Brittany's POV

When I woke up the next morning, Alph was still at the computer. Did he get ANY sleep?

"All right that should do it!" He declared.

When scanning for signals, the computer rotated to an area covered in snow, quickly recognizing another signal.

"Brilliant, Alph!" I complemented him, "You expanded the Drake's receiver range!"

"Aww, thanks… They don't call me the keen engineer for nothing!"

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that, "Nobody calls you that."

He sighed, "I know… Well, the origin of the signal is unclear… Hopefully this time it's the captain! We should investigate this at once!"

"Good idea Alph! Let's do that! Do you think we'll find any more of those notes from that Hocotation?"

"It is possible." He nodded.

Something I found out from research had come to mind, "I wonder how Hocotatians would fare on this planet. They are vegetarians, you know."

"Vegetarians?" Alph questioned, "Does that mean what I think it means?"

"If you think it means that they don't eat meat, then… yes. Nasty as it sounds, it's true. Hocotate is well known for its Pikpik carrots. I tried them once… they were kind of gross." I shuddered at the memory.

Alph's eyes widened, "You? Ate vegetables? I can hardly believe it!"

"It was my duty as a botanist. But those carrots aren't really suited to the Koppaite palate."

"Right, I suppose so. Then again if we ate vegetables, maybe we wouldn't have to travel 279,000 light years to get food." Alph remarked, "More than anything, I'm surprised that there are Hocotations here."

"Well that planet does have a lot of people who make their living off of treasure hunting." I've done my research.

"So we came here looking for food, and they came here looking for treasure."

"Yeah, must be really nice huh? Let's get going and find out what that strange signal is."

"All right! Let's go!" Alph enthused. It crossed my mind that he probably didn't get much, if any, sleep last night, is he okay to pilot the Drake? Well he seems full of energy like usual. I'm sure he'll be fine, all we're doing is landing.

Once we were out of low orbit, I looked out the window, all I could see was snow. I couldn't see anything else, of all places the captain could possibly be it had to be in this harsh area.

*KABOOM*

"Eeeeek!" Without a chance to prepare I found myself falling fast through the dark snowy void… I didn't see where the Drake went but I had no time to think, after several frightening seconds of falling into nothingness, I was abruptly enveloped in pitch black darkness. That's when I finally landed in a bank of snow.

It took me a minute to recollect myself, "Ow! Ouch! My face… Alphie? Are you okay?"

Silence was my only answer, "Alphie? Are you okay…?" I looked up and saw a lot of dark. My only light was a glowing mushroom next to where I landed.

"Oh no… don't tell me we've been separated again!"

This was even worse than last time! Instead of an area outside I was in a cave, and there was nothing but darkness all around me! I started to really worry, how am I going to get out of here when my only source of light is a dimly lit mushroom!? Not only that, how can I be so sure there's not some monster in here!?

My body began to shiver. From the cold... or from fear... I don't know.

As impossible as it sounded I had to try to leave, as I climbed out of the heavy bank of snow I heard this strange noise in the distance.

It sounded like electricity popping, I glanced around the corner and noticed two sparkling figures dancing in the distance.

What are those?

After getting a closer look I realized those figures were two Pikmin! The body type was the same as the red Pikmin, but these have ears! Really large and cute ears in fact, and they lacked the noses red Pikmin have.

"What are these Pikmin doing?"

They were holding hands, one Pikmin had its arm inserted into an electric wire, and was transferring it to the other. Both were flickering from the electricity running through their little bodies.

I noticed an object lying near them, I recognized the object as a data file. I inserted the file into my Koppad, it explained to me what was going on here.

Yellow Pikmin can conduct electricity.

I turned my attention to three Pikmin sprouts planted in the ground nearby. I plucked three of the same Pikmin out of the ground, and helped complete the circuit.

The twinkling electricity burst brightly as the stems on the five yellow Pikmin bloomed into beautiful flowers. An oversized florescent light bulb I couldn't see before shone brightly, illuminating the cave.

The light was like diamonds in my eyes, "So dazzling…"

Suddenly another bright light flashed behind me, it was the yellow Pikmin Onion becoming charged up and three legs wiggled out and hoisted the Onion.

I watched in amazement, "Wow… I guess they need light to live."

I felt so much better having these Pikmin by my side and being able to see. But I still had to get out of here somehow. I looked around and saw a lot of flowers that Alph told me Pikmin would use to reproduce, but no way out.

Another thing I noticed that could potentially break me out was a large metal ball that sat on the edge of a slippery slope. At the bottom of the slope there was a wall with a draft flowing in. If I could push it over somehow maybe I could break outside.

Alph's POV

We followed the Captain's signal to a desolate tundra.

After crashing into a rock ledge I felt a jolt and hastily recovered control of the ship, I landed in a flat little area to check around.

"Oh no what have I done!? Brittany are you okay?"

She wasn't answering me, "Brittany! Are you all right?" I jumped to my feet and searched all around the Drake, but she wasn't there. Next I hurried outside and ran around the area we landed in.

"Brittany where are you!? Brittany!"

She was nowhere to be found. My first thought was the auto-eject must have kicked in and flung her out...

I hardly got any sleep last night, I nodded off behind the wheel and caused us to crash. Now Brittany is… who knows where… Why did I have to fly the ship manually? Why couldn't I just set it to auto pilot?

I rounded up a squad of Pikmin and began searching, the snow was so dense it was hard to see off into the distance. Searching for her in these blizzard-like conditions won't be easy.

But I need to find her…

Brittany's POV

I now had twenty-five Yellow Pikmin on my team. While I was building up my squad with the posys I found, I had discovered another data file. This one explained...

Yellow Pikmin can be thrown higher.

I readied my team at the metal sphere and they pushed their tiny arms with as much strength as they could, the ball worked its promise. It rolled down the ice and crashed open a massive hole into the wall.

All right now I can get outside! Just in time I was getting claustrophobic.

I slide down the ice with my Pikmin team following and entered into the light. By the time we reached outside the snowfall had calmed down quite a bit, my eyes blinked to the sunlight. I ran to the edge above the river and watched the other side.

There he was, I could see Alph looking all around with a team of Pikmin, and the SS Drake was behind him! Wait until he sees I discovered a new kind of Pikmin!

I called him on my Koppad, "Alph! I'm over here!"

…

"Brittany! Thank goodness you're okay!"

"I'm on the other side of the river! Can you see me?"

"I can see you now! Our first priority is to reunite. Let's try building a bridge!"

"Got it!"

I shivered from a chilly breeze, This place is abosolutly freezing! If we don't get out soon we'll die of exposure… That is of course if we don't die from starvation first…

I just happened to realize that my Pikmin weren't shivering a bit! How are they not cold? It's like 50 below out here! Okay maybe they are, but are good at hiding it? Or they could be used to it probably…

Whatever it is, I put it aside to focus on the task at hand.

First I need to find some pieces to build a bridge. Luckily there was a stack not too far from where I was. The Pikmin took the pieces and steadily built for the other side.

Alph's POV

I'm so glad that Brittany is safe… I never would've forgiven myself if my carelessness caused something to happen to her.

I had to find something to build a bridge with, and luckily we have the Pikmin's help. We got sent here to get fruit; I can't believe I assumed this would be a simple task. While we are getting fruit, were also going through one catastrophe after another. Not to mention we are yet to find Captain Charlie.

I came across some pieces that could be used to build bridges in a small area, guarded by a fiery slug. Literally this slug was on fire, setting small fires to the grounds they slither upon.

With a few red Pikmin they were pretty easy to take down. But we also had to be careful of the little embers it left. I commanded the Pikmin to carry the pieces to the bridge.

Despite the brutal environment we're in, Snowy days like this bring back memories of my childhood...

-FLASHBACK-

"Hey guys." An elderly man woke up his thirteen grandsons.

The children and teenagers woke up slowly, the second to youngest son; Seven year old Alph pulled his blankets up, "It's cold grandpa."

His grandfather chuckled, "Well that's what happens when it snows Alph. I came to tell you that none of you have school today. Because it snowed a lot, I heard it on the radio."

All of the children became enthusiastic; they all celebrated and applauded loudly at the same time, saving their grandfather the task of waking their only sister in the next room.

"What's going on?" Twelve year old Haylee wondered.

"Haylee! Haylee! It snowed a lot there's no school!" Alph excitingly told his sister.

"What really!?" She joined in the cheerfulness, "Yay! I love snow!"

Everyone got dressed in winter clothes and the large family ran out into the snow, ready for a day of fun.

Alph got a snowball and began packing it, he rolled the snowball bigger and bigger until it was taller than him, "Hey everyone! Let's make the biggest snowball in the world!"

The siblings all gave a shout in approval and gathered around. Together, they pushed the snowball all around, getting bigger and bigger until it got so heavy it weighed too much for the children.

Haylee strained, "It won't… budge…"

The youngest child, three year old Ray, kept on trying. He eventually tried so hard he sunk into the massive ball of snow.

Everyone gasped.

"It ate Ray!" Alph panicked.

The oldest, seventeen year old Tom volunteered, "I'll rescue him!" Or at least that was his plan, before he could grab Ray's legs the snowball had moved away from him.

And took a tumble down the hill!

Everyone screamed for Ray and started sprinting down the slope, making a forlorn attempt to catch the runaway snowball. Alph who was the furthest behind suddenly stumbled and he too, began rolling down. Tripping his brothers and sister into the process, the whole family quickly got caught into one humongous snowball.

"AAAAAH!" Everyone screamed, the kids picked up speed as they kept on rolling, faster and faster until all they could see was blurres.

Eventually a tree became their brakes, shattering the massive snowball into a flat bank with the kids scattered all over, dazed and shocked.

-END OF FLASHBACK-

My grandfather used that experience to teach me a valuable lesson, 'Being brave doesn't mean being careless'. Also, never push an oversized snowball near the edge of a hill.

My Pikmin returned to my side once they put all the pieces down. I looked for more using my radar, but I couldn't find anymore. Looks like the rest is up to Brittany!

In the meantime, I'll focus on getting the fruit that's way up on that ledge down...

Brittany's POV

I located another pile further down the river. From where I was standing I could look out and clearly see the Drake. Looks like Alphie finished his side of the bridge.

"All right guys!" I told my team, "Let's get these pieces and finish the bridge." Then I dismissed them, and off they carried the parts.

I focused my mind on the blustery weather, "Captain... wherever you are... you better be grateful when we find you..."

Captain Charlie and I have met before this mission, I first saw him as a customer at Koppai Lawn and Service. He became really smitten with me. He still is...

All of that aside, I watched the Pikmin carry pieces of the bridge back and forth. These cute little guys... they're trying so hard for us. I never would've been out of that cave if it weren't for them... Now they're trying to get me reunited with Alphie... If we ever get out of here alive with our mission successful, the Pikmin deserve some recognition.

They had the bridge completed after what seemed like too long... I quickly whistled my squad back to me and rushed across the completed bridges.

I found my way to the Drake's landing site, "I'm here Alphie!"

I was hoping to see him here but he was nowhere to be found. Of all the times to disappear... And I discovered a new type of Pikmin!

Around the bend I heard the sounds of Pikmin being thrown, and there he was. Throwing his team at something on the top of a high ledge. He was trying to get his team to bring down whatever was up there to no avail. The reason being he couldn't throw his Pikmin high enough.

I remembered the data file that explained that Yellow Pikmin can be thrown higher than any other kinds of Pikmin. I approached him with my team following close behind.

He kicked some snow in the air, "Darn it! I can't get my Pikmin up there high enough!"

"Why don't you try throwing a yellow Pikmin?" I recommended.

"Okay, sure." He said without realizing I was there at first, he grabbed a yellow Pikmin and prepared to toss it. Then he froze, and whirled around facing me.

I gave him an impish smile, "Didja miss me?"

He let go of the Pikmin he had a hold of and flung himself into my arms, "Brittany! Thank goodness you're all right!"

I felt the heat on my cheeks, "Ditto."

Alph took my hands and explained, "I'm so sorry Brittany... I didn't realize how tired I was, I didn't think I would collide with anything because all we were doing was landing."

I squeezed his hands, "It's okay Alphie, at least we're both safe now."

As we looked into each others eyes, the undesirable environment all around us seemed to fade away... I found myself in the midst of some sweet dream... The Pikmin started running freely and happily all around us... Soft, peaceful music began to sing all around me...

Hikko nukarete, anata dake ni tsuite iku
Kyou mo hakobu, tatakau, fueru, soshite taberareru

Hotta kasarete, mata atte, nagerarete
Demo watashitachi anata ni shitagai tsukushimasu

Sorosoro asonjaou kana
Sotto dekakete miyoukanante
Aa aa ano sora ni
Koi to ka, shinagara

Out of nowhere I snapped out of my dreamy trance. I noticed that our Pikmin squad was still into the experience, dancing and singing in sync all around us in what I realized to be the shape of a heart.

My face flushed into a deep crimson color, "Oh for crying out..." I grabbed my whistled and blew into it so much that I think I broke the sound barrier. The Pikmin were all so startled they I swear they jumped at least five feet into the air, then they all got behind me and Alph like they normally did.

Alph tried cover his ears but he couldn't do that because of his helmet, once all the Pikmin were behind us again he shouted, "Geez Brittany what did you do that for!?"

"We need to focus on the mission!" I shouted back, still blushing, "Come on let's get that fruit and find the Captain!"

As fast as I could I tossed the Yellows up to the unknown object on the ledge, to our pleasant surprise they brought back down a small piece of pink fruit. They took it back to the Drake as usual. Alph was still confused, did he not realize what had just happened!? Oh my gosh he is so clueless sometimes!

Next objective! Find the Captain!

Author's Note: Good grief this was a long chapter! Putting that aside, what I wanted to talk about was that scene at the end. I know what you guys are probably thinking, that was SO CHEESY! But I just couldn't resist it was so cute! Haha!

The main thing I wanted to explain was the Japanese words, those are lyrics to the famous Pikmin song called, "Ai no Uta" by Strawberry Flower. (Translated title: Song of Love). I added it for effect.

I hope you had fun! Until next time, bye!