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The next morning, the sun rose, shining its light into the cave, waking Felix up. As he came into consciousness, he sat up, rubbing his eyes. Upon glancing over, he noticed that Poppy was no longer in the sleeping bag, where he'd last seen her. Glancing in the other direction, he saw her tending to a pot over the fire.
"You're awake," Poppy remarked sarcastically. "Finally."
"Have you been up long?" he asked.
"Long enough to melt snow in this pot, dig out the hot chocolate mix from my backpack, and make hot chocolate," she responded. She then poured the pot of hot chocolate into two tin mugs, and offered him one, asking, "Here, want some?"
"Sure," he nodded, accepting the cup she offered him. "Thanks."
"Not a problem," she shrugged.
Back up on the mountain, everyone else had gotten back to searching for Felix and Poppy. Officer Jenny had given everyone snowmobiles to ride, so that they had a better chance of finding the two. Nurse Joy had a snowmobile, Amy and Rose and Gallade shared one, and Elliot and Gage shared the other one.
"I just don't know where they could've gone!" Elliot said, as he sat on the back of the snowmobile Gage was driving. "They just went outside, it's not like they could've gone so far!"
"Yeah, and we better find them soon!" Gage replied. "I'd hate being stuck with Felix for this long!"
By this time, Felix and Poppy had picked up their little campsite in the cave, and started to look for a way back up the mountain yet again. They'd barely made it a few feet away from the cave, when another icy wind swirled up around them. They both raised their arms to cover their faces and eyes, since the wind caused a lot of snow and ice shards to fly into the air as well.
Suddenly, they found themselves actually being raised into the wind with the snow and ice. They flew through the air, feeling all the cold air and snow and ice, and before they knew it, they hit the ground, and they hit the ground hard, lodging themselves in the snow.
"What kinda wind was that?" Poppy grumbled, rubbing her head as she sat up in the snow.
"I have no idea," Felix replied as he did the same.
The two opened their eyes, seeing that they were in a completely different spot. They were no longer in the rift between the glacier and the mountain. They were on the mountain now, apparently, but nowhere near the Pokémon Center. They were in a snowy field, enclosed by a wooden fence, where a little cabin with smoke puffing out of the chimney laid to one side. And, there were dozens and dozens of little brown, furry Pokémon sniffing around in the snow. Poppy recognized them from the last Contest she'd watched.
"Wow," she muttered. "Look at all these Swinub."
"Swinub?" Felix asked.
He pulled out his PokéDex, which said: "Swinub, the Pig Pokémon. The Swinub has an extremely keen sense of smell, which it usually uses to find food."
"But what're all these Swinub doing here?" Felix inquired, confused.
"Why, they're my Swinub!" came a friendly voice. The two kids looked up, and saw an older woman with a large smile, bundled up in a snowsuit standing over them. "I'm Gale, and you two youngins seemed to have stumbled right into my Ice Ranch!"
"Ice Ranch?" Poppy and Felix questioned in unison.
"That's right," Gale nodded, still smiling. "I raise all kinds of Ice-type Pokémon up here on the mountain. I have lots of Swinub, as you can see, which I raise from eggs and sell to trainers. Over there in the pond, I have some Dewgong, Cloyster and Lapras. There are some Smoochum over there, and some Delibird that like to fly around up here, and some Snorunt that run around, a few Sneasel somewhere here, and some Eevee that I hope to evolve into Glaceon!"
"Wow!" Poppy exclaimed, coming to her feet. "That's pretty amazing, Gale!"
"Well thank you, sweetie," she replied. "And what's your name?"
"I'm Poppy, from Rowan Town," she informed Gale. "And this is my friend Felix. Sorry that we intruded...we didn't mean to, we just kinda...landed here."
"Oh, it's okay," Gale grinned. "I believe you. I've been up on this here mountain for years, and I know these winds can really sweep ya off your feet. They've done that to me many a time. Why don't you two come inside and warm up? I've got warm milk and chocolate chip cookies with your name on 'em!"
"Wow, thank you!" Poppy and Felix replied in unison.
They followed old Gale into her little cabin, which was rustic and cozy and undeniably warm. Gale set them up at the small table by the fire, giving the each a blanket to wrap up in, and gave them the promised milk and cookies. As they ate, they noticed all the Pokémon that were in Gale's house. There were a few little Eevee curled up in a Pokémon bed by the fire. A Delibird napped on a bird perch in the corner by the door. A couple of Smoochum cuddled on the couch.
But, in one dark corner of the little cabin, two tiny Pokémon were curled up together, as if they were scared of all the other Pokémon. One was a itty bitty Swinub that looked more whitish-gray than it did brown, and the other was an Eevee that seemed pint-sized compared to any other Eevee Poppy had ever seen.
"Oh, I see you found our little misfits," Gale grinned, as she caught Poppy's glance. Poppy looked up at her, confused, and Gale explained, "Those two have always been our little misfits. The other Swinub don't like little Susie there - that's what I've nicknamed her - because of her odd color. And the other Eevee don't like that tiny one, on account of her pint size, you see. So, those two stick together, because none of the other Pokémon'll have anything to do with them."
Poppy sighed, feeling extreme sympathy towards the two misfit Pokémon. She grabbed something from her backpack, stood, and made her way to the two Pokémon in the corner. They looked at her out of confusion, and maybe even slight fear, but she gave them the warmest smile either Pokémon ever did see, as she kneeled down to their level.
"Here," she said, extending a handful of Pokémon food. "Want a snack?"
The two Pokémon just looked up at her, still wary and unsure of whether or not to trust her.
Poppy smiled again, only with even more warmth in her smile this time, as reassured them. "Please, eat! I want you guys to have a snack."
Hesitantly, the two Pokémon took their first bites. As soon as they sampled it, they chowed the rest of it down, cherishing each delicious bite. Poppy giggled, seeing she'd made the two Pokémon happy with the little snack she provided for them.
"Hi there," she said. "I'm Poppy."
Now that she'd gained the trust of the two Pokémon, they allowed her to pet them, which they immediately realized was a great decision. Poppy gave great Pokémon massages, as they quickly found out. They liked being bet and they liked her so much that they actually leapt into her lap, knocking her back onto the floor as they both showered her face with loving kisses, and she erupted in giggles.
"Wow, you must really have a gift with Pokémon, young lady," Gale grinned. "Those two don't even show me that kind of affection!"
"Yeah, Poppy's great with Pokémon," Felix affirmed.
"I can see that," Gale nodded.
Poppy grinned in thanks as she stood, holding Susie the Swinub in one arm and Eevee in the other.
"Well, while we're here, is there anything we can do to help you out around the ranch?" Poppy inquired.
"Well, of course there is, if you wanna work!" Gale responded, leaping to her feet. "You can help me feed the Pokémon!"
Before Poppy or Felix knew it, Gale had thrusted pails of Pokémon food into each of their hands, and guided them back out into the frigid weather. Susie the Swinub and Eevee were close behind. They wanted to follow Poppy, because they'd already taken a liking to her, but they were still a bit shy.
Gale led them to the pond, where she instructed them on how to throw the food out to Lapras, Cloyster and Dewgong. Then, they dropped the food off for the Sneasel, and scattered food for the Swinub in the field. They went on to feed all the other Pokémon that Gale had on the ranch, and Poppy decided to stay outside to play with Eevee and Susie the Swinub, by throwing snowballs to them. Susie the Swinub sent them back to her by bouncing them off her nose, and Eevee batted them back to Poppy using its tail.
The two Pokémon were having one of the best times of their little lives. They weren't used to other Pokémon, let alone people, paying this much attention to them and being so nice. To Susie the Swinub and Eevee, Poppy was some sort of lovely and kind miracle.
However, their playdate was suddenly cut short when a snowmobile whipped by, and its rider grabbed Poppy by the waist. Susie the Swinub and Eevee were stunned and taken aback.
"Not you losers again!" Poppy screeched, as she tried to wriggle free from the metal claw that had a grip on her waist.
Skidding the snowmobile to a stop, Rattata hollered, "Just give us your PokéBalls and we'll let you go!"
"I don't have them!" she screamed, kicking and punching as she tried to get out. "They're all at the Pokémon Center!"
"Don't lie!" Trixie yelled at her "You have no way out, just give 'em up!"
"I'm not lying!" Poppy screeched. "Just let me out of this stupid contraption of yours!"
"Give us the PokéBalls first!" Trixie commanded again, going into rage-mode.
"I DON'T HAVE THEM!" Poppy repeated, just as enraged.
"Y'know, Trix, I don't think she has them," Thomas muttered to his partner.
"Well if she doesn't have them, she'll take us to them!" Rattata piped up. "Let's go, brat!"
As Rattata started up the snowmobile, Felix and Gale sprinted out of the house to see what all the yelling was about. They gasped when they saw Poppy, who'd been captured, and Felix explained to Gale just who Team Rocket really was.
Then, Susie the Swinub and Eevee nodded at each other, and went at Team Rocket's snowmobile with a double Tackle Attack. It was enough to knock Poppy free, and break the snowmobile, all in one swift motion. Now, Poppy was free, and mad, and Team Rocket was scared.
Before Poppy, Felix or Gale could say anything, Susie and Eevee stepped out in front of Poppy in a protective manner. Susie shot the three with an Ice Beam, freezing them in a solid block of ice. Eevee then stepped in, using a strong Swift attack, which shattered the ice and then sent Team Rocket soaring through the air.
"I told you the snowmobile was stupid!" Trixie hollered angrily.
"That doesn't matter now!" hollered Rattata. Then, with his two partners in crime yelling with him, they yelled, "We're flying away again!"
"Wow!" Poppy praised, allowing the two little Pokémon to leap into her arms. Hugging them, she added, "You two were great! Thank you so much, you saved me! You guys are amazing!"
Both Pokémon squealed with happiness as they nuzzled Poppy, as Gale stepped forward. She held out her hand to Poppy, with two PokéBalls in their small form, and seemed to be offering them to her.
"Huh?" Poppy muttered, confused as she held the two Pokémon.
"I want you to take these," Gale said to her. "These are Susie and Eevee's PokéBalls. I've never seen them take a liking to any other person or Pokémon like they've taken a liking to you. I want you to be their Trainer, Poppy."
"Really?" Poppy asked, completely honored and taken aback.
"Yes, of course," Gale nodded with a smile.
"Would you two like that?" Poppy inquired, looking down at the two Pokémon she was holding.
The two squealed with joy yet again, hugging her even more, as if it was their way of saying yes.
"Well, then, it's a deal!" Poppy exclaimed. "Susie and Eevee, you're coming with me!"
Just then, a brigade of snowmobiles came in from over a snowbank. They were being ridden by Officer Jenny, Nurse Joy, Elliot, Gage, Rose and Amy, who were all overjoyed at the sight of Felix and Poppy.
"Kids!" Officer Jenny hollered as everyone hopped off their snowmobiles. "We're so glad you're both okay!"
"Yeah, we're great," Poppy nodded. "Gale here took us in and warmed us up."
"I'm so glad we found you!" Rose exclaimed maniacally, giving Poppy a choking hug. "I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too, Rose," Poppy choked.
Everyone laughed. Another day began to set on our four heroes, after they'd all been reunited. And, two more Pokémon had been added to Poppy's team.
POPPY's current team:
Dratini, Bayleef, Chinchou, Clefairy, (Susie) Swinub & Eevee
GAGE's current team:
Ivysaur, Raichu, Hitmontop & Snorlax
ROSE's current team:
Lily (Chikorita), Flora (Sunflora), Buttercup (Bulbasaur)
ELLIOT's current team:
Deino, Oshawott, Ferroseed, Litwick & Gligar
FELIX's current team:
Charizard, Cloyster, Victreebell, Electabuzz, Hitmonlee & Graveler
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