Carrie was horrified at what lay before her. As she approached the final stretch of Route 217, a gruesome sight was before her.
She had pale skin. It was as if she almost blended in with the snow. Her clothes were tattered, shoes ripped apart, bruised and bloodied. The girl's hair was in a mangled mess. She looked like she hadn't eaten in days. Carrie even noticed scorch marks on her clothes as well. The girl's lips were dry and dark, the cold had begun to set in.
Mount Coronet was unforgiving, and it's victims never forgave the range. This girl, Carrie thought, must've been through hell and back.
It was terrifying to see someone in such a state.
"What the fuck," was all she could really say. Thankfully she had her Pokémon kept away. She had calmed down from her encounter with Skylar, but this completely changed her mood.
Carrie began to think quickly. She dropped her bag and rummaged for water and food. Her first aid kit soon appeared in the snow as well.
"Guess I'm setting up camp early today." She tried to remain in good spirits.
But good spirits, like most spirits, were often fleeting.
Carrie set her tent up quickly. She got a small fire going outside and began to make some tea and soup. She found some extra clothes she packed and hoped they would fit the girl. Thankfully they looked to be the same height. Getting her sleeping bag out, she gently picked up the girl and laid her inside the tent, wrapped in the bag and blankets.
The wind was dead, thankfully. The snow hadn't picked up again for the rest of the day. A warm cup of tea and soup sat on a stool. Carrie also had plain water at the ready. Warming the girl and getting her to rise was the first priority.
Anxiety racked Carrie's head. She felt like she was wasting time. There wasn't a Pokémon center for miles. The nearest cabin was occupied by…him. That was not an option either.
Carrie sat inside the tent, waiting for her to wake up. She pulled out a book of poetry and began to read. It'd help kill time and maybe help get through to the exhausted victim?
It took about an hour before signs of life showed. Subtle eye movements, a finger twitch. Carrie put the book down and got the cup of water ready. The fire had reduced outside but was still present. Carrie prayed to Arceus that she would pull through.
Over the next several minutes, the pale teen slowly moved. Fuller arm movements, although it seemed one may have even been broken. Her eyes slowly opened, seeing inside of a blue tent.
"W-where..?" She trailed before coughing.
"You're safe!" Carrie blurted out. She didn't know what to do.
"Where am I? Who are you?" She spoke. She had an accent that Carrie didn't fully recognize. Must've been Galarian or even Unovan.
"Well, right now we're just outside Mount Coronet, about to be at the intersection of Routes 216 and 217." Carrie moved to sit closer to the teen.
"This is water," Carrie said. The victim's eyes widened. Carrie helped her drink which she drank rather quickly.
"I have more, plus some tea and soup." Carrie felt herself begin to blush. She wasn't used to helping people.
"That…would be nice," the girl trailed out. Carrie nodded and fetched the tea and soup. She had them bear the fire to stay hot as best as they could.
"It may not be fully warm, but it's the best I have. Let me help," Carri said. She flicked some hair out of her face. Carefully, she helped the victim drink the tea.
"Marvelous," was all she said in a hushed tone. Carrie blushed more.
"Here, you need some food too." She spoon fed her, feeling a sense of intimacy. 'This feels like a work of fiction,' she thought to herself.
After eating and drinking, the pale teen laid back down staring straight up. Carrie sat quietly nearby.
"I'm Carrie. Carrie Price. I'm from Snowpoint City up North."
A few minutes of silence passed.
"Esper. Esper Fairwind, I was born in the city of Freezington in Galar."
Carrie perked up. She was right! Plus a name like Freezington, must've been an amazing place to live and grow up.
"I've been prisoner here for two years."
Carrie felt her stomach drop. Prisoner? For what?
"For being born with an unnatural ability, that's why." Esper blinked slowly.
Carrie shook her head. Coincidence. "Do you know where?"
"Not entirely. I just know it's located in a forest near…Eterna City? Is it? I'm sorry, my head is killing me."
Carrie froze.
Home. This…Esper person came from her hometown. Prisoner, and by the looks of it she had a hell of an escape.
"I'm from Eterna City," Carrie spoke softly. Her scar began to burn.
"I lived there for a while, until…something. I don't remember what exactly. But it ultimately led to me moving to Snowpoint City with other family members." Carrie felt tears prick at her eyes. "I'm seeking closure."
"As am I. Well, maybe not closure. But something to that effect." Esper was being coy, but Carrie didn't push. The teen had been through hell and back.
"I'm sorry, you must've been through hell," Carrie wiped her tears. Esper gave the smallest of smiles and did her best to sit up.
"It's okay. You're trying to connect, I appreciate it." Carrie blushed and smiled.
"Thank you. Do you want more water."
Esper nodded but was able to drink it herself once Carrie brought her some.
"I feel my strength returning, thank you. I appreciate your kindness greatly."
Carrie felt warm. It had been a while since someone was this nice to her.
Esper winced when pain began to take over. Now that her hunger and thirst were satiated, her body was taking care of itself. Recovering from being broken.
"Hold on, I have some pain killers somewhere," Carrie said as she pulled out a medical kit. She pulled out some wrap, gauze, and a bottle of pain killer.
"Here, let me wrap you up," Carrie said. Grabbing the gauze, she realized she needed something to keep Esper's arm straight.
"Let me find some sticks. That'll help set your arm." Esper merely nodded and remained sitting up. Carrie went outside and searched for sturdy enough branches. It wasn't the best but it's what they had.
Returning, she did her best to use the sticks to set Esper's arm. Using a spare towel, she managed to tie it together.
"Ta-da?" Carrie said, half triumphantly and half confused. Maybe it would work!
Esper merely just smiled. "Thank you, this is more than I could ever expect from a stranger."
Carrie smiled back, feeling odd in her stomach. "Consider me a friend."
"Friends." That's all Esper said.
Silence overcame them. Carrie made sure that Esper had enough layers and went outside to extinguish the fire. It was a pile of smoldering embers but Carrie stomped them to their end. Snow began to fall lightly.
"I was lost." Carrie jumped at Esper's voice. The pale girl emerged from the tent.
"Lost?"
"Yes. Alone and lost. For days I was wandering the range."
"How did you survive without proper clothes or shelter?"
Esper laughed lightly before standing next to Carrie. Being 5' 10", it was seldom that Carrie found another girl her age she was around eye level with. But Esper seemed to be an inch or so taller than her.
"I have Pokémon, they helped me of course."
Carrie blushed in embarrassment. Of course!
"Well, can I meet them?" Carrie asked hopefully.
"One day, but unfortunately today is not that day."
Carrie looked up at the sky. All of her scars felt like they were on fire.
"I'm okay with that. We need to get you to a city. With how violent the snow storms have been, going up Route 217 isn't too feasible. With 216 ahead, that'll be easier. It's longer distance wise, but without stopping because of weather it'll take less time."
Esper merely smiled. "Sounds like a plan my friend."
Carrie felt happy. Having a friend was a luxury fairly unknown to her.
Esper wincing grounded Carrie back into reality.
"Let's get back into the tent. You need to lay down, you shouldn't be standing." Esper merely nodded.
Getting into the tent, Carrie retrieved her portable heater from her bag. The sun was starting to dip and the temperature began to fall. After getting it set up, she got Esper into a sleeping bag with some extra blankets.
"Do you know what happened to you?"
Carrie looked over at her new friend. She gently touched where her cheek was cut in two. It burned at her fingertips.
"I don't. I just know I'm searching for something. A Pokémon. I don't know where it lives, but I'm searching for it. Eterna Forest is where answers are. Apparently for both of us." Carrie went quiet. Her face scars were always seen, especially on her cheek. But those on her body were always obscured by clothing g.
"I see. I'm sorry, we will find answers together."
Carrie simply smiled. "Right now, we need to focus on getting you to rest. We'll take a few days to camp so you can be reinvigorated and well rested."
Esper shook her head. "It's imperative we move quickly."
Carrie raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"It's the priority right now."
"Your body isn't healthy."
"And it'll heal as we move."
Carrie turned to face the pale teen. "Esper, you still need to rest. We can do that when we get to a Pokémon center. We're heading to Hearthome City first."
Esper shook her head. "We need to stay in the mountains."
"We can't survive here forever. You know what the motto of this area is? It's 'expect the worst' and I don't have supplies to last a while in the worst. You have no supplies at all."
"I travel light," Esper said this almost in a hiss.
"Okay. We're going to stay the night here and see how we feel in the morning? Do you need any food or drinks before we begin to wind down?"
Esper kept her cool. "Okay, that's fine. I need time to think."
Carrie let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. "Okay. We got this!" Carrie flashed a smile and held her first out.
"What is this?" Esper looked confused at Carrie's fist.
"A fist bump?"
Esper blinked.
"Make a fist and tap it with mine." Carrie almost deadpanned.
Esper didn't understand the exercise but did it anyway. Carrie smiled. "Kick ass!"
Esper merely nodded and got further into her blankets, laying down and staring at the ceiling of the tent. Finally feeling warm for the first time in days.
Carrie got into her sleeping bag. "You know, maybe I'll introduce you to my Pokémon tomorrow. My partner is the best!"
"Really? What kind of Pokémon is it?"
"A Froslass. Her name is Moonya and she's my partner for life. She understands me more than anyone else."
Esper kept quiet. Pain subsiding, she finally felt the comforts of sleep take over her. It was a cold night on the range of Mount Coronet.
Carrie stayed awake. She couldn't fall asleep no matter how hard she tried. Tossing and turning but nothing worked. She wanted to go outside but the frigid air and Esper's state prevented her from doing so.
The junction of Routes 216 and 217 were shadowed by the peaks of Mount Coronet. Carrie finally found sleep but it didn't last long. Chirps of Starly and Staravia woke her from her restless evening.
Esper seemed to be doing a lot better. Some water, food, and actually getting some sleep did wonders for her.
"Good morning Carrie," was all Esper said.
"Good morning," the white haired teen responded. She was exhausted. Esper sat up not even needing the arm sling anymore. Carrie was curious but didn't pry.
"You okay to travel today?" Carrie asked as she rolled up a sleeping bag.
"I think so. We'll just have to take it slow."
"Time is our ally thankfully," Carrie said rather poetically.
"Can I help?" Esper asked.
"I got it, thank you." Carrie appreciated the offer. But she figured the less Esper moved the better. The pale girl was wearing some of Carrie's clothes for the moment. She figured they'd hit the stores in Hearthome City once they got there.
"I figure today we should end Route 217 and get about halfway through Route 216. It's much shorter and the weather is clear right now. Route 217 usually takes more than a few days so we lucked out."
"Do you travel much?" Esper quietly asked.
"No. Well, not to other cities." She began to pack up Esper's side after finished hers. "Usually just around Snowpoint City. I've never been this far south, especially on my own. But I've looked at the maps and talked with some who have traveled and that's what I've been told. Plus the snow isn't as high as on Route 217. Much more people too and cabins."
"I'm excited," Esper said. A small smile crawled on her face.
"Really?" Carrie flashed a smirk at her as she finished putting the other sleeping bag in her backpack.
"Yes. I've been…confined. The past few years. It'll be good to see Sinnoh in it's beauty."
Carrie really wanted to pry but refrained.
"Eventually. I see it in you too."
Carrie raised an eyebrow but said nothing. She finished packing up the inside of the tent. The tent itself was rather easy to get put away. That was going to be the last thing done.
"You good to walk?"
Esper winced as she stood up. "Yes. I'll be fine. I heal rather quickly."
"So I've noticed." Carrie said quietly. She felt herself getting awkward.
"I'm going to go find a private place to use the bathroom." Esper said making her way outside.
"Okay, don't go too far. It's easy to get lost!" Carrie called out.
"Okay!" Esper disappeared out of the tent and into the tree line.
Carrie let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She felt tense. As tense as anyone would feel in a situation like this. She shook her head and exited the tent itself. Taking a whiff of the snow, she closed her eyes.
She wanted to scream. That's what Carrie wanted to do. But she couldn't. The snowstorm was moving north of them and she knew that Route 217 was going to be a nightmare. Route 216 and through the mountains was going to be longer but better than a blizzard.
"Arceus," was all she said as she began to focus on the actual tent. Folding the limbs and rolling the nylon, it didn't take too long.
Before long, Esper returned. She looked miles better than the day before. Carrie had no idea how Esper looked the way she did. It was as if she never went through hell and back.
"Better?" Carrie asked as she stood up from a log.
"Yep! Sorry I took so long."
Carrie didn't want to mention the time. "Of course, no worries! You good to walk?"
"Absolutely. Are we to make our way to Hearthome?"
Carrie nodded. "While Snowpoint is technically closer, the weather isn't going to cooperate. I figure if luck is on our side we can actually breeze through Route 216 today."
Esper nodded without a word and began walking. Carrie shook her head and followed after the pale girl.
Things were fine, right?
AN: Hello friends! This time an OC by Gyvarius has been introduced. A chapter that's setting things in motion for sure. Right now, we're in a phase of traveling. There will be a focus on battling later. But right now the objective is getting to Hearthome City! Read and review! Thank you for the support. I'll see you again soon!