*Nathan's POV*

Walking out of another frozen cave, Looker and I face the final grueling task of summiting Mount Coronet- the snowy tundra that awaits us at the top. Each step I take through the frigid, knee-high snow, I only wish more and more that Voltflare was with me to enjoy the view, but to offer much-needed warmth to my freezing body. My lab attire offers nothing in terms of protection against the weather.

Looker doesn't seem to be faring much better, as his trenchcoat can only break so much of the wind. His nose and face have taken on a ghastly shade of grey, and I wonder if either of us will leave this frozen peak alive.

"We've trekked quite a ways up this mountain, and I haven't seen that grunt for five minutes now! Where did he disappear to?!" Looker curses, and his voice echoes from outcropping to rocky outcropping.

A blizzard threatens to form on our right front, and I can hear the constant cries of Pokemon in my left ear. Many of them sound angry, but none of them bother me as much as Voltflare's cry of pain when Cyrus kidnapped him.

His call for help is the only thing that keeps me going now- I never want to hear that sound again, and I'm going to make sure that I don't!

I continue to run towards the next available opening into the mountain, intending to ventilate part of the cold into a cavern rather than Looker and I. I look up, and I see an enormous black storm cloud slowly spiraling above the mountain. It seems to be heralding the summit, but I've never seen such a foreboding mass like that before.

"Something's definitely wrong up there..." I turn to Looker and speak my mind. He nods.

"I've seen many freak weather storms in my time, but nothing quite as large as that before," he places his hand on my shoulder to share warmth,

"I agree- there's something afoot on the peak, and my gut tells me that your Voltflare is up there, too. Storm clouds tend to gather where strong powers are situated, I've heard. If Voltflare really is strong enough to warrant Cyrus' attention..." He pauses, waiting for my reply.

"Right!" I nod, looking at my watch once again. The numbers hesitantly flash on the moonlight, and the image of the open slot in which I had previously fitted my Life Tether engraves itself into my mind, fueling my purpose and conscience.

11:30. We don't have much more time to save Voltflare!

"Come on, Looker! If we aim to reach the summit before midnight, we need to push through till the end! We're almost..."

Looker holds a finger to my lips, silencing me.

"Hold on," he says,

"There's somebody here."

"How do you know?..."

"Just trust me, Nathan. I've been tailing criminals a lot longer than you have. Observe, look at the ground for a moment, but don't take a step forward."

Looker points to the pure white sheet of snow in front of him, but I still don't understand his rationale.

"The snow has been altered here," he states, more to himself than anyone else.

"How can you tell?" I whisper back.

The ground looks completely normal to me. It's not like it's packed down or anything. What's he getting at?

As if he can ready my thoughts, Looker nods.

"Being a scientist, you've probably already assessed the condition of the snow- and that's exactly how I can tell someone has been here. Yes, the snow looks completely normal, but does that really make sense when Cyrus, Voltflare, and that grunt all trekked through it? They were here recently, no? Thus, there has not been enough time for the weather to properly cover up the tracks, so the only way to reset the snow's appearance is with the aid of an Ice-type Pokemon.

"An Ice-type..." I am lost in thought for a second, when a flashback hits me.

"Wait a minute! I know who that man has to be now!" I almost about, before I remember that I need to be quiet, so my eureka comes out as more of a dull roar instead. Looker stares at me, mentally prodding me to reveal the man's identity. I take a deep breath of cold air and relate my tale to him,

"We- Voltflare and I- had a few encounters with a Rocket grunt who goes by the alias of 'Dave.' He's a master of disguise, and he's attempted to take Voltflare's life a few times. He gets closer and closer with each attempt, and I thought I put him out for good when my Metagross slammed him away from Voltflare, but I can't shake the feeling that that's him. You said that one would need an Ice-type to disguise the snow quickly, correct? Well, Dave happens to own a Glaceon- one that has great knowledge of Snowpoint and its weather. If that isn't convincing enough, I don't know what is."

Looker holds his hand to his chin again, processing everything that I've just told him. After an eternity consisting of only a few seconds, he nods.

"Alright, your argument makes sense. But, how does knowing the man's identity help us in any way?" he asks me.

I'm taken aback for a moment- I hadn't really thought of why that information would help us.

But there's got to be something useful we can do knowing that the man who rushed past us is Dave...

Before I can properly assess my option, Looker grabs me by my lab coat's collar and dives into the snow.

"Duck!" he yells, dragging me into a face-full of snow along with him.

I look up in shock as a large, pointed icicle whizzes over our heads and lodges the entirety of itself in a nearby cliff face. I breath a visible sigh of relief and turn to face the direction the icicle came from. Looker does the same, and he pulls a Pokeball from his pocket. I can only see the attacking Pokemon's body for a few seconds before a cloud of kicked-up snow conceals the identity of our predator. Yet, I had glimpsed enough of it to prove my suspicions correct- the Pokemon that had tried to kill us is a Glaceon, presumable Dave's Glaceon.

"Do you really want to test me?!" Looker yells into the maelstrom. An icy voice quickly answers him,

"Why don't you ... just die! You're the ... mongrel that prevented me from doing my job! And now, I'm going to return the favor by freezing you 'till your bones become icicles themselves! Then, I can deal with that ... Hybrid myself!"

Looker glances at me with bewilderment- he does not understand Eevee dialects as fluently as I do. I translate for him, leaving out a few of the more colorful curses the Pokemon had given to me,

"Essentially, that Glaceon' Trainer gave her a vendetta against Voltflare that never was settled because I saved his life. Now, she's back to make sure she gets the last laugh. She was a little more rude when she said it, but I figured you don't need the curses to understand the gist of it."

Looker nods, and he begins to throw his Pokeball to the ground, but I grab his arm and stare him in the face.

"Let me take care of this. Do what you can to get to the peak and make sure Voltflare is still alive!" I yell to him.

"You're sure you can handle this? She seems like a feisty one..."

I nod, and I release my Pokeball in front of the protected Glaceon. A brilliant flash of light blinds me for a second, and my trusty metallic behemoth Metagross appears in front of me. It roars in defiance, making sure to let its challenger know that a fight would only end one way.

"Hah! I'm offended! You think brute force is enough to finish me off in my element?" the Glaceon taunts,

"I'll show you the elegant beauty of an Ice-type ravaging through you and your Pokemon. En garde!"

The miniature snowstorm containing the Glaceon speeds towards us with incredible speed, and, before I can react, she knocks my Metagross to the ground and disappears under the snow, just as quickly as she had charged.

So that's how you want to play!? Hit once and hide until there's an opening?! I'll make you regret that!

"Metagross," I yell,

"Use Earthqu... Mmph! Hey!"

Looker clasps his hand around my mouth before I can finish my command, and I quickly shove it away.

"What was that for?!" I cry out indignantly.

"Not here, Nathan!" he instructs me,

"You'll alert Cyrus to our presence if you shake the mountain's foundation!"

That does make sense... But how do we properly deal with this Glaceon when we can't even see it?

"Let me handle this. I have a Pokemon that will reveal that crafty Pokemon's whereabouts no matter where she hides! Luxray, we need to put a stop to this!" Looker yells, and he releases his own Pokeball right next to my waiting Metagross.

The ball opens in a burst of light, and a large lion-like canine Pokemon leaps out of the white flash. Standing at over four feet tall, Looker's Luxray easily dwarfs any housepet in size. Its fur is a regal black, save for a few small, blue, spots on its face, torso, and paws. The Pokemon's eyes gleam in the dazzling moonlight, reflecting the otherworldly glow in its yellow-and-red gaze, and it prowls around Looker's feet, waiting for an order from its Trainer.

Looker visually scans the ground in front of us and strokes the Luxray's mane.

"You're looking for a Glaceon hiding under the snow- you know what to do," he says to his Pokemon.

The canine immediately bounds past my Metagross and into the wasteland of snow. It sniffs the air for a few moments, then turns 270 degrees to its right and rams its paw, claws bared, into the snow.

A sharp cry of pain answers the pounce, and the hiding Glaceon shoots out of the snowbank to face its attacker. Its fur bristles like icicles, and the hairs bend back like needles, similar to the defense mechanism Voltflare's father had employed to protect his son. I assume that the Glaceon's attack will have the same effect on whatever she decides to target with it.

She growls at Looker's Luxray, which promptly returns the favor by leaping towards her at an alarming rate. The Fresh Snow Pokemon tries to evade the dash, but she is clearly no match for the far-superior hunter. The Glaceon yelps in surprise when her attacker swipes one of its paws to the left and catches her by the side, pulling her to the ground in the same motion.

Before she can stand up, Looker's Pokemon plants both of its front paws on the Glaceon's chest, preventing any further movement. She struggles to get away, but, as soon as the Luxray channels an electric shock into her body through its paws, she falls to the ground, unconscious but alive. The Luxray wags its tail and playfully gazes at Looker. Obviously, the Pokemon is content with its catch, and it seems to want its Trainer to reward it in some way.

But Looker is not focused on his Luxray. He turns his attention to the sky, and his face pales.

"Look, up there! Do you see that?! A Thunderbolt parting the storm cloud! Do you think that..."

I dont give Looker enough time to finish his sentence.

That was definitely Voltflare's Thunderbolt! Nothing else gives off the same energy signature! I have to run! I have to...

"Voltflare!" I scream,

"I'm coming!"

I begin to run towards the first direction my mind orients me to, but Looker stops me with a quick wave of his hand.

"I'll deal with this troublemaker if she gets up, but you need to confront Cyrus on your own! Good luck, Nathan!"

He points to large cave awning northeast of our position, past the snowfield in which his Luxray had caught its prey. The opening seems to be exuding a dark shadow, like something on the other side is blotting out the sun.

I nod in Looker's direction, return Metagross to its Pokeball, and beeline for the cave entrance. One thought rings clear in my mind.

I'm coming for you, Voltflare! Hold on for just a little bit longer!

*Voltflare's POV*

... ... ...

In my short lapse from consciousness, Cyrus and the other man had seemingly discussed much about their plans. The two are talking jovially about the prospect of a "perfect world" where trifling emotions are gone, replaced with pure power and strength.

"And, most importantly," Cyrus laughs,

"A world led by my- Team Galactic's ideals!"

I slowly open one eye, but I don't dare to make a sound.

Perhaps I can eavesdrop on them a little while they think I'm unconscious. Although I don't know how much that will help me...

"Survival of the fittest," Cyrus says, and he turns to meet a third man, clad in the same standard "G" uniform as the second.

"Ahh, Dave!" Cyrus greets the man warmly,

"I assume you dealt with Nathan appropriately?! Or am I wrong?"

Dave shakes his head, changing his clothes in the blink of an eye, returning to his burly Hiker attire that had fooled me twice already.

"This little disguise is all I need to worm my way into anyone's heart. Between that and Team Galactic's logo, that is. I led Nathan and his little police buddy high up enough that they couldn't call for help even if they tried. Then, I sicked my Glaceon on them and ran here. She should be finished dealing with them by now- last I saw, her Snow Cloak is more than enough to stall Nathan's Metagross. It may be smart, but it really is quite the stupid giant, wouldn't you..." Dave trails off when Cyrus' expression changes to one of pure fury. His gaze narrows to the point that his eyes are barely visible, and his face turns a dark share of red.

"What...? What's that look for?" Dave stammers, terrified of his actions' consequences.

"You led them here?! To Mount Coronet's snowy peaks?!" Cyrus roars, approaching the man with hatred in his eyes. Even though Dave is thrice as large as Cyrus, he immediately cowers behind one of the marble pillars like a scared little Eevee. His stricken face acts as a sort of recompense for all the pain that he had put both Nathan and me through, but I almost feel sorry for him.

"That's it! I've had enough of your haphazard work! First you failed with Giovanni, and now you fail me to my face. I thought working with Giovanni would have given you exactly what you needed to actually do what you're told to do! I'm done wasting my time with you! Magnezone..."

Cyrus turns to his floating Pokemon, which has adopted all the emotion of a silent killer, a computer that makes neither friends nor enemies.

"No, please, Sir! I... I..." Dave falls to his knees, and his tears sting the ground like the pouring rain floods my lungs.

"You'll fail me no longer where you're going," Cyrus mumbles to himself. Then, in a loud voice, he yells,

"Magnezone, Flash Cannon!"

"Z0N3! T@RG3T @CQ√1R3D! F1RE!" the Magnet Area Pokemon screeches, and it stares down the weeping Dave with its blue eye without blinking once. Without warning, it fires a large gray orb from the center of its pupil towards Dave. I watch from my chains while two lives seem to come to an end- both Dave's and mine- and the entire ordeal happens in an instant.

The Magnezone's Flash Cannon triples in size and slams into Dave with enough force to fling him over the side of the mountain. I strain against my chains to watch Dave's fight for survival; even though he caused me so much emotional and mental agony, I don't want him to die for those crimes. I don't want anyone to die for something like this.

With a last desperate charge, Dave grabs the edge of the Spear Pillar with one hand. He hangs precariously over a large chasm that extends farther than my eye can see. Cyrus slowly walks over to the struggling man, his footfalls sounding more and more like a death knell as time passes. He stops at the cliff's edge and looks down at Dave.

"Don't do this, Cyrus!" Dave attempts to plead one last time.

"You brought this upon yourself!" Cyrus stares into Dave's distraught eyes, and he slams his foot down on Dave's hand and kicks forward.

...

I watch as the human tormentor-turned-victim plummets to his death off the edge of Mount Coronet. His screams pierce my ears, even louder than the howling rainstorm.

"Like I told you before," Cyrus laughs, looming over the chasm,

"The strong survive, and the weak die off! You were of the latter, Dave, and sacrifices must be made to accommodate the better predators."

Astonishment written all across my face, I leap at my chains, attempting to sever them one last time, but Cyrus quickly turns and punches me straight in the nose, shoving me backwards in the opposite direction. The chains dig into my skin, and I begin to fall, finally exhausted, to the ground, my head resting on a puddle of rainwater and my own blood.

"You... You monster!" I shriek,

"He... That was a human life! You say you place no value on Pokemon, save for their power, but, now, you're not just a tyrant anymore- you're guilty of murder, Cyrus!

Barely conscious, I struggle to hold my head up against the torrent. Cyrus laughs again.

"You felt sorry for that miserable failure?!" he roars in outrage,

"Then, you're next, my friend! Time has run out for you, too! Gaze upon the full moon, in all of its glory, and witness the harbinger of a new world come into being!"

Cyrus points to the blackened sky, his Red Chain in hand, and the rain immediately ceases.

In its place, however, stands something far worse than anything I could have ever imagined.