(Route 19)

"Master, can you hear me?" Anubis calls through telepathy.

"Yes, I hear you. Are you using telepathy to communicate with me?" Replies Jarod.

"Yes indeed. I'm tracking you through your aura. The individual in distress seems to be close to your location. However, their aura is getting weaker by the minute. You must hurry master as I won't be able to hone in on it for much longer."

"Ok, just hold out as long as you can Anubis." Jarod pleads. "Flare, use heat wave to clear the path!"

"I'm already on it." Flare bellows and lets a blast of fiery hot air.

"Atta girl."

"Master, you're right near the location that the weakening aura is emanating from." Anubis says.

"Alright then:I will commence a search of the area. Flare, we had better move. This storm only seems to be getting worse. If I didn't know any better I'd say that kyurem is causing all this."

"Kyurem?" Flare asks in confusion.

"Kyurem is a legendary dragon spoken of in the mythology of a region called Unova. It is said to be the husk of reshiram and zekrom when they were fused together into one deity back in ancient times. It can expel horrifyingly cold energy but its body became frozen when said energy leaked out." Jarod explains.

"Oh dear, that sounds like one powerful creature." Flare replies in awe.

"Indeed…. whoa wait a minute, I can just see something near the base of those trees. There's a few small footprints followed by an indentation off to the side of the path. As if someone fell…. Ahh shoot!"

"You alright?" Flare asks worriedly as her trainer quickly regains his footing.

"Yeah, I'm good, that must have been a tree root or something… wait a second I can see something sticking out of the snow." As he moves closer, Jarod is horrified by what he sees.

"Oh good lord no! Somebody has collapsed in the snow!"

"What!" Flare exclaims.

As he moves closer, Jarod recognizes who it is by the wing like protrusions on the back of the trainer's outfit, as well as the key stone and gold amulet around her neck.

"Flare, you're not going to believe this. It's Diantha!"

"Sweet arceus, are we too late." Flare stammers as the the two quickly pull the former champion free of the snow.

"I hope not."Jarod quickly searches for a pulse, but at first fails to find one. "No...no come on, please for the love of all things alive let there be a chance."

"Are we too late?"Flare cries out as her trainer runs his fingers along Diantha's neck when he feels a faint thumping.

"… Hold up… I got it!" Jarod exclaims. "She's got a pulse, but it's very weak. Come on,we've got no time to waste! We need to get back to the house now!" He lifts Diantha up and out of the snow and begins carrying her in his arms as fast as his legs can carry him.

"...nngh..." Diantha weakly groans as she shivers.

"(Hang on Diantha… just hang on...)" Murmurs Jarod to himself.

"Master, are you alright? Did you find anyone?" Anubis asks worriedly.

"Yes Anubis, its Diantha and she's barely hanging on. Get that fire cranking up immediately, have someone ready to open the door once you see me and get some extra blankets out from the closet." Jarod replies back.

"Alright, me and Ryu will get things ready. Just be careful master."

"Don't worry I'll be fine." Jarod says reassuringly.

(10 minutes later)

"I can see the house dead ahead." Flare, let's move: we are almost there."

"Indeed…" a loud snap is heard as a tall pine tree beside the path begins to tilt at its base, weakened by the cold. "Jarod, that tree is going to topple and block our path!"

"We gotta make it! If we don't, Diantha won't have a damn chance." The tree finally breaks and falls towards the two of them. "Flare we gotta dive!" Jarod calls out as as both pokemon and trainer dive forward and just manage to get past as the tree smashes to the ground, blocking the path.

"That was way too close for comfort!" Flare says, breathing a sigh of relief.

"You aren't kidding. Unfortunately, it looks as though we're cut off from Snowbelle city because of that…. Damn it, Let's get inside." Ryu opens the door as the two figures rush in and he quickly shuts it behind them. Jarod sets Diantha down on the couch in front of the fireplace, which is burning brightly and warmly. Anubis and Ryu proceed to aid in covering her with the extra blankets to try and warm her up.

"I'm going to call for a doctor in Snowbelle. They have vehicles that can get through the hazardous terrain. The rest of you try and stay near Diantha. Your body heat may help a bit." Jarod goes to the kitchen to call for help and returns a few minutes later. "All we can do now is wait and pray."Jarod says solemnly

(2:00 PM. A half hour since Anubis detected Diantha's aura)

The doc has arrived on a snowmobile. Jarod lets him in and he sets to work, checking her vitals and heartbeat.

"Well, sir I have good news for you." States the doctor.

"What? Let me hear it." Jarod pleads

"You were just in time, if you hadn't found her when you did she would've been dead within about 10 to 15 minutes."

"Are you for real…. Good lord, I cannot believe what I'm hearing." Jarod says stunned.

"All she needs now is to rest and warm up. You really saved her life young man."

"It's strange, I don't feel like a hero. I feel like someone who did the right thing." Jarod replies humbly.

"Well you did and I have a feeling there will be more that will result from this. I must take my leave. If anything gets worse just call."

"Thank you sir, stay warm out there." Jarod states

"You too...um Jarod was it?"

"Yeah, its Jarod."

"Alright, I'll remember that. Goodbye."

"Master, you're a hero." states Anubis proudly.

"Indeed." Flare nods in agreement

"I say the same." Venus quips.

"Eh,I really don't feel like a hero. However it feels good to do the right thing." He says wearily before removing his soaked jacket and boots and setting them aside. He then settles down in the recliner nearby to rest while contemplating the events of the day so far.

"(I can't believe I ended up saving someone's life, and that someone is Diantha of all people. I still wonder how she wound up unconscious out there. Did she get caught in the storm? and what was she doing heading towards Snowbelle? Ah so many questions left unanswered… I'm sure ill learn more once she recovers…)" He says in his mind before closing his eyes for a rest as the howling tempest rages outside.