This is a pivotal set of chapters here, so I hope you enjoy. Let's plunge into Chapter 7!

Chapter 7

A Freezing

"Keep going, Koraidon! Andale!"

The words, though whispered, served to spur Koraidon into the night. All the stars were veiled, covered up by an impending storm that served only to look eerie in the coloration of the sky. They had already been riding for hours, showing no signs of rest as they cleared the rocky area beyond Mesagoza and turned into the grassy plains that stretched on to Levincia.

Juliana wouldn't stop, however. Not with the short amount of time they had, and with her conviction burning inside her. Even as the heavens opened up and sent a deluge upon her, there was only one moment where Juliana paused. That moment was merely to look upon the former state of Schedar Squad's base, now empty, showing the extent of her previous battle with Mela.

We need to end this, she couldn't help but think. If this was the result of their feelings, then Juliana knew it to be untenable. One more fight. I'll bring all of you home, Eri.

She and Koraidon turned away, dashing through the soaking rain that matted her hair and rolled off Koraidon's scales like it wasn't even there.

A day passed by the time Juliana finished crossing through Levincia, the seaside town in a more dour mood than it had been the last time she was there. Not that it appeared to stop Iono, who could be spotted filming and streaming somewhere in the town. Juliana was convinced the Gym Leader had waved to her, but she and Koraidon didn't slow their speed. In mere moments, they had left Levincia behind and entered the barren, arid wastes beyond.

By this point, Koraidon had started to pant, and Juliana could feel the heat, herself. Part of that was the memory coming back to her of their training under the harsh conditions, or of the Phantoms that had rested beneath their feet. Her gripped tightened on Koraidon, remembering who lay at the heart of Area Zero and the whole reason they were heading there. She tapped her partner once more and he snorted.

Koraidon gathered all his energy and dashed across the pockmarked wilds, reaching Zapapico in only half a day. Here, they finally stopped, the shadow of Mount Glaseado cast over them. Some children recognized the pair, greeting them, and Juliana allowed them a moment with her Pokémon as she planned her approach. It gave her some small respite, and Koraidon had a chance to rest until, finally, at the crack of dawn, they set off once more into the chilly caverns.

"A mile marker. This is it, the best entrance to climbing the mountain," Juliana whispered to Koraidon. He snorted, showing some hesitation in his steps, but agreeing all the same. They turned to the start of the snow-laden path and started to climb, following the large poles that served as mile markers on the mountain.

It didn't take them much climbing to realize the snow was falling even thicker around them than usual. Howling winds rose in Juliana's ear, the start of a snowstorm felt deep inside her bones even after she changed to more suitable clothing. After the second mile marker, that snow seemed to clear for a moment, and Juliana stopped in awe.

A great stone gate rose from the snow, so wide it appeared to encompass the entire path climbing upwards. It wasn't a conventional gate, of course, shaped more like an ancient arch through which people would pass to begin their journey up the mountain. No one was passing through it, now, but Juliana had the sharpest of feelings that this ornate stone gate connected all the way through the mountain to the very Glaseado Gate she was trying to reach.

"Impressive, yeah? Like a look into the past." The sudden voice gave her a fright, and Juliana jumped back, tumbling over Koraidon and into the snow. She sneezed. When she looked up, a gloved hand was offered to her, and attached to it was none other than Grusha, more than adequately dressed for the weather. She accepted the hand and he pulled her up. "Not that it has much significance outside archeology buffs. These days, we just use it as the trail marker, and the start of our snowboard races."

"Isn't uphill a little tough for that?"

"Not with Pokémon." She conceded that point. She really had no choice when an Altaria flew down from the top of the stone arch to perch itself upon Grusha's shoulder. Its downy white feathers blended perfectly with the snow around them, and Grusha reached up to pet his partner, cooing all the while. "So…what are you doing here, Miss Juliana?"

The sudden question took her aback and she blinked. Part of it was how Grusha so easily knew her name while the other part was the sheer audacity of the question. Suddenly, he felt less like a random Gym Leader and more like a gatekeeper for Paldea's most arduous trek. That didn't stop Juliana from having a straight answer. "I need to get to the Glaseado Gate."

"Only the strongest can pass that gate," he said. His feet carried him up the path, to the very verge of the arch. He put a hand on its stony firmaments. "You looked too scrawny for it in the director's office, and you look it now. I told you, this is a realm of bloodthirsty Pokémon and no remorse. If you come in with some half-cocked-"

"I'm not doing this halfway!" Juliana screamed. As she did, the howling off the mountain stole her voice. It became a roar that pierced the very heavens and rattled the bones. Grusha's scarf flapped wildly in the wind, his cold eyes zeroed in upon her. "I'm doing this because I have to. If I go into this halfhearted, then none of us can..." Juliana stepped forward, her foot crunching in the snow. "I'm going to go to the Glaseado Gate. I won't let you stop me."

"And what is it you hope to find?"

It was the second question he asked that rocked her. Each of her fingers started to feel numb from the cold, and she found herself attempting to form a fist, blocking out all distractions to provide an answer. It didn't work. Her arm fell at her side.

"I don't know." Juliana let her breath mist out, joining the snow falling around her. After a moment, her gaze turned upward, as if it was trying to find the peak amidst the swirling storm. She couldn't do it, and she began to feel lost in every way possible. "Maybe I'm looking for my treasure. Or just a Gym badge, or strength. Maybe I'm looking for some sort of redemption. I honestly don't know.

"I just know that I have to do it. No matter what."

Grusha said nothing. He adjusted his scarf, and dusted off his long coat of the snow gathered there. The sky began to grow a little darker around them, little glittering lights lining the almost imperceptible path climbing up the hill. He watched her a moment in her confusion, but she hoped he could also see her conviction. The same thing that made her stand her ground against Volo.

Eventually, he turned aside, facing the very mountain, itself.

"Mount Glaseado is not just a mountain," he said. His voice was nearly lost, but Juliana hung on every word. "It is a tempest. Rugged peaks. Treacherous terrain. Every facet of Mount Glaseado challenges whatever trainer dares to cross its borders. To reach the Glaseado Gate is a trial of the utmost challenge. If you have the conviction, it will take you there.

"But you need to be willing to use every ounce of that very same conviction to make it happen."

"I can. I will!" Juliana shouted. Her voice echoed off stone and she stepped forth, only to find Grusha's arm in her way, blocking entrance.

"Only the mountain can answer that." She was getting more annoyed with him by the second, at least until he lowered his arm and placed his gloved hand upon her shoulder. It held her in place just long enough for him to continue speaking. "As caretaker of the Glaseado Gate, and Gym Leader of the Glaseado Gym, I cannot suffer fools to pass. If you really want to reach it, then I need to be sure you can push through any hardship."

"Of course I, we-"

"Four days." The deadline rang, echoing eerily like Gloria's training camp. Only, this time it wasn't some camp to grow stronger, one where she ran from every challenge and hid in caves. This was instead a test; to prove that everything she'd gained and learned had some meaning.

That nothing she'd done was a waste of time.

"You're saying if I-"

"I want to see you at the Glaseado Gate in four days. No less. If you can manage that, then you've strength for what lays beyond it."

"Then bring it-"

"But know this," Grusha said, his hand held up in a warning that she felt pass right through her, down to her shivering toes. "Every element will test you. The snow. The terrain. The Pokémon. And perhaps me, too. You can take any route, make any challenge, but if you're not there in four days, you will fail."

"I won't fail!" Juliana said with utmost conviction. She slapped Koraidon, who jumped at the sudden sensation. At her action, all of her Poké Balls shined and called out each member of her team, surrounding her like a powerful vanguard. "We'll make it there in four days. Because we have to!"

Her Pokémon cried out in utter agreement. Grusha chuckled.

"Well, we'll see about that, Juliana." He didn't stop his chuckle, looking deeper into the storm and the briefly visible mile marker. "Four days, then. See you then."

He stepped back. A patch of snow blew in front of their eyes, heralded by a horrendous roar that made Koraidon shudder. When it faded, Grusha was nowhere to be seen. Just the elements surrounding them and the long climb towards the top.

"The peak…" she breathed out. Slapping her frozen cheeks, Juliana looked at her Pokémon. "We head for the peak. That'll give us a better view. Come on. No time to waste!"

Trying to keep her body burning so as to stave off the cold, Juliana finally took her first steps through the arch, passing underneath it. The whole world felt like it changed when she did, her steps no longer those of a traveler, but those of a challenger. A mile marker appeared ahead of her, and she strove for it, keeping it in her sights at all times.

Her Pokémon followed, though Koraidon was hesitant. He wasn't the one suffering most, though, with Arboliva truly shivering as her leaves collected snow on them. Kilowattrel attempted to shield her, but it did him little good. As the snow started to slow Juliana's pace down, and her limbs became sluggish, Tinkatuff and Ceruledge began to overtake her. One melted the snow while the other beat clots of it aside with her hammer, dousing the Fire type with it.

"Sera sera!"

"Tink tinktuff!"

"Cut it out, you two!" Juliana shouted, her voice mixing with Quaxwell in the rolling storm. She could barely see more than three feet in front of her face, if that. "We've got no room to-ah!"

A sudden gale bit through the mountain path. A tearing noise was heard, alongside the roar that had been permeating everything since she set foot on the mountain. Juliana felt her knees buckle, and her body tossed off the path. Quaxwell and Lokix both reached out, grabbing her by the arms and yanking her back, but the damage was done.

The snow cleared for but a moment, revealing that somehow night was coming on quicker than she'd anticipated. On top of that, there was a floating piece of fabric in the air, remnants of a mile marker that had just been destroyed. They had no further guidance, and when the snowstorm returned with a vengeance, they lost even their vision.

"Maybe a map…" Juliana muttered. She dug, rather unsuccessfully, for her phone. However, when she pulled it up, the device was non-functional, Rotom having activated hibernation mode. "Great. How do we move forward now?"

"Ser!"

"Tinka?!" Tinkatuff's surprise, or perhaps annoyance, was made plain as Ceruledge stepped ahead. His body became a bright, purple beacon that was visible even through all the snow. It didn't banish the storm, but did enough to give her a visible marker to pursue. Thanking Quaxwell and Lokix, she followed on after him, keeping an eye on all the others. More than once she contemplated tying each of them to a rope, but decided against it. Save for Tinkatuff, at least. "Tink. Tinktuff tink."

She looked anything but happy, following the ever-stoic Ceruledge. It put her only a few paces ahead of Juliana, who was beginning to find every step up the mountain an impossible one. With only the purple flame to guide her, she kept her eyes squinted, trying to block out the labyrinth of white before her. More than once, her foot slipped.

"Quax." Quaxwell made quick to support her every time, becoming the rock she knew she could rely on. Looking him over, he wasn't the most ostentatious of Pokémon, but his sheer support in remaining there made her burden just a little lighter. She thanked him with a pat to his back, the pair all but locking limbs and continuing together.

Up ahead, Tinkatuff decided to take on the pastime of knocking snowballs around. Most just diverted to the side, but as they climbed up to a snowy shelf, she hit one with her hammer that sailed into the back of Ceruledge's head. He paused and turned back, his irksome expression conveying all. "Tinka tinka tinka tinka!"

"Knock it off," Juliana said, bonking her mischievous Pokémon on the head. That turned her laughter to a rather crestfallen state. In her disappointment, she grabbed a loose snowball, tossed it up and down a few times and then smacked it away into the sky with her hammer, barely missing Ceruledge but annoying him all the same. They continued on.

For only a second.

"GRWAAAAR!" The sudden roar sent Juliana slipping again, falling right on her butt. She looked up, and in horror watched as the snowstorm split in two, a creature emerging from within.

"What the hell…?!"

The creature descended, larger than almost her entire team combined. From the mere sight alone, Koraidon backed up, only to find his hindlegs about to fall off the shelf. Arboliva and Kilowattrel pushed him right back up, but all of them backed up a little. As it got closer, Juliana had mere seconds to take in the sight of the great creature: a Pokémon akin to a Salamence, but instead of the smooth, scaly skin, its torso was rugged and its wings were made of feathers. Its roar pierced the heavens, clearing the snow to reveal moon and stars. On its face was melting snow, a sign of Tinkatuff's accidental attack. In its mouth were growing green flames.

"Crap!" Juliana rolled to the side, throwing herself into the deep, wet snow. As she did so, the Roaring Moon (or so she decided to call it), opened its mouth wide and let loose the torrent of green flame.

It scorched the ground, leaving a puddle where Juliana had once been. She took only a moment to swallow her breath and roll to a stand. Spinning to face the Roaring Moon, she pointed in its direction. "Acrobatics! Hold it back!"

"Quax!" Quaxwell was swift, glowing turquoise. He ran right at the creature, finding Ceruledge at his side. The pair nodded, and Ceruledge held his blade out, allowing Quaxwell to launch himself above the Moon and come crashing down with a mighty kick that sent its head crashing into the snow.

"GRAW!" The short cry was followed by the beast's jaw opening up. It clamped around Quaxwell's leg, and with a short spin of its massive wingspan, it let him go, flying into the open air. Juliana needed only to jerk her head for Kilowattrel to fly in and grab the launched duck. As they recovered, so did the Roaring Moon, and with a single beat of his wings, the snow was disturbed once again.

Juliana once more fell over, while Ceruledge and Tinkatuff held themselves in place. Lokix found it difficult to move as well, his tiny form attempting to assail the gale but finding it impossible. It took all of Arboliva planting herself in place to keep the pair from being blown off the mountainside. The Roaring Moon's wings began to glow a violent blue and purple.

Not good, not good! Juliana started to screech inside. They were in a barren, exposed wasteland, her Pokémon unable to see, and unable to fight. So, what? Is running really the only thing we can do?

"Kilo!" Above, her trusty flier's call alerted her that not all hope was lost. While the Roaring Moon finished charging, the pair of birds soared in towards it. From the giant pair of wings, shining scales fired, acting like heat-seeking missiles on the air for the two that dared challenge its supremacy of the air. Kilowattrel dove under, carrying Quaxwell through the air as best as he could towards the massive dragon.

Some of the scales veered off, impacting the snow around them like shells, causing Juliana to cover her eyes. When she looked up, Kilowattrel was dropping Quaxwell down, his limbs wreathed with water as he started to slash.

He might have been successful, too, were it not for the crackling, purple claw that slashed outward from the Moon's wings, catching Kilowattrel and Quaxwell both, throwing them into the snow.

How the hell are we supposed to fight something like this?! Juliana attempted to take a step forward, but the billowing wings made that an impossibility. The creature showed too much strength, and she had no time to think of a counter-strategy.

Every facet of Mount Glaseado challenges whatever trainer dares to cross its borders.

Juliana screwed her face into one of determination, Grusha's challenge echoing. This was a test. One she had to fight through. One she had to figure out. "We can't…give up!"

Her Pokémon were in agreement, but none of them could move. They were locked down by the wind and snow, holding to each other for support, or digging into the ground to avoid doing so.

All of them, save one.

"Ko…Korai!" There was a balking hesitation in his roar, and the roar itself didn't match up against the almost prehistoric-looking Salamence, but Koraidon stepped forward. Snow and mist pealed out from his nostrils, and he started with deliberate steps forward. They were slow, battling against the wind, but then the bulk of his weight won out and he started to charge forward, glowing with the same light as a familiar Tera Blast, despite not being Terastallized. His scales crystallized for a moment, but then transferred to the end of his claws, glowing a reflective, shimmering green. He leapt for the Roaring Moon, eyes showing ferocity in his bid to protect them; to fight for them the way they had for him. "KORAI!"

"GORAWWWWWR!" The bellow, made in response to Koraidon's assault, dwarfed his in kind. He froze in midair, just for a moment, but blinked and chose to follow through with his attack.

His hesitation cost him.

The Roaring Moon swiped out, its claw larger and faster, overcoming Koraidon and digging right into his exposed stomach. The faithful Pokémon that had stood by her gagged, cried out and screamed, the claws tearing across his figure in such a vicious swipe, it was all she could do to just stop and stare. Then the attack finished, and Koraidon's body was pitched to the side, off the shelf and to a new slope of the mountain. An explosion of snow flew upwards wherever he landed, out of sight and with no sign of him returning to the fight.

"Kor…" Juliana felt her breath pick up, and could feel the utter horror settling in her Pokémon. Finally, after an eternity that was a mere second, she found her voice. "KORAIDON!"

"GRAWWWR!" The roar had gone higher pitched, almost becoming a keening. It reminded Juliana they weren't done with the creature yet, but she couldn't stand here any longer. The wings were glowing again. This time, she had direction.

Juliana started to run, aiming straight for where Koraidon had fallen, hoping to reach him. Her Pokémon dusted themselves off, each following her lead in their mad dash across the snow. It certainly wasn't easy, and Juliana felt the very thrill of death behind her as the sickly brilliance reached its zenith.

"Dodge 'em!" she shouted, and she dove. With the sound of a million cannons firing, the Roaring Moon sent its scales in a wide array. They covered the sky, standing out amidst the snow. The first one landed right near Juliana's feet, burning a hole in the ground. The second one aimed for her head, but Lokix tackled her, showcasing his blunt force.

She tripped over her own feet, sending her into a stumbling somersault that planted her in the snow. Juliana coughed and spat out the snow, but didn't stop moving. She couldn't, or she'd be pure prey for the meteoric scales. They were the same scales that Ceruledge and Quaxwell attempted to hold off with back-to-back slashes, to no avail.

"Tink. Tinkatuff tink," cried her Steel and Fairy type, sliding in to knock a scale away from Juliana. Her face was drawn into a frown and her head was hung.

"It's fine, Tinkatuff. Apologize later," she said, putting a hand upon the upset Pokémon. That allowed her to pull herself to her feet and slide away from the newest scale. The assault was nearly ended, and Juliana put her eyes right towards finding Koraidon.

"Kiwatt! Kiwatt!" Kilowattrel's call indicated he had found their friend. His wings flapped manically, beckoning them on with all haste. Juliana nodded, glancing back to see the green flames emerge inside the creature's maw. It looked ready to pour them all upon the mountainside, causing Juliana's heart to begin jackhammering inside her.

"Come on!" she grunted, and she set off for a sprint.

"ROOOOOOA!" The growl was bone-chilling, followed by a nauseous green glow of the flames that smote the mountain. Roaring Moon moved fast, cutting the air like a deadly sickle. Snow was melted, revealing ice beneath it, but Juliana didn't stop.

Or she wouldn't have, if she wasn't forced to. Instead, a massive drop suddenly appeared, pulling her short. Arboliva's branches grabbed her, preventing her from falling. A gulp later and a look down revealed multiple tiers of frozen falls, with numerous icicles comprising their fantastical design. At the bottom of those falls, sloping down to a cold plunge or a rocky tumble, was Koraidon, splayed upon the snow and barely moving.

"Sera!" Ceruledge slid forward, the green fire of Dragon Breath nipping at his heels. His eyes flashed, indicating he was about to do something wild. Something the other Pokémon sensed, no less. Kilowattrel grabbed Arboliva as Lokix hopped on his back, and Quaxwell and Tinkatuff both leapt off the cliff, the latter giggling as she fell. As for Ceruledge, he barreled right into her, and the two were pushed off, descending past the frozen falls. "Seledge!"

"Liva!" The two were in near perfect concert. From Arboliva's branches, a sunlight emanated, soon shooting out to the sky. With the roar that followed, it was clear that the Roaring Moon had been temporarily blinded. At the same time, Ceruledge held tight to her, and his blade slashed out, embedding itself into the frozen waters and searing straight down them.

Friction activated, slowing their descent, and allowed Juliana to fall to the snow in safety. She didn't remain there, though, instantly springing to her feet and running right for the fallen Koraidon. He was already so close, she could feel it. All she needed to do was reach out and touch him, all of her other Pokémon forming ranks to do the same.

"GORAAAWR!" The cry preceded a crashing, followed by snow and ice raining upon them. The Roaring Moon was distracted no longer, the prehistoric-looking Salamence rampaging through the landscape with bright purple claws. It tore at the air, aiming haphazardly for each of them as they ran, so close to their goal.

"Ceruledge, Arboliva, blo-" The claw struck the ground, breaking it and sending Juliana flying. The others fared little better, save for Quaxwell and Tinkatuff, who slid backwards and held to each other.

Juliana wasn't quite so lucky. She hit the snow, rolling on it with bruises and a wheezing breath. Her body only stopped when she hit something big and cold. Even a bleary gaze was enough to see that it was Koraidon, the lizard's breathing shallow and strained. She tried to reach out, but the strength in her body was failing.

"Quaxell! Quax axwell!" It was a command, one rallying the troops around her. Their cries were disorganized, and random, but they all seemed ready to fight. To listen to her orders.

Juliana opened her mouth, but found nothing could come out. Shadows covered all of them, looming like a specter of death.

Is this it, then? Do we end so soon? Koraidon, is this why you…? She reached forward, placing a hand on his scales. Some of them had crusted over, flaking with crystal, and he whined under her ministrations. His wound on his chest was evident, and his body shook with the fear of dealing with such a creature; a fear that she couldn't deny, either. We prevailed through tricks before, but not a single one of us can deal with that.

"Is that…all we can do, then?" she gasped out. Quaxwell shouted to her, trying to get her attention, but had an issue of his own to deal with, crossing his feathers and taking the powerful blow that sent him flying straight into Ceruledge. "Either stand and die…or run to live…? I can't… I won't…"

"TINKA!" A sudden snowball struck her face. What wasn't frozen dripped down, stunning Juliana enough that she turned her head. Tinkatuff was standing there, hammer out and body halfway turned between her and the Roaring Moon. She was already forming another snowball, sending a glare at anything that moved.

"Quaxa!"

"Tink! Tinktuff!" The impassioned conversation felt surreal to Juliana, both of her Pokémon arguing as the tense situation built around them. Her breathing started to accelerate as Roaring Moon got up, its jaw burning green and its wings glowing purple, looking like some demonic entity.

In its place was Orthworm, with the Flash Cannon that absorbed all light, looking to decimate them. Juliana gripped Koraidon's feathers, urging him to get up. Or maybe she wanted them all to run again.

But just like before, they wouldn't.

Tinkatuff turned, lobbing her snowball into the air and whacking it with as much force as she could muster. The projectile sailed, and soon collided with the Moon's face, dousing the green flames and making it blink. With a sadistic grin, Tinkatuff beat her hammer on the ground a few times and offered a thumbs up.

She was apologizing, and taking the fight to their foe.

One more beat later, and she sent herself flying forward from the force, spinning around with the crackle of a Brutal Swing. She whirled with wicked force, and then snapped right into the jaw, holding it there. Black sparks crackled off, making the feathered wings shadowy, but the two held each other in midair.

"Quaxell!" The general's voice commanded their army, and Juliana could do nothing but watch as her faithful duck led the rest of her team to charge into Tinkatuff's position. In seconds, all of them braced her back, including Ceruledge, holding back the storm that threatened to consume them.

All…of them…? Her fingers gripped, perhaps a little too tightly, and breath left her body when all of her Pokémon looked back to her. They followed me. Believed in me. No matter what I did. No matter how wrong I was.

They made sure I was never-

Each Pokémon pushed. From Kilowattrel beating his wings, to Arboliva's branches spreading wide. The sheer brunt of Lokix, Quaxwell and Ceruledge pushed into Tinkatuff, all of her precious Pokémon battling the foe that none of them could have overcome on their own.

But then, they never had been.

From Brassius to Bombirdier. To battling Mela. Or losing to Nemona. The trials in the desert. The clash with Volo. All the small moments where they could just be. Learning together. Being together.

Each of them was a team. And this was their test.

Juliana pushed to stand, sucking in breaths with every movement of her muscles. Her mouth managed to find a way to open. "Tink…

"Tinkatuff, Metal Claw!"

"TINKTUFF!" The affirmative cry only fueled Tinkatuff's monstrous strength. Her hammer stopped its dark glow, shining instead with a bright metallic and jagged edge. She put more arm strength behind it, no matter how much the Roaring Moon pushed back. She started to scream with all the intensity that Juliana had come to expect from her. The glow of silver transposed itself on the Roaring Moon, soon filtering down to her and turning into blue light.

That light was all-encompassing, surrounding Tinkatuff's figure and blinding any on the mountainside. Like a beacon, it shot to the sky, and inside it, Tinkatuff changed. Her hair grew longer, and her hammer, larger. If anything, it became massive. So massive, that with her single follow-through, the Roaring Moon was knocked off-kilter, jerking to the side. Its wings didn't lose the glow, though.

"Ton!" With Roaring Moon injured, its jaw wobbling back and forth, her Pokémon fell. At the head of them was Tinkatuff, swinging her gigantic hammer around with little effort, and a grin that showed how battle ready she and all of them were. When she turned, though, it was obvious she was no longer Tinkatuff.

"Tinkaton…" Juliana knotted her eyes shut, almost laughing at how her Pokémon had fought for her. When she opened them, however, the threat wasn't done yet. The wings had reached the apex of their glow. With a single flap, the scales went flying, zeroing in on those facing the Moon on the mountaintop. Juliana stepped forward to a crunch in the snow. "Right. No running. No reason to. We're in this together! We're reaching the gate together! And if this thing's in our way…

"We'll knock it straight outta the sky!"

"Tinka."

"Quax."

"Lokih!"

The three cries resounded, soon joined by the others. Each stepped forward, standing in a line in front of their trainer. Juliana swallowed and snapped her fist into her palm. As the snow turned purple around them, filled with the dangerous scales, she faced it head on.

"Kilowattrel, Air Cutter!" Kilowattrel cried, and with a flap launched himself to the air. He spun, gathering all of the wind to himself before letting it loose as ferocious, edged ribbons of air. They were numerous, each colliding with one of the scales and canceling them out. "Weather Ball! Arboliva, Earth Power! Send everyone flying!"

"Liva!" Arboliva's roots drew deep, and the remaining four gathered together. The earth cracked and groaned beneath them before exploding into a plume of dirt and mud that sent them flying. At the same moment, Kilowattrel brought all the snow around himself before flinging it right for the Roaring Moon. Said dragon was screeching, flying right at them with fangs bared.

"Launch 'em, Ceruledge and Quaxwell!" The pair of the bladed fighter and the dancing duck spun in midair, each using their arms and feet respectively to catch Tinkaton. She rebounded a moment, stretching back, and then they flung her forward. Her giant hammer whirled through the air, pure glee upon her face. "Send Lokix flying, and give a taste of Axe Kick!"

"TINKTON!" Tinkaton grinned, pulling herself just short of smacking the dragon in the face. She swiped her hammer back, holding it in place and allowing Lokix to land against its giant flat surface. The two exchanged a nod, the mischievous prankster trusting in the hero to get the job done. With a mighty heave, Tinkaton spun around and sent Lokix flying.

"LOOOOOOOH…" Lokix's body was a javelin, traveling through the air at high speed. His legs were held out, glowing with their great power. He began to spin, his spear-like nature increasing his deadliness. The Weather Ball was right in front of him, and he plunged into it, coming out the other side like an icy polearm. The Roaring Moon opened wide. "KIIIIIIX!"

Lokix ran through, piercing through the mighty hide of the Roaring Moon. Straight through his gullet he traveled, parting the flames and coming out the other end. The snow cleared a moment, showing the moon behind them, and Lokix's shadow was silhouette against it, the hero of the night that felled the demon.

"Grawr! Grawr! GORAAAAA!" The pained cry hurt Juliana's ears, watching the great dragon thrash with sudden pain. Its wings cleared snow and its body flopped back and forth. Soon after, it stiffened, and in that pause, Kilowattrel collected Lokix, returning him to the group.

Then the Roaring Moon fell, crashing into the snow with such force a plume of the white solid covered all, dusting them with its heavenly cloud. Juliana coughed, clearing it from her eyes, and when she looked, there was nothing to be seen. The creature had disappeared.

Its effects, however, remained.

Juliana took a chance to catch her breath, and as she finished, she started to feel it. First, it was a rumble, as if far off in the distance. It quickly became louder, growing in size and intensity, and Juliana started to feel the ground move under her feet. Peering closer revealed exactly what was happening: the shifting snow was building in speed and having become a tidal wave set to wash over all of them, Koraidon included. There was only one word for it.

"Avalanche!" she shouted. Delaying not a second, she whipped out her Poké Balls and called her partners back without delay. It left only Koraidon, and she dove for him. He started to slide down the mountainside, his tail flopping in the wind. Finding it the only thing to hold on to, she lunged, wrapping a hand around it.

The bulk of his weight tore at her, carrying her down the mountain with the snowslide that threatened to bury them. More than once, she attempted to dig her feet in, but found herself unable to. Her head became disoriented, turning in so many different directions, she didn't know which way was up. She could see the frozen falls, and some sort of cave set into their base, but that was about it before the snow swept her away and off the cliffside.

"Damn it, no!" Juliana's hand flapped wildly in the wind, but trusting that something would be there, she slapped it forward. Luckily, it hit rock and she gripped it tight. The other hand remained clasped around Koraidon, who hit a sudden stop, jerking Juliana's body.

Snow continued to break around them, mixed with ice and some pines. It stung at her skin, but otherwise missed them as it fell off the mountain to the ground far below. Eventually, it came to a shuddering stop. Juliana breathed out, only to realize she was in no better state than before.

They were hanging by a thread, Koraidon barely supported by a single ledge and her hand. Her own grip was failing above, too, with her fingers growing number by the second and her lungs running out of breath. One false move would send them plummeting.

"Gotta…move!" she gasped out, trying to pull herself up. "I have to…protect you!"

Koraidon didn't respond. Juliana didn't need a translator to know quite why: his body had given up on him. She simply wouldn't, though, and she pulled.

Come on, Juliana! Move! Protect him! Protect all your connec-

Her hand slipped, the numbness taking control. Juliana started to fall backwards, her eyes wide with regret. Koraidon, too, slipped from her grasp, the ledge crumbling beneath him. She closed her eyes.

"Crac!"

The cry was joined by a feeling, that of warmth on the skin of her arm. Next to her was a greater warmth, and a chomping that could only belong to one Pokémon. For a moment, Juliana dangled in midair, supported by the hand that had grabbed her. After a moment, she risked it to look up and open her eyes.

"You know, Juli, you really need to stop trying to do everything alone. Look what it gets you into."

Standing above her, holding her arm in a vice, was Arven.

Author's Note: When writing, I debated about dropping hints that Arven was following behind. I usually throw in liberal amounts of that foreshadowing. This time I decided not to, because I wanted that moment at the end to really hit. Hopefully it was effective to that degree.

Otherwise, this was really a straightforward chapter with Juliana and her team. It's a bit hard to talk about, though, for me. Since this is essentially a companion chapter with the next. And the revelations that await Juliana there will be grand.

So, until then, as always, I ask that you comment and review and, until next time, Dare to Be Silly.