It's warm, almost summertime again, which if this had been a regular journey like I planned, would be great. Of course, this isn't the normal journey I planned, it's a save-the-world, flashing, reincarnate of Celebi journey.
I'm not sure if I hate it or love it. Possibly both.
Dill is blasting music out of the Pokegear as we approach the Ice Cave, which will lead us to Blackthorn City. "Uh, Ashley..." Sky says, fiddling with her wings. "The team's been talking and..."
"What is it?" I ask with a sigh.
"We want to have a new member. You know, taking on Claire and stuff." She says with her cutest fanged smile.
"Okay, but we need to go through the Ice Cave first. I want to make it to Blackthorn so we can fly back there." I compromise.
"You don't want to get a member from the cave?"
"I really don't like caves." I protest. "The Pokemon in there are pretty nasty."
Everyone looks down in agreement, even though Dusty came from a cave. The other Pokemon we've met there have been less than pleasant, to put it kindly. To put it not as kindly- bloodthirsty Zubats and angry rocks.
The Ice Cave isn't really all that bad. It's icy (as the name implies) but Bronze's fire keeps us warm. Dill actually enjoys it, sliding around on the slippery floors. "WOOOOOOH!"
Everyone stares, but then Toxis yells, "Canonball!" and jumps after him.
There are a lot of stupid Strength puzzles where Toxis has to shove rocks into holes so I can get across, but Dill just bounces around like a scaly/furry pinball, Toxis following him, laughing at the cold, and Sky and Khrys just fly across. As usual, Bronze screws the plot line and just walks across, ignoring everything.
For some reason or another, no wild Pokemon appear. Bronze is scary enough to terrify any ice type that would be hiding here, or Dill could've squished them all. Who knows, honestly?
At the end, I see a girl in a kimono standing on the ice. In the tinted and mysterious light of the cave, she looks almost feral. After the last four, I already know who she is. "Hey! It's flipping Sayo! Wondering how long it would take you to show up!"
Dill runs to her, skidding across the ice and missing, slamming into a wall.
She laughs. "Little brother, can you give me a push? I appear to be stuck." Toxis gives her a tiny push with his tail, and gracefully she slides across the ice.
She turns back to me, and says, "Even the smallest act of kindness will not go unknown. Dill has told me of your predicament. I know a good place for catching Pokemon."
"How did Dill contact you?"
"Miki and I call each other over your Pokegear all the time. Have you not noticed?" Dill chuckles.
"That's where it's been?"
"I may have been playing Rare Candy Crush. Once or twice." Khrys adds guiltily.
"Level 67 is not 'once or twice'." Bronze protests.
I walk past them to the exit, and Sayo hands me a map and leaves. The sun feels so good on my face, and I realize how cold I was up until a few minutes ago.
We've finally arrived in Blackthorn, the city of dragons. The place where I've always dreamed of going. The place where Morty lost a partner. Who, I do not know. The place where my mother's dreams were crushed. I take out the map, gingerly unfolding it.
"Sky and I will go alone, because none of you have Pokeballs anymore." I tell the team.
"If you realized that we weren't going to ditch you, you shouldn't have done that. It's going to make traveling to and from the Pokemon League a pain in the ass." Bronze mutters.
"We will cross that bridge when we get to it." I tell him.
Sky flies me up, holding me with her second wings so it feels like I'm flying too, as always. Using the map, I guide her to Cianwood. We go to a rural, grassy area to the left of Cianwood and look around.
"This is the place..." To my surprise, I see a Miltank, chewing a flower in the grass.
"Hey, over there!" says Sky, pointing.
The Miltank blinks, confused. "Mooo?"
"Hi, what's your name?"
"Miwfe." says the cow, through a mouthful of flowers.
"What?"
"Millie."
"Nice to meet you, 'Millie', wanna come with us?"
"Sure beats standin' in the grass all day."
I open the Pokeball and she goes inside. "That was fun. Now, it's only midday... think the boys are getting into any trouble?"
Sky smiles. "Nah."
"Think Millie's up for some grinding?"
Millie jumps out of her Pokeball. "You know I am."
So we kill small animals in the grass, drink ApriJuice, and laugh and tell stupid jokes. When the sun's setting, we head back, arriving back at Blackthorn around 10. It's amazing how fast and powerful Sky is now.
Dill is eating ice cream, Khrys is playing Rare Candy Crush, and Toxis and Bronze are arm wrestling.
"What happened here?"
"Guys night out." Dill says.
"Not much." Khrys sighs.
"You left your bag with Dill, smartass." Toxis says, looking up just long enough for Bronze to win. "No fair!"
I laugh, oblivious to the insult, and the team gathers at the Pokemon center with our new teammate, where we fall asleep on the couch.
