What the Wind Carries [Pokémon Black and White 2 fanfiction]

43| Of Ice and Electricity

Allowing Hugh give himself up to the Triad was probably the hardest decision I ever had to make. Choosing to trust N, giving Illie to Hilbert, expressing my stance on letting members of Neo Plasma live, all of that paled in comparison to sending one of my closest friends off to what might've been his death. I made him promise that he'd let us help him, and I was determined that he'd keep that promise.

   But even while most of me was sincerely regretting my own decision, part of me told me otherwise. In some way, letting him face the Triad still adhered to that promise though it was in an unconventional way. It didn't matter now, I let him choose. All I could do now was hope that Hugh was right, and that he would live.

When we exited the cave, I swore that we had entered a different world. We now stood in what resembled a craggy snow-covered mountain with its center viciously clawed out by some force more powerful than Arceus himself. A hastily-built staircase led down to the chasm floor which consisted of dead grass, flattened trees, and ice. Oh, so much ice.

It was everywhere. It coated most of the ground and chasm walls. It looked as if huge waves of water had been frozen in midair, the great swells curled in on themselves slightly, dripping water frozen into sharp daggers that glinted in the dying light. They radiated out from a singular point in the Giant Chasm's very center where it looked as though something spherical had been resting in a hollowed-out spot in the ground. It was like an explosion occurred in that place, and the resulting shockwaves were frozen in their endeavor to escape the chasm's depths. It would have been beautiful if it weren't for what was on the chasm's far side.

Ice crystals resembling the ones in Opelucid City littered the chasm floor near a large cave entrance from which numerous spikes of ice spread out across the ground. The crystals weren't placed randomly, they were lined up in almost perfect five by four rows. There were twenty in total, standing like guards protecting something sacred. I got chills from looking at them, both from the cold and the overall vibe they gave off. I had the feeling that the crystals were formed recently, and they made me uneasy. Like the cavern we left behind, there was nobody in sight, Neo Plasma or Pokémon.

"What is this..?" N gasped in a mixture of intrigue and confusion as he took in the frigid display. "Okay everyone, I don't have the slightest clue of what's going on here. But whatever you do, don't let your guards down under any circumstances." We cautiously proceeded down the stairs and made our way to the second cave. As we were passing the centermost row of ice crystals, I took a moment to examine one of them.

The crystal was nearly six feet tall and deep blue in color with occasional white patches where snow was stuck to it. I looked closer at it and noticed that there was a oddly-shaped shadow in the ice. I hesitantly wiped away the frost and let out a scream at what I saw.

I stumbled back from the crystal, bumping into both Rosa and Hilbert. The moment I made contact with them my legs gave out from beneath me and I collapsed. Hilbert managed to catch me before I hit the ground. I faintly heard them questioning me about what happened. I refused to believe what I had seen. It couldn't be real, it was impossible! But I couldn't deny it.