Disclaimer: I don't own Leafeon, Glaceon, Nurse Joy, or anything else related to Pokemon seen or mentioned in this fic.
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The evening passed by extremely slowly. Without any heat or contact to the outside world, it was bitterly freezing. Sure, the Ice-Type Pokemon didn't mind, but some, like that Turtwig in the corner, wore a mixed expression of annoyance and fear, shivering in the nook of their trainers' loving embrace.
One very peeved trainer kept muttering about how it was colder inside than it was outside. Another kept claiming a refrigerator was warmer. All of the nurses running the center were having some difficulty controlling them. With snow piled up to the windows, a claustrophobic person would've easily gone insane in the three-room cabin.
Percy hated to admit it, but he was jealous, jealous of the warmth in southern cities, jealous that those people had electricity, jealous that other trainers had company within their Pokemon. The place seemed swarmed with Grass-Types. He did find it somewhat odd that none of the Pokemon knew a useful Fire or Electric-Type move, but didn't question it.
There wasn't really much to do but wait the chilling storm out. There would be a chaotic stampede whenever someone screamed they found a signal on their cell phone, but it would be followed by a glare when the battery ran dead or the signal was lost. People and Pokemon alike were huddled in tiny groups in an effort to ward off the heat.
Percy had some time to think, especially seeing as he was alone except for that memory-filled Luxury Ball he was clutching as his lifeline. Emotions ran unseen to the surface; happiness when he remembered so vividly the day he met Blossom as an Eevee; sadness when she had fainted after taking a beating from a Typhlosion; worry when he could picture her in his head so clearly… One shone above the others, though, and that was determination.
That night, Percy didn't sleep a wink. He couldn't even lower his head against the windowpane without that friendly Leafeon cry going through his mind, only to be followed by a fantasized shriek of her as she was ruthlessly attacked by a gang of Delibird. He bolted up with a start and shivered when his action caused to blanket to expose his flesh as his squashed pillow flopped to the floor. This was nothing but torture.
His gaze traveled outside where the snow had melted some, but not enough. It still clung to the sill of the windows. Although it was no longer snowing, Percy couldn't see past the restless darkness. On a night like this, without a full moon, Darkrai would have a feast. No stars shone. One could barely see the outline of battered trees against the sky.
Despite wearing his thick winter coat, he was still shivering. The thermometer read that it was twenty below zero. The clock claimed that it was a little past midnight. Nearly every organism was captivated in dreams, but a few were so far in a doze they wouldn't care if the apocalypse came.
"Jeez… I can't take this…"
Percy's pained mutter didn't disturb the still forms curled up against the stone walls. He exhaled a heavy sigh, although it was more like a yawn, and buried his face back into his stiff pillow. Almost instantly, a picture of Blossom, wounded and crying for help, formed itself in his head and he shot up again. This time he fell to the floor with a dull thud.
If only they had carpet! These hardwood floors only absorbed the cold. He sat upright again, climbing into his chair. He looked back outside again where the storm continued roaring. How cold was it out there, anyways…? Certainly it couldn't be any warmer, what with the heating unit broken and, unfortunately, all of the Fire-Types ill. Like it would make a difference…
Something else continually bugged him. According to those Nurse Joy, he'd been unconscious for three days since that blizzard started. Three days with hypothermia, followed by these two cruel days in which he was stuck in a crazy cabin with endless Chansey and no electricity…Goodness. The next morning would be a full week since Blossom was lost.
Lost? That was an odd way of wording it. Instead of saying live or die, it was like found and lost. Or rather, lost and found. How peculiar. He was trying to find his lost Leafeon. Lost and found suited the miniature quest, indeed. Lost. Those words echoed over and over, like a broken record. His sister had 'lost' a Zigzagoon once during a Team Rocket rampage. It was disheartening to say the least about the tears that fell.
His seemingly sightless green eyes traveled to the Luxury Ball snuggled so securely on the table, flawed by a small scratch on the underside. It belonged to his first Pokemon, one that he'd grown with in emotion and knowledge. His poor little friend, alone and out in that blizzard…
Percy stood up. He hadn't originally intended to do so, but his feet ordered it. He kept his eyes on the aged sphere in front of him. It was shiny, yet covered in several dainty scratches, excluding the major one on the bottom portion. He picked it up slowly, carefully, as if it could break at any moment.
Seven years is a long time to know a Pokemon.
Some had shorter life spans…some had longer, but whatever the case, Blossom's was depleting rapidly. Heck, maybe it'd already been deleted. She could be out there, stone-dead in the middle of the storm. Maybe he'd never find the body.
Whoa, that's going too far! Blossom's alive, I'm telling you!
Percy scolded himself for thinking such discouraging thoughts. Absentmindedly, he placed the aged orb deep in his coat pocket. He eyed his bag, the contents still scattered haphazardly on the table. Did he have another Luxury Ball? Yes, he did, thank goodness. He cautiously grabbed two more--in case Blossom had broken from the seal, he'd still be able to get her again. He wanted Blossom to be comfortable, at least.
He eyed the clocked on the wall. 12:56AM. He turned to the maze of dreaming people and Pokemon alike. All were asleep or so far gone they wouldn't care if the holocaust came. Some were sprawled out on tables and chairs, some were cuddled on the floor. A Glameow was even curled up tightly in a kitchen sink.
The mass maze would be too hard to get through without disturbing a large quantity of creatures. He eyed the same window, the one he'd spent so much time with. It wasn't locked…
With skill matching that of a Sneasel, he managed to maneuver the latch so that it opened. The bitter Snowpoint wind shot in, and Percy had to take a minute to compose himself at the bitter cold air. He gritted his teeth slowly as he silently slipped outside and closed the window again.
The snow traveled up to his knees. His first instinct was to leap back inside where it was safer and somewhat warmer, but he couldn't. Emotionally, physically, mentally…he just couldn't bring himself to. Blossom was a Grass-Type, for Celebi's sake! She'd been suffering out here for six days now…and Grass-Types didn't do well against Ice-types.
With that, Percy started trekking through the snow, footprints spilling behind him, one by one.
It was a fair amount of time when Percy had to stop. He cursed himself for being both dedicated and crazy, but he had to find his Leafeon. Dead or alive, he had to know about Blossom. He shivered violently as he looked at the sky. It was still pitch-black. Percy must've been traveling for about an hour now.
Had he been discovered missing yet? That didn't matter. Blossom was missing and nobody would do anything about it. He had to find his Leafeon. No, why did he keep saying that? Find his Blossom.
He tried to take another step, but the howling wind blew him off balance and he spiraled to the ground, face first.
"UGH! That's cold!!"
He shrieked, the sound disappearing into the echo of falling snow. He managed to pull himself to a sitting position. It was dangerous to sit in those conditions, but hey. He was exhausted. Clad in a thick coat, earmuffs, boots, gloves, and even that same orange blanket, he was warm, but not as much. Hypothermia could set in at any time.
There was a faint sound. He hardly noticed it at first and brushed it off like it was simply a Butterfree kiss on his cheek. Then it grew louder and was synchronized by a second, lighter sound of footsteps that crunched in the deep snow.
Stay awake, Percy. Find out what that is.
His mental wish didn't seem to obey, and the last thing he saw before falling into an endless sleep was the leafy outline of two familiar ears and a small crescent outlined against the raven sky. The sound seemed to fade away into nothingness as Percy fell asleep in a painful mist of unconsciousness.
"...Lea-Lea?"
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Continued in Part Four
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Hmm...Now that I've reread it, chapter two seems better than what I give it credit for. Again, I thank you for reading this far!
Edits:
-Edited one of the apocalypse words, as suggested by an anonymous reviewer.