldn't just throw their garbage into the ocean, so they just had to keep it with them until they arrived.

"So ... Team Purple.", Lapras tried to break the silence. "You know, I knew your predecessor. They had a ride on my back a few times before."

"How were they?", Aaron politely asked.

"Oh! They were the weirdest group I have ever carried!", Lapras answered. "The leader was a Hitmonlee, the other two a Linoone and a Inkay."

"Mo once told me there was a incident with one of them dying.", Aaron pointed out.

"Yes. The Linoone tried to tackle an enemy but then got stuck with his head. The other two tried to get help but got in a fight on their way back and the Hitmonlee got lost in the dungeon. All three weren't the brightest and it took the guild a long time until they at least found the Hitmonlee. By the time Linoone was not a pretty sight anymore.", Lapras explained. "Or so at least they told me. The Inkay went to the Air Continent and became a dental hygienist, don't ask me how, and the Hitmonlee went into crime. Never heard from him again."

Meanwhile Mo was barely listening to her as he ate the fourth and last donut and put the box and his empty coffee cup aside.

"Did you met more of our predecessor?", Aaron asked the Lapras.

"Well, no. But I know there was just one more team.", Lapras said. "When the guild was founded and all of the teams, each over every colour, there was as Spiritomb, a Cofagrigus and a Shedinja. They used to be one of the best teams the guild ever had. But adventuring wasn't enough for the Spiritomb and so he tried to take over the guild but was defeated by the old guild master and he and his partners were banished form the guild. I only know Cofagrigus later opened a shop called Gold Gorgeous."

"In other words ...", Mo said. "Every Team Purple failed as a team? As adventurers?"

"That's a harsh word.", Lapras said.

"But it's true!", Mo defended.

"Why are you so grumpy today?!", Aaron asked him.

"Why aren't you?!", Mo replied. "I didn't signed up for this to save the world! This was never part of our contract! ... wasn't it?"

"Why didn't you signed up anyway?", Aaron asked him, now a little grumpy as well.

"I wanted to find myself! And I thought it would be a good place to become famous! To make Pokémon remember me and look up to me!", Mo explained.

In the background, Charlotte was holding a sign reading: "Me too"

Aaron looked at his Mimikyu friend in silence.

"I just realised something. You're like Ziggy. Not just your appearance, your reason. You're doing this for yourself. To boost you ego. It's not the adventurers and the Pokémon you help. It's just to make you feel better.", Aaron told him.

This was the most serious Mo has ever seen Aaron. He was baffled and angry at his friend at the same time.

"Wasn't there another way?", Aaron asked Mo.

"No, there wasn't!", Mo yelled.

"Please! Don't fight on my back!", begged Lapras.

"You have a problem. I know you long enough now. You have a weirs elf-esteem issue were you hate yourself and still think you're better than everyone else.", Aaron told Mo.

"No, I don't!", Mo yelled.

"The what's your problem?!", Aaron yelled back.

"I'm dissatisfied with our overall situation!"

Silence.

"You don't know what I experienced. And I'm just talking about the last weeks.", Mo explained, now more calm. "I was kidnapped, almost died on several occasions, I need to help save the world now, even tho I'm inexperienced, and additionally have to spend time with a dead girl who can't get to the other side. And I'm not sure if you're really my friend."

Aaron sat down and looked into Mo's eyes.

"I'm here for you. I always will be. Promise."

Mo turned away and looked into the wide of the ocean. No land in sight wherever he looked.

"Remember that day went we had a day of and went to that restaurant in Param Town?", Aaron tried to cheer him up. "When we sat down and someone suddenly said: 'Look, that's Team Purple!' very loud and everyone turned around and looked at us? Wasn't that great?"

"No, it wasn't.", Mo said without turning around. "It was embarrassing and I told you right afterwards. And don't make it sound like it wasn't you."

"Wait a minute!", Aaron suddenly said. "Dead girl?!"

Mo realised he accidently told his secret as he was pouring out his heart.

"Is there something you want to tell me?", Aaron asked and stood up, looking at Mo from behind.

Mo sighted. He himself already knew more than Yinping planed. So why still keeping it a secret to his most trusted ones? So, Mo turned around and just explained to Aaron and Charlotte what happened now and then in the guild during the night with him and Yinping and that they and Hilarius were the only one who knew about her. From Mo's father, Aaron also already knew of the existence and it was not hard for him to believe Mo's story. Mo had no idea if Charlotte also believed him. She just sat there an nodded every now and then. Like Yinping told him, Mo asked Aaron and Charlotte not to mention Yinping to the other members of the guild. How knew what would happen. This also included Lapras.

"By the way!", Mo then said, turning to Lapras's head. "How long till we arrive?"

"We're not even half way there yet!", Lapras answered.

Mo looked around. Still nothing but water.

"Boy.", Mo exclaimed.

They all had no idea how much time passed by now. For almost the whole trip everything looked the same and even asked Lapras if they were even moving. He remembered having left their card game, they usually play in the evening, back at the guild. Both, Mo and Aaron, regretted it for not taking it with them.

After a long while they came past the shores of the Grass Continent.

Lapras explained to them, depending on what time they'll return, she will leave them at Capim Town until the next day. So they're forced to get themselves a place to rest for the night. Aaron immediately reminded Mo, that his parents still live in Capim Town that this would be a great place to stay. They haven't seen them in almost a year. Right after suggesting this, Mo declined to do this.

When they both were still living in Capim Town, Aaron very often visited Mo and his parents at home. A few times uninvited and often asked them to stay overnight. For Aaron Mo's parents were almost like his own. He wouldn't had a problem to call them his own parents. Then again, Mo's parents would have had a problem with this. Like Mo, they knew Aaron had his secrets and his strange behavior and stories to tell. They almost only tolerated him, because he was Mo's bets friend. Neither Mo or his parents ever met Aaron's real parents. The only thing he knew about them was they were both Umbreon and their relationship with Aaron wasn't good at all. Mo felt bad whenever he thought about Aaron's family. Then again his own family was quit the opposite. And Mo hated that.

"Come on! They probably missed you!", Aaron tried to persuade Mo.

"And that's what I'm afraid of! They probably sent me alot of mail! And I gave them a fake address! They'll have questions!", Mo answered.

"Why would you do that?!", Aaron asked a little shocked.

"For the same reason why I left in the first place.", Mo explained.

The only reason for Aaron to moved with Mo was Mo himself. A month after moving to Baram Town, Aaron followed him and just showed up one day.

"You know what?!", Mo suggested. "I'll take a room in a hotel and you go to my parents house. From there on I don't care anymore. Charlotte. You can go with Aaron too, if you want. Father will probably ask you if you are my girlfriend and I don't want to be there either when he does it."

Charlotte quickly wrote on a sign again, reading: "But I am!"

Mo then took it and drew it overboard.

The group was again in the open sea as Mo started to feel cold.

"Is it starting to get cold or is it just me?", he asked.

"It is.", Lapras answered. "We're almost there. And it will get even colder from here own."

Not long after, the others, including Lapras, also started to shiver.

"The scarfs do nothing!", Mo exclaimed. "Why didn't we brought cloth?!"

Charlotte held up a sign.

"We're idiots!"

"At least you have your disguise!", Aaron pointed out. "Doesn't that warm you?"

"It does! It's normally quit hot here. But you know me. I'm getting chilled really quickly.", Mo told.

"I heard it's easy to stay far when Pokémon cuddle together.", Aaron suggested.

Under normal circumstances, Mo would have declined this idea. The situation now was not normal anymore.

"... alright.", Mo said and suddenly he had Aaron on his right and Charlotte on his left side.

Mo looked a Charlotte. He clenched on Mo again, leaving her log in the middle of Lapras' back.

"Charlotte. Don't fall asleep.", Mo told her. "If you fall asleep in the cold, you'll die."

This was supposed to be a joke from Mo. No one of them found it funny and Mo started to think and worry if Charlotte really was in danger right now.

He hugged her with one of left arm.

As they reached Blizzard Island it started to snow softly. Lapras had to swim around the island to reach the entrance for Mt. Avalanche. Team Purple had a good view of the island. Everything was covered by snow and ice and the wind blew quietly.

"This is one of the most southern parts of the world. You can only find could placed up high in the north.", Lapras explained.

They finally arrived at their destination. Is was incredibly cold and Lapras was the only Pokémon not effected by this.

"I will stay here for now.", Lapras explained to them. "I don't think you will survive long around here, so I suggest you should hurry. Running keeps one warm. If you should not come back in 24 hours, I will leave and get help on the Gras Continent for you. I wish you good luck!"

Mo and Aaron thanked her and started wandering to the dungeon's entrance. Mo hoped it would be warmer once they were somewhere inside. The icy wind and the snow underneath him already started to hurt.

"Aaron?", Mo said to him. "I really hope we will find that key HERE."

"Me, too.", answered Aaron.

"Not because of the evil ones, and not because of Ziggy.", Mo added. "I don't want all this to be for nothing. I hate the cold!"