Avalanche

What if Eevee got lost?

What if she couldn't find it again?

She was determined—no matter what, she would find the little Eevee. It wasn't just any Pokémon to her. That tiny fox was her playmate.

Whenever Allen was too busy scribbling in his notebook, or when she got upset with him, it was Eevee who stayed by her side.

Eevee was the one who listened to her ramblings, the one who played with her when no one else would. Grandma Wilma had once told her that this Eevee had been here for a long time—long before she ever met it.

Its original trainer had left it behind, promising to come back one day. But that day never came. It had been so long that she could barely remember.

At first, Eevee had waited. It would sit on the porch of the daycare, ears twitching at every approaching figure, hoping—believing—that its trainer would return.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months. Eventually, it stopped waiting, but Eevee's heart never let go of the longing.

Even though it acted playful and cheerful in front of her, Cynthia knew deep down that a part of it was still waiting. And now, she was afraid—afraid that Eevee might leave this time.

What if it got lost somewhere?

Or worse, what if it was using this as an excuse to search for its original owner?

She didn't know. She ran even faster, her little feet pounding against the snowy path.

"Eevee, wait for me!"

"You really killed me! Aria, Safeguard!"

Aria, Grandma Wilma's Altaria, grew anxious upon seeing the one she was supposed to protect suddenly make a run for the little thing in front. Hearing her trainer's command, Aria instantly knew what to do.

A shimmering turquoise force field formed around Altaria's body, shielding it from the falling snow.

Within moments, the protective barrier expanded, enveloping not just Aria but also Grandma Wilma, Allen, and Cynthia. Eevee was already too far away to be protected.

'Safeguard prevents the user and its allies from being inflicted with non-volatile status conditions or all status problems for five turns'

The moment Allen heard Grandma Wilma's command and saw the glowing barrier form around his body, he was surprised.

'You can use Pokémon moves like this too?!'

Just now, Safeguard was indeed creating a warm, protective shield for him as he immediately felt the warmth washing over him, the biting cold no longer stinging his skin. But he had no time to focus on that.

He knew that if he could feel the effects of the move, then Cynthia could too. And sure enough, now that she was no longer freezing, she only ran faster.

Her sole focus was chasing after Eevee. The barrier shimmered with warm, protective energy, but Grandma Wilma and Aria's hearts ached terribly. If they hadn't done this, that brat would have frozen in an instant!

Both felt helpless, especially Grandma Wilma. She wasn't young anymore, and before long, she started falling behind.

"Aria, don't worry about me—go after them!"

"Ta~ria?!!"

Aria was stunned by the command. She hesitated, glancing back and forth between the two kids and her owner, torn between them.

"Aria!!!" Grandma Wilma called out anxiously, but Aria only grew more restless.

The children or her trainer?!

Of course—her trainer!

Aria stubbornly refused to leave her behind, causing Grandma Wilma's face to pale. Then, with an exasperated sigh, she smacked her forehead.

"Aiyaah..."

With that, Grandma Wilma waved her hand at Aria before swiftly hopping onto the back of the Pokémon. Without missing a beat, she gave the command,

"Just fly—hurry, chase after them!"

Allen ran. He ran and ran, regretting it so much. He shouldn't have absolutely trusted what the wiki said about Cynthia.

Intelligent? Calm? Composed?

Please. She was basically the definition of a brat in a designer jacket!

He felt like he would die of anxiety one day because of her. 'Sigh, forget it. There was no point thinking about this.'

"Cynthiaaa!! Wait for me!!!" Allen shouted, trying his best to keep up with her.

As Cynthia ran, she suddenly realized she no longer felt cold, which took her by surprise. So, after a moment of anxiety, she soon discovered that running was actually fun—especially when she spotted Eevee standing beside a huge rock, waiting for her.

Breathless, she rushed over and hugged the little Pokémon tightly.

Eevee had already started feeling the cold, but the moment Cynthia wrapped her arms around its tiny body, a strange warmth spread through it.

The little fox instinctively shook the snow from its fur and snuggled deeper into her embrace, seeking comfort. In that moment, it was as if Cynthia had become its mother.

Unbeknownst to them, the large rock they stood behind had a small gap in between. Eevee itself didn't know why it had come here—only that something deep inside told it this was the safest place to be.

"Eevee, you're very naughty! Why did you run away?!" Cynthia pouted, crossing her little arms as she scolded the tiny fox.

"Vee~?"

How could it explain that this was actually the safest place? Even Eevee didn't really know!

So, the little Pokémon simply tilted its head, letting out a soft, sweet cry, looking as cute as possible.

Cynthia's anger melted instantly. "Hmph… you're still not allowed to run away like that!" But despite her words, she hugged Eevee even tighter, burying her face in its soft fur.

She was about to leave with Eevee when suddenly, they heard a loud crack. Something had fallen from high above.

BANG!

Allen didn't hesitate for a second.

Without thinking, he launched himself forward like a rocket, tackling her before rolling a few times on the ground until they finally stopped.

On the other side, Grandpa Drayton and Grandma Dracelia, who were on their way to pick up Allen and Cynthia, found themselves stuck.

The heavy snow and thick fog had merged into an overwhelming blanket, creating a treacherous situation for them.

It was actually common for Mt. Coronet to experience such conditions when entering the November-December period. However, this year was different.

The snow had fallen so thick and fast that it had completely blanketed the roads, effectively sealing off access from Celestic Town.

The winding mountain roads, reduced visibility, and the cold that seeped into the bone, combined with the snow piling high enough to make it nearly impossible to tell where the roads ended, created a dangerous situation.

If they didn't act quickly, they would be stuck for the next few months, completely cut off from the rest of Sinnoh.

"Magmag, I leave the rest to you," Grandpa Drayton said as he prayed and kissed the Pokéball he held.

Grandpa Drayton released Slugma, hoping the fire-type Pokémon could help, but it immediately sank into the snow, struggling to stay above the thick blanket of white.

One minute. Two minutes. Three minutes. Four minutes.

"Slugma~" the Pokémon called out weakly, its lava bubbles flickering before it helplessly subsided, overwhelmed by the cold.

The Lava Pokémon looked up at its trainer, its molten body barely able to maintain its warmth. If left unchecked, the lava within its body would begin to harden, become brittle, and crumble.

Thin, transparent skin actually covers the bodies of Slugma. Instead of blood, however, their circulatory systems pump molten-hot lava to transport vital nutrients and minerals throughout their bodies.

This lava bubbles out of small pores in their skin, leaving trails of the substance as they move around. Because of this unique system, Slugma can only live for extended periods of time in very warm areas, particularly volcanoes. Should they stop moving in cooler places, they die.

The cooler Slugma gets, the slower it moves, until it eventually stops altogether. Right now, Slugma helplessly fought against the snow, but it was powerless. No matter how strong a Pokémon was, it couldn't fight against Mother Nature.

This is also why Slugma, which reside in places like Celestic Town, prefer areas like chimneys that stay warm.

In regions where lava and magma are abundant, large groups of Slugma can sometimes be seen congregating where the lava oozes out to remain healthy. Slugma must periodically dip themselves in lava or magma to replenish the molten material lost while traveling.

Now, the question is: what about domesticated Slugma?

For domesticated Slugma, the situation is a bit different.

Whether they stay in a Pokéball or rely on human intervention, they typically depend on human activity to maintain the warmth they need to survive.

The heat generated from activities like cooking, coal burning, or chimneys used to warm homes keeps them comfortable. It's a simple, win-win solution for both Pokémon and humanity as a whole.

Even Grandpa Drayton knew all of this, so he sighed before pulling Slugma back into its Pokéball.