I think I might go into a coma today. We have to take on Mamoswine Road and I don't believe I am ready for the perpetual blizzard of that route. I wish we could just fly there, or take a train. It would save a lot of time and trouble. It doesn't help that two days ago I got frostnip from staying over in that cave. It's just mostly better now but I do not want to go through that again.

It's evening time, about five, and right now we are standing inside the gateway that leads to the route and the abrupt change in temperature. I'm dressed extremely warmly, two pair of everything. Averie is sitting safely in my backpack, though I don't think she'll mind the weather very much. Eevee are very adaptable.

"Come on guys," Peridot's muffled voice announces. He doesn't sound too eager. "Let's get to Anistar City before it gets too dark." He's dressed as warmly as me, maybe even more. Only his bright green eyes are visible along with a few tufts of blonde hair.

"He's right," Cerise exclaims. She's in her dress coat thing again, but this time she has pants instead of tights. I think she's getting smarter as the days go by. "Maybe we'll make it in time to challenge the gym leader!"

"Then let's go people." That was Russet. He's standing next to be a little too close for comfort. Our arms are almost touching. It's terribly obvious he likes me and his advances have been getting quite bold lately. Though Akia once told me I considered saying hello to be bold so that may not be saying much. I would never date Russet. I don't trust him as far as I can throw him, which I'm willing to bet is pretty far.

We step into blustering wind and frigid air of Route 17. It's colder than I remember, and the snow is packed even higher. Maybe a foot or so.

I try to focus on anything but the cold. How I should have tired back my hair to keep it from blowing in my face. How red Peridot's face, the little that I can see, already is. How Jasper only has a light coat and hat. Why the hell does he only have that on?! Isn't he cold?

Down the short slope leading to the packed up snow are six Mamoswine, though we've decided to only use two: one for Jasper and Peridot and one for the rest of us. If you ask me, that's extremely unfair.

We approach and choose the first two we come to. "How do you get on top of this thing," Cerise asks. I close my eyes and-

I'm knocked back into the snow again. I can't get on top of this thing. It's twice my height even if it does bend down.

There's something thrown at the back of my head. A snowball, thankfully. "I could do this when I was four, Sienna," my mom growls at me. "Get on that Mamoswine right now!"

I take a deep breath. My hands are really numb, even with gloves on. I've come to realize they don't work. The Mamoswine bends back down and tilts its head. I grab onto the curved part of its tusk and pull myself onto the flat part. I take another breath. There's supposed to be two natural grooves on the Pokémon, but where it is, there's a piece of fur that of you pull or grab it, the Mamoswine'll shake you off.

I carefully move my arm across to look for it. I don't know why I can't do it when they're looking. It's not like it's hard. When I'm with Akia or Sage I can do it, but not them. I guess I'm just scared.

I find the groove meaning that the second is a little bit below. I move my left into the groove then my right hand next to my left. I move that same hand up and grip onto the soft fur on the Pokémon's back. I put my right for where my left hand was and pull myself the rest of the way up. I breath a sigh of relief.

"Just like that?" That's Peridot. I notice that I'm on top of the Mamoswine. Must've done it when I spaced out. Jasper is also on top of a Mamoswine. He must have some previous experience. Peridot does the steps for getting on to a Mamoswine, minus the last few because Jasper pulls him the rest of the way up. "That was easy," Peridot says happily. Jasper nods, a hint of a smile on his lips. The two of us walk Cerise and Russet through the process and with a minute or two, we're off.

My, and by extension Cerise and Russet's, Mamoswine leads. It's extremely windy from the top of the Mamoswine. Just as I remember, though I don't think it was this windy. I guess the climate has changed a bit. I call out to Averie to make sure she's alright. She responds with a playful yip. It doesn't seem like she's bothered by the snow, just as I suspected.

We're making good time. By my guess we're about halfway through by now. I'm thankful that Russet and Cerise have stuck to talking to each other. It's obviously about me. Cerise isn't very discreet and Russet is a little too flustered to be talking about anything else.

I see something moving in snow. I hope it's not a Sneasel. It's moving a little slow so I doubt it. Snover, perhaps. Or maybe a-

"It's okay Sage," I say. "I'll get us outta here." I look at him and he nods. We fell off, or were probably knocked off, our Mamoswine. It kept walking, probably because it was told to.

"Si-Si," he says. "I cold."

"Ssh," I say as if they're listening. "It's only for a little while more." It was a lie. We've gone about two feet in the last ten minutes. I'm not gonna tell him that, though. I don't want him to be any more scared than he already is.

"Ah we theh yet," he says with his cute little voice. I'm gonna assume he means are we there yet and not are we dead yet. Both of those I kinda wish the answer was yes

"No, not yet, Sage."

"How lonsit gon take?" I'm guessing: how long is it gonna take.

"Not very long, sweetie." I wish I didn't have to lie to him.

I'm covered in snow, and I'm lying on the Mamoswine. It's still moving. There's something fluffy in my face. Averie. She's curled up at my head. When she notices me looking at her, she starts barking or whatever it is that Pokémon do.

"Oh good." That's Russet. He looks at me with dark smoky eyes. "You're awake. That was some fall you had."

"She landed in the snow," Cerise said. "If anything, she's probably really cold."

"Yeah, I am. What happened."

"Delibird happened," she answered. "I tried to catch it but ended up catching a Sneasel!" She holds up a Pokéball proudly. "I think I'm all set for my battle with Olympia. I got a Sneasel, a Liepard and an Accelgor!"

"When did you get an Accelgor," I ask her.

"Oh, when we were looking for you Russet and I caught Karrablast and Shelmet. We traded them the next day."

"Oh," is all I say. Russet starts talking to me, unfortunately. It's not that I don't like talking with him...actually it is that. Something's off about him. Like he knows something I don't. Which he does but I mean something of relevance to me.

We've finally arrived at the end of the route. The snow is staying to get more scarce and we now walk our way to the gateway that connects Anistar to Route 17.

It's a great deal warmer inside, much to my relief. We warm up at the fire place they decided to build in here. It was requested by a lot of citizens. I remember I had to go to the 'grand opening.'

"C'mon guys," Cerise says after a while. "Let's hurry into town. The gym closes at eight but we still need to check into the Center." We agree to that and make our way into town.

I've been here many times before but that doesn't make the city any less beautiful. Gray diamond shaped cobblestone, gold and emerald railing protecting you from a beautiful sapphire ocean. Across said ocean was the absolutely stunning Anistar Sundial: obviously pink crystal but iridescent all the same. A golden outlined hole sits perfectly centered. This city is absolutely gorgeous. The others are awestruck as we walk to the Center.

It's about 6:30 when we finish checking in and doing things of the sort. The news is about to come on so we gather in the lobby to watch. Peridot, Cerise, and Jasper (and I think Russet too) are checking to see if they had any updates on Malachi. Not that they would. I don't think they'll find that boy any time soon.

"Breaking news," the reporter says. "Authorities have found the body thirteen year old missing boy Malicai Olivine. Good evening folks I'm Rebecca Jordan."

"And I'm Jay Ryan. He was discovered earlier this morning in a crevice in Reflection Cave. A DNA test confirmed this to be him. He had multiple stab wounds to his body, mainly around his head and stomach. Investigators have ruled this a homicide. The search is now on for his killer."

"If you have any information on Malachi Olivine's murder, please call our hotline at 841-8477."

...FUCK!