A/N: Welcome back! Please enjoy!
The sun had fully risen by the time Asha made her way back to the village, the excitement she'd felt earlier in the morning completely drained from her. Her paws dragged against the cobblestones as she approached the guild, her mind swirling with frustration. She hadn't even come close to finding Azurill, and if it hadn't been for that mysterious Glaceon, she would have been in serious trouble.
The way he had moved in the dungeon, with such precision and ease, stuck with her. He knew what he was doing — far more than any ordinary Pokémon living near the village. Whoever he was, he had to have been an explorer once. No one else could have navigated a dungeon and handled those wild Pokémon so effortlessly. But why had he just left without saying a word?
Her ears flattened in irritation as she approached the guild doors, pushing them open with a flick of her tail. Inside, the usual buzz of activity filled the air. Teams of Pokémon were already returning with stories of their adventures. Asha felt a pang of envy as she watched them. They all seemed so capable, so sure of themselves. And here she was, unable to complete her first real mission without help.
"Asha?"
She turned to see Solara walking toward her, his ever-present smile warm and welcoming. But as he took in her expression, his smile faded, replaced by a look of concern.
"Asha, what happened?" he asked gently. "You're back early. Did you find Azurill?"
Asha sighed, her gaze dropping to the floor. "No. I didn't even get close. I ran into some wild Pokémon, and they… they were too much for me." She hesitated before adding, "But someone helped me. A Glaceon."
"Glaceon?" Solara tilted his head, intrigued. "I didn't realize we had a Glaceon in the area. What did he say?"
"Not much," Asha muttered, her frustration creeping back in. "He showed up, fought off the wild Pokémon, and then disappeared without saying a word. He just left me there."
Solara frowned thoughtfully. "How strange. No one in the village has mentioned a Glaceon living nearby."
"I don't know who he is," Asha said, her frustration growing. "But he knew exactly what he was doing. He moved like an explorer. I think… I think he might've been one."
Solara's expression softened as he placed a reassuring paw on her shoulder. "It sounds like you ran into someone with experience, even if he didn't stick around to explain himself. Some Pokémon prefer to keep to themselves."
"Yeah," Asha mumbled, her mind racing. Whoever that Glaceon was, he had the skills she lacked. And if she wanted to become a real explorer, she needed those skills.
Solara handed her a new mission scroll, a supply gathering mission, something simple. "Here, take this one if you'd like. It's a good way to ease back into things."
But Asha was barely paying attention to the scroll. She nodded absently and left the guild without another word. Her thoughts were already focused on the Glaceon. If he wasn't from the village, that meant he was probably living somewhere in the nearby forest. She wasn't going to let this chance slip through her paws.
Asha spent hours asking around, searching for any sign of the mysterious Glaceon. Most of the villagers knew nothing, and the few who had seen him didn't know where he stayed. They only described seeing a lone, pale figure near the forest edge, or catching glimpses of him at dawn before disappearing again. Whoever he was, he clearly didn't want to be found.
Finally, after what felt like an endless search, she tracked him to a secluded glade at the edge of the forest. There, in the quiet of the late afternoon, she found him.
The Glaceon stood on a rock in the clearing, his fur glimmering faintly in the fading light. He didn't move as she approached, his posture calm but alert. He knew she was there, even if he hadn't turned to face her yet.
Asha stopped a few paces away, hesitating. What was she doing? Why had she come looking for him? He hadn't exactly been friendly, and there was no reason to believe he'd want to help her. But the memory of how effortlessly he had navigated the dungeon kept replaying in her mind. He was everything she wanted to be. If anyone could teach her how to survive, it was him.
She gathered her courage and took a step forward. "Hey," she called out softly. "You're the Glaceon who helped me in the dungeon, right?"
The Glaceon's ears twitched, but he didn't respond. He still hadn't turned to face her.
"I… I came to find you," Asha continued, her voice stronger now. "I know you're not from the village, and I don't know your name, but you must've been an explorer. The way you moved, the way you fought — it's like you've done this a thousand times before."
This time, the Glaceon glanced over his shoulder, his icy blue eyes narrowing slightly. His expression remained unreadable as he studied her.
Asha took a deep breath. "I need help. I want to learn how to survive in the dungeons, and I think you're the only one who can teach me."
The silence stretched between them, heavy and thick, until finally, the Glaceon turned to face her fully. His expression didn't change, but there was something in his eyes — something distant, hard to read.
"Why should I help you?" he asked, his voice as cold as the frost he carried.
Asha blinked, taken aback by the bluntness of his question. "Because I want to learn," she said, her voice trembling slightly, though she fought to keep it steady. "I tried to do it on my own, but I wasn't ready. I need to get better if I want to be an explorer."
The Glaceon's gaze didn't waver, and for a long moment, he said nothing. Asha couldn't tell if he was judging her or just deciding whether to care at all. Her heart pounded as she waited, unsure of what he would say.
Finally, he let out a quiet sigh. "Meet me here tomorrow morning. Early. If you can keep up, I'll see if you're worth training."
Asha's heart leapt, but she forced herself to stay calm. "I'll be here."
Without another word, the Glaceon turned and walked away, disappearing into the forest as silently as he had appeared, leaving Asha standing alone in the clearing. She still didn't know who he was, and she hadn't expected him to agree to help, but now she had a chance.
The next morning, Asha awoke at the glade before dawn, having decided to sleep in the clearing. The sky was still dark, but the faintest hints of light were creeping across the horizon, painting the edges of the trees in soft purples and pinks. Asha's breath puffed in the cold air as she stretched and shifted her weight from paw to paw, trying to calm her nerves. Today she was going to learn how to be an explorer. Now she hoped that Glaceon would actually show up. He didn't seem like the friendliest character but he had agreed to train her.
She didn't have to wait long. The Glaceon arrived shortly after, as silent as a shadow. He didn't say anything, just gave her a brief glance before turning and heading deeper into the woods. Asha followed him, trying to keep up with his quick, fluid movements.
They walked for what felt like miles, deeper and deeper into the forest, until they reached a narrow cave entrance. The Glaceon stopped at the entrance, his icy breath hanging in the air as he looked back at her.
"This is where we'll start," he said, his voice low. "It's a dungeon. Not a dangerous one, but you need to learn how to navigate it before you can do anything else."
Asha frowned. "I've been in dungeons before."
The Glaceon's eyes narrowed. "You've survived a dungeon before, barely. There's a difference." He didn't wait for her to respond, stepping into the cave without another word.
Asha bristled at his tone but followed him inside. The air inside the cave was cold and damp, and the light from the outside world quickly faded as they ventured deeper. The walls were narrow, with sharp turns and uneven ground. The dungeon felt alive, like it was constantly shifting, changing just out of sight.
"Dungeons aren't just about fighting," the Glaceon said as they walked. "They're about adapting. The path changes. The environment works against you. If you can't keep up, you'll get lost."
Asha nodded, her senses on high alert. The cave was disorienting, the path ahead never staying the same for more than a few moments. She tried to stay focused, but it was harder than she expected. Every step felt uncertain, like the ground was shifting beneath her paws.
After a while, the Glaceon stopped, his breath visible in the cold air. "We'll spar here."
Asha blinked. "Spar? But I thought—"
"You need to learn how to fight in a dungeon as well as navigate," the Glaceon interrupted. "It's not the same as fighting in an open field. The walls close in, the ground shifts. You have to adapt to the environment while dealing with the enemy. If you can't, you won't survive."
Asha swallowed hard but nodded. She lowered herself into a ready stance, the leaves along her body tingling with energy as she prepared for his attack.
The Glaceon gave her a curt nod, lowering himself into his own stance. "Show me what you've got."
Asha hesitated for only a second before darting forward, her movements quick and sharp. She slashed with the leaves along her body, the green energy crackling as it cut through the air, but the Glaceon was faster. He sidestepped her strike with ease, his body moving with a fluid grace that made him seem untouchable.
Before Asha could recover, the Glaceon flicked his tail, sending a blast of cold air toward her. She leapt back, narrowly avoiding the icy gust, but her paws slipped on the uneven ground, and she stumbled.
"Too slow," the Glaceon said coolly. "Don't think. Just move."
Gritting her teeth, Asha lunged again, this time feinting left before darting right. She slashed out with her tail, aiming for his side, but he blocked her strike with a flick of his paw, deflecting her easily.
"You hesitate," he said, his voice as cold as the frost around them. "You second-guess every move."
"I'm trying!" Asha snapped, frustration flaring in her chest.
"Not hard enough," he replied, sending another gust of cold air her way.
Asha barely dodged it, her limbs trembling with exertion. She was already tiring, and he hadn't even broken a sweat. But she wouldn't give up. She couldn't. She had to show him she was worth training.
She attacked again, faster this time, her body moving instinctively. The leaves along her body glowed brighter as she slashed out, her strikes sharper and more controlled. The Glaceon met each one with precision, but Asha was starting to see patterns in his movements. He wasn't invincible. She just had to find an opening.
After what felt like an eternity, the Glaceon stepped back, signaling the end of the session. Asha panted heavily, her body aching, but there was a flicker of pride in her chest. She hadn't won, but she had held her own — at least for a while.
The Glaceon studied her for a moment before nodding slightly. "You've got potential. But you still hesitate. If you want to survive, you need to trust yourself more."
Asha nodded, still catching her breath. "I will."
"Meet me in the clearing again tomorrow," he said, his voice distant. "There's more to learn."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and disappeared into the shadows of the cave, leaving Asha alone once again.
As she watched him go, a small smile tugged at her lips. It wasn't much, but it was progress. She had earned another day of training, and now she had a real chance to prove herself.
