there was no visible attempt to dodge at the other end, and nina’s hand came over her mouth when the beam hit them straight-on. ”sorry!” she hollered—but it must not have hurt too bad, considering all they’d gotten out of it was a whine from the alcremie.

they’d just need to train harder.

”good job, vulpix!” she had to think of a better name. maybe that would be motivating, and inspire stronger attacks.

the sparkles came toward them. dazzling gleam... maybe blotting it out would work. ”mist!” but it was too late for her fox to react. the light was blinding, and nina threw an arm up.

but as it expanded, it was clear that what was happening was more than just alcremie’s dazzling gleam. as a space-time distortion opened up, energy crackled in a multitude of colors, shimmering with the fairy energy it reflected back. it expanded, threatening to pull them in.

”jessie? what is that?!”

still blinking away the light, nina stumbled back from strange shapes. vulpix ran, but it was no use. the bubble would consume all of them.

Jessica Manner

it was as though reality were layers of fabric stretched thin and sliced through, fraying. the edges of space blew in the wind. elements were let in. snow, when it had been spring on the beach. she coughed, choking on the cold.

”jessie?!” she called out again, looking around in a world of white. she had never seen anything like it before.

then, she realized. oh, god. this is what those people in line at the cafe had been on about.

she turned, looking to find vulpix there with relief. words muffled through her sleeve, she urged, ”come on. we have to find her.”

through the blinding snowstorm, they looked for their friends, calling out.

Jessica Manner

“jessie?!” she continued to call. her voice felt small against the wind, struggling not to sputter at the force of it.

vulpix blended in with the snow, hopping along and looking more comfortable than her trainer. nina shivered, hugging herself tightly. she’d been dressed for the beach in spring.

they walked, seeing nothing, until suddenly the rock came into view through the storm. pink hair was bright behind snowflakes.

”jessie!” she hurried over, throwing a hand out to her shoulder. ”are you okay?!” her voice caught over the wind and she gasped. ”i think we’re in one of those spacetime bubble things! we have to get out!”

Jessica Manner

she yelled over the wind, ”i don’t know if there is an escape. i don’t see an edge... do you?” to be fair, the snowstorm was thick. she could barely see ten feet out of ahead of her. she shivered, huddling closer to her friend.

”yeah, we’ll figure it out.” would they?

yes. they had to. how could they die here, now? they’d only been on a calm beach on a nice spring day minutes ago. it was mindboggling.

a few steps, and suddenly, the ground moved. it was slick, and as the creature beneath them stood up, snow spilled off its edges in heaps. vulpix slid off as well, even as nina reached for it. ”vulpix!”

she fell to her knees, attempting to steady on the slick, icy surface of a massive avalugg—though it didn’t look quite like the ones they were accustomed to seeing. ”shit! what is this thing?!”

it roared, and its back suddenly lunged to one side. nina was sent off, into the snow with a scream.

Jessica Manner

the already strong wind picked up harder, the snow colder and stinging as the avalugg’s BLIZZARD took hold of the surrounding area. it seemed enraged to have been disturbed from its nap.

she felt jessie fall beside her in the snow, along with her delphox and arcanine. ”i’m okay, yeah, but—“ but vulpix had fallen within range of their disoriented attacker. she looked up in time to see its BITE crunch around the vulpix before she was then slung across the ground.

”vu—vulpix!“ nina choked through the squall, reaching out uselessly for her little fox as she tumbled away and stilled out of sight. ”no!” she fumbled for a pokéball and held it out in the general area she’d seen the fox tossed, relieved to see her collected in a red beam back into her capsule.

turning back to jessie, she nodded, holding out a hand before she took off. ”we have to stay together. run!”

but before they could take a step, the same colors began to appear from before. snow began to fade away to sand, and the avalugg’s roar sounded more like it was coming from far-off, as it too was sucked back into its own space and time.
they were on the beach again.

Jessica Manner

the avalugg lunged, and she braced herself. not again. why was it always the ice-types? they were really testing her love.

“have you heard of those space-time distortion things, like in the news? i think it was one of those...”

her heart pounded.

”do you think we should go tell niko?” she wasn’t sure what he might do, if anything, but in her moment of fading panic, it seemed like the move. NIKO MANNER provided a sense of security as a leader.

she also thought of GABRIEL BLACK , but didn’t mention him. by only funny chance perhaps, she was still unaware of the relation between the councilman and her friend. would he tire of her reaching out?

Jessica Manner