After breakfast, Caleb followed Sylvain and the others to an open area beside the orphanage to build a snowman...
"Are we really just going to run off like this?" Terrence whispered.
Caleb hummed in agreement, then turned to look at Sylvain, who was rolling a snowball on the ground. Standing up from the snow, he said without batting an eye, "I need to pee."
After two days, he had fully adapted to this body and could now speak naturally in a way that matched his current age.
Sylvain glanced around before pointing toward a large tree, "Over there. Do you need me to go with you?"
Caleb's face was red from the cold. He shook his head, indicating he could go alone.
Sylvain brushed the snow off his hands and handed the half-rolled snowball to Elio and Nino, "Go ahead. I'll wait here. Just shout if you need anything."
"Okay." Caleb nodded, then trudged through the thick snow with some difficulty until he reached the tree.
Terrence followed, peeking out from behind the trunk, "Can you put me back in my Poké Ball first?"
Caleb released Lucario and Dragonite from their Poké Balls before recalling Terrence.
He climbed onto Dragonite's arm and turned to Lucario, "Keep an eye on them for me."
Lucario nodded, watching as Dragonite's figure disappeared into the snowy wilderness before turning its attention to the three children building their snowman...
...
The snow fell even heavier...
Snowpoint City was a place where it snowed year-round, located at the northernmost tip of the Sinnoh region.
Situated at the foot of Mt. Coronet, which spanned the entire region, the city's roads, buildings, and trees were perpetually blanketed in thick snow.
Dragonite flew at incredible speed. Following the map's guidance, Caleb soon arrived at the location marked by the yellow exclamation point.
Terrence emerged from his Poké Ball and gazed up at the towering mountain range, "Is this Mt. Coronet?"
Caleb nodded, his eyes shifting to the simple wooden cabin standing firm in the blizzard. He warned, "You're only level one right now. Be careful. If a fight breaks out, I might not be able to protect you."
"Got it." When it came to serious matters, Terrence finally showed some solemnity, "I'll go back into my Poké Ball if things get dangerous. I won't drag you down."
Caleb: "..."
He recalled Dragonite into its Poké Ball, and the pair (one human, one 'dog') braved the biting wind as they made their way toward the cabin.
An elderly, hunched figure stood outside the cabin. His cloudy eyes swept over them before he spoke, "Finally, everyone's here. Come inside!"
Caleb and Terrence exchanged glances before following the NPC known as the Old Man of the Cabin inside...
A fire burned in the hearth at the center of the cabin, with an iron kettle hanging above it. The water inside had already boiled, sending billows of steam into the air.
The moment Caleb and Terrence entered, the four players who had arrived earlier all turned to stare at them...
A pregnant woman bundled in a thick coat, a sultry Jynx, a sickly-looking young man who appeared frail, and an elderly man with wrinkled skin and white hair, leaning heavily on a cane.
Caleb: "..."
'Well, this just about covers every demographic... old, weak, sick, disabled, pregnant, and young...'
The Old Man of the Cabin lifted the iron kettle from the fire and warmed his stiff hands over the flames.
As he did, he spoke slowly, "Ever since that creature appeared on Mt. Coronet, Snowpoint City hasn't seen the sun for half a month. The roads into the city are blocked by snow. If this continues, the entire city might be buried under this blizzard. If... if someone could drive it away, I'd be willing to give them this treasure."
With that, the old man pulled out a small vial of pale blue liquid from his pocket.
Everyone in the cabin immediately fixed their eyes on the Speed Enhancer...
A tense silence filled the air.
Finally, the burly Jynx spoke in a gruff masculine voice, "What 'creature' are you talking about?"
The old man glanced at him and shrugged, "I don't know. I only heard about it from the climbers. They say it has sharp claws, can breathe freezing winds that turn everything to ice, and summons terrifying hailstones with every flap of its wings."
Terrence tried to picture it, "That sounds like Articuno?"
The old man gave him a look, "Who knows? No one's ever seen its true form. Maybe those descriptions are just made up by the climbers. But... you'll find out soon enough. Alright, kids, it's time to set off!"
The group stood to leave. The moment they stepped outside, the old man's voice called after them: "Oh, one more thing! I forgot to mention... there's only one reward. Only the trainer who drives that creature away will get it!"
With that, the cabin door creaked shut on its own.
Terrence frowned in disbelief, "Is he trying to make us turn on each other?"
Caleb didn't respond. Instead, he studied the others.
Sure enough, after the old man's words, everyone's expressions had turned wary, and they all instinctively put distance between themselves and the others.
Terrence stuck close to Caleb, muttering in shock, "Damn, this Instance is brutal. Not only did it turn us into different forms, but it's also trying to pit us against each other! And here I thought this was some chill, Wife Swap-style vacation Instance..."
Caleb patted his furry head, "Relax. Stay calm."
He gestured subtly toward the others and used Scout on the Jynx...
"That Jynx is only level 15. It's not a threat to us for now. The other three... a pregnant woman, a sickly guy, and an old man who can barely walk without his cane. If the NPC said that, it means players can attack each other during this event."
Caleb thought for a moment before continuing, "Let's see what Pokémon they have first."
If they didn't have any flying or ridable Pokémon, given their current physical conditions, forget climbing the mountain... they'd probably struggle just getting out of bed.
Terrence nodded solemnly and patted Caleb's shoulder with his paw, "Don't worry, I won't fight you for that Speed Enhancer."
~~~
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