An Outlaw's Shenanigans, an Explorer's Horror

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(Energy - 5)

The Icy Lands were just as cold as Sova remembered them. Actually, it was colder since this time he was much farther in, nearing Mt. Frostmeer. Luckily, the snow wasn't obstructing vision, or he might have gotten lost trying to find it. Why was he even here? He thought about turning around, but the idea was quickly discarded as he was reminded of a voice echoing through his head.

His recent hallucinations brought on by the peak of Black Mist Mountain hadn't lasted with him for more than one day, yet he was still hearing the voice in his head, insulting him, calling him weak. Not because of any drug, but just because he couldn't forget it. The only thing he felt would ease his mind of the voice was to prove it wrong. What better way than risking death to climb a mountain for no sensible reason?

Even though he felt exhausted already just getting there, he didn't let up even for a break. He had to prove to himself that he wasn't weak. Though....proving something that isn't actually true in the first place usually isn't easy.

"Uh...." Sova began, caught a bit off guard by the outgoing kindness. "Y-yes, I'm Sova, I think my friend Mirage has hypothermia. I'm trying to get her out of the cold....if you've got somewhere warm we could stay for a bit - o-or just her, I don't really care about me." He insisted on at least helping Mirage. He could survive in the cold alone, he'd be fine.... He just had to make sure his friend was somewhere safe.

The swinub nodded, "We got a cave nearby that's nice and warm with a fire, Jok can carry her for you or both of you if you like," it spoke, pointing as the Avalugg gave a creaking groan in agreement, "He's not one for words," the swinub explained his lack of speech.

"Hypo-crisies? Waz a Hypo-crisies?" Mirage mumbled from over Sova's back, "zat some kind of new candy?" The zorua was still out of reality, catching tidbits of the conversation and trying to piece together what was going on without actually looking. She didn't seem to be snapping back to reality any time soon as well.

Sova looked back to Mirage. "Shhhh, don't worry, you'll understand when your brain isn't frozen." He said in a sarcastically reassuring tone. "Anyways....as you can probably see, she's in pretty bad shape right now. I can carry her, Jok looks kinda....freezing, no offense. She's probably got hypothermia, I wanna keep her as warm as possible." He insisted. "So....lead the way?"

The swinub nodded, and turned and hopped back onto the avalugg, having the glacial beast lead the way. It did not take long for them to reach a brightly lit cave in the mountain with a flame going in the center. The cave walls seemed to have designs on it, although the designs were so crudely drawn it may as well been like trying to decipher something some magikarp tried to draw with its mouth.
"Just lay her down close to the fire, and it'll help her get warm and better," the Swinub pointed toward the fire, "Jok is going to have to stay out here though, he's uncomfortable near fire." it added.
Mirage appeared to have passed out once more during the travel there.

Sova nodded. "Thank you." He said as he leaned down near the fire and carefully sat the dead-to-the-world zorua down. Hopefully it wasn't too late. Even if she'd lived, there was the possibility of lasting damage....How would Mirage manage to live her outlaw life if she had any lasting hinderances from this?

Now wasn't the time to think about things like that. He needed to be hopeful, not Mr Negative. "Thank you, again. I dunno if I would have managed to get her to safety in time without your help." He said to the swinub.

"Nah it's no problem! I used to be one of the pokemon that lived in the towns, was in one of them guilds they call them. I met Jok here, and he evolved and couldn't stand the climate, so I quit my job and moved here with him so he wouldn't get lonely," The small mole like pokemon piped with cheer, as if the entire thing was nothing to it. The Avalugg outside made a merry groaning noise, as if thanking the mole as it was reminded of its sacrifice. The swinub look to the glaceon, "Hope you don't mind my prying, but what were you two doing out here? You i'd understand, but her? She's not fit for this climate."

Sova shrugged. "I actually just recently evolved. Recently as in like....today. Here. I was here just because I wanted to prove I could come here and not die. She was here because....I have absolutely no clue, probably passing through." He left out the part where they were almost murdered by a psychotic froslass and that he was forever traumatized by said froslass. Minor details, obviously.

"A while after we met up, she started showing signs of hypothermia, pretty much passed out so I had to carry her."

"Hypothermia hm..? That can be either pretty serious or just small, but in her case, with the whole passing out thing, it seems pretty serious. It'll probably take a while for her to recover enough to get moving, but even after that I suggest getting her to some kind of medical care," the swinub turned to the Zorua, who merely rested by the fire place, she had at last moved enough to curl into a small bundle of fur, trying to preserve the warmth she caught from the flames. The small pokemon turned to the glaceon, "She a friend of yours, or do you favor helping random stranges such as I?"

Sova tilted his head, wondering if the swinub wanted help with something. "Is "both" an option? She's a friend, but I'd be more than happy to help if you need something. I owe you anyways." He said. Hopefully it was nothing insane like wrestling Jok for entertainment purposes or something. As long as it was something reasonable, he owed the swinub for agreeing to help his friend.

"You mentioned earlier when you met us that you were looking for something, right? Want me to find it?" He asked.

"We're looking for something called an Escape Orb, they're usually all around here and we're running low on stock for them. I use them whenever I get in a bind against the locals, they're not the friendliest around here. Especially this one Frosslass, I met her quite a few times and every time she always asked if I wanted to see her Trophy Room and be a part of it. Jok too, we're lucky that we had plenty of those orbs at the time," The swinub spoke. It turned to look at Jok, checking up at the large creature that stood at the outside of the cave, keeping watch in case any of the locals decided to come have some fun with the group, "So uh, have you seen any by chance?"

Sova's attention was caught at the mention of the froslass. "Oh, I think I know the froslass you're talking about. I don't think she'll be a problem for you any more....we had uh....a meeting of our own with her. Didn't end in her favor. BUT that trophy room you mentioned, there was an Icy Rock in there among some....other things, that's how I evolved." He paused for a moment.

"I could take a look around that area and see if there's any Escape Orbs there." He offered hesitantly, a bit worried about leaving Mirage alone and defenseless with strangers. Of course, he didn't like the idea of going back to the froslass' cave for obvious reasons too. But he owed these kind strangers for helping them.

The swinub seemed a bit uneasy itself, "Well, you don't HAVE to go look for one for us. We're low on stock but we're not completely out, and we can just go back to searching once you're friend is better. Besides its not safe to go out alone, so if you do go i'd prefer you had Jok go with you. There's rumors that the Frosslass had friends, but I don't know if they're true or not."

Jok made a creaking noise from outside upon mention of his name, looking inside the cave, curious as to what they were talking about that his name was spoken.

Meanwhile, Mirage was still sound asleep. She could feel the warmth along with feeling in general coming back to her. Luckily, her sleep was dreamless, or at least peaceful enough not to cause turmoil in the waking world. Her ear twitched a bit in her sleep, causing the earrings to make a slight klink sound.

Sova took a moment to consider the offer. "Well, I was planning on getting in and out as fast as possible, but I suppose I could use some help if I'm attacked. Jok looks pretty tough. Dunno who'd wanna be friends with that psycho though." He said as he turned and approached the exit. "Are you sure you're alright here without him though? No offense....you don't seem like a fighter, what with the stock of escape orbs and uh....small stature. I'd be more worried about something happening to YOU while we're gone."

"I've got more tricks up my sleeve than you realize," the swinub chuckled, "I just don't like fighting unless necessary is all," the swinub laughed with good humor. He looked to Jok before hopping over and explaining the situation to the large glacier pokemon. Jok thought for a moment before nodding and looking over to the Glaceon, gesturing its head for the ice type to follow and get a move on. The swinub skittered back to Sova, "He wants you to go now and to hurry it up, I don't know why but he always gets edgy when we don't have many Escape Orbs."

(20 energy, a ton of pages and an evolution sure does wonders for the energy count....)

Sova laughed sarcastically at the avalugg's impatience. "Oooh, don't worry about me falling behind. Only reason I moved so slow before was because I had a passenger on my back." He said before using Quick Attack to get out of the cave quickly, demonstrating his point. "Les' go!"

He was actually worried about being slowed down too, which was the only reason he'd even considered declining the offer to have Jok tag along. Surely a living iceberg could only move so fast. But he couldn't deny that it was dangerous to go alone and he needed an old man with a sword could use some backup. Just in case.