Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Rising Spirits

Chapter 9, Part 2 - Numbing Cold

It is in your best interest to meet us alone at the Rending Peaks within the Snow Continent within three days. Your human partner, Rin, is currently in our custody. If you would like to have your partner unharmed, it is in your best interests to face us without notifying the authorities; we have eyes all around every continent, and are prepared to take drastic measures if necessary. For Rin's sake, arrive at this destination without delay.

"It's obviously a trap," Trevor remarked while rereading the note endlessly in his head, cold winds rustling his fur and the smell of saltwater filling his nostrils as he and Aiden sat atop the tough, buoyant shell of a Lapras speeding by. "They haven't given us any definitive proof that they have Rin captive or the fact that they have 'eyes around every continent.' Why would they be so afraid of us bringing reinforcements if their influence was that far-reaching?"

Lily's pale blue face rose and turned to face Trevor. "And from what I've heard, Rin doesn't seem like the type of Pokémon, err, human to let himself get captured so easily. These guys have to be bluffing, right?"

"Well, it doesn't matter," Aiden responded firmly, "If there's even a chance that Rin's in danger, we have to be there for him!"

Trevor gave a solemn nod, then unfurled a sizable map which he had previously crammed into his satchel. "So, the Snow Continent. We haven't been there yet, have we? I would imagine that it's pretty far from the Ash Continent, where your brother lives."

"That's right," Aiden answered while leaning forwards to point towards a massive black landmass at the far-right end of the map, "This is were the Ash Continent is, if you remember, and the Snow Continent is all the way here at the left." Aiden dragged her finger towards a small, circular patch of white map's opposite end. "Of all the seven major continents in the world: Lush, Ash, Snow, Wind, Marsh, Dune, and Barren, the Snow Continent is the smallest by a long shot."

"And the temperatures are freezing there!" Lily added, "...Not that you needed me to tell you guys, of course. You could probably tell from the name. Hope you two at least brought some coats to keep yourselves warm!"

Aiden and Trevor abruptly turned their heads towards one other in worry, both Pokémon having neglected to bring any kind of extra clothing in their rush to head out to sea.

"Well," Aiden said with a nervous smile, "It can't be that bad."

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Both Aiden and Trevor shivered uncontrollably as they trudged through a vast expanse of ankle-high snow, massive glaciers looming imposingly in the distance. The pale blue sky was speckled with several pellets of white which battered Aiden's snout, causing her to sneeze uncontrollably amidst her constant sniffling. Trevor could tell from a brief glance towards Aiden's hazing eyes that, though she had only arrived at the Snow Continent for a few hours, she was already growing weak from the harsh cold.

"aaaAAAUGH!" Aiden groaned in frustration, struggling to complain despite her chattering teeth, "O-of all the p-places to meet, w-why did it have to be here?!"

"Ugh, this... isn't ideal," Trevor muttered, rubbing his paws together for even the slightest source of warmth, "A few more hours of this weather and my whiskers may end up freezing and snapping off. The Pokémon who forced us here must have known that we would be unused to this climate and picked this place to gain the upper hand. A clever move, I have to admit."

"D-don't compliment them!" Aiden grumbled annoyedly, "Let's just g-get this over with quickly. According to the map, the Rending Woods should be... here?"

Both Aiden and Trevor had been so preoccupied by the coldness of the weather to the extent where they had managed to ignore the giant forest of black, naked trees whose mangled claws jutted upwards in all directions. Several outstretched arms of cold, hardened bark crossed and converged to form an entangling web of darkness; Trevor could scarcely see a thing from the outside of the forest's rim despite the sun's intense glare from overhead.