A New Dimension, A New Threat

by ZeroChill

Frozen World

Mono and Twilight Sparkle observed a hologram of an enlarged strand of DNA in the lab, eyeing the linking rainbow-colored sugars and acids making it up. Twilight Sparkle let out an exasperated sigh.

“We’ll never be able to decode this gene. Why does Pokémon DNA have to be so much more complex than Equusian DNA?”

“Pokémon are very complex creatures. It seems that we are discovering something new every day about them. Unlike Equusian DNA, however, Pokémon are all linked through their breeding groups and Mew, the legendary Pokémon that is the common ancestor of all Pokémon.” Mono explained.

“I didn’t think that a Pokémon’s breeding mechanisms would contribute to something as huge as overall DNA. Perhaps with this information, I could look at it from a different angle?”

With her horn flashing, Twilight Sparkle increased the resolution of the strand and zoomed in towards the top.

“What are you doing there, Twilight?” Mono asked.

“If memory serves, the coding in the DNA responsible for reproduction should be in this area. From there, I could separate the information related to breeding groups and splice it together with the information regarded to physiology and we should be close to achieving a breakthrough in elemental affinity.”

“That sounds like it could work.”

The top right part of the DNA lifted off of the structure and combined with another separated strand. The two elements melded together, forming into a cluster of omni-colored spheres. Twilight Sparkle grinned, cheering with a loud tone and hopping on the desks.

“A breakthrough in genetics! Yes! Yes! Yes!”

Mono winced and smiled with a sheepish tilt of his head, pushing his paws down with repeated movements.

“It’s exciting, but not that exciting.”

Twilight Sparkle teleported directly in front of Mono’s face, her wide eyes staring into Mono’s soul and her grin bringing a cold shiver down his spine. She grabbed his shoulders and leaned over him.

“Not that exciting?! Mono, this is the first step in Equusian-Pokémon technology! This is the power of unity between two worlds! If I can analyze what all of this means, then our chances of saving everyone left on this planet would drastically increase!”

“Yeah… I guess that is very exciting.” Chuckling with a nervous shake of his teeth, Mono responded.

Lith ambled through the open doorway with graceful steps, eyeing Mono being leaned over by Twilight Sparkle.

“Ummm… am I missing something here?”

“Lith!” Mono shrieked out, falling on his back. Lith grabbed Mono’s right paw, pulling him up from the ground.

“Hey, Lith. Is there any reason you swung by the lab today?” Twilight Sparkle asked.

“I need to get Mono because Spitfire called my group to the briefing room for an emergency meeting. Has anyone seen Fluttershy?”

“Fluttershy is with Rainbow Dash in the training hall at the Marksman Division.”

---

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy both hovered in the air. Rainbow Dash stood behind Fluttershy, holding a gray rifle wielded on Fluttershy’s left hoof.

“Ummm… I’m not too sure that I’ll hit the target, Rainbow Dash. I tried and failed sixty-four times. Do you think I’m even cut out to be a marksman?”

“When I accepted teaching you how to use a rifle, Fluttershy, I made a promise to myself to not let my friend give up in her training. Even if it takes a million years, I won’t leave your side until you learn how to fire that rifle at the target.” Rainbow Dash responded. “Now, keep your hooves steady and set your sights at the target.”

Fluttershy aimed her sights at a target that was five feet away from her, twitching her hoof while gripping the handle on the rifle. Mono and Lith appeared through the door.

“Hey, Fluttershy!” Lith called out.

Fluttershy shrieked, moving her rifles positioning towards the twins’ direction and pulling the hoof-sized trigger. An explosion sounded throughout the room and a stray laser carved its path between Mono and Lith’s feet. The two of them jumped back and their hearts beat with a gong’s soundwaves. Fluttershy observed below and frowned.

“Alright, take five.” Shaking her head, Rainbow Dash said.

“I’m so sorry, Mono and Lith! I wasn’t expecting anyone to be here at this hour, so I got scared and, well, you know the rest of the story. Please forgive me.” Fluttershy apologized.

It’s… quite alright, Fluttershy.” Between deep breaths, Lith responded. “Anyways, Spitfire called us for an emergency meeting in the briefing room.”

“Oh, tell her I will be on my way. I have to ask to see if it is okay to use a rifle, if that is alright with you.” Fluttershy responded.

Mono and Lith exited the area. Fluttershy looked over her shoulder, witnessing Rainbow Dash crossing her front legs and rolling her eyes.

“Go. Just make sure that you don’t accidently shoot someone on the field, okay?”

---

Spitfire glanced at the time on her watch with her left hind leg tapping the ground in impatience. Mono and Lith sprinted into the room.

“Where have you two been, and where’s Fluttershy?!” She screamed.

“Fluttershy will be here momentarily. She just needed to ask for permission for rifle use.” Mono stated, saluting to Spitfire.

Fluttershy hovered into the room, landing near Rondo and Jasmine and saluting.

“Sorry for being late, Spitfire! I’m still not a full-fledged marksman yet, so I have to ask for permission to bring a rifle on the mission.”

“That’s all fine and dandy. Because today, you eight are going to be given a very special assignment for this mission.” Spitfire announced.

She touched the table, bringing up the holographic map of the world. She touched a mass of land to the north of the Terraformed Wilderness, filling it with an icy blue color.

“Our satellites have picked up a strange disturbance from the northernmost continent on the planet known as Glacial Drift. Honestly, we have no idea what it is, but the readings are giving off a similar energy code to your group of members. I think a Pokémon may be wandering around there.”

A ring of silent gasps filled the room upon her declaration.

“A Pokémon, there? Who could it be?” Jasmine asked.

“I’ll tell you who it isn’t; a Pokémon that can’t stand being in a place known as ‘Glacial Drift’. Seriously, thinking about the name makes my blood freeze over.” Gnasher commented.

“Not to worry, Gnasher, because Rarity was generous enough to make parkas contorted to each of your physiological needs.” Smiling, Spitfire said. “But, as you can tell by the name, Glacial Drift is an icy land constantly splitting apart and drifting into other ice masses. It is an understatement of the century to say that it is very cold there, so you’ll need those parkas. Any questions?”

Rondo raised his wing with a nervous shake.

“Can I be excluded from the mission? I’m a Flying-type, so being exposed to low temperatures hurts.” He asked with a trembling voice.

“But, I’m a Dragon-type pile of goo and I will be going on the mission as well.” Custard responded with an innocent demeanor.

“B-but you’re more adjusted to the cold than me!”

Gnasher smacked the portion of her face next to her eyes and walked towards Rondo.

“Custard’s going and even I’m going. Like it or not, you’re coming along as well. Got that?” She threatened.

Custard swallowed a nervous gulp and nodded. A cocky smile appeared on Spitfire’s face.

“I didn’t even need to say anything! So, any last questions?”

Stereo raised his right hand.

“Are there any other things we should know about the Glacial Drift? It seems like a dangerous continent outside of the cold weather.”

“Just be careful of any of the creatures lurking. They are adapted to sub-zero temperatures for a reason you know.”

---

An armored buggy roamed the peaks of fresh snow spreading across an icy wasteland. The air filled with an impenetrable blizzard that made basic sight impossible. Inside of the walls of the vehicle, everyone wore a black parka covering just below their waists that matched their body sizes. Rondo rubbed his body with both of his wings, his teeth chattering at a rapid pace.

“I-I-Iz-z-z-z-z-z-z it j-j-j-j-ust me… or izzzzz it c-c-c-c-cold?!”

“It’s just you, birdbrain. You don’t see me or Custard shivering.” Gnasher responded.

“Eaz-z-z-y f-f-f-for y-y-y-you t-t-to say. You got… warm uniforms!” Rondo stuttered out.

Jasmine and Stereo rolled their eyes.

“Is it just me or does Rondo still have that phobia of being in snowy areas?” Stereo asked.

“It’s not just you, Stereo; Rondo always imagines that he is freezing whenever he believes he is in a snowy area. It’s sad, really.” Jasmine responded.

“Mono, do you think that I might be able to alter Rondo’s mind with my Psychic so that he wouldn’t be afraid of cold temperatures anymore?” Lith asked.

“I think you might need assistance from another Psychic user for that to work. Good thing we both know Psychic.” With a devilish smirk, Mono responded.

A loud squack erupted from Rondo’s voice after hearing the twins’ conversation.

“No! Anything but that! Please, I’ll stop now.”

Mono chuckled under his breath, sitting next to Rondo and wrapping his paw around him.

“We’re only kidding, Rondo. Do you think we would really do something like that?”

“Not really… but the two of you had crazier ideas in the past.” Shaking his head, Rondo noted.

The buggy swerved, launching all the Pokémon to the left side of the hold. A screen with Fluttershy’s face appeared. Each of the Pokémon rubbed their heads and arms from the impact against the wall.

“I’m really sorry for what I did there. The ice around here is very unstable, and I was about to fall into a frozen crack had I not done what I did.”

“All forgiven, Fluttershy. I know too well about the dangers of unstable geography.” Mono responded.

“Though… how can you even see in this blizzard?! All I see is just white.” Rondo asked.

“I have a minimap on my dashboard that surveys the surrounding land for me. I use it as my guide. Speaking of which, we are almost at our disembarking point.” Fluttershy responded. Rondo let out an exasperated sigh.

“Great! We get to wander out in the cold, get mauled by predators and freeze to death. It’s a wonderful way to die, isn’t it?”

“Now Rondo, you should be more optimistic about our prognosis; we would starve before we freeze to death.” Lith responded, shutting her eyes and smiling with an innocent tilt.

“That doesn’t make me feel any better, you know.”

“No, but at least you won’t have to freeze while you are conscious. Besides, don’t you have a Fire-type move that you always keep using in battle? It might be very useful as a utility move in this temperature.”

Rondo’s pupils directed themselves towards the ground. He mumbled underneath his breath. He smacked his face with his right wing.

“Duh! How did I forget that I knew Heat Wave?! Proper use will keep us all nice and toasty. Thanks for the reminder, Lith.”

Gnasher chuckled underneath her voice.

“It took you that long to get that, Rondo? You’re literally one of our important factors for the mission solely because you and Custard are the only Pokemon that know a Fire-type move that can actually not be used to harm others.” Gnasher responded.

“It’s true, and my Flamethrower isn’t as well-controlled as your Heat Wave. You’ll do a good job with keeping us alive.” Custard added.

“Now I suddenly find myself to be useful! Thank goodness, because I did not want to be dead weight on this mission. Let’s go find a Pokémon!”

---

The blizzard raged. Fresh snow covered the prints made upon the terrain by the group in seconds. Mono, who teeth chattered and his paws wrapped around his body, looked back towards Rondo.

“C-can you use a Heat Wave, Rondo? We might need a blast.”

“Sure thing, Mono!”

Rondo soared into the sky, flapping a hot gust of wind that melted the snow in the air around the group. A feeling of warmth descended from the sky with the mercy from a goddess.

“Thank you, Rondo. My wings were starting to lose their flexibility.” Fluttershy said, looking back at Rondo and smiling with a brilliant grin.

“No problem, Fluttershy. I’m glad to even be of use.”

Rondo soared down to the ground, eliciting a happy sigh from the heat around him.

“And you said you wanted to be excluded from the mission.” Gnasher teased.

Through the hazy veil of steam, the snowy landscape rolled out of the group’s sight and the horizon filled itself with mountains. Fluttershy sprinted towards the edge. Looking below, her jaw dropped.

“Fluttershy, is there somet-“Lith began saying, shutting up at the sight that shocked Fluttershy.

The group stopped, silent from the sight below; a ruined city sparkled amongst the lands with shattered crystals spread throughout. Stones and diodes littered the ground. Several impact craters spread throughout the city.

“Is this… a city all the way out here? But, it somehow looks even worse than Manehatten!” Lith shouted.

“That’s because this was one of the very first cities destroyed by the Van’Goth. This city was previously thought to have been a myth by other Equusians due to its enigmatic nature and impenetrable location along with a magitech barrier that prevented communication with the outside world. As such, we were unable to give the city the aid it desperately needed. No survivors emerged.” Fluttershy explained.

“I’ve never heard of such an awful attack before. In the stories I’ve read, such raids would have been brutal, but at least there would have been some survivors in the forms of slaves or other methods. These Van’Goth truly are brutal.” Stereo said.

---

Ornate-crafted buildings worn away from the eroding arctic winds sprawled throughout the once magnificent city. Spiraling pillars were chipped away, their pieces buried within the piles of snow. A bony hand of dread grasped the nerves of the group within the city.

“Something tells me this used to be a center for arts and intellect based on the arcitecture.” Stereo commented.

“That is exactly what the Crystal Empire used to be. It was a city unlike others in the world. Some of the most prestigious minds were from it.” Fluttershy explained.

“Hearing that makes me sort of sad. I hope that when this is all over, Equusians can rebuild this magnificent city.

Mono looked over towards a building, where two thirds of its structure was blown apart. Open books scattered throughout the floor of the library, their covers blackened from ash and their pages soaked in snow.

“All that valuable books and knowledge are wasted. Did the Van’Goth do this just to set an example for the rest of the world?” Mono asked.

“Who knows? All that is known is that almost nothing of the Crystal Empire exists in Neo Canterlot.” Fluttershy responded.

A loud thump echoed from the distance of the city. A large sauropod with deep blue skin and an ice blue underside walked across the group’s line of sight. His long neck was a host to two flowing sails that transitioned from butter yellow to indigo. His deep blue eyes contrasted the white V-shaped mark on his forehead. A line of diamonds that are icy to the touch ran down from his neck up to the base of his tail curling in a spiral.

“Wait a moment… that creature. That’s an Aurorus!” Lith said.

“Is that a Pokémon?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes! We didn’t have an Aurorus back at the lab… so it must be another former human as well.” Mono replied.

“I think it would be a good idea if we followed it to see where it is going.” Rondo suggested.

The Aurorus walked down an empty street, looking straight at the path ahead. The group of Pokémon and Fluttershy hid behind the corner of a ruined wall. They peaked at the Aurorus, who went up the steps into the ruins of a grand building. The group hopped over the corner, running towards the stairs. Jasmine’s eyes glittered at the sight of the crystal pillars holding up a tall roof.

“This looks beautiful! What is this area, Fluttershy?”

“Well… if I had to guess, this would be the Royal Palace of the Crystal Empire. It fits the descriptions of what I read in geography guides.” Fluttershy responded.

“Why would an Aurorus go in here, though?” Gnasher asked.

“Well… considering the size of the structure and whatnot, it seems like perfect shelter for a Pokémon of its size. Let’s go in.” Stereo stated.

---

The Aurorus walked towards a Reuniclus, who lied on the ground with his eyes closed and his forehead red. The Aurorus dropped sparse springs of vegetation from his mouth onto the Reuniclus’s forehead. The Reuniclus opened his eyes, smiling at the sight of the Aurorus before him.

“I’ve checked the toxicity levels of this plant myself and found that it is not a dangerous substance. It should help you with your fever, Einstein.”

“Thanks, Professor Pasque. You always are looking out for me.” Einstein responded with a strained tone, chewing on the vegetation.

The red on his forehead waned, bringing forth his white color. Professor Pasque nuzzled Einstein.

“You have been my partner since I was but a child. I never abandoned you then, and I will not abandon you now.”

Einstein chuckled underneath his voice.

“I always forget how long we’ve been together. Had it truly passed fifty-five years since we were together?”

“I believe so. Our partnership seems to even extend into this new world. But… I cannot help but shake a feeling of dread grasping this world.

Einstein’s eyes jolted open, listening to a series of footsteps coming towards their direction.

“We got company, Professor!”

Professor Pasque turned his head around, glaring the Pokémon and Equusian that followed him into the palace.

“I didn’t think I would see other Pokémon or even traces of other life around here. Are you friend or foe?” He asked.

“Wait, that voice… Professor Pasque?!” Mono shouted.

Professor Pasque’s eyes widened and his muscles relaxed.

“That voice… is that you, Mono?”

“I’m also here, Professor.” Lith stated.

“And Lith… you two are Pokémon as well.” He smiled, craning his head down towards Mono and Lith.

Mono and Lith smiled, hugging Professor Pasque’s head. Fluttershy pulled out a translation bracelet and tied it around Professor Pasque’s neck.

“With this, you should be able to communicate normally with other Equusians.”

“Thank you very much, young creature. I shall make sure to take good care of it.”

“What are you doing out here in the Glacial Drift anyways?” Lith asked.

“Is this what this area is called? I wasn’t expecting it to be known as the Volcanic Drift due to how cold it is. But, as chance has it, Einstein and I ended up in this very palace. With how much destruction this entire area suffered, we concluded on first glance that it was ancient ruins. But, careful examination of the destruction revealed the event to be historically recent.”

Einstein hovered towards the group with a weak smile.

“Hey, what about me?”

“Einstein! You... don’t look so well.” Rondo said, his words slowing down with a casted gaze.

“Just recovering from a fever is all. Professor Pasque did his best to find herbs out in the wasteland. I don’t know what they were, but they helped me very much.” Einstein responded.

“Herbs… all the way out here?” Jasmine asked, putting her right hand onto her beak.

“It is true that vegetation is uncommon out in the tundra, but there are always a few hardy plants that have adapted to the extreme weather conditions of this place. Such plants are always potent in their properties. Deciding whether it is healing properties or harming properties is an entirely different story.” Professor Pasque responded.

“So you are Mono and Lith’s paternal figure?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yes. For ten years, I have raised them as my own two children. By now, I’m just an old fossil whose adopted children will continue in his teachings. I guess that being an Aurorus is very fitting for me in that case.” He responded, chuckling underneath his breath.

“Well, when we get you and your friend here back to Neo Canterlot, you can share your knowledge with an entire generation of young Equusians.”

“That… would be very nice. I always was fond of children. I don’t think you are familiar to me. Who are you?”

“My name is Fluttershy. I’m a pegasus pony from Neo Canterlot.”

“As good as civilization sounds right now, I think we should explore this continent a bit more.” Einstein suggested.

“That would not be in our best interest, Einstein. Why would you suggest that?” Jasmine asked.

“Apparently, this continent is mostly unexplored. The least we can do is explore some of it so that we may be able to plan future expeditions into this land with more success. If I start being ill, you can always hit me with an Aromatherapy.”

“Well… I could always do that. Alright, Einstein, we should explore this new area.”

“Are you serious, Jasmine?” Lith asked with her eyes lidded in disbelief.

“Very serious. Think about what we can find here and bring back to H.O.R.S.E. I hope to find many rare and exotic items with unusual scents.”

Gnasher shook her head, letting out an irritated sigh.

“We aren’t treasure hunters, Jasmine; we’re operatives that are supposed to protect everyday living in Equus. We only came here to fetch the Professor and his Pokémon, nothing less and nothing more.”

“Hush now, Gnasher. You can’t honestly expect to believe that hunting for treasures here would improve the everyday living conditions of Equus, right? This will almost be like one of those daring adventure novels I used to read back home.” Jasmine responded.

“Well, we are ahead of schedule. So, a bit of treasure hunting wouldn’t hurt. Plus, it would give me more materials to work with in the lab.” Mono stated, glancing down toward his watch.

“Not you too, Mono. This is literally asking for us to go die in a wasteland.” Gnasher responded.

“It’s not like you don’t enjoy roaming around in the wastelands yourself, Gnasher.” Custard commented.

“Alright, but no one complains when things don’t go their way.”

“Since you know more about the Glacial Drift than any one of us, where shall we go?” Mono asked, facing Professor Pasque.

“There are a set of twin peaks not too far away from here that sparkle like a radiant sun. I suggest we go there.”

---

Professor Pasque walked alongside the slow-moving buggy, smiling at the face of the blizzard rushing by his eyes. He craned his neck towards the buggy.

“You know, I have been uneasy since arriving in this area. My biggest concern was whether or not everyone else was alright. But, seeing all of you here puts my soul at ease.”

A hologram of Fluttershy’s face appeared in front of Professor Pasque.

“I’m glad you do, but aren’t you cold or being buffered by the snow?” She asked.

“Not at all. Auroruses such as I thrive in these types of conditions. We are Ice-types after all.”

“That’s an interesting tidbit of information, Professor Pasque. I’ll record that information when I get the chance.” Fluttershy responded.

In the distance were two icicle peaks out in the horizon, covering the descending sun and glistening with sparkles. Dust particles of snow blew down from the mountaintops, spreading out in waves along the sea of snow.

“This reminds me of the days when it would snow. I took Mono and Lith outside to play and observe the weather. Imagine my surprise when I saw them playing with a wild Vanillite outside. The three of them playing together… it was just a joy to see.” Professor Pasque said, gazing into the sky with a happy grin.

“You must care very much about Mono and Lith, Professor.”

“That is an understatement. I came to first bond with Mono when I stopped by the Counseling Center in Opelucid. My original intent there was to gather research on the differences between the human mind and the Pokémon mind. When I saw Mono, something inside of my own heart urged me to speak to him. He was nervous at first, but then I found out his innate intellectual potential.”

“Sometimes, our hearts lead us to chance encounters. That is what must have happened to you.” Fluttershy responded.

“Fate has some interesting designs that lead us to completely different paths. After I heard about the parents of the twins dying in that accident, I was the first one to make the offer to adopt them. It was there when I discovered that Lith also had the same potential. I made sure to raise them in a good-hearted environment. I even gifted them with their own Pokémon, one of which whose egg I managed to obtain from the Kalos Region. You might know them as Custard and Gnasher?”

“I was wondering how such a sweet-looking mound of goo and a fiercely-protective crocodile were in their care. You know, I am very gifted with caring for animals of any kind. So, I don’t mind being caring for your family, Professor Pasque.”

“And I assume you are capable of caring for me in my growing age?” Professor Pasque suggested, following it with a hearty laugh. “I jest, Fluttershy. I feel like I am in the prime of my life.”

“That’s good to hear.” Blinking, tilting her head and smiling, Fluttershy responded. “We’re almost at our destination. Are you sure you want to do this, Professor?”

“Nothing would make me happier than seeing my entire family frolic in the snow like they did as children.” Professor Pasque responded.

---

The buggy and Professor Pasque climbed up the summit of the peak. The doors of the buggy opened up and all of the Pokémon looked towards the sun lowering down into the sky. Mono and Lith shut their eyes and inhaled the alpine mountain scent through their noses, breathing out a cool mist from their mouths.

“It’s chilly, but it’s the good kind. Why is that?” Mono asked.

“For one thing, the winds seem to have subsided.” Professor Pasque responded.

The group hopped out of the buggy. In her mouth, Fluttershy carried a black kit. Opening it, a set of brown brushes and picks were inside.

“Ummm… why do you have a random set of excavation gear, Fluttershy?” Lith asked.

“For some reason, H.O.R.S.E. mandates that all recon buggies come equipped with one. It’s strange, but there is no use arguing against it.” Fluttershy responded.

Each of the Pokémon grabbed a brush and pick, observing them. Gnasher tossed her brush and pick aside.

“Meh, I don’t need any of these things. Not when my claws are capable of rending the ice here.”

She ran towards a nearby mound of ice, slashing it apart with her claws.

“Gnasher’s right; who needs this stuff?” Rondo shouted, dropping the items within his talons.

He flew over to a wall and began pecking it with his beak.

“Professor, I know that these Pokémon are very tough, but how practical is using their body parts to chip away at ore?” Fluttershy asked.

“Hey, I found some gems already!” Gnasher called out.

The group circled together around the busted rock. Purple stones that radiated from even the faintest of light flashed inside of it. Several hums of awe harmonized within the air.

“These gems are so precious!” Jasmine called out, rubbing her hand along the rough stones. “Would you mind if I took some with me, Gnasher?”

“Not at all. I don’t know what sort of use I would have for them anyways.”

A loud growl echoed from nearby when Jasmine reached both of her hands inside of the ore. A white-coated canine with seven white horns, eyes whiter than the snow and the bulk of a bull leaped out from a patch of snow. From the walls and other snowy piles, similar-shaped beings appeared and set their eyes on the group.

“Uhhh, Fluttershy, what are these creatures? They don’t look very friendly.” Lith stammered out.

“These are wolf yetis. They are one of the higher-ranked predators of the Glacial Drift. The few encounters H.O.R.S.E. had with them usually ended up in a few casualties. They’re really tough and very vicious.” Fluttershy explained.

“So I take it that negotiations are out of the question?” Mono responded, turning his head towards the buggy and backing away.

A wolf yeti dropped down from above and leaped towards Mono. With a sleight of paw, Mono thrust it back with a Psychic. Another wolf yeti leaped out from its location, pouncing towards Jasmine. Jasmine fired a Thunderbolt towards it, shocking it. The wolf yeti lied on the ground, unable to move its muscles. Another wolf yeti leaped towards Jasmine, striking her with its claw. The gems in her hands fell down to the ground.

“It looks like they don’t like how we are in their territory. We have to leave.” Professor Pasque suggested.

“But what about those gems?!” Jasmine called out. “I thought we would excavate this area more.”

“I erred in thinking that this was a safe area for us. In my vision of nostalgia, I was unable to see that this area is a clear danger. We leave now, Jasmine.”

Jasmine eyed the open rock and then eyed the group retreating into the buggy. With a disheartened sigh, she hovered towards the buggy. Professor Pasque faced the wolf yetis. His body flashed with a golden aura. The ground underneath him began cracking with golden light seeping out of it. The cracks traveled to the wolf yetis. The impact of the cracks sent them flying into the air.

“Brilliant Earth Power!” Rondo called out from within the buggy.

Lith eyed a pack of wolf yetis flanking Professor Pasque from his blind spot. She kicked the doors of the buggy open, firing a Magical Leaf towards them. Professor Pasque tilted his head towards the direction of the attack with his mouth agape in shock. Each leaf struck each of the wolf yetis.

“Thank you, Lith. I very much appreciate it.”

“I don’t want you to be hurt, Professor. Shall I assist you?”

“No. Get back into the buggy with the others and flee. I’ll follow behind you.”

Lith paused in her movements, contorting her face into a frown. She nodded, going back inside. Fluttershy opened her door, gazing at a wolf yeti standing upon the cliff. Its size was a wolf yeti’s size quadrupled. The wolf yeti pounced on Professor Pasque’s back. He jumped at the sudden force applied to his back. He reared his front legs forward and stomped on the ground multiple times.

“Professor Pasque is in trouble!” Einstein shouted.

Fluttershy looked back at the rifle in the passenger seat. She closed her eyes and turned her head to the right. She grabbed it and flew out of the vehicle. She rested the rifle over her left shoulder, grasping the trigger area with her right hoof and holding it steady with her left hoof. Her reticle followed the wolf yeti being shaken by Professor Pasque. Her hooves became weak and her aim shook. Her heart beat with a nervous rhythm.

“Be calm, Fluttershy. This is your true test of being able to wield a rifle. Fail, and our mission is over. Succeed and you would save your teammate.” Fluttershy whispered to herself.

The nerves in her hooves relaxed, allowing her to focus her reticle once more. She aimed it towards the neck of the wolf yeti. With a fiery gaze, she pulled the trigger. A black bullet erupted from the muzzle and dug itself into the wolf yeti’s neck. The wolf yeti let go of Professor Pasque and fell onto the ground with a loud yelp. It looked back towards the marksman and ran away.

All the Pokémon in the buggy exited it, gazing at Fluttershy with loud cheers. Fluttershy moved her head away from the rifle, looking around with a confused glint in her eyes.

“Why is everyone cheering?” She asked.

“Because you saved my life.” Professor Pasque responded, walking towards her.

“I did?”

“Fluttershy, did you happen to forget that you actually fired a bullet inside that alpha wolf yeti? That was amazing.” Mono stated with a tone leaking out energy.

“Wait… my marksmanship was actually on-spot?!” With a grin creeping up on her face, Fluttershy responded.

“Yeah! We could have helped the Professor, but that wolf yeti was on him like melted cheese on a slimy frog. We didn’t want to risk removing it ourselves because we could have hurt him.” Custard responded.

“It seems that your confidence has taken its first step into becoming realized, Fluttershy. Amazing job.” Professor Pasque commented.

“I… actually did it. I’m so happy that I could scream! But, I won’t.”

Rondo eyed the horizon, seeing the land bask in a golden orange and several lollipop-shaped trees in the background. He flew down onto the summit.

“I don’t know about you all, but it’s getting real late. Ol’ Spitfire’s gonna have a cow when she sees us arrive so tardy!” Rondo shouted.

“Do you think that we would be able to explore this place more in another time? I really like looking through this place.” Einstein asked.

“Of course we can, Einstein. But, we’re going to have to go back to where we are supposed to be. We don’t want our family to be in trouble, now do we?” Professor Pasque responded.

“Yeah, but those trees do look interesting. Why is it that we only see them now?” Rondo asked.

“One assignment at a time, Rondo. Now, I’m just happy we got Professor Pasque back.” Lith responded.

Mono gazed towards Rondo and smiled.

“Rondo, you aren’t freaking out about the tundra anymore. In fact, it seems like you want to see more of it.”

“Wait… hey, you’re right! I’m cured! I’m one-hundred percent cured!” Rondo shouted.

---

Spitfire stood in the docking area of H.O.R.S.E., tapping her right hind hoof and grimacing with a nasty stare. The door opened, revealing a wet buggy driving into the bay and Professor Pasque. The group emerged from the buggy, their nerves frozen in fear when looking into Spitfire’s eyes.

“Do you have any idea how late you are back here? I expected you two to be here by sunset and it is almost midnight right now. Just where did you eight lollygag to?!” Spitfire fumed out.

“My apologies, Mrs. Spitfire. It was my call to extend this journey for a longer time since the Glacial Drift was a very intriguing area. We would have wanted to explore more of it, but we were on time constraints.” Professor Pasque explained.

“Oh? You must be the objective-sensitive Pokémon that our satellites detected.”

“Don’t forget about me!” Einstein shouted in a chipper tone, levitating above Professor Pasque’s head.

Spitfire looked back towards the group and smiled.

“Well, you eight were much later than when I expected you to arrive, but you still got the job done. You showed me that I can trust you with missions going out into the Glacial Drift. Consider that an achievement for you all.”

Rainbow Dash walked through the doors, grinning upon seeing Fluttershy. She bolted out of the doorway and towards her direction.

“Fluttershy! There you are! Have you used the rifle at all?” She asked.

“Yes… I have, Rainbow Dash. I actually managed to shoot my intended target in a vital area.” Fluttershy responded.

“That’s awesome! You have got to tell me everything about it.” Rainbow Dash responded.

Spitfire glanced towards Professor Pasque and Einstein, humming with curiosity.

“You look like you wouldn’t be able to fit into an apartment… at all. What do we do for living conditions for you?”

“I don’t mind sleeping outside, Spitfire. What about you, Einstein?” Professor Pasque asked.

“As nice as a bed sounds, I can’t really leave you alone. We both are partners until the end.” Einstein responded, snuggling against Professor Pasque’s neck.

“Do you mind sleeping out at the courtyard, then? I could always fetch a blanket for your friend there.” Spitfire questioned.

“A blanket would be nice as well.”

---

Mono and Lith lied on the grass outside with Professor Pasque and Einstein, gazing at moon dunked within the sea of stars.

“It’s so nice for the three of us to be back together, Professor Pasque. I was very worried about you, you know.” Lith said.

“I was especially worried about the two of you. But, now that I see the both of you in sound condition, my worries are put to rest. But… are you sure you two don’t mind sleeping out here tonight?” Professor Pasque asked.

“We don’t mind at all. I’m just happy to be here with my sister, my father figure and his Pokémon. Speaking of which; how are you feeling, Einstein?” Mono said.

“I feel better than a deoxyribonucleic acid, Mono. That herb I was given really helped me pull through.” Einstein responded.

Mono’s watch vibrated. He sat up, lifting his left paw to his face. A hologram of Twilight Sparkle’s head showed up on it.

“Mono, I’ve finally decoded the DNA.”

Comments

[Cookie_Girl]

Good use of an unused pokemon.