I could never imagine how cool it is to fly a Charizard.
But swimming on a Gyarados is much, much cooler!
Earlier I taught Lei Sheng to use HM Surf, and this helped him to learn swim faster having a special cargo on his neck – human cargo. Me.
We were swimming really fast, like on a water bike, and caught up to Douchebag and Quartz very quickly, passing near them and showing a middle finger. That was so much fun for me, I ordered to turn back, made a circle around our rivals and we swam past with a middle finger again.
"Quit it, poser!" Douchebag shouted at me, really pissed off.
"Smell ya later, loser!" I mimicked him and accelerated in the direction of some land far before us.
When we lost our rivals, I decided to stop and have some rest. The sea road is quite long, so why not have some rest on a top of my awesome Gyarados? Lei Sheng laid down the water surface, and I stretched over him.
"You know… When I first caught you, I was really confused." I confessed to my pokemon. "I did not know what to do with you, whether I can teach you anything…"
He quietly growled in return. I could really feel Gyarados` body vibrating, feel each his breath. Such a huge monster… Such an awesome power! I just couldn`t believe I really let myself get closer to pokemon. So much closer…
"People don`t usually like Magikarps, consider them weak. But I didn`t actually care. I fight with strategy and tricks, not by pure power. I had my trust in you, big boy."
The next growl sounded more joyful. Maybe, this one Gyarados is not as atrocious as usual ones.
"And my trust in you was completely paid off. You did well."
I let myself smile kindly. This feeling is… strange. The latest months changed me too much. Just recently I could not even imagine myself flying on a Charizard, swimming on a Gyarados… I could not even imagine doing anything with pokemon. I had some connection with them in the past, but this is a connection that disconnects me from them. But now… current stage of life really differs from others.
Vengeance is nothing I ever was. Vengeance is a quick-thinking and even quicker-doing bastard that throws away his past and high principles. He dares to do what no one did. This really looks like the Faceless I became after the war… That was another of my extreme changes in whole life.
Faceless could do much… But it`s the one who made most of mistakes. He was not just Faceless – he was hopeless. But he has the goal, and he was going to achieve that goal at any cost. Fearless… Shameless… Merciless... THAT`s where the global mistakes began. Gunpowder would rather die knowing who he will become soon…
But is Vengeance better? Vengeance captures creatures to fight for him, and what`s the worst – he began to get used to them. When they began to like him, he began to like them. Even Faceless would not allow such a thing.
But Faceless is there no more, and Vengeance thinks he does the right thing. He became very attached to this team of crazy monsters. How long have it been, a month? Two, three, even more? I have lost the count already. I never watch the date.
So I should not think about this crap and just continue moving on. If I`m lucky, I will live as Vengeance another day.
"Hey, big boy!" I addressed Lei Seng and tapped his side of head. "Let`s move on. The island is pretty close."
I got up and looked behind me, trying to find Douchebag on the horizon. He wasn`t there, to my surprise. Could he take a shortcut?
Ah, it doesn`t matter. I`m still heading to Seafoam Island to find Articuno or… not to find him. Well, I still have some interest of my own to check this strange sight.
"I heard these two islands are connected together by some sort of underwater cave…" I said to Lei Sheng. "And it`s extremely cold there, possibly because of the legendary ice-type pokemon living there. Do you think it`s true?"
He growled again, but I felt the small confusion in this sound. Let these guys can`t actually talk, but I really understand what they mean. Anyway, I continue my speech lessons with Loser. They still have no result, but I keep trying. I managed to teach Magikarp a battling maneuver! That means a lot.
And suddenly the loud splash behind us stated the arrival of Douchebag. I reacted too slow, and he passed near, sprinkling us completely.
"Farewell, suckers!"
"You piece of Douchebag…" I swore and got up. "Lei Sheng, after him!"
We continued the race to Seafoam Islands, approaching the target destination pretty quickly. Soon we noticed the shore, filled with different wild water-type pokemon. Douchebag somehow accelerated even more and reached the land first.
"Ha! Part one is on us!" He gladly informed his Quartz. These two ran past the surrounding pokemon, scaring them away from the path, and reached the large cave.
Very soon we reached the cave too, and I immediately felt the change of temperature. It was so damn cold here, I could see my own breath. But it was also really beautiful here – the thick layer of ice was covering the whole cave – from the floor to ceiling. Icy pillars reflect the light from entrance, glowing with all colors of rainbow… Awesome.
But Lei Sheng didn`t feel too comfortable in this place. As a half-flying type - which is actually strange, because he is definitely not flying - he doesn`t like ice. Flying pokemon are vulnerable to it.
"I know you can withstand this." I said him with care. "See, that`s where they are!"
Douchebag and Quartz were quickly heading to the large hole in the floor.
"That Articuno`s mine!" I shouted evilly. "Lei Sheng, Surf them down!"
Our rivals heard me and stopped to turn and look back. A large wave of water struck them from behind and threw over the hole.
"After me!" I commanded to Lei Sheng, and we both rushed to the freed space. Strangely, there was a ladder… Looks like this place isn`t as deserted as I thought.
"Don`t let them go there!" Douchebag came back to senses and pointed at us. "Use Hydro Pump!"
Oh, he`s not going to give us Articuno that easily… Not without a warming battle. Fine with me.
"Lei Sheng, use Bite!"
My atrocious pokemon rushed to opponent and caught in a tight grip with his mighty jaw right before he focused his cannons to launch a really powerful stream of water in his face. Gyarados kept biting Blastoise`s arm for some seconds before the hydro pump threw him back at some large boulder. It moved a bit and fell down into some lowering and crushed the floor to the lower level.
Lei Sheng recovered really quickly, like that hit was nothing for him. Wow, he may be a real rival for this Quartz, even stronger than Dumpling.
"Let`s go down!" I pointed at the new hole and ran towards it. Lei Sheng understood me perfectly and rushed to it too, jumping down right before me and letting me jump on his back and ascend safely too.
Douchebag didn`t make him wait for too long, and followed us down too.
"Surf, once more!" I sent my Gyarados to intercept them.
But they were ready for this. Blastoise crushed into the ground and hopped a bit again, letting his master to jump off. In the air pokemon performed the Rapid Spin and intercepted my pokemon, crushing into a large ice wall together with him. The moment, when both pokemon were recovering after this, let me to observe the area a little. On one side we were blocked by long wall heading to the very ceiling. The other side is a big curled wall of ice already broken by our pokemon. The other room seems to be a large hall with another hole nearby and a ladder up somewhere far from us.
"Lei Sheng, push him down there!" I gave the command.
"No, Quartz, push HIM down there!" Douchebag decided to play rough too.
Our pokemon tried to push each other into that hole behind them and resist to being pushed at the same time. A large messy pile of pokemon limbs was moving back and forward, being completely useless.
But I used the moment and relocated to new position near the hole and looked down. Its pit was too deep for me to be able to see it… Maybe, throwing someone down did is a bad idea.
"Hydro Pump!" Douchebag loudly shouted.
Damn, I distracted myself from the battle and lost the initiative… which cost me a lot.
The strong water stream from Blastoise cannons pushed my Gyarados towards me until both of us were pushed down there.
Lei Sheng tried to stab his teeth into the ground to stop our fall, but didn`t succeed in it, and we soon flopped into a water stream. Very COLD water stream, and strong too.
I managed to climb up my Gyarados and began to look around, trying to find some land. The tunnel was really dark, and underground stream was taking us deeper into the cave. Such strong river can mean just one thing…
There is a waterfall somewhere in the end.
"Faster, faster!" I hurried up my Gyarados to swim against the stream. He roared loudly, accelerating in the water and resisting the movement.
And then suddenly the ceiling crashed, and large boulder from above fell down the river, almost crushing us too. After it Douchebag and Quartz jumped down, swimming into the stream too.
"We`re not done with you yet!" My rival stated with grin. "You can`t escape!"
Amazing… How simple the transition from a stupid and show-off battle to a deadly danger and again to the battle is. At least, the boulder got stuck into the tunnel and thus blocked the stream. Somehow Douchebag did save our lives.
"I wasn`t going to." I answered him and stood up on my Gyarados, holding his flipper. "Lei Sheng, use Surf!"
"Quartz, interrupt them with Hydro Pump!" He commanded, pointing at us.
Well, he is quite limited in moves right now. Both of us are. As we are now floating on our pokemon, careless movement can easily drop us off. So now our battle is leading to simple shooting until dropping opponent into water.
Our attacks were launched, and… kinda compensated each other, partly. The volume of Hydro Pump went through the wave we created and hit Lei Sheng a bit weaker than usually. But also our wave partly reached Quartz and washed him back. Both trainers still hold on their pokemon, but we are already wet as crap, and combining with cold surrounding this becomes really disturbing. I need to finish this quickly.
Meanwhile, Quartz moved a bit to the right of the tunnel and somehow managed to get a grip on wall to fix himself in the water stream. This will definitely help him aim at us.
"Let`s try again! Hydro Pump!" Douchebag continued.
Damn, he has some advantage over us. I need to take a time and think of a plan.
"Dodge it!" I strictly commanded to Lei Sheng.
I grabbed his flippers tighter, and he rushed to the right, easily dodging the powerful attack. We have lost this round, but…
The cracking sound behind me was sudden enough to make both of us turn around.
Hydro Pump from Quartz didn`t get us, but it got the large boulder behind us that kept the water stream. Now it is somehow unstuck from the tight tunnel point and quickly left us, also releasing all the tension stream had. Me and Lei Sheng were pulled down the river so quickly we couldn`t react. We just got used to this and headed where the water led us.
When the life drops you into a stream – relax and try to find pleasure in it…
..but not when the damn waterfall is in front of you!
The speed of water flow accelerated even more, and now even Lei Sheng lost control over the swimming. Both of us were pushed forward across this freezing tunnel, until the damn boulder before us got stuck again. We crushed into it very painfully, and the main damage was taken by my Gyarados. I was really scared when heard the sound of something like broken bones – hope it`s just PokeDex.
But water flow was not strong enough to free the boulder second time. Instead, it overthrew us to the other side of tunnel, where we had absolutely nothing to hang on.
And then, after nearly a minute on this deadly aqua park ride I finally heard the waterfall.
"Forgive me, Lei Sheng…" I said and made a deep breath…
Our fall was long enough, very long I would say. And when we hit the water second time, I accidentally exhaled all the air I had in my lungs. Lei Sheng tried to return back to senses, while I drowned really quickly. The frozen limbs didn't let me swim normally, and all the weight I have in my endless pockets was pulling me down. I wonder if Bill`s TM-Case waterproof? Why do I even think about that, while drowning?!
And then the hard body of Gyarados appeared under me and began to push somewhere up. I grabbed him once more, trying to withstand this until we reached the surface.
Damn, the air never was so delightful as now.
"Ugh… Thank you, Lei Sheng." I said to my Gyarados through hard breath. I quickly found the land with my eyes and barely pointed my frozen arm there. "Let`s get out…"
My pokemon was tired and hurt, but still able to move. Lei Sheng slowly headed towards the savior shore. I could actually feel every muscle of his body tensing and pulsating. He did his best to save me.
I tried to move my left arm to bring some blood in it. When the life returned there, I began to help him by rowing. Together we finally reached the land and dropped on it, completely exhausted.
Maybe, battling Douchebag in an unstable ice cavern was not my smartest decision… At least, it was fun! And I didn`t lose. Well, neither did he, but that doesn`t matter.
By the way, where is he?
Ah, screw him, he probably left us, spit on local legends and headed to Cinnabar Island. Maybe, he is already there.
I returned my attention to the large blue monster before me. Lei Sheng saved my life again… Even Dumpling wasn`t that active in my risky life.
With a shaking hand, I took the greatball and pointed its button at the Gyarados.
"Have a rest for a while, pal…" I said him and returned back.
Damn… This place feels even colder than earlier… And I`m also soaked to the skin, that triples the freezing effect. But I`m a north man, I can withstand it!
And I also have Charizard.
"Dumpling, I need you!" I said and released him outside. He looked around and noticed very-very bad feeling me. "Just… give me your tail."
Firstly, he growled questionable, but then realized everything. He turned back and placed his burning tail right before me so I can warm my hands near it.
"Shoot some Flamethrowers in the air, please…" I also asked him.
So we began to warm up the surroundings, and me too. Maybe I will be lucky today and not get a chilblain. At least, now I have some time to look around.
I found myself in a really huge underground cavern. It was covered with ice too, as previous levels, but also much brighter. A small hole in ceiling up above was the only source of light there, but together with a ton of refracting ice crystals it was more than enough.
We were on some sort of island in the middle of large cold lake. The waterfall we fell down was on my left side, and it was really high – maybe, a hundred of meters or so. But the walls had some other tunnels too – with and without waterfalls. I hope one of these can lead us outside.
During the process I noticed some wild pokemon poking out of water to look at the intruders. Maybe, people visit this place very rarely, so they are not afraid us, but are cautious. There were Slowpokes, Slowbros, Seels, Dewgongs… Mostly water-type pokemon. Well, there is water, so this is a nice place for them to live.
"Grawr…" Dumpling growled to me worried. I think he acts cautious towards these pokemon too.
"Be calm. Dumpling. We`re not going to fight these guys." I petted him with my hand. "And we run fast if they decide to fight US."
He nodded and returned his eyesight at them. As for me, I looked around the certain area we were in… and noticed something dark in the ground. I left Dumpling for a bit to look closer at this thing. This was some sort of broken apparatus… It was the camera!
Yes, it definitely is a camera! A shattered camera…
So, could this mean this is the place where the journalist encountered legendary bird Articuno? Everything is covered in ice, and that can be a sign. What can also be a sign of a legendary bird nest? Maybe, eggs? Dropped feathers?
A loud battle cry.
A long, ear-tearing howl that filled the walls of cavern, scaring away all wild pokemon. Only something really powerful can screech that loud.
The dark figure ascended from the shadows, bringing even colder air with it. I could actually feel how cold it becomes when he is approaching. The legendary monster.
Articuno.