Pokemon Rangers: Frozen Fury

Chapter 29 : Thin Ice

"Paul! Stop!" I screamed, watching the sheet of solid water crack at his feet.

I held my breath, Ken and I freezing in our places, unsure of what to do.

"Mudkip! Mud!" Mudkip squeaked, terrified for his best friend. His weight allowed him to slip off the ice without harm. Watching him brought Ken and I to our senses. It was Paul's turn now to get out of there.

"Paul," Ken breathed, stepping toward my fire haired pal now that he was alone. If he would fall in, he'd freeze to death before we pulled him out. This was truly a life or death situation.

"Very quickly, I want you to jump for me." Paul wasn't even so far from us. He'd be fine. All he needed to do was jump.

"O-Okay." Paul carefully turned around, the sickening sound of cracking ice worsening.

"Now!" As Paul lunged for Ken, the section where he had been standing broke, water splashing up in its place.

"Ahhgh!" Ken and Paul both crashed into the less-wide river side, Ken cushioning Paul's fall. With that kind of impact, I was surprised when that didn't break right away. Relieved, but surprised.

Paul towed himself off Ken and offered his hand. "Damn, my shoulder."

"Thank you," Paul looked very thankful. "And sorry about the shoulder." And very sorry.

"No problem." Ken smiled, holding his shoulder. Ice was hard, very hard, and that fall did look painful.

"Now how will we get across? We can't trust the ice." I spoke up, searching the small area of land around the water.

"We can try to crawl under the bushes." Paul offered, throwing a goofy smile Ken's way. Were they bonding finally?
"Sure, and I'm a limbo master. Piece of cake." Ken scoffed, lightly punching Paul with his good arm.

We ran out of ideas soon, finding a patch of land to sit and well, think. We needed a ride, a Starapator, anything, a Pokemon's help- as the river proved useless.

We need to get there, but we're wasting time. A Pokemon that could get us to Crysta Cave. I closed my eyes and sort of called out, to Arceus perhaps, perhaps he would show his mercy, before we sat here and froze to death.

"Chu, Pi." Pichu mumbled, nudging my cheek with hers. We'd be fine, she seemed to say.

We sat around for a few more minutes, until I was hallucinating. A blue bird in the sky, circling above like a Mandibuzz.

"TIIIIIICUUUUUUNNNOOOO!"

Articuno?

"Is that-" My friends seemed speechless, eyes wide, mouths gaping.

"Articuno!" I called, waving her down frantically.

"AAARRRTTUUUUUU! CUUUU!" She flew in low, at a great speed. Her feathers were flawlessly crystal blue, crystal flurries flouncing out from them with every movement.

Articuno circled low a few times before landing on the river. When I thought the ice would weaken, the Freezing Pokemon stomped her talon down, a wave of more ice reinforcing the water.

"Everyone, get on!" I ran to the bird/ice Pokemon, petting her neck. I didn't feel scared, worried. Articuno was a good friend, wasn't she?

"Tiiicuuuu!" She cried, nudging me. "Good to see you." I smiled.

No time to waste.

I gasped as I mounted her. She spoke to me? As Lucario and Keldeo could? I didn't question on, shaking my head and bracing myself for the flight.