Pokemon Heroes: Sinnoh Saga [Book 1]

Chapter 77: Triple Evolution, The Two Mysterious Stones

"The discussion between Alyssandra and myself had led me to both a physical and figurative chasm. We fell through the snow and landed in a chasm within the ice that was hidden by the landscape. But my heart and stomach, and my mind, had fallen into a pit of despair. She hadn't spoken to me much since our last discussion, either like she was avoiding me, or trying not to talk to me. I didn't know if I had done something, or if she was merely preoccupied with focusing on protecting the Lake Guardian of Lake Acuity. I didn't know, but I was worried either way. In agony every time I saw her, and I found it harder to sleep at night. Children, love makes you do strange things. Most of the time, if you feel like I do about Lyss towards a girl, you're probably going too far, too soon. With Lyss though? Well...I probably should've said something sooner."

Sam woke up quickly, head aching, back hurting; his vision was still swimming and blurry. But his first priority was running over to check on Alyssandra.

He shook her gently, rolling her over.

The two landed on snow, but a fall several feet into a chasm was still a fall several feet into a chasm.

Luckily for Sam, Alyssandra roused easily, her eyes opened, staring right into Sam.

She groaned, confirmed she was all right, but a little sore.

Sam helped her up and the two began collecting the belongings that had fallen out of their bags.

"Lucky the snow was there to catch us," commented Alyssandra.

"Lucky Lucario knows where we are, saw that we fell, and is likely on his way here to get us with the others," added Sam.

Alyssandra nodded. "Would Empoleon be able to cut us out?"

Sam had only brought Empoleon and Rampardos with him, leaving his other Pokémon safe back at camp.

Empoleon are Pokémon from the frigid northern areas of the world, living on ice floes, using their steel wings to cleave icebergs.

Rampardos was a truck that could smash through most things with its head and knew Flamethrower.

Lucario was out as well, but on his own doing recon.

Garchomp was a Dragon and Ground type Pokémon and was not the best equipped for the ice and snow as a result.

Luxray and Staraptor faced a similar typing issue to Garchomp, and just weren't prepared for weather like this.

For some reason, Sam had brought his Rapidash and two Eevee with him. He couldn't explain why he had done that, but he had.

Alyssandra had left her Pokémon back at camp as well, except for her Piplup and her Eevee.

"He could, but I don't want to risk causing another cave in by moving snow from below out of the way," explained Sam, "We're better off waiting for Lucario and the others, rather than burying ourselves in worse."

As Sam continued to pick up the small stones from Alyssandra's bag to return to her, Alyssandra called to Sam, pointing ahead, further down the chasm they were in.

"What's up?" asked Sam, picking up the cool, mossy, green stone that Alyssandra had been carrying around since Eterna Forest.

Sam looked up to see a giant icy, crystalline stone protruding from the ground of the cave.

It sparkled like the biggest diamond Sam had ever seen, and light trickled down from a hole in the snow above to make the light refract through it.

Sam's mind suddenly clicked as he realized what that was.

"That's an Ice Rock!" exclaimed Sam, then he looked at the stone in his hand, "The Moss Rock too...I knew I recognized it from somewhere!"