“I got here at the end of January, once I felt secure enough to walk on my own and stuff,” Robin told June and I on the back of his Shiny Dragonite. “When I’d heard that you’d escaped into Unova, I just knew you’d be competing there, and I knew I had to be there, too. My Pokemon journey was far from over, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!”

“I can’t believe it!” I smiled at him, gripping my Charizard’s neck for dear life, afraid of falling off as he carried June and I through the air alongside Robin. “Your parents, Prof. Oak; they all lied to me!”

“And I’ll bet there will be plenty of surprises here for you, as well.” Prof. Oak had then winked at me from behind his sunglasses.

I laughed as I remembered that.

“Yeah! They did well keeping things a secret from you, ha ha ha ha ha!” Robin laughed. “So, I got all eight of my Badges, which was no easy feat to pull off in less than seven months, won at the preliminaries, and then was rather unpleasantly surprised about the news with Kiwi…” His smile was gone. “Can you believe it? Kiwi??”

I shook my head, staring right back at him. “It’s crazy! Why would she do this?”

None of us were able to say anything more, looking ahead as Charizard and Dragonite carried us through the night sky, over the trees and rocky ground far, far below us.

“Robin, where did you say we were going?” I asked, turning to him.

“The Giant Chasm,” he answered. “Speaking of which, we’re going to need to get out our thickest coats. It’s freezing cold over there.”

“What is the Giant Chasm? How do know she’s over there?” June asked before I could.

Robin smiled at June. “I’ve done a bit of research on Unova. There’s no other place in Unova filled with that much snow, on a constant basis, as the Giant Chasm. I’m certain without a doubt that that’s exactly where she was when that message was broadcast. I’ve heard stories about that place. I wanted to go there after the League was over, but, I guess I’m headed there now! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!”

“You both skipped the Unova League to go after Kiwi,” June said to us.

“There’s far more important things than some stupid competition,” I responded. “Kiwi’s lost her mind joining with Team Solace. To think they even have her running the group?? I don’t understand that at all. We have to get through to her and stop all of this for good!” But, can we stop them? I wondered.

“The mindset of a group like that didn't solely belong to the leader, and this group may very well be a copycat group, if not perhaps a regrouping of the old members,” were the words Prof. Oak had once spoken after his lab was attacked.

The morals of Team Solace aren’t based on only one person, I thought. It could be anyone. I remembered Dave, who had worked at the Safari Zone in Kanto, a place that cares for various Pokemon, but even he’s a member of Team Solace.

Members of Team Solace have dressed in suits, sweatpants, sneakers, and even swimming trunks. There was no way to identify a member of Team Solace, and people all around the world were agreeing with their goals, including a lot of parents.

As much as I hated to admit it, it was genius how Team Solace was operating, and it made me fear that there may be no actual way to stop them. Ever.

The cool air blowing around me as Charizard carried June and I closer to our destination was really chilly, but I didn’t bother to pull out my coat. I was too terrified of falling off of Charizard’s back. My arms wrapped even tighter around his neck as I shivered hard, looking down, down, down below us.

“You’re looking lovely as usual, June,” Robin smiled at June.

“Huh?” June looked to Robin.

“The way the wind whips through your hair is surreally beautiful,” Robin added. “You look like you’re in the middle of the most beautiful photo shoot ever.”

June’s eyes widened and her face went red.

I nearly fell from Charizard’s back at Robin’s words, staring at him wearily. Seriously, Robin? Of all times, now is when you wanna do this? I couldn’t help but smile and shake my head, and I looked away from him, keeping my eyes ahead.

*

Robin wasn’t kidding about it being freezing cold at the Giant Chasm.

The three of us had our winter coats on, but were still chilled to the bone, looking around the snow covered environment. Freezing ice and snow was forced into our faces by a horrible wind, making it nearly impossible to see around us.

The light from the afternoon sun above us wasn’t much help, the gray clouds blocking out the sun’s shine and heat.

There wasn’t much to see other than trees a few feet around us, anything further than that being impossible to make out.

“Why would Kiwi be in a place like this?” I shouted out, my eyes watering constantly from the freezing cold wind blowing in them.

“I dunno, but this must be the place!” Robin called back.

“How do we even know she’s still here? What if she left?”

“Why come to a place like this and not even do anything here?”

“What if she already did what she needed and left by now?”

Robin shook his head. “I don’t think so. Anyway, where else are we gonna go to find her? If she isn’t here, we have no idea where she is. Maybe we’ll find some answers as to what she was doing out here.”

“I guess…” I said in a low, uncertain voice.

Robin’s plan was better than nothing, but it was cold! He walked forward, and June and I followed.

I lowered my head and focused on the ground, watching Robin’s black boots stomp through the snow. With my head low, I could also block out the wind a little better from my eyes.

June’s red boots stomped forward next to my worn out black sneakers that were scuffed all around and bent at the toes. All I could make out was snow covered grass and trees everywhere. That is, when the tears from my sensitive eyes weren’t clouding my vision. What’s out here? I wondered, shivering. What’s the purpose of this place?

A low cry was heard through the snow, and I looked up to see something hop in front of us.

Robin came to a stop. “Well, look at that!” he said happily.

“What is it?” I could barely see the figure, its body blending in with the snow, possibly covered in snow, itself.

“It’s a Clefairy!” June gushed. “How cute! Not to mention, rare.”

“Clefairy!” it said, and then skipped away from us, disappearing from view.

“What’s a Clefairy doing in a place like this?” I wondered out loud.

“Hm.” Robin kept his eyes on the direction Clefairy skipped away, and then focused ahead of us and continued forward. “I’ve studied a bit about this area. There are a ton of rumors and legends about this place.”

“Oh? Like what?” June asked him.

“They say there’s a mysterious energy around here. An energy from outer space.”

“Outer space?” June questioned.

I kept my head down, my eyes on Robin’s boots as I listened and followed him.

“That’s right,” Robin told June. “Supposedly, there’s an otherworldly energy in this chasm. It’s drawn a lot of Pokemon that have been suspected of originating from other planets, here. Like that Clefairy.”

Clefairy have been notoriously connected with outer space, some insisting that the Pokemon are aliens due to their worship of the Moon Stone, a meteor that evolves certain species of Pokemon.

“It’s said that a comet landed out here, creating this chasm,” Robin continued, traveling through the thin forest. “It’s even rumored that a monster was inside of the comet.”

“A monster?” I looked up and squinted at Robin. “What do you mean by that?”

Robin laughed and looked back at me. “They say it’s a Pokemon, but, there are tons of rumors surrounding it. Differing stories, depending on who’s telling it. Some say it landed here in a comet, while others-”

We stopped and turned at a gentle cry through the white trees.

Hidden well by the snow, I could just make out the figure of a thin creature before it vanished.

“Did you guys see that? Or is the snow playing tricks on me?” I called out to my friends.

“I’m not sure,” Robin said.

“I heard it,” June said with confidence. “There’s a Pokemon out here.”

The thing appeared again to the right before it faded away.

“What is that?” I shouted. “Who’s there?”

The gentle voice of the Pokemon called out to us, and the being appeared again to the left before disappearing once more.

“Fine. Then I’ll just have to use this.” I pulled out my Pokedex.

Froslass. The Snow Land Pokemon. This is the evolved form of a female Snorunt when the Dawn Stone is applied. They can freeze their victims with their breath and can cause powerful hallucinations as needed. With its Snow Cloak Ability, it can hide in snowy weather and avoid opponents.

“So that’s what that thing is,” Robin noted. “What do you think she wants from us?”

“Froslass,” she spoke gently, appearing in front of us again, hovering in the air. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth. “Laaaaaaaaaaaass!” A white wind blew from her open mouth.

We all screamed, Robin covering his ducked head with his right arm, June shielding her eyes with her right hand, and me staring in shock at Froslass with my Pokedex still in my hand as the cold air surrounded us.

The temperature around me dropped suddenly, drastically.

Froslass relaxed her face and stared at us with satisfaction.

Robin didn’t move, his arm still covering his head.

June didn’t budge, still blocking her eyes with her hand.

Froslass bobbed silently in the air, staring at us.

As I tried to turn my head, take a step back, or even do so much as blink, I realized in horror that I wasn’t able to! That was when I saw that something was around Robin and June’s bodies, and I began to accept that it was probably around mine, too.

Ice!

Robin and June were stuck in a block of ice! They were frozen!

“Robin! June!” I tried to shout, but I seemed to be frozen as well, my body unable to even shiver from the deadly cold. Oh, no, I thought in a panic as I struggled to break free from the ice. I can’t shiver! I’m gonna die! We’re all gonna die if we’re frozen like this! Why is this happening? Why did Froslass do this?

An angry, threatening noise came through the woods.

I couldn’t turn to see what it was, and I didn’t care about what it was, either. I felt my body going numb, fast. My entire body was starting to ache, a strange mixture of a freezing, burning sensation taking over me.

A new creature suddenly floated over to us, hovering next to Froslass. It was hard to see through the snow that was flying around, sticking to the ice around the three of us, but I could make out dark markings on the second floating Pokemon’s circular body. The being shouted angrily at us.

Glalie. The Face Pokemon. This is Snorunt’s alternative evolved form. This Pokemon has the ability to freeze moisture in the air, allowing it to freeze prey. It then casually devours its victim.

I would have screamed and tried to run if I could, not believing what my Pokedex had just said, still in my frozen hand. But, we’re still alive! I thought frantically. It can’t do that to us! I struggled in vain to reach one of the Poke Balls on my belt so I could send out any one of my Pokemon to help us. Not only was I frozen, but I was starting to lose consciousness from the cold.

Glalie was still in front of us, watching. A sinister grin spread over its face, and it slowly floated over to Robin.

Robin was still frozen in his stance, his head lowered, not seeing the threat before him.

I can’t fight anymore, I thought weakly. Body is burning. It hurts so bad. I just want to die.

Froslass suddenly vanished from next to Glalie.

Glalie stopped close to Robin and opened its mouth wide. It chomped down on a huge block of ice, just barely missing Robin’s frozen wrist, and it chewed happily, crunching the ice in its mouth.

As more snow landed on the ice block we were in, I could see Glalie less and less. One more bite, and Robin’s gonna be without an arm, I thought in horror, wishing I could close my eyes. I didn’t want to see this. Luckily, the still falling snow continued covering the ice around us, blocking out Glalie bit by bit. Maybe I wouldn’t have to see too much blood. Maybe. But, why? Why? This is what Team Solace was warning us against? This is the evil we could have avoided had we chosen different goals for ourselves instead of being Pokemon Trainers? It was thoughts like these that made me hate myself. It was situations like these that I hated the most. They brought thoughts into my head that almost made me empathize with Team Solace on some minor level. I could almost understand why they do the things they do. I almost wished a couple of their guys would come to our rescue...

No! No. I knew this moment didn’t define all Pokemon. It didn’t justify what Team Solace was doing at all!

These Pokemon weren’t evil. They’re just hungry! But...

More snow kept Glalie out of my sight just as it opened its mouth and leaned in to take the gruesome bite out of Robin.

I’m spared, I told myself with some gratefulness. I won’t have to see this bite. And, I’m last in this lunch line. I’ll be dead before it finishes eating June and Robin. I’m already ready to black out right now. Lucky me.

A sharp cry rang through the area.

This was accompanied by a ferocious barking.

“Glalie!”

There was some kind of commotion taking place, but my vision was fading to black. I heard another cry, and Glalie yelled out angrily.

A dog was barking terrifyingly.

Something scary was going on.

I screamed in my head, trying to stay alert, but I could feel myself slipping. I almost felt like I was floating now. Floating through a gray sky, all alone. Dying.

SMAAAAASSSSHH!!!

I collapsed on my back, shivering hard on the ground, and I moaned in pain as my body stung. I curled up into a ball and tried to wait out the pain, debating if I really wanted to survive this cold at all anymore. Maybe dying would just be the easy way out of this.

June and Robin were also groaning.

I heard the cry of the first creature I hadn’t seen, but I continued to shake hard. My teeth were chattering against each other, my eyes closed tight. It’s too late, I told myself, my body feeling weaker, and I decided to give in to it. Just let it happen, Gary. No need to push yourself any further. Just let go… With one hard shake, my body gave out, and I lost consciousness.

*

Something pushed against my face repeatedly. Something dry, yet sticky.

I cleared my throat, which hurt for some reason, and I ended up choking. My eyes shot open and I found myself staring into the face of a furry beast! Screaming, I tried to run, but as my feet moved, something felt wrong. “Oh!” I wasn’t standing up as I had assumed. I was on my side, lying on the snow covered grass.

“Stout!” the dog barked.

“Stoutland…?” I said softly, trying to calm down my beating heart. “What are you…?” I looked around and my eyes widened in amazement.

June, Robin, and another creature were right next to me, staring at me, sitting near Stoutland.

It was snowing all around us.

But, I’m not cold, I realized as a snowflake landed on my nose. I stared up into the sky, watching all the snow blow around us in a flurry.

“Pretty cool, huh?” Robin said, smiling. “Stoutland is keeping us warm with its fur. Or, her fur, according to June, ha ha ha ha!” He beamed at June.

June’s face went red as she smiled shyly and looked down, nodding.

“Stoutland,” I said in amazement as I turned to her. “You saved my life! All of our lives!” I turned to the creature sitting by June, Robin, and Stoutland. “But, what’s that?” I pointed.

“That’s the other reason we’re alive,” Robin nodded at it. “Snover!”

“Snover?” I repeated, staring at the mysterious being.

“Snover!” it cried out at me lightly. It ran over to me and took me by surprise as it wrapped me in a hug, snuggling its head against my chest.

I stared down at it in shock.

“Snover are really friendly little things, according to Robin’s Pokedex,” June smiled at Snover. “She and Stoutland both battled Glalie and scared him off. They saved us!”

I let out my breath in a quick, happy burst of air. “Thanks, you two!” I happily hugged Snover back and then reached out one arm to pet Stoutland’s head.

“Stoutland are known for helping people in the mountains and at sea,” Robin informed me. “We’re pretty lucky one came by.”

“Yeah.” I scratched Stoutland behind her ear and she rubbed her head eagerly against my hand, her tail wagging rapidly.

“Snover!” Snover reached out and wrapped my neck in a hug this time. “Snover! Snover!”

Her weight was too much for me and I fell onto my side.

“Snover seems to really like you, Gary,” June noted.

“I can see,” I laughed, choking under Snover’s weight and hold on my neck, but feeling really good right now. I suddenly remembered exactly where I was, and what I was doing here, and my smiled faded. “We have to keep going,” I said grimly to June and Robin.

June’s face turned to worry.

Robin’s went serious and he nodded. “Right.” He stood up and reached down to help June to her feet.

June took his hand, a slight smirk crossing her face, and she got up.

I managed to wrestle Snover off of me and then stood up. “Snover, Stoutland, thanks a ton for your help, you guys. I think we’ll be alright from here on, though. You don’t have to worry about us. We just didn’t expect that Glalie and Froslass to attack like that. We’ll be more careful.”

Stoutland and Snover didn’t say anything, keeping their eyes on me.

“See you guys later, okay? Thanks again. Come on, June, Robin.” I turned away from them all and walked away, looking around, wondering what direction to go in. The cold air hit me out of nowhere, my body no longer safe and protected behind Stoutland’s warmth. I shook it off and kept on going.

“Sno…” I heard Snover say in a low voice. “Sno! Snover! Snover!”

I looked back and saw Snover by my legs, reaching up eagerly to me with a small white ball in her hand.

“Snover! Snover!”

“Huh? What’s that?” I reached out and took the item from her.

“That’s a Snoverberry,” June explained to me. “They grow them around the middle of their bodies. She wants to give you one before you go!”

“Snover!” Snover grabbed at her middle and plucked off another Snoverberry that was one of several hanging from her body. She ran over to June and handed this Snoverberry to her.

“Aww! Thanks, sweetie!” June smiled as she took the fruit.

“Snover!” Snover plucked off another Snoverberry and handed it to Robin.

“Hey, thanks!” Robin took it.

Snover then walked over to Stoutland and handed her a Snoverberry.

“Stout?” Stoutland opened her jaws and Snover placed it inside carefully.

Together, we all ate the Snoverberry we were given. Together, we all let out joyous cries.

“It’s so sweet!” I said with immense delight.

“And cold, like a popsicle! But not so much that I’m bothered by it despite the cold around us!” Robin exclaimed.

“It’s wonderful!” June gushed.

“Stoutland!” Stoutland barked cheerfully.

“Wow! Thanks for that, Snover! You’re just full of help and good things, aren’t you?” I wanted more of those berries, but I didn’t want to seem greedy, so I didn’t ask. “That was a cool little farewell present. Thank you, Snover.”

“Snover! Snover!” Snover nodded.

“We have to get going, now,” I told the two Pokemon. “Thanks for everything. We’ll see you around.”

“Thanks, Snover and Stoutland,” June waved at them.

“Take care, guys,” Robin smiled at them.

I turned away and walked off with my friends, deeper into the woods, hoping I was going in the right direction. “This is the right way, right?” I asked out loud.

“Yeah, should be,” Robin said. “This is the way.”

“I hope so. We don’t have time to be getting lost out here.”

“It’s pretty easy to get lost in this place, actually,” Robin admitted.

“Hmm. Maybe we shouldn’t have said bye to those two so soon, then,” June said nervously.

I turned back to look at June, and my eyes widened as I saw a figure walking behind her and Robin! “Hey!”

We all stopped and June and Robin turned around.

“Snover!” Robin said.

“Stoutland!” June said.

“Stoutland!” Robin added.

“Snover!” June added.

“Snover!” Snover said happily.

“Stoutland!” Stoutland barked, standing still several feet behind Snover.

Snover was right behind June and Robin, and she jumped up and down happily. She ran around them and stopped by me, wrapping her arms around my legs.

“Whoa! Snover!” I smiled down at her, trying to keep my balance as I extended my arms out at my sides.

“Snover! Snover!” she said, rubbing her head against my legs.

“I don’t think Snover wants to go.” June looked down at the Pokemon adoringly.

“Really?” I kept my eyes on Snover.

“Sure doesn’t look like it,” Robin mentioned. “Catch her!” He shrugged casually. “I could go for some more of those Snoverberries, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!”

Snover let go of my legs and turned to Robin. She pulled off another Snoverberry and handed it to him. “Snover!”

“Oh, man! Sweet!” Robin took the berry and ate it quickly. “Yeah!” he cheered, pumping his fist in the air and jumping.

I smiled and shook my head.

“Snover!” Snover reached up to me and handed me another Snoverberry.

“Oh, you didn’t have to do that,” I told her. “But, thanks!” I gently took it from her and ate it, swimming in delight from the sweet, chilly flavor of the treat.

“Snover? Snover? Snover!!” Snover looked around at her body frantically, and then looked up at June sadly, crying out her name repeatedly.

“Hey, hey, now. It’s okay! Don’t cry!” June smiled, getting down to her knees.

“Snover! Snover!” Snover turned to Stoutland and called out to her, too.

“Stout…” Stoutland sighed, looking at Snover with a sympathetic smile.

“What’s wrong with her?” I asked June. “Is she upset about something?”

“Yeah, ha. She’s out of Snoverberries to give me and Stoutland and feels bad about it. That’s all.”

“Oh, ha,” I chuckled.

“That’s a really sweet little Pokemon, there,” Robin commented.

“Yeah,” I agreed. “Hey, Snover!”

“Snover?” She wiped at her eyes as she turned to me, her eyes glimmering with the sadness of tears.

“How would you like to maybe come with us as we explore the Giant Chasm?” I offered.

“Snover?” She blinked at me, her eyes wide.

“Gary means it, Snover,” June told her. “You’re welcome to join us, if you’d like.”

“Sno…” Snover looked up at June. “Snover…” She turned to Robin. “Sno!” She faced me. “Snover! Snover!” She jumped repeatedly, seeming happy with the invitation.

“Then that settles it!” I pulled out a Poke Ball from my pocket and enlarged it. “Snover, welcome to the team!” I tossed the Poke Ball at her.

“Snoverrrr!” Snover leaped at the Poke Ball and it opened, sucking her in with a red beam.

The Poke Ball hit the ground and shook, the middle button glowing red.

PING!

The red on the button remained.

I bent down and picked up the Poke Ball. “I caught Snover!”

“I’d say it was a mutual effort,” Robin joked, and then laughed.

June and I joined in his laughter.

“Stoutland,” I said, smiling at her. “What are you going to do?”

June stopped laughing and turned to Stoutland, Robin being the last one to stop laughing and turn to her, too.

“Stoutland. Stout,” Stoutland said in a low voice, and she nodded at us. She turned around and walked away into the trees and snow, disappearing from view a moment later.

*

“Damn it!” I cursed as I got to my feet after tripping to the ground. “Another damn tree!”

“It’s hard to see all these fallen trees under all this snow,” Robin complained, stumbling over something hidden in the snow.

“What knocked all of these down in the first place?” June asked. “I mean, Gary must have tripped over, like, ten so far!”

“Tunguska ‘round that is yet another little interesting bit of history from Unova’s past,” Robin said, smiling at June.

“Huh??” I called out to him, not hearing him clearly through the wind blowing loudly. “What did you say??”

Robin turned to me, his smile fading slightly. “I said, the truth around all the fallen trees is another interesting bit of history from Unova’s past.”

“You seem to know a lot about Unova.”

“Well, when I knew you were out here, I was almost in good enough shape to go traveling again. I spent about a week relaxing and studying about the Unova region to know what I was about to get myself into, and the plane ride was more time to study! I guess you could say I took a page out of your book, Gary, with you always reading and studying up on Pokemon since way back when we were little. Ha ha ha!”

I smiled and nodded, looking up into the darkening sky, my eyes watering from the howling wind.

It wasn’t snowing quite as bad as it had been before, but it was still a mess out here.

“This is it!” Robin called out.

I looked to Robin and noticed him pointing upward.

There was a short, though considerably tall mountain up ahead, but the way up to the top was set up similar to steps set in stone.

“What is it?” I asked.

“The end of Giant Chasm is up there,” Robin said solemnly. “Nobody really makes it out this far, and those who do don’t often report having seen anything of interest. But, if there’s anything to be found out here, inside of the cave on top of this mountain is where it would be.”

“Kiwi,” I said firmly.

Robin turned to me. “Possibly.”

“What would she be doing in a place like this, though?” June asked. “None of this makes sense.”

Robin turned to June. “Then let’s get some answers, shall we?”

June turned to Robin, and they both nodded.

They both then turned to me, and we all nodded.

Together, we approached the mountain and began our climb to the top.