Crysta Cave looked cold.
After flying for thirty minutes, trying to beat the storm, Ash, Dawn, and Wendy had just landed before the cave's entrance. Ash saw ice, water, a few docks, and shimmering crystals inside, but none were as large as the Luminous Crystal.
Despite the cold, now was the perfect time for Ash and Dawn to prove themselves to Sven. A single person couldn't take on a bunch of feisty Pokémon himself—at least, not for long.
Sven and Kellyn both had big egos, but Kellyn's was based on fear, whereas Sven's came across as the golden boy trying to impress the girl he liked. Obviously, it worked because Wendy remained worried.
She opened her Styler again, hands shaking, and asked, "Sven?"
He didn't answer that time.
"Sven?" Wendy tried again.
Nothing.
"Lux!" Ash, Dawn, and Wendy turned with Luxray's cry.
It hurried to them and stopped behind Wendy, nudging her forward.
Of course. Of course, the golden boy would get himself in trouble.
"Luxray." Wendy sighed and gripped its muzzle. "Okay, what happened, boy?"
"Lux!" Luxray released himself and sprinted, shocking a few Golbat who tried jumping him.
He led the way to an open area of the cave, where a deep ditch cut it in half. There was also a bridge, but it had snapped, and Sven hung from one of the boards, dangling over the meandering river below.
"Wendy!" he said, not even acknowledging Ash and Dawn. "Wha-What are you doing here?" It looked like he had lost his coat when he fell. "I-I told you I could handle this."
"Yeah, you definitely did," Wendy joked. "Well done."
Sven shuddered.
"What?" Dawn called. "Are you, Tough Guy Sven, cold under all that muscle?"
Sven glared at her. "I've got it." He started climbing, but his boot broke through a lower board, and he fell one board down, yelling, "Ow!"
Wendy held out her hands—"Don't move!"—and turned to Staraptor. "Staraptor, could you get him, please?"
Ash couldn't help but chuckle.
"Star!" Wendy's Staraptor flapped her wings and soared down to Sven, soon hovering beside him. "Staraptor! Star!"
Sven grunted and let go, crawling onto Staraptor, but he ended up sitting backward.
That time, Ash, Dawn, and Wendy giggled.
"Sven dear," Wendy called, hand around her mouth, "you're backwards."
"Do-Don't rub it in!" he yelled, fixing his position and holding on for dear life on Staraptor.
This was amazing to watch. "He's cold," Ash tittered.
"And not the best Staraptor flier," Wendy repeated. She blushed and chewed on her fingernail. Was Sven's ego why she liked him?
Staraptor brought Sven up and dropped him off before Ash, Dawn, and Wendy, folding her wings.
He was so red that Ash swore he was on fire.
"Luxray!" Luxray jogged to his partner and licked his cheek, cuddling him with his black and blue fur.
Dawn removed a blanket from her backpack and tossed it to Sven. "Here you go, tough guy."
"Tha-Thank you," Sven stuttered, wrapping the blanket around him. Was that the first time he had said that? Did Ash smell change?
Wendy cleared her throat and kneeled, grasping Sven's shoulder. "What happened, dear?" She played with him with her following sentence. "Do you need me?"
"I-I had it under control!" Sven argued. "But then those Piloswine and Golbat chased me to the bridge, and it broke." He quickly changed the subject and scowled at Ash and Dawn. "Why are they here? Where's Kellyn?"
Well, so much for change.
"We came to help," Ash fought, clenching his fists. "Brock and Kellyn went ahead to Shiver Camp."
Wendy's concerned look returned. "Kellyn gave in to darkness again, Sven, so Blu put him to sleep. And you said the Pokémon were feisty, so Ash and Dawn wanted to help." She nudged him. "Isn't that nice? And Dawn did give you that blanket."
"If we didn't get here, you and Luxray would've frozen," Dawn pointed out. "I don't know what your problem is, Sven, but we're sick of your attitude."
Ash stood beside her. "That's right. We work as a team, so suck it up."
"Guys, stop," Wendy said. "It's not you. Sven's gotten really protective in the past few weeks."
Ash tried bribing. "Why?"
Wendy paused before helping Sven stand. "We can't tell you until after the mission. Come on—we need to get out of here before more Pokémon attack." She faced Sven. "Were they moving in circles, Sven?"
"The Piloswine were," he explained, "but I think the Golbat belonged to someone. I heard shouting."
Ash and Dawn thought for a second, but Ash's mind veered to what Wendy told him: "We can't tell you until after the mission." It seemed that even she saw them as outsiders, but in a kind way.
Ash stayed quiet, so Dawn confirmed it: "J. She's tailing us. Following us to Almia Castle. Those were probably her goons, Sven."
"I'm not surprised." Wendy crossed her arms. "She's likely waiting until Kellyn's alone with the Gem Guardian."
Ash nodded. "Which means that no matter how much he fights, we can't leave him alone in the Castle."
"Right," Wendy agreed, her playful face returning. "Well, then, when we reach Shiver Camp, we'll wake Kellyn and come up with a battle plan." She clapped and jiggled in her spot. "This is so exciting!"
It was, but Sven didn't seem to think so. "Don't overwork yourself, Wendy." With Dawn's blanket still wrapped around him, he took the lead, but quickly glanced from the broken bridge to Ash and Dawn. "Don't mention this to anyone!"
Aw, but Ash was looking forward to seeing Dawn sass him.
Maybe if Sven tried being the golden boy again.
For now, hopefully, they could escape Crysta Cave before the snowstorm hit—if it hadn't already—and reach Shiver Camp.
However, before the group got too far, something sounded, and a team of black shadows appeared before them, their eyes red, and their fangs loose.
Piloswine.
***
On the Vien Forest side of Crysta Cave, a group of J's henchmen stood before a few ferns, her before them.
She glowered and said, "You mean to tell me that you were too slow to begin picking off the Ranger's friends?" She kicked a log, and her goons flinched. "We need him alone!" She had already lost time freeing Team Rocket from their failed pit hole, but they told her that they witnessed Kellyn's power, so she hadn't gotten rid of them… yet… but, boy, was she tempted!
One of J's henchmen said, "Negative, sir! We nearly had the oldest Ranger, but the bridge broke, and his Luxray attacked."
"That was a powerful Luxray," another goon complained.
Idiots.
J would chase Kellyn herself, but her Salamence was still injured from Blue-Bird's attack and couldn't fly—useless Pokémon.
"Fine!" she snarled. "Then we'll wait for them at the Castle and pick them off as soon as they reach it." Her frown switched to a wicked smile. "I, myself, am looking forward to getting not only the Ranger, but also the Guardians and King." Her mind returned to Team Rocket. "If what those three said about his power is true, then I will overthrow the black market."
No one would doubt her skills again. It was payback time, and J had never been so ready. All she needed was Vatonage to grab the Rainbow Birds, Guardians, and King. Once she did that, it would be as if Riolu had never happened. J would have something even better.
She turned away from her henchmen and examined Almia's darkening sky. Before long, it would be nothing more than a memory—a victory to remind J that even Vatonage couldn't stop her.
If only that Ranger could make her a new Shadow Crystal sooner. After all…
J snickered. "He's nothing but a tool."