Walrein

12/21?

It is the longest night; indeed, here in the Arctic, the winter night never seems to end. It is dark and I can only tell the time by the positions of the rotating stars. And the cold is just as unrelenting, especially bad when the winds blow, biting at my skin and threatening to freeze me alive. I've been unable to write for several days, being too busy with working to survive. I can only confirm my feeling that this trip was a foolish dream.

But hope is not lost. This is the highest power that night has, and if I can hang on until the sun returns, I should be able to make my way back home. I have built a shelter out of ice, based on what I have seen in the native tribes, who (perhaps wisely) live south of here. It wasn't as easy as I thought it was, but the structure I have now is holding and does not seem to be in danger of collapse. And most of all, I have made an ally.

It is a Walrein, a majestic Pokemon that I have seen before in my travels. When I saw them before, they were defying warmth as Ice Pokemon living in a hot environment. This desolate icy tundra is likely their native home, I believe. I had seen them with their younger Spheals and Sealeos, diving in waters so frigid that I would probably be killed in. But I hadn't interfered, for fear of being harmed.

One particular specimen had approached me as I was trying to build my shelter. He has thick curling whiskers and brown eyes that seem oddly serious on a Pokemon. Although probably not the leader of the group, he has impressive tusks, nearly the length of my arm and solidly formed. This Walrein slid over to me and barked.

At the time, I supposed that as humans were rarely (if ever) seen here, the Pokemon weren't sure what I was, whether enemy, rival, or friend. Given how large he was, I didn't want to make enemies with him and his group. I might be able to outrun them over land, but I didn't want to find another area to settle in. So I spoke to him calmly, telling him that I didn't mean them any trouble.

He seemed to show the same kind of diplomacy as me, lumbering around watching me, but never threatening or getting in the way. Perhaps in being alone for so long, I was glad for even that company. I told him about what I was doing in building my ice shelter. I don't know if he understood. In response to my words, he would bark or wuffle, or make some other sound I didn't know. I thought it was strange that he was being so communicative with a creature he had never seen before. Or maybe Pokemon really are just that friendly.

After I got done with that shelter, I started searching for holes drafts could slip through. The Walrein left at that point. I was a little disappointed, but I had more important matters at hand. But not that long after, he came back and dropped a fish by my shelter. It was clearly a gift, and a very welcome one; I had such trouble fishing. I told him so and patted his snout. He bumped his nose against my hand, then went back. I guess he had to catch his own dinner.

That night, I rested in my shelter. But I woke up to cracking sounds. I got out, but the shelter collapsed. It was a great setback, as I had to make a shelter all over again. Knowing how long that took, I looked for another flat spot, then started carving ice.

I heard a bark and saw that one of the Walrein had come over. I wondered if it had been the same one as before. Although it embarrassed me, I told him about how I wasn't experienced with building with ice. He answered with a sound I can't quite decide how to write. Perhaps a 'hmmm' or a 'so that's how it is', because he didn't seem to be mocking me for my failure.

Then he went over to a large block of ice that had built up on the side of a hill. I hadn't tried to carve ice from that block, as it was taller than me and could have come crashing down on my head. But the Walrein wasn't afraid. He looked over the ice, then made a loud bark and jammed his tusks into the ice block. To my surprise, the entire block collapsed into a pile of ice. And the Pokemon wasn't bothered. He seemed to laugh at his work, soon joined in by echoing laughter from his group. Then he looked back at me, as if offering his assistance.

Many of the blocks were irregular and jagged, but they were of good size and it was much faster to carve them into shape than to dig blocks out of the ground. I was able to complete the shelter faster, allowing me more time to find faults than the day before. It put me in a good mood, so I told him my story of setting off on a late journey, getting abandoned by a greedy crew, then becoming lost and wandering around the desolate land as the winter grew. It felt good to tell my story to a sympathetic friend, even if he was a Walrein and not human.

At the end of the day, I even had some time to try fishing. My friend joined me by slipping into the water and hunting them in his own way. It is another wonder of nature that a creature can bond so well with Arctic waters that he can become like them. I managed to catch two fish, although he may have helped by herding them my way. As a gesture of appreciation, I offered him one of the fish, which he graciously accepted.

I don't really know why Pokemon befriend humans as they do. Surely, the Walrein and his herd get little advantage by making me an ally. I might even be a burden if a dangerous situation arises and I know nothing about it. On the other hand, I benefit greatly in having a Pokemon ally rather than being alone. He has checked on my well-being and helped me to survive. He even eased the burden I had in creating my ice shelter, when he declines to enter or use it.

But then, perhaps the bond of friendship is as sacred to them as it is to humans.

-the author of this journal is recorded as one of the few novice explorers to survive an entire winter far north of the Arctic Circle. And the Walrein is known as one of the first to appear in the country of his human friend.

...

Ruby entry: Walrein's two massively developed tusks can totally shatter blocks of ice weighing ten tons with one blow. This Pokemon's thick coat of blubber insulates it from subzero temperatures.

Written for the winter solstice.