Fun adventure to the lake

It was a brand new day at the sanctuary, and construction for a new playhouse had appeared seemingly overnight. One of Frosty’s trainers, Devon, was incredibly fast at innovation like that. He yawned, stretching out his old bones, and went to check out the commotion.

It was a nice little ‘coffee shop’ playhouse that was warmed for the eevees to enjoy in the colder weather. There was a small wooden bar that had milk and other pokemon-safe drinks to sip at. Chica was there already. “Aww, Hi Frosty.” Chica said, nuzzling into the glaceon’s soft fur. Frosted Flakes grinned and closed his eyes, leaning his head on hers. “It’s good to see you out so early, silly. You’ve gotta stop sleeping in.”

“You know how it is, Chica.” He said, walking forward to sit at the counter. Chica followed, pawing at the bell to get their trainers to start giving out warm water. “It’s been forever since we could just sit together, hasn’t it?” He said, glancing over to her. She smiled, nodded, and pushed against him with her nose.

“Yeah. You’re way too busy all the time, huh?” She said. “Spending way too much time having an arch nemesis to hide from, huh?” Her teasing made him snicker.

“Shhh, don’t say that! You’ll jinx him to come.” Frosted flakes said, putting his paw over her mouth. They were both laughing now. Their trainer’s son opened the little door and sat a bowl of milk and water down for the both of them.

Chica sipped at his water, being obnoxious on purpose. They squabbled like an old married couple, with smiles on their faces and lights in their eyes. It wasn’t often that they could just enjoy themselves, enjoy each other, and enjoy the simplicity of life anymore. They had to soak it in and love it while they could.

When they were done with their drinks, Chica put her head under Frosted Flakes’ chin. The glaceon ran his paw along her head, sighing contently.

“I wish we could stay like this forever.” Frosted said, mumbling into her ear. Her ear perked, and she lifted her head to look at him. Their noses were nuzzling.

“Why can’t we? It’s nice and warm in here, and it’s built for us, anyway.” She said. He rolled his eyes lovingly.

“Well, I’ve got to go to the lake and meet Jack. He said he wanted to meet me again, and that it was something important. You know I can’t run off on a promise once I’ve made it.” He said. Chica pulled herself off of him, seeming perked up again.

“Jack? The one that was adopted out a few years ago? That jack?” She said, tilting her head. They truly hadn’t seen Jack in a long time. For all they knew, he was running off on his own adventure like Frosted always had. They weren’t sure where he had ended up.

“The one and only. You know, you should come with me. You haven’t seen Jack in a while, and I’m sure that he’d love to see you, too.” He said. Chica grinned, snickering and pawing at her partner again.

“You’re so smart. We should get going, shouldn’t we? When are we gonna see him?” She said. Frosted flakes hummed.

“I suppose you’re right. He didn’t say a time, but he said to come relatively early.” He said, and stood up again. Chica followed his lead, and they exited the coffee shop together. “I’ve got to bring some snacks; the lake is a long way out. You might get hungry.”

“Me!?” Chica said, indignant. “You’re the one with the high metabolism, Mr. grandpa.” She meant to be more aggressive, but she couldn’t even pretend to be mad at him. He could hear her giggles in between her words.

“Alright, alright. No more bickering.” He said, snickering as well. He packed a small satchel of poffins and berries, and Chica pulled it over her shoulder. Once the glaceon’s scarf was on just right, and they said their goodbyes to the sanctuary’s inhabitants, the two of them began their journey.

The party trekked through a beaten path of sticks and brush, vines hanging low, with phantumps and noctowl chirping and rustling in the canopies. They stuck close together, paying more attention to the gnarly roots twisting under their feet than the future pathways they were about to take. It wasn’t too scary, though, despite the intimidating behavior of the nature around them. They had skipped down this path many times growing up - before the fog had collapsed the idea of bejewelled life, and before ‘lush forest’ became ‘haunted woods’. It was only a matter of remembering which path in each fork to take.

Frosted Flakes marched forth first, because although Chica was absolutely fearless, he knew that she hadn’t frolicked down this path in a while. He didn’t want her getting hurt from her own impulsivity. Chica was at his hip, eyeing the brush around them. A lifetime of COD lobbies and crime had hardened her to the scarier parts of life, but the rules of the gamer and tax evader is nothing compared to the unfamiliarity of the unknown. She wasn’t that keen on being a leader anymore.

They came on a clearing in the brush, a place where the fog could bowl and cover completely. Frosted flakes squinted, trying to see past the impenetrable fog. He wasn’t nearly as surefooted, now. Chica noticed, putting a hand on his back.

“You okay? Can you see?” She said, struggling to even see her partner’s face from a one foot distance. Frosted flakes hummed through his mouth, looking around.

“Uhhh... Not a wink. We must be close to the lake, right? The chill must be making a fog.” He reasoned, trying to take another step forward. Chica wasn’t so easily comforted.

“Frosty, we don’t know what could be in the fog. This is dangerous, right? Shouldn’t we go back?”

“Nonsense. I’m a gentleman, I can’t just leave after making a promise. That would be cruel of me. What if Jack is struggling in the fog as well? We can’t just leave him.” He said, and continued through the fog.

“Right… You’re right.” Chica said. She scampered after him to keep him from leaving her limited eyesight.

They finally managed to make it to the lake, and sat their bums on a dry log in the area. Chica fumbled through their little snack satchel and found some berries to bring their stamina back up. She gave Frosted Flakes his berry, and he took it graciously.

“Thank you, sweetheart.” He said, eating his berry. When he was done, he sighed, closing his eyes and putting a paw along his wrinkles. “I suppose all we have left to do is wait for our friend, Chica. It’s strange, though. I didn’t expect so much fog on our small trip.” Chica hummed, nodding as she ate her own berry and kicked her legs.

“Me neither.” She said. “I wonder if it has something to do with Jack. Hope he’s okay.”Frosted Flakes hummed in agreement, looking out on the lake. He could just barely make it out - the pristine, stagnant water, forming a near-perfect circle. The clearing around them was wide, enough for a small spar, with grass in small patches. He remembered back when he and Jack would come to raise their levels, here. They were both eevees back then. He supposed that’s why Jack asked for them to meet here in particular.

He hoped that Jack wasn’t fixing to spar again, like they used to. Although he was much more physically powerful, his body was weaker than he used to be. He didn’t think he’d be able to avoid attacks as well.

Chica hummed a silly little song until they heard paws padding towards them from the opposite direction they came. The both of them perked up, and Frosted stood up. Chica followed once she zipped up their snack satchel and wiped the juice of the berry she ate on the log. Frosted Flakes walked forward hesitantly, wanting to meet his friend in the middle.

“Jack? Jack, is that you?”

A small pause. The sound of paw pads on the ground continued. Frosted flakes furrowed his brow.

“Jaack? Jack?” He said. “It’s Frosted Flakes! Get over here, You’re not sly!” He said. A snarl in annoyance came from the same directions the walking sounds were coming from.

“I’m comin’ I’m comin! Damn!” Came the crass reply from the trees. Frosted Flakes grinned, and ran in an excited circle. Chica snickered, watching her partner’s zoomies wisp and fold the fog. Jack unfurled from the fog, Electric yellow and vibrant against the dullness of the background of their area. It’s a surprise that they hadn’t caught sight of him before. “Callin and Callin and Callin… Be patient, why don’t you?” Jack grumbled, his head low, and Frosted flakes practically leapt into his old friend’s arms. Jack groaned in pain, falling to the ground with Frosted Flakes ontop of him.

Once Frosted Flakes was close enough to see his body clearly, he realized that his friend was pretty scrapped up. He blinked in surprise, and jumped off of him immediately.

“Jack? What happened?” He said, putting a paw on his old friend’s shoulder as he stood again. Jack sighed gruffly.

He didn’t WANT to explain, but the only way he could get the proper help was to explain all of it. He gave a deep breath, holding it for a while, and hung his head low as he exhaled.

“It was a struggle to get here. I was separated from my trainer in an accident.” He said. When he looked up at Frosted Flakes, noticing the concern in his old friends’ face, he decided to go into more detail. He sat down, and both Frosty and Chica sat to listen to his story.

“It was a few months ago. We were in a battle with another trainer in a city far away, following the eye-contact rule and everything. When this this glitchy eevee pokemon came and ruined the constitution of our battle. His attacks were sharply witted, and it created a smog that covered the entire battlefield. My trainer and I were separated, being forced to run in opposite directions.” Frosted flakes furrowed his brows, raising his head higher. Chica put a hand on Frosted’s shoulder blade. Jack sighed, trying to ignore how knowing the look that Frosted Flakes gave him was. “It’s a miracle that i didn’t faint. I could only limp and walk - I’m not sure how that pokemon hadn’t found me. I asked a starly to send you a message, and started making my journey here.”

Frosted flakes hummed. “How can we help you, Jack?” Jack pursed his lips, and stood.

“I need you to bring me back to the sanctuary. Marble would know what to do, right? He knows my trainer, right?”

Frosted’s eyes brightened. “Of course! If we can bring him to you, he can recognize you and call your trainer!” Jack nodded, his brow furrowed. Chica stood as well, and Frosted flakes followed. Jack couldn’t help but smile at the warmth of his friends, even after all this time. He lowered his head, watching his feet, again.

“I miss my trainer so much, Frosted Flakes. He was the best human I’ve ever known. I don’t know what to do without his company. You understand, don’t you?” He said. Frosted Flakes nodded, and put a paw on his shoulder.

“We’ll get you back to your trainer, Jack. I promise. He’ll be so happy to have you back, and you can go back to your faraway city.” He said. Jack smiled softly, comforted by his friend’s words. With Jack added to their party, the three of them began the trek back to the sanctuary.

“Jack,” Frosted said, glancing back at him as they made their way through the thick fog for the second time. “Did you… Know that glitched eevee?” He said. Jack looked at his face, and shook his head.

“Not a clue. He just came and attacked us with no merit. I’m not sure why - I don’t even think he knew the other trainer.” Jack said, his ears lowering. Frosted flakes’ eyes narrowed, and he hummed disapprovingly. “Why?” Jack asked. Frosted couldn’t help but let his disdain show on his face.

“Well, I once knew a glitched eevee. His name was TM01, or Tim. We were like brothers. I was nice to him throughout our childhoods, but for some reason he never seemed to like me. I’m not sure why, either.” He said. “My only theory is that he could have been trying to hurt you in order to affect me, too. I’m sorry.”

Jack huffed, his shackles rising up with an electrical zipping noise.

“Don’t blame yourself, idiot. If he’s an asshole, he’s an asshole. No kindness changes that.” He said. Chica hummed, watching the line of trees along the path.

“Don’t fight, you two. It’s awful to fight, especially right now.” She snipped, and Jack huffed right back at her.

“We’re not fighting. Just bickering.”

“Still,” She said, with a grin on her face. “You’ve got the habit anyway, Jackie.”

Jack bristled at the nickname, upset that he would EVER be called a nickname EVER, but a sudden sense of danger interrupted him from his witty and awesome and ‘totally not sputtering and stumbling’ comeback. He whirled around.

“Who’s there!?” He snarled into the fog. Chica bristled as well, and she followed his eye. There was definitely a shadow in the fog.

“I’ve finally got you all right where I want you,” Came a voice rising out of the fog. It’s voice was stilted and glitchy, with pieces of it sounding more like white noise than a consonant. Frosted flakes bristled, jumping in front of Jack.

“Chica, get Jack’s HP up. He must be low.” He said, quick, watching the shadow bristle and pixelate. Chica nodded, and fumbled through the satchel at her side to find all of their HP berries. Frosted Flakes defended his family, his hackles raised and teeth showing. “Show yourself, TM! And face me like a man!”

A sinister chuckle emanated from the fog, and the shadow got closer and closer.

“Don’t you know when to give up?” The shadow spat. As he got closer and closer, Frosted started to back up one step at a time. “I’ve got you right where I want you. And now that we’re together,” The voice started, and as he talked, Frosted could feel the ground beneath them rumble. “I’m never letting you leave alive.”

The ground beneath them collapsed, a large hole replacing where they were before. The world seemed to engulf the three of them, and they hit the ground about a few feet down. What was created was an arena, using Fissure. Jack struggled to stand, groaning. Chica helped her friend up, watching Frosted flakes bristle.

Frosted Flakes used Freeze-dry, shooting up at TM01 in anger. In order to dodge, TM01 jumped into the battlefield. As the two of them battled, ice smashing everywhere, hidden powers smashing into the walls of the ground, Jack and Chica stared on in horror. Jack looked to Chica in alarm.

“We’ve got to help him. Something’s not right with that man.” He said. Chica blinked in surprise.

“Jack, you won’t be able to survive it. Remember last time? You nearly fainted, and he hadn’t even chased after you.”

“Give me as many berries as you can, and we’ll go in together. We can’t let him fight alone, no matter how high level he is. We don’t know what level that pokemon is.” He said. He glanced to Frosted flakes, shooting ice beams at TM01 and freezedrying his skin. They were practically destroying each other. “I don’t know their history, but they’re gonna destroy each other.”

Chica nodded, and fed Jack as many berries as she had to heal him. When he was finally able to stand, the two of them snarled their way into battle. Jack rammed into him as a distraction while the other two cast powerful moves, trying to get him down and keep him there. They moved with incredible synergy, overwhelming TM01 and rendering his moves useless against 3 separate pokemon.

“You rats!” TM01 snarled, his moves missing for the final time. He lowered his body, a powerful aura enveloping him. “I won’t be bested yet another time! You die TODAY!” He said. His final move, one much more powerful than the others, was Last Resort. Jack gasped, his ears perking.

“Frosted, we have to get out of here!” He yelped, backing away. “That move’s much more dangerous than the others, you know that! We’ll die here!” Frosted Flake snarled, getting in front of his partner and his friend yet again.

“Go! I’ll deal with this!” He said. The Jolteon looked at his friend, his gaze hardening. Frosted Flakes had a plan. He knew it. His friend wouldn’t die in here - There was a promise of that in Frosted’s eye. Jack nodded, and grabbed Chica by the back of the neck to stand her up. The two of them jumped to claw their way out of the hole.

TM01 snarled, kicking his front legs in the air like a horse. He galloped in his direction, gaining incredible speed. Frosted Flakes stood his ground, staring death in the eye. TM01 got closer and closer and closer, gaining speed, his trajectory locked in on one pinpoint; between Frosted Flakes’ eyes. The glaceon waited, and waited, and waited, until his rival was too close to change his trajectory on a dime. He leapt over him, missing his attack completely.

“What!?” TM01 yelled, realizing that his rival was no longer in front of him. There was no way for him to slow down. TM rammed his entire body directly into the wall of the makeshift arena, fainting immediately. The impact was so great that the earth began to rumble again, and the earth caved in around them. Frosted Flakes yelped, climbing the wall as best as he could to get out before he fell victim to the sinkhole. Chica grabbed his paw with her mouth, trying her best to pull him up. Jack grabbed Frosted by the scruff of his neck, and the two of them lifted their dear friend from the rubble.

The three of them caught their breath, gasping at the foot of the ravine. They held each other close, watching the rubble for noise and movement. When it was stagnant, their breath was caught, and the shock had finally worn off, they all looked amongst each other.

Neither of them wanted to say anything. Frosted flakes took a deep breath.

“Let’s get you back to your owner, Jack.” He said. Jack nodded, still shocked. Chica stood, fishing through her satchel and giving the two of them a poffin to eat.

“While you’re here, Jack,” Chica said, watching the jolteon eat. “You should come and check out the new warmed house. You can get warm water and milk?” Jack started a smile again, and nodded.

“I’d like that.”

The three of them returned to the eevee sanctuary, with TM01 having been defeated. For now.

Epilogue:

“Oh thank god, Thank god!” A man said, bursting through the door of the sanctuary. Marble jumped in surprise, but smiled softly. He was sitting at the front desk, and was waiting with a temporary inhabitor of the sanctuary. Jack had been sitting on the counter of the front desk, waiting with a nice little bow around his neck. He had been fixed up of all his injuries, and was waiting excitedly for his trainer. When Ruckus burst through the door, Jack perked up immensely, running in a circle before jumping into his trainer’s arms.

“There’s my good boy!” Ruckus said, grinning and laughing as his jolteon licked at his face and climbed onto his shoulders. Jack was so overjoyed, so overwhelmed, and so excited. He finally was reunited with his trainer!!

“I’m surprised he made it this far,” Ruckus said, smiling at Marble. The man hummed, nodding.

“He had his ways, certainly. He knew where to go and be recognized.” Marble said. Ruckus smiled, and hugged his old friend, too.

“Thank you, again. I need to have him visit more often, don’t I?” He said. Marble laughed, hugging his friend back.

“Yeah, you do. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you all have a fun adventure.” He said. Ruckus looked to the Jolteon.

“What do you say, buddy? Say thank you?” He said. Jack barked happily, and burrowed himself in Ruckus’ hair. The two of them left together again, ready for their new adventure.