Hello! Welcome to my story, "Soon, You Will See." This is a Balto/Pokémon crossover that will eventually tie into my other story, "More to Us."
I really enjoyed the Balto trilogy, and I wanted to write a follow-up to Aleu's story after the second movie, while also connecting it to my Pokémon story for the sake of making it more interesting. At least, that's how I feel.
Also, I will be using multiple languages in this story besides English, though that will remain the primary language. As I am not fluent in all of the languages I plan on using (yet), I will unfortunately have to resort to Google Translate. However, if you happen to speak any of the languages that will appear throughout the story and would like to offer a correction, please do. I would greatly appreciate it. Also for languages that are written using different alphabets, I will, in most circumstances, write them using Latin characters for the sake of being able to read them.
Please feel free to review and let me know what to fix. I'm open to criticism, and I want to know how I can improve my writing.
So, without further ago, here is chapter one of "Soon, You Will See."
Chapter 1: The Other Side
It was a calm morning in the grand area known as Alaska, a land of great nature and infamously low temperatures in North America. And, in the middle of the ocean somewhere, the sound of a pack of wolves howling rang through the cold air.
On a floe of ice floating through the water, a pack of wolves stood, sending their symphonies sailing through the air. At the head of the pack was the wolfdog, Aleu. She howled with pride, but also with sadness; she had just bid her father, Balto, farewell in order to lead this wolf pack to the caribou so that they could survive. For all she knew, she may never see her father again. But, Aleu knew that this was what she had to do. This was who she was...this was her destiny. Once all of the howling had settled down, she sat down and watched out ahead of them, keeping her eye out for the land.
The other wolves sat down and began talking amongst each other, discussing how their lives would be, now that they were moving away from the land that had been theirs for years. Most of them suspected it would be more or less the same, however a few thought that it would be different, and that it would take a while to adjust to the new land. Aleu, however, paid them no attention. Her primary objective was to make sure that they arrived safely, and could begin hunting the caribou as soon as possible. At the same time, though, she couldn't help but to think her own personal thoughts.
"Aleu, are you ok?" asked a female voice behind her. She turned and saw a dark grey wolf behind her. "You look a bit preoccupied."
"Oh, I'm ok," she said half-heartedly. "I'm just keeping an eye out for land." She looked down at her reflection in the water. "And..also thinking about my father."
"Are you contemplating your likelihood of seeing him again?" The wolf asked. "Because I'm sure no matter what, you will make him proud." Aleu turned to the wolf, who gave her a smile. "He seems to really love you." Aleu smiled back at this.
"Thank you, I will do my best. I love him too. And I'll miss him..." Aleu looked back at the horizon for a moment then turned back to the wolf. "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't know your name." She then felt a bit foolish for not thinking about this sooner. "Or, anybody's, besides Sumac, Yak and Nuk," she said sheepishly.
"That's ok," replied the wolf. "My name is Dax."
"Dax...thank you, Dax," Aleu said, feeling a little bit better now.
"Of course, Aleu." With that, Dax went to talk with some of the other wolves.
Aleu still felt a tad foolish. As the pack's leader, she felt it was her duty to know everybody's name. I'll have to get to that at some point, she thought to herself.
A few hours had passed, and Aleu had gotten to know a few more of the wolves' names. She had already met Dax, who was tough but caring, and only wanted the best for her clan. She had also become acquainted with a wolf named Igruk, who was very strong and one of the best fighters in the pack. She had also met Kalipak, who had an extremely keen sense of smell and a generally cheerful attitude when times weren't too serious. Aleu was glad that she was getting to know some more of the clan members. She would have to know them all in order to lead them properly and effectively.
Aleu turned back after a while, and she thought she saw land. She had to squint at the horizon, but after a few moments she was sure she saw land. She smiled happily and let a out a loud howl once again. This immediately grabbed the other wolves' attention, and she promptly made the announcement: "Land is just ahead of us, everybody!" She began to howl again, and soon the other wolves did as well. Aleu stopped to look at the land a second time. She knew that as soon as they reached the shore, they had to think about where they going to make their new home, and when and where they were going to start looking for their food.
After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, they finally arrived at shore. They hopped off of the ice floe as soon as they were close enough to swim to shore, and as soon as they touched the land they cheered and howled once more. Aleu looked out ahead at the land that was now theirs, and took a deep breath. It truly was a beautiful sight, she had to admit. The trees, the sky, and the mountains ahead all looked so bright and defined.
Suddenly, Aleu heard a voice - one that belonged to a familiar rodent. "Your new journey starts here, Aleu." She looked down to see Muru next to her. "I know that you will make the best decisions for this clan." The two exchanged smiles before he disappeared with the wind. "I will always be here for you, Aleu. No matter what." Muru felt nothing but the utmost confidence in the wolfdog.
Aleu sighed and smiled again. "Thank you, Muru..." she whispered as she turned to look at her clan. "Now then," she said, "let's find a place to settle down in and look for some food." The pack began to walk away from the shore, towards their new home and a hopeful future. Aleu certainly felt nervous about being the leader of a clan. But even more so, she felt a burning desire to be the best leader, and to never let go of her wolf heritage. She wasn't angry anymore; rather, she was proud...proud to be the daughter of Balto the wolfdog and Jenna the husky.
"Mama...Papa...my siblings...Uncle Boris...Muk...Luk..." Aleu said as she felt a few tears rising to her eyes, "I will miss you all. I love you all. Thank you for everything." She smiled and continued to walk, leading her clan until they found a suitable place to stay.
As the pack traveled, they continued to talk with each other about their new location. As they walked, each wolf continued to feel more and more confident that this new land would bring them much prosperity. They walked through the woods, surveying as much as possible and making sure that they got familiar with the area. After about an hour of walking, they found a good area that everyone seemed to agree was suitable. There was a nearby stream for water, and it was deep enough that they were sure to find good game to hunt.
After everyone was in total agreement of staying here, Aleu announced that it was time to find food. "Alright, everyone," she said, "it's time to hunt. We've had a long day of travel, and food is why we came here to begin with." She then divided the 12-wolf pack into four groups of three, and sent them in different directions to search for their dinner after randomly selecting a group to join herself.
However, before her group left, she stopped them. "I would like to know your names," she said sternly, "just really quickly, if you don't mind."
The four wolves introduced themselves. There was Gos, a wolf who was faster then most of the others; Cuyaq, another very strong fighter; Burya, a wolf with a howl so loud, it could reach further distances than most; Latux, who was able to see very far, and as such, was a great scout.
Once Aleu was familiar with her team, they moved out. If my math is correct... Aleu thought to herself, that leaves only two more wolves whom I have yet to meet. She focused back on the task at hand. That can wait until later, though.
It didn't take long for them to pick up the scent of some caribou. Few words had been exchanged during the hunt, but now they had to make sure that it stayed that way, for now. The team continued to step forward as quietly as possible, in order to not alert their prey. After a minute, Latux saw two caribou through the trees and silently beckoned the others in their direction. They all examined the two soon-to-be meals for a few moments before Aleu signaled for them to charge. And they did.
One of the caribou was bigger than the other, so Cuyaq and Burya teamed up to take it. Aleu joined them after determining that Latux and Gos could handle the smaller one.
The large caribou swung its antlers around violently, in a bid to throw the attacking wolves at a nearby tree. However, the wolves were too fast for it. Cuyaq gave it a good bite in its left hind leg, and barely dodged a kick from its right leg while Burya went for the front of its neck. She gave it a really good bite there, and after that, Aleu went and landed the finishing blow on the back of his neck. The caribou tried to fight and wriggle out of the wolves' jaws, but after a short amount of time, it succumbed to the pain and was finished.
"Good job, you two," Aleu said after they were sure the caribou was dead. They then looked over at the other two and saw that they had just finished their fight as well. "Looks like we've got a good haul. Eat, then we'll see if we can find some more."
The wolves ate what they could, and were soon on their way again. Aleu thought that that had gone rather swimmingly. She hoped the other teams were finding success.
--
Once everyone had eaten their fill for the night, they returned to their area to settle in for the night. Aleu had met the last two wolves she hadn't been previously introduced to. She met Iqaq, who also was better at tracing scents than most of the others, and Vezda, who was able to see exceptionally well in the dark. Finally, Aleu knew her whole pack.
Once Aleu finished speaking to Iqaq and Vezda, she went to find a spot where she could lie comfortably. Once she found a spot, she laid down and took a deep breath, before closing her eyes. Day one as clan leader: success! She mentally praised herself. She once again promised herself that she would be the best leader for this clan, that she would lead them as well as Nava before her. Aleu would help them to prosper.
--
Eight months later...
On this chilly morning in the Nulato Hills mountain range, a strange creature had just woken up. It was a small, icy-blue, fox-like creature with bright, shimmering eyes and flap-like appendages hanging from a crest on its head. Around its neck, it wore a lavender scarf, and strapped to its sides were two satchels. As it woke up, it immediately took notice of the pain in his head. "Ugghhh...what the hell just happened...?" he muttered to himself as he got up. He immediately checked his surroundings, and his worst fear was realized. "Oh, no...they did it...they sent me here." He looked around again. "Well, this is just peachy. I'm stuck here. But, they also mentioned that they were sending some of the others here, too...but to a different time..." he spoke to himself, not caring if anyone was around to hear him. "Damn it!" He cursed to himself. "How am I supposed to find them?"
"Alright, Diamond, this isn't the time to panic, you dumb Shiny Glaceon." He continued to scold himself out loud before he came to a decision. "You've gotta find them and then find a way back home...somehow. But first..."
His form slowly began to change. His flaps and crest disappeared, and his blue fur changed to a bright white. His eyes changed from a shining blue to a dark brown, and his flat tail changed into a white, fluffy tail. Lastly, his snout grew out slightly.
"Alright, disguise complete." Diamond checked himself to make sure his disguise wasn't missing any features, then opened one of his satchels and dug around in it. He had a few berries, a compass, his journal, and his canteen. "Hmm...nope. None of this is gonna help me. Damn..." He was about to look inside his other satchel but then remembered that he had recently emptied it. Shoot, he thought. He slung the bags back onto his sides and began walking. Hopefully, he would encounter no humans. That was, quite frankly, the last thing Diamond wanted.
Diamond walked until he found himself at the outskirts of a forest. "Great, maybe I can find some fruit in here, or something," he said to himself. Something told him that he wouldn't be talking for a while. As far as he could tell, he wouldn't see humans or even a hint of civilization for a while. And he wasn't sure whether or not the creatures that lived here would be able to communicate with him. If not by human speech, nor his Pokémon speech, then surely he would be quite lost here indeed.
After a few minutes walk into the forest, Diamond could already tell just how radically different this place was than his world. The scenery generally looked more or less the same, however the wildlife was something else entirely. There were certainly creatures with resemblances to Pokémon, some more so than others, but he had never seen anything like them. There were completely unfamiliar birds and insects roaming around, and when he approached a stream, he could see fish swimming around that definitely looked similar enough to Pokémon like Remoraid, but not nearly the same.
Diamond tasted the water to make sure it was clean, then took a quick sip from his canteen before filling it back up. "Water's water, I guess. Not much different from back home," he said after his drink.
After about two hours of walking in Arceus-knows what direction, he was already entranced by the similarities and differences between this world and his own. "So similar, and yet so freakin' different..." he muttered to himself as he sat in a rock and took a sip from his canteen.
He then decided to see if he could freeze the water to slide down it and cover more ground. "Ice Beam!" He shouted as he opened his mouth and attempted to fire his attack. However, nothing came. "Phooey..." he said, disappointed. "Guess I can't use my moves in this form." He wasn't going to turn back into a Pokémon, as he didn't want a nearby creature to see him and get scared. "Well, guess I'm walking." With that, he continued.
After another forty or so minutes, Diamond took a break to update his journal. It wasn't too full, he had just gotten it recently after he filled up his last one. He felt that writing his thoughts, feelings, etc. would be good for him mentally. In addition to being taught by his Trainer how to speak several human languages, he and his friends were also taught how to write. Which one was harder, he couldn't decide; they were both difficult for their own reasons.
Date and time: unknown
Location: unknown world
So, this is just great. That son of a bitch and his team got us and went through with their plan. However, they messed several things up. Can't say me, or really any of us are particularly surprised, but that doesn't make me, and likely the others, any happier about our current situation.
I am currently a sitting duck in the middle of a forest in an unknown land. It is noticeably cold here, but that's no issue for me. The issue is not knowing where the hell I am, or where the others are. They were apparently sent to a different time, which totally helps a great metric ton. It's just one more thing for us to have to worry about on top of being separated with no way of knowing where any of us are.
About the things that went wrong when they decided to send us here: first of all, the stuff they injected into us Pokémon were supposed to turn us into creatures from this world permanently. However, there was an oversight or something like that during its development and instead of making the transformation permanent, we're able to transform at will. Though, the admins weren't made aware of that until after we were sent here.
The other major screw up was what they did to Travis. They were also going to try to turn him into a creature from this world, as well as do something else that we weren't made entirely clear on, but when they injected him with that stuff it instead turned him into some kind of weird...strange...thi
His writing was interrupted when he heard a rustling sound near him. Shit, I gotta hide somewhere, he thought to himself. He shoved his journal back into his satchel, then quietly hid behind a shrub. Diamond looked around as best he could to see if he could spot where the noise came from. He heard very light footsteps approaching him. Four-legged creatures, by the sound of it... Diamond thought as he listened as closely as possible. He then heard what appeared to be growling which was then followed by barking. Huh, sounds like Kate or Sadie after they get pissed off, he said while mentally chuckling to himself.
He listened as he heard what seemed to be four of these creatures attack something. There was a lot of barking and growling, and it sounded like there was a real fight going on there. Diamond snuck out from behind the shrub to better observe and was greeted by the grizzly sight of a freshly killed carcass of what kind of looked like a Stantler, but not really. He almost threw up at the sight and just barely managed to hold it back. Ok, not something I wanted to see less than a day into being here, he mentally groaned. He then looked over and saw four creatures attacking another one. These things kind of looked like Lycanroc, and they were honestly the most closest thing to any Pokémon that Diamond knew since he had been here. Though, he doubted these things were capable of what his Lycanroc friends were.
He then watched as they defeated the other creature, and that was when he decided to take his leave. He didn't even know why he stuck around to watch the whole ordeal. Whatever the reason was, it sure was no Pokémon battle.
Diamond walked away slowly and silently, hoping to not catch the attention of the creatures behind him. He heard them feasting on their prey, which was something he knew to happen in his world, but had never actually witnessed. Just as he was thinking about how to continue his journal entry once he had gotten far enough away from them, he heard one of them say: "Hey, guys, I think I see something over there."
Shit.
"What was it?"
"It looks like it may be an arctic fox."
"Ooh, those can be tasty. Let's get it, then."
Diamond then sighed. Well, obviously they don't stand a chance against my true abilities. But, as an "arctic fox," assuming that's what I really am in this form, I can't do any of that.
The four creatures then emerged from the bushes and stared at Diamond. "Looks like we found a snack for later," one of them said. "Hey, what's with those things around your neck and torso?"
Something then clicked in Diamond's head. "Hold up, you guys can talk?" He asked in his human speech.
"Yeah, can't you?" Another one asked. "Ah, well. Doesn't matter. You won't be talking for much longer anyways..." she said as she slowly approached Diamond, who was starting to feel a but intimidated.
"N-now, hold on a minute. Y-you guys might want to back off..." he said in a not-so-threatening voice. "I don't want to have to hurt you guys."
The four creatures laughed. "Ha! You, hurt us?" The second one asked.
"Yeah," said a third one, "you're just a little arctic fox and we're four wolves. What can you possibly do to us?"
"A lot..." Diamond said, a little more confidently. "Do you really want to know?"
"Yeah," said the last wolf, amused. "If you're so strong, you can take on four wolves, then why not demonstrate...?"
Oh, shit...they actually want to know.
"Alright, then." With that, the disguise came off. Diamond's crest and flaps returned to his head, and his tail went flat again. His eyes shone brightly once more and he immediately assumed an attacking position. "Still want to go?" He asked the wolves, who were beyond surprised at what they had just witnessed.
"What...are you?"
"Are you an animal from another place?"
"What just happened?"
"Am I seeing things?"
"Hey!" One of them yelled, "he may have just done...that...but he's still an arctic fox. Let's get him!"
The wolf leapt at him and was immediately frozen in the air before falling to the ground, trapped in a large chunk of ice. The last three wolves were now terrified.
"Latux!!" One of them shouted.
"You three want the same thing, just say the word," Diamond said now that he had them scared.
"No...I don't know what you are..." one of the wolves said, "but you've driven me to this point. You're about to meet our whole clan, pal." He then sent a loud howl into the sky, alerting the rest of the pack to the area.
Diamond was feeling really confident now. "Go ahead, bring it! See if that'll make a difference. I'll turn all of you into ice statues!"
Aleu and her team were not too far away, so they were at the scene in no time. And when they arrived, they were shocked at what they saw: Latux, frozen in a block of ice.
"What...how did this happen?" Aleu asked Burya. "It was that thing, that did it!" She looked toward Diamond, who was smiling. Aleu's eyes widened; she had never seen anything like this before.
"What...are you?" She asked Diamond.
"I am Diamond, Diamond the Glaceon." He took another fighting stance. "And I am not about to be turned into a meal." As he spoke, the rest of the clan arrived. "So unless you all want to end up like your friend here, or can help me find my friends, I suggest you leave. Now."
The wolves in front of him were still growling and looked like they were ready to strike at any moment now. However, Aleu wanted to know more about this strange creature in front of her. "Everyone, stop," she commanded, then looked back towards Diamond. "I am Aleu, the leader of this clan. You say you're looking for friends?" She asked, and he nodded in response.
One side of Aleu wanted to help this creature, but the other side said that he was a threat that should be walked away from. "Who are these friends that you're looking for?" She wanted to know if there were any more creatures like him around that her clan should be wary of. "Are they anything like you?"
"Yes," Diamond said, still ready to attack if necessary, "I don't suppose there's any way that you can help me to find them?"
Aleu mulled it over for a minute. She then figured that maybe she could help this thing, if it meant that it would leave them in peace. "There may be a way." As soon as she said that, Diamond's ears perked up. "However, I will only agree to help you on the condition that you cause no further harm to my clan," she said as she looked over at Latux, who was still entombed in ice.
Diamond then spoke in a less agitated, and more calm voice, "if there is some way that you can help me, I would be forever grateful."
"Very well then," Aleu said before turning to her clan. "You all may resume your hunts. I will deal with him." And with that, everyone departed. As they left, they were all talking about what they had just seen.
"Thank you, ma'am," Diamond said gratefully, "here lemme get your friend outta there..." he walked over and faced the frozen Latux.
"How are you going to get her out of there?" One of the wolves asked.
Diamond chuckled. "Like this. Don't worry, this won't hurt her..." He proceeded to leap into the air and charged up a dark, gaseous ball, which he sent down into the block of ice. Immediately upon making contact, the ice shattered and Latux was free.
As soon as Latux was out of the ice, she began shivering and walked over to a couple of the wolves for warmth, which they provided. "W-wh-what w-w-was tha-a-at..." she asked, trying to sound intimidating but failing due to her state.
"That was my Ice Beam attack. It is something that I and many of my friends are capable of doing," Diamond explained, "as was that Shadow Ball, which is what I used to free you." He then put on a more sympathetic expression before saying, "I'm sorry I had to do that, by the way. I was just trying to defend myself." Latux didn't respond. After a minute, one of the wolves put her on her back and they proceeded to leave.
"Hmm..." Diamond turned his head to see Aleu once again thinking about something. "I would like to learn more about you, if you don't mind." She then turned away from him. "But first, I need a moment. Please excuse me." She ran into the bushes, and Diamond sat down to continue writing in his journal while he waited.
ng! He kind of looked like one of those "wolves" I just met, but also like a "fox," which is apparently what I am. And he remained bipedal. I hate to say it about my best friend, but he looked...freaky. I really have no other word to describe it. All I thought in the moment was "what the hell did they do to him?!" And I'm still wondering that now.
I have recently (as in, like, a few minutes ago) come into contact with someone who says that they may be able to help me with my problem. How, I have no idea. But I guess we'll soon find out, as soon as she's done with whatever it is she's doing.
--
Aleu found a small opening in the woods, with enough bushes and trees between her and Diamond. Once she was sure she was safe, she called out quietly, "Muru, please come to me. I need you. Please, it's urgent."
With a soft breeze, Aleu soon found herself face to face with her mouse friend. "Aleu! What help can I be?" He asked, ready to help.
"I've met...someone. Someone who claims to not be from this world," Aleu tried to explain. "And given his unusual appearance, I admit I'm slightly inclined to believe him." She went on to explain that one of the teams had encountered Diamond in the form of an average arctic fox. But, when they were about to attack him, he changed into something else with strange abilities. She then described the attack she saw him use and noted his ability to speak.
Suffice to say, Muru was surprised. He wanted to meet this fellow and see what he could do. "Go back to him. I will reveal myself to him." He disappeared back into the wind, and Aleu returned to Diamond.
"Oh, you're back!" Diamond said as he closed his book and stood. "So, what'd you have to go do, if I may ask?"
Aleu took a deep breath and responded, "I had to consult a friend of mine. Muru?"
Another soft wind blew and Muru appeared, just as he said he would. Diamond was a little surprised, but he was used to things that were way crazier. "So, you are this Diamond I've been told about?" Muru asked just to be sure.
"I am indeed. Who are you?" Diamond didn't know what this creature was, but it bore something of a resemblance to a Rattata.
"I am Muru the field mouse, spirit guide to my friend Aleu the wolfdog." He then walked closer to Diamond. "So, you say you come from another world? And that you have friends who were also sent this place as well?"
Diamond nodded. "Yes, and I must find them and get back my home world. Is there any way you can help me?"
"There may be a way that I can," Muru said as he climbed on a rock. "But, in order for me to help you, I need to know some more about you."
"Very well, then," Diamond responded, hoping that he would be able to get to his friends soon.
"Alright. First, what exactly are you?" Muru asked as he looked Diamond up and down, not knowing him to be any animal he had seen.
Diamond stood up straight, and said, "I am what is called a Pokémon. We are a race of creatures that roam our world the way you animals do yours. In regards to specific species, I am a Glaceon. I am an Ice-Type, which is one of the 18 currently known Types of Pokémon. The others are: Rock, Water, Electric, Grass, Poison, Psychic, Fire, Ground, Ghost, Fighting, Dragon, Flying, Bug, Normal, Steel, Dark, and Fairy. Each Pokémon has its own Type. Some have two, thought. Each one is capable of learning a vast array of attacks and other moves, beyond what I have so far demonstrated. Some Types have an advantage over others, some are weak to others, and some are neutral."
Muru and Aleu didn't expect such an information dump from one question, but they weren't complaining. "Aleu said you were capable of transforming into an average arctic fox. Could you please show me?"
"Absolutely," Diamond said before transforming into his arctic fox form.
"Fascinating..." Muru said in pure shock, "how did you gain this ability?"
"I, uhh..." Diamond really did not want to talk about this. "Well, if you must know, back in my home world, my friends and I were captured by an evil man. He and his team wanted to be rid of us for good, as we were proving to be hinderances to his plans. So, they developed some kind of serum with the purpose of transforming us into animals from your world permanently, and then sending us here. However, they didn't notice until too late that it actually let us do so at will."
"Did this also give you the ability to speak?" Muru was certainly interested about that.
"No, so...in my world, Pokémon can't speak the way humans can. We make our own sounds, but we can understand each other." Diamond then demonstrated his Pokémon speech to Muru and Aleu, which they weren't able to understand at all. "However, while difficult, and I mean VERY difficult, it is possible to teach Pokémon to speak, read, and sometimes even write like a human can. As a matter of fact, I am fluent in thirteen human languages from my world."
Diamond could almost feel Aleu and Muru mentally jaw-drop when he said that. "It's true," he said with a cheeky smile and a chuckle.
"Well, I admit that is impressive," Muru stated genuinely. "And, lastly, what moves do you know?"
"Oh, thought you'd never ask!" Diamond then faced a tree and fired an Ice Beam at it, freezing the tree in no time. He then fired a Shadow Ball at it, shattering the ice once more. He then walked a short distance from Aleu and Muru and unleashed a harsh snowstorm attack onto the forest in front of him, freezing it entirely.
He then turned to Aleu and stood in a defensive stance. "Attack me."
Aleu was slightly taken aback by this. "A-attack you? Why?"
"So that I may demonstrate my final move. It's not an attack, and it won't hurt you, don't worry."
"Ok..." Aleu raced towards him and went to tackle him. But just before she could hit him, he formed some kind of barrier in front of him out of nowhere that prevented her from reaching him. She hit it and then jumped back to observe. "What was that?" She was amazed but what she had just seen.
"Those were Ice Beam, Shadow Ball, Blizzard, and Protect." Diamond could not keep himself from grinning. It felt good showing off his skills to new people. "They were all pretty self-explanatory."
Muru clapped his paws. "Well, I certainly did not expect that, but I confess it was very impressive!" He then pointed to Diamond's scarf and bags. What are those?"
"Oh, this is a scarf. It was a gift from my Trainer. It's something humans typically use to keep their necks warm in cold weather, but I just love how it looks." Diamond pointed to his satchels. "These bags here just have some personal belongings of mine, like my notebook or my canteen." He pulled them out to show them. "I write stuff down in the notebook and the canteen, I drink from."
Muru then climbed down in front of the Glaceon. "Diamond, I think I know what we can do." He then turned to the wolfdog. "Aleu, I think it's time for a family reunion!"
Aleu and Diamond were both surprised by this statement. "A family reunion?" Aleu asked, "you mean...?"
"I do, Aleu. You haven't seen your family in several months now. I think it's time you paid them a visit."
"But what about the clan? I still have to lead them, I can't just leave them to go see my family out of the blue, can I?"
"You will choose one of them to lead in your absence. Family is important Aleu." Muru turned to Diamond. "As is friendship."
Aleu thought for a moment. "Well, I suppose. But...what can my family do for Diamond?"
"I believe your family has the power to help your friends return!"
"Really? How?"
"Choose a temporary leader tonight, and when you two fall asleep I will return you to Nome, along with Diamond."
"You can do that?!"
"I most certainly can. It's a taboo ability, but seeing as this is an emergency, I simply must use it."
Aleu took another deep breath. She had to admit, it would be great to see her family again, so she agreed. "Very well, then. Let's do it."
--
That night, Aleu assigned Dax to take over until she returned. Dax agreed, and soon everybody went to retire for the night. Some were skeptical about letting Diamond stay in their territory for the night, but then again, it was only one night.
"You really think this is going to work?" Diamond asked Aleu anxiously.
"I trust my spirit guide. He has never failed me, and I trust that this time will be no different." Aleu let out a yawn, then said, "Good night, Diamond."
"Good night, Aleu."
That night, they fell asleep to happy thoughts about soon seeing their respective loved ones.
--
Papa, Mama, my siblings, and everyone else...I can't wait to see you guys soon. I've missed you all so much these past few months. I hope you all are doing well. See you tomorrow...
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Man, oh man...wherever you guys are, I hope you all are safe and surviving in this new world. I hope I get to be reunited with you guys soon.
Kate...I hope you and Freddie are staying safe. I know he's like a little brother to you, and that you'd do anything to protect him. Just don't do anything too stupid, alright?
Furedi, sore wa anata ni mo atehamarimasu. Anata ga tokidoki kenka shitaku naru no wa wakarimasuga, dare mo kizutsukenai yo ni chüi shite kudasai. Tatoe sore ga Keito o tasukeru tamedeatte mo. (Freddie, that goes for you too. I know you really like to fight sometimes, but try not to hurt anybody. Even if it's to help Kate).
Kliffe, wo auch immer du bist, bitte lass dich nicht von deiner Freundlichkeit überwältigen. In dieser unbekannten Welt ist das Risiko zu groß. (Kliffe, wherever you are, please don't let your kindness get the better of you. In this unknown world, it's too great of a risk).
Evelina, ya znayu, chto yesli i yest' kto-to, kto plokho sebya chuvstvuyet v odinochku, tak eto ty. No poprobuy zaderzhat'sya tam. S toboy vse budet v poryadke.(Evelina, I know that if there's anybody who doesn't do well alone, it's you. But, try to hang in there. You'll be alright).
Peper... oh, peper. Blijf alsjeblieft veilig daarbuiten. Als jou iets overkomt, zal ik het mezelf nooit vergeven. Blijf alsjeblieft veilig. Alsjeblieft... (Pepper...oh, Pepper. Just, please stay safe out there. If anything happens to you, I'll simply never forgive myself. Please stay safe. Please...)