"Ember," I softly say, and then quickly return the Chimchar paw to its pouch the moment a small flame appears in my hand. Touching the severed appendage is still abhorrent, but the chill as I approached the Alabaster Icelands had slowly chipped away at my resolve. Warmth fills my body as I hold the fire in my hands and I can't help but breathe a sigh of relief when I can once again feel all of my extremities. While I know from experience that I'll have to refresh the spell in an hour or two, for now I'm content.

With that taken care of, I continue carefully making my way through the snow, wishing for the umpteenth time that I had thought to ask Volo for snowshoes. Then again, I doubt that he would have had any on hand given that my trip up to Alabaster Icelands was a bit rushed. The Galaxy Team's agent was moving through Hisui faster than Volo had expected and he suggested I get in and out of the area before they arrive. Snowshoes definitely would have helped with the speed aspect of things, but I'm at least glad for the heavy jacket that he'd given me.

I stumble on a snowbank and not for the first time I consider turning around and heading back to warmer climates. The idea is discarded almost as quickly as it came. Since I can't do anything to stop the Galaxy Team right now, helping the lost souls is the only useful thing I can do. Turning around would be an admission that I'm useless. Besides, it feels important and… right to gather the wisps.

A sudden gust of freezing wind blows out the Embers in my hand and the warmth that I'd felt is sucked out of my body in seconds. I refresh the spell as quickly as I can and start looking for any sign of shelter in my surroundings. As much as I want to continue making a Combeeline toward the next wisp, I know that the storm that's growing will keep wiping out my Ember spell no matter how many times I cast it. Maybe I should have brought a component for a Sunny Day spell. Dealing with the problem at the source would definitely be better than working around it.

I have to recast Ember two more times before I finally reach shelter in the form of the wide entrance to a cave. Even with my enhanced vision I can't fully see into the deep cave, but it at least appears clear of wild Pokemon. Just to be safe, I only go in far enough that I'm sheltered from the wind. Having a Pokemon attack me because I'm intruding on its home is something I would rather avoid, especially now that I'm by myself.

Ricky had been forced to stay behind when I'd entered the bounds of the Icelands. As a flying Pokemon, the cold wasn't something he enjoyed, but the larger issue was the wind. Drifloon float instead of truly flying, so every time the wind picked up, he was at risk of being blown away. I was relieved and a bit surprised that Aliss had stayed behind to keep him company.

Even the Battlemaster and the Witch are beyond my reach. A few hours before they went silent, the Witch told me that the empowered Pokemon in the region is drawing a massive amount of energy from the area's power points. I don't think even she realized that I was tapping into the power points in order to hear them, but their voices got quieter and quieter as I walked into the Icelands.

With a sigh I unclip Hana, my only remaining companion, and then start emptying my backpack of the wood I've been carrying. Starting a fire in a cave is risky, but I can't keep relying on Ember to keep me warm. The enchantment running out on the Chimchar paw would be an absolute disaster.

Despite my worries, I'm able to start the fire without any issues. It feels wonderful to feel warmth covering most of my body instead of it just emanating from a flame in my hand. I didn't think she could get cold in the first place, but even Hana floats a bit closer to the fire. The sight of the flames reflecting on her sheath is oddly comforting.

"How long do you think we're going to be stuck here?" I ask Hana absently, glancing at the snow gusting outside. The sound of Hana unsheathing returns my attention to her and I watch as she carves a single vertical line into the cave wall. "One? One… hour? Day?" I ask once I'm done wincing at the uncomfortable scraping noise. Three more lines are carved to the right of the single one and I relax slightly at the sign of the capital H. "I guess that's not too bad. Do you want to get some rest? I probably shouldn't right now."

Hana considers for a few long seconds before bobbing her hilt. She resheaths herself and slowly floats over next to me, leaning up against the wall so that she's easily within reach of me. I flash her a light smile and watch as her singular eye closes. The moment it does, I relax and have to stop myself from breathing a deep sigh of relief at the first time that I've been completely alone in weeks.

I really appreciate everyone that's helped me in Hisui, but their attention has grown increasingly stifling. Between Hana needing energy, Ricky wanting to show me his latest move, Aliss' pranks, and the Battlemaster and the Witch wanting me to train, I've had absolutely no time to relax. And even if I did have the opportunity, having two people literally in my head severely limits my privacy.

My good mood is abruptly twinged by a pang of guilt and doubt. I thought that I was ready to be a coordinator, but most of my complaints would have been just as present if I really had gotten a starter at the Contest Hall instead of being sent back in time. Sure, my current situation is plenty different from normal, but that doesn't change the fact that no trainer or coordinator should feel relief when they're separated from their Pokemon.

The thought makes me glance back toward Hana, only to jolt up when I don't see her. I scramble to my feet and look outside but don't see any sign of her. I turn to peer deeper into the cave and nervously call, "Hana?"

I hold my breath, listening intently. For a few seconds there's no reply, but then I hear a distant noise identical to the scraping she'd made earlier coming from deeper in the cave. Relieved that she at least hasn't gone out into the storm, I follow the sounds deeper into the cave. Despite my earlier thoughts about wanting some alone time, I feel weirdly off balance without Hana's familiar weight on my waist.

The scraping noise makes it sound like Hana is just around a corner, but when I round the bend in the tunnel, I still don't see any sight of her. Unnervingly, the sound continues unabated, making it sound like she's within a few feet of me. I start to wonder if she's learned a new move and start to look for any sign of her. However, all my search finds is the musty walls of the cave, though given that it still goes deeper, I think that tunnel would be a better word.

"Hey Hana, let's go back to the entrance. You can practice there," I softly say, but there's no answer. I'm at a loss as to what to do when a voice suddenly speaks up from behind me.

"She's left you."

Despite the utter lack of emotion in the voice, I recognize it instantly and spin on my heels in shock. Standing barely a foot away from me… is me. My double is wearing the same dark clothes I am, though in the gloom of the cave, the outfit looks pitch black instead of gray. Her thick, dark hair is horribly unkempt and strands are splayed out in every direction. The most unnerving thing is that her expression is completely blank and there's no sign of life in her eyes. I shudder and fail to make any coherent noises when I open my mouth.

"Everyone's left you." My double pauses and her expression slowly shifts to a wide grin. On anyone else the expression would be unnerving, but seeing it on my own face is downright horrifying. "Or was it you that left them?"

"I didn't ask to be here!" I manage to croak out, but my protest only makes my double's smile grow wider. "Wh-who are you?"

"I'm you, of course," she says with a slight toss of her head, further messing her hair. "The real you."

"No… you're not… you can't be real," I manage to stammer as I shiver violently. "None of this is real."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" My voice has a mocking tone as it comes out of her mouth. "To wake up in your soft bed and realize all your suffering was just a dream." Venom drips from the last word and she abruptly reaches out and hits my shoulder with her right hand, making me stagger back. "But this is real. I'm real."

Her touch causes a wave of cold to wash over my already chilled body. It takes me a few seconds to recover from the cold as well as the shock of being pushed. "W-what do you want?"

"I want nothing. I want for nothing," she answers, her voice shifting back to neutral.

Her odd words and the sudden lack of aggression throw me off just enough that I'm jolted out of my fear. My mind races for a possible explanation for my double's presence and I gasp when I realize the obvious answer given my current situation. "You're me from the future!"

She briefly hesitates but it's replaced by a scowl so quickly that I'm sure I imagined it. "Of course I am," she says scornfully.

"But… why are you here? How are you here? What happened to everyone else? Do we stop the Galaxy Team?" The questions come faster and faster as I begin to spiral into despair at the thought of the outcome of all that I've gone through is ending up alone in a cold cave. The final question is one that I've been trying to avoid thinking about for the last few weeks but it comes out of my mouth accompanied by a sob. "Do I never get to go home?"

"No." Her answer is said with such finality that it makes my legs threaten to give out. "And there's no point in trying. You should just— What are you doing?"

I feel so numb that it takes me a moment to realize that the sharp question is directed at me. I'm about to reply that I'm not doing anything when I feel something furry brush against my fingertips. I look down to find that my hand has reached into one of the pouches around my waist and pulled out the nub of a Pichu ear that I'd avoided looking at up to this point. I look back up at my double with a baffled expression, but when I open my mouth to say I don't know what's happening, a different word comes out, completely unbidden. "Thundershock."

I watch in horror as a bolt of electricity flies from my fingers and strikes my double directly in the eye. Even more horrifyingly, she doesn't even flinch and stares at me with the empty socket where her right eye used to be. Instead of crying out in pain, she growls and demands, "What did you do?! How did you know?!"

I don't even have the opportunity to tell her I don't know what she means, because a purple miasma suddenly forms around me, instantly returning all of the feelings of despair that I'd felt only seconds ago. After a few seconds, I'm able to stagger away from the mist and while I feel marginally better, I'm not confident I would be able to repeat the feat. I quickly look around the cave for the source, but all I can see is my double, who's now standing completely still with a lifeless look in her remaining eye.

My search is interrupted by the formation of another miasma, but this time I'm able to jump out of the way before it engulfs me. I keep a tight grip on the Pichu ear in my right hand while my left dives into a different pouch that contains a small bundle of Shinx hairs. I hadn't expected to use this spell since the Witch had told me that it's for finding things in the dark, which isn't something I usually have a problem with. I'm not sure what else to do in my current situation though so I shout, "Flash!"

An incredibly bright light fills the cave, blinding me for a few seconds. My vision clears after some frantic blinking and I take an involuntary step backward when I see a Pokemon that's standing only a few feet away from me. Its hunched shape looks vaguely humanoid, but it has claws and white fur with red accents. Even though it's close to my size, its massive mane makes it look much larger and intimidating. The mane swishes back and forth violently as it shakes its head, making me realize that it's still trying to clear its own vision.

"Thundershock!" I shout before it can finish recovering. This time when the bolt of electricity hits its target, it's accompanied by a pained screech instead of silence. I get myself ready to cast another Thundershock as electricity courses over the Pokemon's fur, but as I say the spell, its head swivels toward me with eyes filled with hatred. It jumps to the side of my third Thundershock, fully avoiding the spell before leaping toward me with its claws glowing a sickly purple. I try to dodge out of the way, but I know that it's too fast to avoid even as I start moving.

Instead of the hot pain of my flesh being torn by those claws, a loud clang fills the cave, causing multiple echoes. When I look back at the unknown Pokemon, I find that Hana has interposed herself between us and managed to block the deadly claws. Stunned, I stand still for a second, but then notice that Hana is badly shaking as she continues to match her strength against the other Pokemon. I immediately dart back toward her, grabbing her hilt with my left hand and her cloth comfortably wraps around my hand.

With the two of us pooling our strength, we're able to push back the white and red Pokemon, though its snarls get louder with every inch of ground we gain. Our advantage turns into a full rout when I hit it with another Thundershock that comes out of my right hand. I decide that if I get out of this alive, I need to thank the Battlemaster for forcing me to learn how to fight with Hana in either hand. After being zapped again, the Pokemon jumps back out of our reach. I'm still trying to decide if I should press the advantage or not when my double speaks.

"What are you?!" This time I just let the rage and contempt in my double's voice wash past me as I barely spare it a glance. While I'm looking at my double out of the corner of my eye, the Pokemon takes a half-step forward but retracts the movement just as quickly. I shift my full attention to it but relax marginally when it doesn't appear to be making any more aggressive moves. I'm not sure how to answer its question so I keep my mouth shut, slowly easing into a ready position. My silence seems to only infuriate the Pokemon further as my double demands, "How are you using Pokemon moves? Why is it so hard to attack you?!"

My surprise at the last question makes me dip Hana slightly in the air, but I reset my stance at the insinuation that something was holding it back. If that is the case, I absolutely don't want to have to fight it at full strength. "Are you a ghost?"

"Are you a ghost?" The other me repeats in a voice so sarcastic that it puts anything I ever said as a child to shame. "Of course I'm a ghost! It seems I owe the Pearl Clan a visit if they've stopped sharing stories about me."

The Pokemon bares its teeth at the statement but seeing the accompanying deranged grin on my own face is even more unnerving.

"I've never even talked to anyone from the Pearl Clan," I quickly say. They might be working with the Galaxy Team, but I don't want this creature to turn its attention to them because of me. It feels incredibly weird to hold a conversation with a Pokemon that attacked me, but I press on since it's much better than the alternative. "And as for why you had problems attacking me, ghost Pokemon just like me."

"I don't like you," it instantly replies and I struggle to not roll my eyes at its petulant tone.

"Feeling's mutual. Can I leave now? I'm sorry for coming into your cave or whatever pissed you off enough to attack me. I just wanted to get out of the storm."

The Pokemon growls but this time it sounds more thoughtful than angry. "What's a human without dealings with the Pearl Clan doing in the Icelands?"

I hesitate for a second but decide that there's no harm in telling it the truth. "I'm gathering the wisps in the area."

"What designs do you have for the spirits?" It asks with narrowed eyes.

I tilt my head slightly, unsure of what plans someone could have for the wisps given that they can't move or speak. "I don't have any. I'm just giving them enough energy so that they can move on."

The Pokemon silently regards me for several long seconds, then finally slouches down. "Fine. Return to your fire and leave when you're able."

I almost thank it reflexively, but stop myself. I don't need to thank it for letting me go! It should be apologizing to me! Demanding an apology seems like a poor idea though, so I refrain from saying that either. I carefully start making my way back to the entrance of the cave, but hesitate when my curiosity gets the better of me. "What kind of Pokemon are you? I've never seen any like you before."

"I… was Zoroark," it answers, sounding muted for the first time. I almost ask about its odd wording but think better of it when I see its expression. "Now leave."

I wordlessly make my way back to the entrance of the cave. I do my best to look casual about it while also keeping a tight grip on Hana. When I get back to the entrance, I find that my fire has died down significantly, which is a surprise since I hadn't thought that I had been dealing with Zoroark for all that long. I let Hana go, quietly thanking her for saving me again and then quickly pile more logs onto the campfire. When the fire is rebuilt, I slowly slide down to a sitting position next to the wall with a loud sigh. I do my best to relax but keep a tuft of Shinx hair between my fingers, ready to cast Flash the moment I see or hear something unusual.

A couple of hours later the storm has cleared up enough, and I don't waste any more time before heading back out into the cold. I had felt like I was being watched a few times sitting at the fire, and while I'm not sure if it was my imagination or not, I'm more than happy to get away from Zoroark. I take one last look back at the cave, then turn in a random direction, letting my instincts lead me toward the next wisp.

It's difficult to judge the passage of time in the dark when it's cloudy and all of the scenery looks the same. As a result, the only sign I have that it's getting close to dawn is the wave of fatigue that washes over me as I finish gathering the sixth wisp of the night. I consider looking for a cave to set up camp in, after I thoroughly check it for Pokemon, but I decide to go for one more wisp since I get the feeling it's close by.

I crest a few more hills on the way to the wisp but stop dead in my tracks when I see what's in the valley below. The sight of a couple dozen huts makes me stop in my tracks as I see the first sign of human civilization in weeks. My instincts tell me that the wisp is definitely somewhere in the village, but the smoke coming out of some of the huts has me second-guessing if I should stop for the night.

"I thought you said you didn't have any dealings with the Pearl Clan." The voice from behind me makes me jump slightly and my hand darts to Hana's hilt, only to relax marginally when I recognize the speaker. I turn around to see Zoroark with my double, still with a missing eye, standing next to it like a puppet.

"There's a wisp in there," I answer, more than a little annoyed that I'm having to explain myself to a Pokemon that had attacked me completely unprovoked.

"Then why hesitate?"

"They don't know about me and I want to keep it that way," I say, turning slightly so that I can see the village out of the corner of my eye. A part of me wishes I could just go down there and stay with them. It would be such a relief to stay with other people, but I just can't do it. Settling down would mean that I don't get to stop the Galaxy Team or go home.

Zoroark stays quiet for several long seconds before eventually nodding. "Very well. We will head into the settlement together and I will use illusions to hide us."

"Why would I trust you? You'll just drop the illusion and leave me stranded."

Zoroark tosses its head in what looks like annoyance. "If I wanted to reveal you to them, I would not need you." As it finishes speaking, my double takes several steps closer to the village.

I quickly move in front of her path. "Okay, okay, I get it." Thankfully she stops moving and I breathe a small sigh of relief. Zoroark seems to have a smug look on its face when I turn back to it, but I do my best to ignore that. "So what do I have to do?"

"Just walk toward the spirit. I will mask our presence so they do not see us."

I stare at Zoroark for a second longer to try to judge if it's telling the truth, but its expression is completely unreadable. With a small shake of my head, I start walking down toward the village. A thought occurs to me after about a dozen steps, but when I turn around, there aren't even any tracks in the snow to give me away. Satisfied, I continue heading into the village, idly wondering how long the illusion is going to last. Strange footprints suddenly appearing in the middle of town is the sort of thing that leads to ghost stories, which I suppose is oddly accurate in this case.

My curiosity gets the better of me and I spare some looks around the village as I make my way toward the wisp. Interestingly, the living quarters that the Pearl Clan use look closer to sturdy tents rather than permanent wooden structures I'd expected. The few people walking around the village wore sturdier clothes than what I would have seen in my time, but it wasn't anything too dissimilar from what Volo had given me. My interest in my surroundings almost causes me to step on a Glaceon that's curled up in the snow but I avoid it at the last second. I start to get nervous when the Pokemon sits up with a twitching nose, only to sigh in relief when it softly hisses and runs off.

After that close encounter, I stop playing the tourist and make a direct line for the wisp. It turns out to be floating right above a woodpile behind one of the tents. I make quick work of absorbing it, though I do spare a moment on the realization that other people must not be able to see them. I guess it makes sense given the other enhancement to my vision, but it does make me wonder how many wisps are floating around in my time with no one the wiser.

With my task done, I take a few seconds to be sure that I don't feel any other wisps nearby. When none twinge at my awareness, I turn back to the southwest and leave the village as quickly as possible. I'm about fifty feet away from the last tent when a quiet voice from next to me asks, "That's it?"

"Yeah, I pull in the wisp and it gets released as I sleep." I answer in the same low tone, though I have to pause to stifle a yawn. "Speaking of, do you know any nearby caves I could sleep in? Preferably one without any Pokemon?"

"I was under the impression that humans slept at night."

"I'm -" I start to say but get cut off by a yawn that I can't hold back. "I'm just built different."

"...Evidently. At any rate, there is a vacant cave to your right, though you might have issues reaching it."

I look in the described direction and spot the cave right away. It's no wonder that there aren't any Pokemon living in it because the entrance is on a ledge that's at least thirty feet off the ground. "I'll be fine."

I can't see my double because of the illusion hiding us but the doubt is clear in her voice. "If you say so. Either way, I'll be returning to my own home."

"Well, thank you. It's been…" I trail off, unable to decide on the correct word. Finally, I settle on finishing with, "an experience."

"...For me as well. Farewell."

I don't waste any time wondering if Zoroark really left this time and instead trudge toward the cliff. If it's telling the truth, I want to make sure that I get into the cave before the illusion has a chance to fade. When I reach the cliff, I spend a moment searching through my pouches before I find the one that contains a shard of a long purple claw. I'm too tired to wonder what Pokemon it once belonged to and simply hold it up next to the cliff. "Rock Climb."

As if I'm being pulled up by an invisible rope, I suddenly start ascending up the cliff face. It's not quite as smooth as when Ricky has given me lifts, but it's not uncomfortable either. As soon as my feet are back on solid ground, I return the claw to its pouch and enter the cave. This time I do a full search of the cave to make sure that it doesn't have any occupants, which thankfully takes less than a minute since it doesn't go too deep. With a relieved sigh, I quickly set up my tent and crawl into my bedroll at the first available moment. As a slight deviation from our normal process, I keep a tight grip on Hana's sheath as I fall asleep. The metal is slightly cool, but her presence is still comforting.

When I wake up the next evening, I spare only a few minutes to eat before setting out. I've had more than enough of the Icelands and I'm eager to return to warmer climates. Thankfully, I only sense five additional wisps, so I'm already heading south a few hours after sunset. A good amount of the tension I've been feeling disappears when I start to feel a slight twinge in the back of my mind. I still can't hear them, but even the lightest impression of the Battlemaster and the Witch makes me feel like things are getting back to normal.

The cold dissipates remarkably quickly as I continue south and eventually the snow fades away to be replaced by green grass. Near the boundary between the two, I find a Drifloon and a Mismagius floating near a pile of sticks. I'm about to call out a greeting but my mouth wordlessly opens in shock when the sticks abruptly float up in the air. The top end of each of the sticks is lit with a purple flame and they slowly start to circle, picking up more and more speed until a small purple firestorm forms.

"That was amazing!" I shout while applauding as soon as the performance ends. Ricky perks up immediately and floats over to me practically bouncing with excitement. Aliss' reaction is much more subdued, but she clearly looks quite pleased with herself as well. "Have you two been working on that the entire time?" Ricky eagerly nods at the question while Aliss shrugs indifferently as if to say that it hadn't been that much work.

Don't mind her, she always tries to make everything look effortless.

The comment earns a stuck out tongue from Aliss and an excited smile from me. "I can hear you again!"

Oh excellent, we're finally out of that monster's influence. Dame Madeline, your efforts against Zoroark were nothing short of exemplary.

Oh yes, I couldn't agree more! Absolutely wonderful spellcasting Maddy!

I feel a wave of relief come over me when I hear their voices again. Hana and I aren't alone anymore. My smile becomes a bit tired though as I think back to the encounter. "Witch, it was you that helped snap me out of it when I was talking to Zoroark right? Thank you so much."

You're welcome dear. Think nothing of it.

I nod and then do my best to push Zoroark out of mind. Instead of dwelling on it, I ask Ricky and Aliss to see a repeat of their performance which they happily oblige.

I'm so excited to be reunited with everyone and see the appeal again that it doesn't even register that the Witch's response sounded oddly sorrowful.


A/N: Thanks to Star (quarknova on this site) and Cavik for betaing. Next up is Chapter 9: Distorted