Prepare for trouble, and make it double! The double feature for this week is here, and I hope you guys enjoy it. This one jumps perspective a bit. Considering it's between Taiyo and Lusamine, though, I couldn't think of a better way around it. A part of me thought about just writing two short chapters from each one's PoV, but I realized just how long I needed Taiyo's PoV to be. So this will jump between them a bit, and then focus on Lusamine's PoV. After this, the next two or so chapters will be Taiyo's experiences after his last PoV in this chapter.
I*A*C
It's day one out in the wilderness, and Lucy and I have decided to take a break for lunch. Lucy's excused herself to go to the bathroom, so I have a little time to myself. I never realized just how extensive the trails would be compared to the games, but Ula'Ula Island has proven itself a fitting challenge for those who stray from the normal paths. There's a paved road that normally connects Malie City to Po Town that rounds about the south part of the island, but also a dirt road that connects the two areas along the northern side, just beyond Route 10. I've made the executive decision to go along this dirt road, since grandpap told me that trying to camp out around Blush Mountain to the south would be a pain in the back. I can still make my way up Mount Lanakila from this side, so it won't change much. I'll probably leave Lucy behind in a couple of days. Probably in the middle of the night so she won't get any ideas to follow me. It means I won't have a tent, but I've looked up on ski records and hiking forums for caves and rest spots on the mountain for lost travelers. I'll stay at those while I'm up there, so shelter shouldn't be an issue.
I'm almost there. I remember that Alolan ninetales are often territorial, and may attack those who try and target their pack. That just means that I'll have to make my intentions clear, and hopefully not get mauled or frozen in the process. Easy job, Taiyo. Let's not fuck it up.
I*A*C
Lusamine smiled as she used the charred stick as a skewer, cooking the hot dogs over the campfire that Tai had made. It was sometime in the afternoon, and she was hungry. They'd just gotten back from their hike, where they'd stumbled across a small lagoon being fed by a waterfall from the melting ice of Lanakila. The water was cold, but with the intense heat of Alolan summer, the water had felt refreshingly cool as they took a dip. It was the first time she'd ever gone swimming with Tai, and it was just as lucky that they'd brought swimsuits with them. Said swimwear was currently hanging over a branch to dry near their camp, and the two of them had since gotten into a new change of clothes; just basic shorts and t-shirts to keep them cool.
The lagoon was a place they'd have to visit more often, she thought. The little lake was crystal clear, and the Pokémon they'd found there were super friendly. Even Lily had been able to enjoy her time by the waters. Speaking of the little bulb, Lily was currently ingraining herself into the ground, absorbing nutrients from the dirt, or something. Lusamine wondered if she could do that anywhere, or if it just worked on soil. Either way, the little petilil was chirping happily, so all was well.
Lusamine looked up from her hot dog as Tai walked back into the clearing they were using to camp, placing the toilet paper roll on top of the cooler bag. "You know, I could have gotten those when I got back," he told her, making her roll her eyes. Of course he'd offer to cook. He practically did everything else. "I'm serious! I've always wanted to cook a hot dog like this!"
"Consider this payback for not letting me help set up the tent," Lusamine shot back, waving her stick at him. "I've never set up a tent, and I wanted you to teach me!"
"I mean, I could just set it up faster, and it was getting late and dark, and-"
"Tai, you know that Lily knows Sunny Day," she argued. "Light isn't an issue, here. Just sit down, shut up, and let me cook for you."
"Ugh, I just feel useless if I don't do something while you cook," he told her. He looked away, refusing to meet her eyes. "I thought it was just a one-time thing." He must have meant that breakfast she made for him at the manor.
"Nope," she replied simply, shaking her head. "I'm gonna be your cook, and you're gonna like it. Got it?"
"Sheesh, what are you, my wife?" He asked, though he sat down on the stump they'd dragged over from the treeline.
"Now you're starting to get it," Lusamine told him, a smile on her lips. His face went red, and he stared at the campfire. Her smile fell at that reaction. He still just didn't get it, the dummy. She watched as he fidgeted with his promise ring before she let out a sigh, which attracted his attention.
"What's wrong?"
"Just remembering that as cute as you are, that you're still just a ruffian," she told him. He looked slightly offended at that, but didn't seem to take it personally. Why wouldn't he just get it through his stupid head that she liked him? She thought the whole, 'Let's get each other presents,' thing had worked, since he gave her such a romantic gift, but apparently not. Was he dense? Was he doing this on purpose? Why did her manga have to make it look so easy? Or maybe the ones where the boys were super dense and dumb when it came to girls were right, and she'd just thought they were being exaggerated. "Lunch is almost ready. Do you want any ketchup or mustard?"
"Both is good," he replied, pulling out his phone and moving his focus to it. "It seems like Mohn is getting on that grind. He sent me some photos of his new weight set." Tai turned his phone so Lusamine could see. There were indeed barbells behind Mohn, who was standing proudly in a tank top and shorts. He was all sweaty, so she assumed he must have just finished a workout when the picture was sent.
"He's getting serious about exercising," she commented as Tai pulled his phone away again. "He looks happy. Do you think it'll become a normal thing for him?"
"I dunno," Tai replied, shrugging a little. "He was talking a big game when we saw him so maybe? I think it'll be good for him. He's a good kid, and I think he'll go far in life." why couldn't he ever just give a straight answer. At first it was mysterious and cool but now it was just getting annoying.
"Do you think he'll have fun?" She asked. Tai thought for a moment before nodding.
"I think if he really puts his mind to it, he'll find it enjoyable," he replied. It was something, at least. Silence fell between them, and Lusamine gently shifted on the stump that she was sitting on. She looked around, hoping to find something else to talk about, but nothing came to mind. Tai, for his part, didn't seem to be bothered by the lack of conversation. Maybe she was just thinking too much. They were supposed to be relaxing. Though, given what they'd both gone through, maybe it was understandable that it was so difficult. No, no, that wasn't it.
He was surely planning something. Some kind of future event or something that he wanted. He had that look on his face, where his eyes kind of glazed over and he stared really hard at whatever was in front of him. It was different from his, 'My mind is drifting off,' look, where his mouth also hung open a little bit. She saw his eyes flick behind her, then stare at the almost finished hot dog on her skewer. Mount Lanakila was that way, where he'd just looked. He must be thinking about the vulpix he wanted to catch. The vulpix he still hadn't told her about.
The mountain climb that he hadn't even hinted to her about. The fact that he planned on leaving her behind. She was going to be left behind. No. She refused. Even if he was doing it just to keep her safe, she couldn't just let him leave her in his dust. He might want to protect her, but she also wanted to protect him. It would suck, and it would hurt, but it was what she wanted to do. That was his philosophy in life, right? Do what's right, even if you don't get anything from it. She would shake the heavens for him; if only he would just ask for her help.
I*A*C
It was the fourth day that Lusamine felt him shift in the night. She heard him pack his things, and head out of the tent into the wilderness. She kept quiet, trying not to fall back asleep while she waited for him to leave fully, heading to the south. She knew it. The girl's eyes opened as she stared up at the roof of the tent. She'd tried so hard to try and get him to tell her what she was doing the last few days, but he never said a word.
Lusamine slowly sat up, her heart sinking. He was doing so much. Making some kind of deal with Team Solar. Going to Mount Lanakila for a vulpix. Tai had a drive that put most men five times his age to shame, but he never rested. Even when they were camping the last few days, he did everything. He set up the tent. He put together the campfire. He cooked, even! At least, until Lucy finally shoved him aside with Lily's help on the second day, forcing him to let her do the cooking.
No matter what, Tai never rested. It was something she admired in him. It was also something he needed to stop. He needed to rest. He needed to relax. Even when he was supposed to be taking it easy, his mind always seemed to drift towards one thing or another. He was always thinking about something. He might try to hide it, but Lusamine had learned that his face always went blank when he was thinking about something stressful; like he couldn't allow anyone to see into his mind.
Sometimes, it felt like her best friend was an adult instead of a kid that was almost a year younger than her. She didn't like that feeling. It was like she was being left behind, and it hurt to think about. Lusamine stared at the door flap of the tent, then at the small piece of paper that was taped to the inside. It probably had some kind of uncouth excuses for leaving, and a message for her to go back to his grandparents' house. Lusamine promptly ignored it, and grabbed her backpack. She opened it up, shuffling to the very bottom where she'd kept the coat that grandma Shiina had bought for her, back during the day they'd visited the observatory. She tossed the heavy coat to the side, grabbing the change in clothing she'd brought for the next couple of days, and threw on two shirts and a set of long pants. She doubled up on her socks as well, before throwing on her shoes and then, finally, that heavy coat.
Lusamine left the tent, quickly resting her much lighter backpack on her shoulders and tying the straps around her waist, feeling its weight move to her hips. She didn't have much time if she wanted to try and keep Tai in view. The blonde girl took off into the tropical forest, using the light of the full moon to guide her. She pressed forward through the dense foliage, ignoring the various nocturnal Pokémon that were up at this hour. Lusamine didn't have a single clue where Tai was, but she kept pressing forward, even as the light of dawn began to filter through the thinning trees.
The girl shivered, unsure if it was the morning air that gave her chills, or the environment was becoming cold extremely fast. She pressed on, her hike lasting for hours as she climbed ever upward and southward towards Mount Lanakila. As the trees thinned out, Lusamine could see a small splotch of red among the greenery, moving swiftly up the side of the mountain beyond her. She paused, catching her breath and looking ahead. That had to be Tai! She took just a few more moments before forging ahead, reinvigorated.
The lush greenery faded away into a muted brown, and then, as the hours passed, she was able to see her first view of snow on the ground before her. It started as a light dusting that sparkled across the dirt, then small splotches of snow that rested on the dry bushes and trees. Finally, as she climbed even further, seeing snow on the ground was a more common sight than dirt or rocks. As the snow became more frequent, the temperature dropped. It was unnaturally cold; that was the first thing Lucy realized. There was no way that Lanakila should be freezing this high; especially when she could see the observatory on Mount Hokulani still above her. Kind of. And if she could tell, then Tai could probably tell as well.
Speaking of Tai, he was still trudging ahead of her, moving at a fairly consistent pace. His red coat was easily visible among the pristine snow around them, and the light of the morning sun helped make him stick out like a sore thumb. It made trailing all the easier. However, Lusamine's bright pink coat probably meant that he'd seen her, as well, and already figured out that she was following him. His pace never sped up, but it didn't really slow down, either. She had to take that to mean he'd more or less accepted that she was going to keep following, even if he wasn't happy about it.
Lucy took a moment to breathe and look around, since it'd been a while since she'd last stopped to rest. Looking around, she had to admit that the view was beautiful. She could see clear to the ocean, and it was just as amazing as always. Across the way, Mount Hokulani still rose above her, though just barely. Malie City and Po Town were also visible, and it was crazy to her to see both places looking so small. She sat down on a nearby rock, taking it all in. She'd done a lot of studying on hiker forums for this trip, but with this view, she could really understand why those people were so passionate about their hobby. The sight alone made her want to sit there for hours to really take it all in. Unfortunately, she didn't have that pleasure.
After a few minutes, Lusamine stood back up, regaining her bearings on the mountain. She looked up the side, hoping to spot the familiar shade of crimson red that marked Tai's coat. Unfortunately, he must have moved out of sight while she'd been resting. A spike of fear echoed in her heart for a moment, before she continued her hike. She'd see him eventually, right?
The rocky and steep boulders that marked the northern side of Lanakila began to even out, and the ground beneath her no longer felt like rock covered in snow, but dirt covered in snow. There was still an incline, but it simply wasn't as steep as before. Forests of pine decorated the landscape before her, giving her the visage of a wintery wonderland in the middle of a tropical island. Families of snorunt and vanillite moved about, most likely playing or migrating in search of food. Lusamine was able to move past them unbothered, and she was grateful that nothing like a glalie or froslass were around.
Her shoes dug into the snow as she walked, and even with two pairs of thick socks, she could feel the cold seeping around her toes. It wasn't unbearable, but she'd definitely need to find some place to add a third layer within the next couple of hours. Her coat was keeping her body warm, but she idly wondered how long that would last.
"Tai?" She shouted, hoping that he'd respond to her voice. He couldn't have gotten too far, right? Even still, the only sound that greeted her was the rushing wind of the mountain. "Tai, can you hear me!?" Silence once more greeted her. She continued on, hoping to see his red coat come into view. Shadows danced over the trees, as clouds began forming around the mountain. Alola was no stranger to rain during the summers, but Lusamine wasn't sure she wanted to experience the snow the mountain would surely have.
Should she... head back down? She'd already come so far, though. But she also wasn't as prepared for this as Tai was. He could last a day or two, right? Just long enough for her to call grandpa Lakuni and tell him what had happened. But wait, he was in on this, wasn't he? Right, he'd had a talk with Tai that first night they'd stayed with his grandparents. Lusamine continued climbing. No, she had to rely on herself for this. If Tai could do it, so could she. She just wished she knew what direction he went in.
The mewling of a nearby Pokémon caught her attention, and she turned her head, spotting a pale white creature, whose fur glimmered like freshly fallen snow. It took her a moment to realize that it was a glaceon, and it was staring at her with big, worried eyes. The creature stood upon a fallen log, out in the open as if unafraid of her. A more analytical side of her remembered that most glaceon were supposed to have more blue-tinted fur. Was this another shiny Pokémon? What was it with shiny eevee-lutions, recently?
"H-Hello," Lusamine greeted the Pokémon, her teeth chattering slightly. She hadn't realized just how cold she was until she'd tried to talk. "You're really friendly, aren't you?" She didn't remember anything about glaceon. She was pretty sure all eevee evolutions were friendly to humans, but she couldn't be sure. The glaceon let out a gentle sound that was a mix between a meow and a bark, moving closer to her and rubbing its face and body against her leg. Lusamine let out a relieved sigh, shivering a bit. "You didn't see a boy with a red coat pass by, did you?"
The Pokémon nodded, letting out an excited yip before taking off into the snow. Lusamine quickly followed, seeing the glaceon pause up ahead, waiting for her to catch up. "Thank you!" She called out to the ice fox as she chased after it. "I have some jerky you can have once we find him. Please, show me where he's gone!" The glaceon responded with a happy bark, taking off further once she got closer. Lusamine followed the Pokémon diligently, determine to make sure Tai didn't get himself into any more trouble.
I*A*C
"Guess I really lost her," I muttered to myself after watching the way I'd come from for a few minutes. I turned back ahead. I could only hope that she'd turned her butt around and headed back down the mountain. I shifted my bag on my shoulders, looking at the clouds congregating in the sky. It was going to snow in the next few hours. I looked back once more, just to make sure I couldn't see her. If I did... well, this far up the mountain? I'd have no choice but to go and get her. I waited for another five minutes. No sign of her pink jacket, anywhere. I let out a breath I'd not realized I'd been holding. My legs ached, but I pressed forward, staring down at my phone. I was getting close to the cabin used by hikers and lost travelers, according to my little map. It was also on the edge of territory belonging to a ninetales pack. Most of the people on HikersRealm recommended avoiding the area.
"Unfortunately, I have to ignore their advice," I spoke to no one in particular. I trudged forward, shivering as a gust of wind blew past me. Ugh, even with clothes meant for cold weather hiking, it was still cold as balls out there. My mind drifted back to Lucy. I reached up, gently holding the necklace she'd bought for me and rubbing my thumb against the surface of the sun stone. No, I couldn't go back. Not when I was already here.
There was nothing but snow and trees for a good while as I hiked, and I made sure to avoid any Pokémon that I saw or heard. My focus now was on getting to the cabin. After that, I could start my search for the ninetales pack. I let out a sigh. If I weren't practically freezing, I'd love to take in the beautiful white landscape. Unfortunately, I was, and I was also on a mission.
I kept myself focused by identifying the cries of Pokémon, as well as whatever I could remember about them. A sharp noise from the bushes, like teeth chattering. "Snorunt. It has two evolutions, though... off the top of my head, I don't remember either of the qualifications. Both ore Ice and Ghost-Type, I think? that might just be Froslass. Glalie might be Ice and Dark-Type. Snorunt are largely harmless, but their parents could be trouble."
A low, deep howl, baleful and lonely. "That's... absol, I think? Dark-Type and solitary. They're considered harbingers of disaster, though their horn just gives them a keen danger sense. The fact that one is so close by is a bit worrying, honestly." I looked off through the shrubbery, hoping to get a sense of how close the absol was to me. It howled again, sending a chill down my spine. That sounded close. I took off running, hoping to put some distance between myself and the Disaster Pokémon. After a bit of a jog, I could finally make out the large, brown shape of the cabin up ahead. A smile spread across my lips, and I jogged through the snow towards it.
There was no smoke coming from the cabin's chimney, and it looked like nobody had been around in a long time, as I got close. I walked up to it, allowing my pace to slow as I got closer. The entire cabin was about half the size of my grandparents' house, and was definitely old. The hinges of the door were a bit rusted, and the windows were frosted over.
I tried the door, hearing it creak open. It didn't fall off, thankfully, but it would definitely need some care in the near future. Thankfully, I wouldn't be staying here for long. I walked inside the dark building, closing the door behind me. It was just light enough for me to see my surroundings. The cabin consisted of only a single room, with a fireplace on the back wall, and a bed on the left side of the building. There was a single table with two chairs on the right side, as well as a note that had been nailed to the wood on a metal sheet.
'Please chop firewood for the next people who need it,' the sign said. I looked around, spotting a distinct lack of firewood and a rusted axe sitting upright by the door. Guess whoever had been here last decided to be an asshole. I sighed, untying my backpack from my waist and setting it down by the table. I shuffled through it, grabbing ten of my homemade poké balls and clipping them to the belt around my waist. Nodding to myself, I looked to the door. No, I needed to do something first. I walked to the door and grabbed the handle of the axe. It was heavy, and if I were an adult, it would be fine. Unfortunately, I wasn't going to be chopping down any trees with this small body of mine. If I found any branches, though...
I left the cabin, dragging the axe with me. I must have spent about half an hour gathering fallen branches, bringing them back to the cabin to chop. By the time I'd finished, the sun was completely overshadowed by clouds, and snowflakes were beginning to fall. I dragged everything back inside, closing the door behind me. I tossed some wood into the fireplace, grabbing my flint and steel from my bag. It took a few tries, but I was able to eventually light the tinder I'd made from wood shavings. I gently blew onto it, encouraging the embers to light the actual branches I'd chopped. In a few minutes, I had a decent fire going.
As I made sure the fire wouldn't be going out, I heard the door open behind me. I spun, backing against the wall as I got ready to defend myself. Instead of a threat, though, I was greeted by a girl bundled up in a pink jacket. Her cheeks were flushed, and her breathing was heavy as our eyes met. "Lucy!" I ran forward towards her, grabbing her before she collapsed. A small Pokémon slipped in between her legs, but I ignored it for now. I helped Lucy over to the bed, letting her lay down on it. Her eyes were glassy, as if she couldn't focus properly. She smiled, though, when her gaze landed on my face. "You idiot..." I held my hand up to her forehead, and it was... not bad. Ok, so she wasn't sick, just tired. That was good, at least. I let out a sigh, gently rubbing her shoulder to try and warm her a bit. I then turned my attention to the Pokémon that had snuck into the cabin with her. It was a small glaceon, which looked up at me with a smile and happy eyes. Its expression seemed to ask, 'Are you proud of me?'. "Thanks, Glaceon. I guess you led her to me?"
The Pokémon barked, nodding. I was split on the matter, but decided to settle on gratitude. "Thanks again," I told it. Glaceon preened, looking proud of itself. I reached over, gently petting the Pokémon's smooth fur. I remembered that it could freeze its fur to make it spikey, so the fact that it was allowing me to pet it was astounding. "I guess we've just been having good luck with the eevee line, recently." The glaceon stared at me, blinking for a moment, before it hopped up on the bed and curled up next to Lucy. I went to brush the girl's hair aside from her face, but realized partway through that she had her hairclip on. Darn; a habit broken before it could even start. Her eyes were closed, and she was breathing softly. She must have fallen asleep, she was so tired. I yawned, realizing I wasn't much better. Hiking all day had taken a toll. Still, I could probably get in a little scouting before bed.
"Hey, can you keep an eye on her, for me?" I asked the glaceon as I unstrapped Lucy's backpack from her. She must have left the tent and cooler behind. The was fine; we could always try and grab them on the way back. The Pokémon looked at me, before nodding. "Thanks. There's plenty of wood for the fire, and I'll try and be back before dark. I just want to see if I can find signs of a ninetales pack nearby. If I'm not, don't go looking for me. We don't want anyone else getting lost out there, and I can always head down the mountain if things get too dangerous."
The Pokémon responded with another nod, and I gently pulled the large comforter on the bed over Lucy's sleeping form. I looked down at her, feeling a smile on my lips. She'd come after me. Even after everything, she'd chased me all the way here. This silly girl...
"Just wait for me this time, you idiot," I whispered, leaning down and giving the blonde girl a kiss on her forehead. Her skin was cold. I adjusted the comforter, wrapping her up like a little cloth cocoon before heading for the door. With a single look back, I headed out into the wind and snow.
By the time I'd gone outside, there was already a swift wind blowing, though the snowfall was still light. Clouds covered the sky above, and there was a light fog that covered the ground. I grabbed my phone, pulling up the compass app. I'd gone a long time in my previous life not knowing how to read a compass. It was a simple matter now, but for the longest time I didn't know if I was following the red needle, or the white one.
I headed southwest, towards the territory of a ninetales. I struggled against the wind, covering my face as I walked through the snow. I kept my eyes peeled, though, trying to see anything that would tell me a ninetales pack was nearby. I walked for a few minutes; my phone telling me I'd been going on for about a quarter of an hour. "Hello!?" I shouted through the wind. "Is there anyone out there?" The snow was beginning to come down a bit harder; enough that I couldn't see more than a handful or yards ahead of me. I stopped by a pine tree, taking a look around as the sky began to get darker from the clouds and fog.
"Shit," I grumbled to myself, feeling the cold begin to seep in through my jacket. "What a pain in the ass... I guess I should head back and wait until this weather clears up. I've got plenty of time." I hummed, considering my own words before I turned around. "Next time. Definitely next time. I should probably call grandpap before things get-" My eye twitched as I looked down at my phone and was met by a black screen. I pressed the power button. Then again. Nothing. "Ok, no need to panic, Taiyo," I muttered to myself. "I just need to head straight back the way I came." I looked down, hoping to trace my footsteps in the snow. No good; the wind had already blown them away. Okay, then how about using landmarks? Ugh, this snow and fog was making it hard, though.
It wasn't perfect, but I kept moving, trying to make sure I was keeping my elevation slightly level. I kept walking, trudging across the mountain as the snowstorm blew in earnest. Icy flakes blew into my face, forcing me to cover it with my arm and stare at the ground most of the time. I tried to move swiftly, but was forced to slow down to make sure I wasn't getting even more lost. It was kind of in vain, because I was quickly forgetting where I was and how I'd gotten there. Still, if I kept moving forward, I could-
I grunted, feeling my foot hit something hard. I stumbled back as the ground rose up, revealing a very angry looking Alolan sandshrew. It squeaked angrily at me, and I felt the wind shift. I jumped to the side just as I saw the snow around the creature sparkle, and it hurled the attack where I'd just been standing. "Wait! It was an accident!" I protested, but the wild Pokémon was not feeling reasonable, today. The sandshrew curled into a ball, kicking up snow as it rolled towards me. I once more jumped out of the way, watching as it circled around and came at me again. "Please! I didn't mean to kick you! Just let me leave!" The Pokémon didn't stop, moving even faster now that it'd gained a bit of speed and momentum.
I tried moving to the side, but felt the air knocked from my lungs as the sandshrew slammed into me, throwing me to the ground. I reached up, gently touching my chest. I winced in pain, but was thankful that the pain was only sore, and not a stabbing sensation like I'd feared it might be. Just bruised, not broken. "Sandshrew," I tried again, coughing as the creature unfurled itself after striking me. "Please, I just want to leave. I didn't mean to hit you." The creature hissed at me, before burrowing back into the snow. I let out a relieved sigh. Guess it was happy just getting in the single hit.
Which left me with a new problem. I looked around, trying to get my bearings again, but I barely remembered which way I was facing before I'd been attacked. I tried to retrace my steps, and then started walking after I thought I had a good approximation to what direction I'd been going. I just hoped I wasn't wrong.
Fear welled up in my chest as I continued walking, definitely for far longer than I had on the way to where I'd gone. I stopped, shivering in the cold storm that raged around me. This was bad. My teeth chattered, and I clicked them together, hoping to focus without the sound of my own coldness distracting me. I could barely see ten feet in front of me, so getting a stock of my surroundings wasn't about to help. I tried remembering any survival tips that might help me, and came to one that might be plausible. I searched for a tree or, better yet, a patch of trees. If I could just find some branches, I could probably make a small shelter for myself to let the storm pass through.
However, as time went by, my hopes of finding such a thing slowly diminished. I must have gone further up the mountain, because I wasn't finding any trees at all. I gasped, feeling my knees give out. Fuck... was this where it all ended? What a way to go. I just hoped that Lucy would make it home safely. As I collapsed to the ground, my body having long become exhausted, I stared off into the empty, unforgiving storm. Shadows danced across my vision, and a single paw landed in front of my face. Perhaps it was actually there. Perhaps I was delusional. Either way, as exhaustion took me, my fate was in the hands of nature.
I*A*C
Lusamine woke with a start to the sound of howling wind beating against the wooden cabin's walls. She looked around, feeling herself wrapped up in a warm comforter, and a fire lit in the cabin's fireplace. Beside her was the glaceon, who must have woken up by her stirring if the creature's curious gaze was anything to read it by. She smiled at the Pokémon, gently petting its soft fur. "Tell me it wasn't a dream," she asked the glaceon. "We really found Tai, right?" The Pokémon nodded, then looked to the door. Lusamine frowned, already knowing the implications of that look. Tai was absent from the cabin. If he wasn't in here, then that meant he was out there. She shuddered, feeling the cabin shake from the strong winds.
"I have to go after him," Lusamine decided aloud, slowly getting up from the bed. There was no way she was going to let him be out there alone. He might be a tough ruffian, but he was still a kid, like her! Her legs felt like jelly, though, and before she could even take two steps, she fell to the ground. The glaceon leapt down after her, getting in front of her face as she struggled to stand back up. It barked at her, and while she couldn't understand the Pokémon like Tai could, she was certain that she was being told off for her idea. "I have to! He could be hurt, or in danger!" The glaceon's eyes went wide as it stared up at her with a worried, adorable expression, and Lusamine felt her will to argue fade a bit. "I-In the morning. Once everything has died down, we'll go looking," she compromised. It seemed like the Pokémon was satisfied with that, since it rubbed its cheek against her own.
Lusamine let out a sigh, slowly crawling back onto the bed. She was weak from hiking earlier, and hungry. Her bag was thankfully on the bed, so she fished out some of the jerky she'd promised the glaceon and split it with the Pokémon. "He's still throwing himself into danger," the girl lamented, chewing her snack. "Why does he do this? Can't he see that we're all worried about him...? Is it some kind of brutish behavior or something?"
The glaceon mewled sadly, gently tearing into the dried meat. Lusamine smiled, petting the Pokémon's head. "You said it," she replied, assuming it was a sound of agreement. "I hope he calms down after getting his first Pokémon. I'm so forcing him to the beach after all the crap he's put me through. And I'm gonna make him take me on a date." Glaceon looked up that the human, its brow raised with amusement. "I know he doesn't think I'm serious about my feelings, but I am! I don't have to be a teenager to know how I feel." She pouted, staring at the door on the other side of the cabin.
"It's like he gets this idea that he's the only smart person in the world, or something. He always has to do stuff by himself! I would have been happy to ask daddy to pay for an expedition to catch a vulpix for him, you know!" She shouted at nobody, on a roll, now. Glaceon rested a paw on her lap, as it comforting her. Still, the Pokémon had a wistful smile on its muzzle as if it understood what she was saying.
"Yeah, I know that it's just who he is..." Lusamine agreed with the Pokémon's perceived answer. "I wouldn't have these feelings if he wasn't like this. He's an idiot... but he's my idiot. My ruffian of an idiot." Glaceon seemed to snicker at her words. "Still, I wish I could have some help keeping him from getting himself hurt." The blonde shifted through her bag, feeling the food in her belly give her a little more strength. She grabbed the book that grandma Shiina had let her borrow; one of a few. It was the continuation to that harem manga she'd read at their house, and grandma Shiina had let her borrow the next couple of chapters with some kind of funny look in her eye and a smile. Lusamine began to read, petting Glaceon beside her. "Maybe this whole harem thing could work in her benefit. She'd finally have others who could help her keep that jerk from doing stupid things all the time. It was a comforting thought. Maybe she wouldn't always get his attention, which would stink, but at least he'd be happy and safe. Besides, if her daddy and mother were anything to go by, she'd probably want to spend some time for herself once she and Tai began dating. Having someone else to distract him would be in her benefit.
The wind continued to pound on the cabin, the cold air mixing comfortably with the heat from the fireplace. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine being back in Unova in the winter, curled up on her daddy's lap as he stroked her hair and told her stories. He always came back late from work, but sometimes he'd be able to spend time with her when he got back. Stories of strong trainers, and ancient heroes. She opened her eyes, her mind returning back to the little cabin on the mountain.
Lusamine sat there reading for a few hours, feeling nice and cozy with the fire beside her. She gently tossed on some more branches as it got low, but all in all it didn't go out. That was, until a strong gust of wind blew in. The door flew open, blowing off its rusty hinges and onto the ground. Not only that, but the gust extinguished the fire just as quickly as it had entered the cabin. Lusamine's eyes widened in shock before she dove for Tai's bag. He surely had flint and steel, right? She only just remembered how it worked, but her hopes rose as she felt the tool in her hands. She slowly made her way to the dying embers, being careful not to step on anything, before kneeling by the stone fireplace and striking the flint against the steel. It created sparks, but nothing else. This was how it was supposed to work, right?
As she tried more and more, the wood just wouldn't light. No, wait, she needed timber, right? No, it was tinder. She needed tinder; something easy to light. She looked around for anything she could use, but came up with nothing. What did Tai usually use? She couldn't remember... Lusamine stared at the dying embers, and let out a sigh. She could still make it, right? There was no way she'd be able to get that door back up, so instead, she threw as many blankets over herself as she could, giving herself a small hole for clean air to breathe, before hoping to Arceus she would wake up in the morning.
The small Pokémon mewled beside her, gently crawling into her covers as well. "You're cold too, huh?" She asked. "Yeah, it's really bad out there..." Lusamine frowned, shivering as another gust of wind blew into the cabin. "Let's stay warm together." She gently cuddled the glaceon close to her chest. It should have been as simple as that, but Lusamine opened her eyes again when she felt glaceon's shape change. The just barely warm body of glaceon heated up as it began to glow and morph. Its fur began to emit a soft orange light as, instead of a glaceon under the covers with her, it was instead a nice, toasty flareon.
"Y-You transformed! O-Or evolved!?" Lusamine exclaimed, shocked at the sudden transformation. Eeveelutions couldn't just do that, right!? She was certain they couldn't change what evolutions they were. She couldn't find it in herself to care for too long, though, as she breathed a sigh of relief and snuggled into the fuzzy flareon keeping her warm. "Thank you," she told the Pokémon, who gently purred. Flareon gently spat out an ember at the fireplace through the small hole it had made when crawling into the covers, lighting the fireplace once more. Lusamine pressed her face into the fluff of the Pokémon, thankful that she'd gotten so lucky. Now, she just hoped that Taiyo would have the same luck.
The next time that Lusamine woke up, there was silence. The storm seemed to have passed, since it was so quiet. She was warm, and her hugging the flareon in her arms was the reason why. This Pokémon, it had turned from a gleceon to a flareon right in front of her! She was certain that it wasn't a normal thing. In fact, did this mean that every shiny eeveelution that she and Tai had seen in the last few days was this same Pokémon in her arms?
Lusamine shifted, hearing the warm fox in her arms purr slightly as it woke up. "Good morning, Flareon," she greeted the Pokémon, seeing it yawn before smiling back at her. "Thank you for keeping me warm all night." It mewled, and wiggled out of her grasp into the open cabin. Lusamine sat herself up, allowing herself to look over the damage from the storm the night prior. The door had been blown off of its hinges, and snow had piled up into the cabin. Speaking of that snow, it was stacked high. She could only just make out the morning sky through the open top few inches of the doorframe. Luckily, that wouldn't be a problem for her.
"Flareon, can you clear the snow so we have a way out?" Lusamine asked. The Flame Pokémon barked in response, moving in front of the door and unleashing a stream of fire at the intruding snow. It quickly melted, leaving them an easy path forward out of the cabin. The girl smiled, happy that it had worked out so easily. She turned her attention to the fireplace. It must have gone out again during the middle of the night. Given how it was all ashes, it must have been because of a lack of burnable material instead of the wind. Lusamine dragged over some chopped up branches, gently placing them into the stone hearth. Flareon watched her as she worked.
"There," the girl spoke proudly as the last of the wood was placed. "Flareon?" With a mote of flame, the little Pokémon lit the branches, igniting them into a larger fire. Lusamine breathed a sigh of relief at the sight. That would keep it lit for a while. Lusamine looked around, her eyes landing on their final problem. It was definitely the trickiest one. The door had been blown in, and as she looked at its hinges, there wouldn't be a way for them to set it back up and have it work like before. She looked down at her new friend. "Any ideas, Flareon?" The Pokémon also thought alongside her, before it seemed to come up with something.
The Pokémon's body shimmered, before standing in front of her was a leafeon. The air seemed to become fresher and more crisp, smelling of roses and lavender. Lusamine watched with awe, still not quite believing her luck. Leafeon walked up to the door, slicing through the rusted hinges with ease, before shimmering again. A green espeon was its next form. With the door covered in a green aura, Espeon used its psychic powers to manipulate it, setting the door into place on its frame. Once more shimmering, Espeon turned into Leafeon again, trodding forward to the side where the hinges once were and turning to face Lusamine. It barked, bringing out small vines from behind the scruff of its neck before directing her to the door's hinges.
"Is... do you need something from me?" Lusamine asked, not sure what Leafeon was trying to tell her. The Pokémon made a sound like a mix between a bark and a cough, and she had the distinct impression that she was being insulted. In a teasing way, maybe? The Pokémon walked back over to her, gently slapping Lily's poké ball on her belt, before waving its own vines to the door. "Oh, uh... Okay then?" Lusamine grabbed Lily's ball and unscrewed the top. "Lily, please help us!" In a flash of red light, her little shiny petilil stood between her and Leafeon. Lily squeaked adorably, greeting the world, before shivering.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Lily!" Lusamine apologized to the little bulb. "Leafeon here says it wants your help! Won't you, please?" Leafeon barked at the little Pokémon in front of it, waving around its vines in a way that made it seem like it was giving her Pokémon orders. Lily nodded her bulbous head, squeaking before the two Pokémon approached the door. Lusamine watched as Lily used her vines in tandem with Leafeon to create new hinges for the door using the smaller Pokémon's appendages, weaving its vines through the door and the wall of the cabin. It wasn't nearly as strong as metal hinges would be, but much better than nothing, and better than the rusted hinges it'd had before. Leafeon barked with approval, making her little petilil dance under the praise.
"Thank you so much!" Lusamine showed her gratitude by reaching into her bag and pulling out... oh. She searched her backpack, but there was clearly a lack of food. Well, that was fine. She could just call grandpa Lakuni and have him- Another setback. As Lusamine pulled out her phone, she tried to activate it and turn it on. The screen remained dark. When was the last time she'd actually charged it? The girl groaned. Both Lily and Leafeon, who had turned back into a flareon, much to Lily's astonishment, looked at her with concerned eyes.
"Sorry," she apologized, though she wasn't sure to who. "My phone is dead and... I know I could probably get back down the mountain, but Tai is still up here. I don't want to leave without knowing he's alright." She frowned, sitting over on one of the chairs so she could think. She turned to Flareon. "I hate to ask more from you, but could you find me something to eat? I'm going to stay right here until Tai gets back. Or... until we have to go looking for him." Flareon nodded, moving to the door and pushing it open with some effort, before leaving out into the snowy mountain. Lusamine looked at her petilil, reaching down to pick up the small Pokémon before setting it on her shoulder.
"Alright, Lily," she told the little bulb. "We're going to get some more wood for the fire. When Tai comes back, we're gonna be right here with a warm cabin, waiting for him. How's that sound?" Lily chirped happily in response. Lusamine stood, feeling the cold settling in before she headed out the door as well, grabbing the old axe by the door on the way. It was heavy, and she had to drag it with her, but with Lily's help, she was able to move at a good pace
Outside, the sky was clear, and the weather seemed nice. There was a bit of fog, but not so dense that she couldn't see the nearby treeline. Off by the trees, she could see a small family of vanillite playing together, with a vanillish watching over them diligently. She headed around them, not wanting to make herself appear threatening.
When she arrived at the trees, she found herself lucky that there were already some fallen branches on the ground. Still, they were big, and they'd need to be chopped up to carry. "Okay, Lily. Could you help me with this?" Lily squeaked, using her vines to help Lusamine lift up the axe so she could chop the wood. She brought her arms down, but felt resistance as Lily kept a firm grasp on the handle. The Pokémon seemed to get it a second later, but it was too late, and the chopping motion only had a little effect on the wood, leaving a chip, but not quite cutting through it.
"Sorry," Lusamine apologized, biting her bottom lip. Okay, she had to let Lily know what she was doing. "Alright. Up!" With a fluid motion, the two lifted the axe into the air once more. "On three! One! Two! Three!" With a huff and the combined force of both Lusamine and Lily swinging down, the axe cut clean through the branch in front of her. It was a bit small, though, and not where Lusamine wanted the cut to be. "Okay. Let me control where the axe is going, alright Lily? Let's give it another try over here."
It took some time, but Lusamine slowly worked out a way of cutting the branches with Lily. It required a lot of communication and trust, but the two of them had that in spades! Most of the day was spent chopping up branches and dragging them inside, and when Lusamine returned to the cabin with her last load of wood, Flareon- well, Glaceon was already there with food on the floor. Lusamine looked down at the dead snowshrew on the ground, not quite sure how to feel about it. On one hand, it was always sad to see a dead Pokémon. On the other, she was so hungry. Debating with herself briefly, she decided that hunger won out. Only one problem.
"Uh... how do I eat this?" She asked Glaceon. The Pokémon rolled its eyes at her, turning into Leafeon before approaching the dead body. It motioned with its head, urging her to get closer. Tail stiffening into a sharp blade, Leafeon gave her a lesson she would never forget. It took hours, and Lusamine wanted to throw up a few times as she was forced to skin and gut the snowshrew, but she had no other choice. Using a charred stick from one of the branches she'd cut, she used it as a skewer to cook the snowshrew meat in the fireplace. Snowshrew meat was a bit chewy, and had an overpowering minty taste to it, which definitely wasn't pleasant. It was edible, though, and filled her stomach, so there was that.
Lily ate the leftovers from the skin and guts, and Lusamine didn't want to know how that worked, while Leafeon, now Flareon, did the same, using its fire to cook its own food. That wasn't fair... Still, Lusamine ate her fill, too hungry to complain too much. As they ate, night once more fell onto the cabin. Thankfully the weather had stayed clear all day, and it looked like it would be a peaceful night as well. In fact, it was peaceful enough that Lusamine dragged some of the branches back outside, and Flareon lit them once she'd piled them together, creating a campfire for themselves.
The girl looked up at the starry Alolan sky as she sat in front of the fire, able to admire the beauty of the mountain once more. Now, she had all the time in the world to gaze around her, waiting for the boy she'd decided to dedicate herself to. She reached up, gently fiddling with her hairclip before reaching over to pet Flareon. Lily rested on her shoulder and, by the way it was breathing, she assumed the little bulb was asleep.
They all sat in silence, the only sounds being the soft Lanakila winds and the crackling of the fire. Lusamine let out a soft breath, watching as it fogged up in the air. Feeling relaxed, the girl headed back inside for a moment to grab the manga that grandma Shiina had let her borrow. She was onto the fifth chapter by now, and the main character, Paul, and his girlfriends, which was still kind of weird to think about, were headed on a diplomatic mission to a kingdom which had gone quiet. While there, the oldest of the princesses, Luna, had gotten separated from the group, only to meet a mysterious girl who claimed to be a friend of Paul's. The mysterious girl helped protect Luna from the seedy people of the kingdom they were visiting until Paul could find them.
The chapter ended as the girl saw Paul, and immediately went to embrace him, but was shocked when he didn't recognize her. Closing the book, Lusamine went back inside. Flareon kicked up snow to put out the fire before following her in, and all three of them, Lusamine, Flareon, and Lily, all went to bed together after ensuring there was enough wood on the fire to keep it lit for a while.
Lusamine didn't dream that night, but that was fine with her. When she woke the next day, it was to the door of the cabin opening. She sat up in bed, eyes wide as she gazed at the intruder. Before her stood Tai, standing tall and proud with a snowy white vulpix riding his shoulder, and a bright grin spread across his face. He looked like he'd been in a fight, if his torn jacket and pants were anything to go by, but otherwise he seemed bright and happy, like nothing was wrong. "Howdy, howdy, Lucy!" Tai greeted her, his voice chipper; far more than she'd ever known him to be. It looked like some weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "Have I got a hell of a story, for ya!"
I*A*C
And that's a wrap! Not much to say here but that next few chapters will be from Taiyo's PoV of what he experienced since he passed out. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and please leave a review, a follow, a like, or all three if you're so inclined! I hope you're as excited as I am, and I'll see you guys in the next chapter.