A long road to nowhere

Core panted as she drug her feet along the shore of the North river wanting badly to go for a swim despite her species difference. She groaned as she stared blankly at the calm and gentle splash of the water as it caressed the shore. Core let off another groan as she collapsed letting her tired, aching feet rest. Her tail tip rest upon her head a little beyond where the flame was so she wouldn't get burnt. "It's not fair..." She growled angrily pounding the ground with her fists.

She looked up at the sky, the sun seemed to be aiding in her despair, the heat she didn't mind, it was the awful brightness of the annoying big yellow ball in the sky. It wasn't until she came across a cave hollowed out in the ground. Her ruby eyes widened as she slowly picked herself up wondering how many pokemon lived within  and how many more she could find hanging around! She silently prayed they were near enough or close to her level so she could actually win this time. 

When she was finally inside, she sighed and collapsed yet again upon the floor, it seemed nice and cool for now and she decided to take a nap.

A clever ghost flickered between the extensive caverns in the Misty Mountains, humming her eerie song and dragging her fingers along the walls. Ice crystallised under her fingertips in tracks, shimmering in the weak light of the outside sun.

The outside sun.

Miyuki hisses at the cave entrance, unaware of those around her as she pulls back her hands and thrusts a Blizzard at the outside world. The wind starts to howl, the snow starts to blow, and the spirit sighs in relief. No matter how temporary, it will cool the caves, and that's good enough for her comfort levels.

Core began to slowly snore as she felt the burst of icy air wash over her. Her tail flame was beginning to also feel the effects of the sudden icy sting. This wasn't good... Core instinctively wrapped her tail around her wishing she had the ability 'flame body' instead of just being able to sing... Heck, she didn't even know any fire type attacks yet or even if she could do them being ditto born. At least she was happy in her dream swiftly battling a driftloon as a mighty normal colored charizard. 

"Haha, yeah! Get 'em!" She whispered under her breath as she began to shiver. Her two tiny arms began to twitch a little as she pretended to fly above them all and unleash a massive river of fire down on them all! Such a sight to see her gain so much exp! It felt so good! She'd almost forgotten what gaining the exp felt like being small and beaten up all the time but for a dream, it was amazing...

The spirit noticed the movement of the white Pokémon in the darkness of the cave and drifted closer to the small figure to investigate. At the sight of the flame, she recoiled a little, but upon further inspection realised that it was a baby. It couldn't hurt her, not noticeably. She smiled under her 'mask' and reached out to touch, dragging ice-cold fingers over the Charmander's cheek so lightly that they barely tickled.

Miyuki may or may not have debated freezing the poor thing, but decided against it. She'd not often seen a Fire-type up close, and certainly not one so icy-white. Curiosity got the best of her.

Core's ruby eyes burst open upon the Frolass's icy cold touch and she bolted to her feet not yet fully recovered from her journey but not wanting to back down. She let out a fierce growl, raised her tiny claws up in defense and began to slowly back up to the entrance. The flame on the end of her tail now burning with a desire to fight as well as a desire to prove herself. "Who are you??" Core demanded about as fiercely as the young albino Charmander could. 

'Aw dang, its cold! I can't even feel my own feet, why didn't I feel this before? I can't beat an icy Pokemon!! I don't even know any fire moves yet... but she doesn't know that yet, maybe I can use that to my advantage!!' Core thought as a wicked smirk snaked it's way across her face.

The Froslass looked unimpressed as it floated back a little, to give the fireball personality some space. 'I am Miyuki,' she answers in a smooth, echoey voice. 'And you, hatchling? Though you hardly have the right to ask first; you are in my caves, after all.' She drifts closer, curiosity burning in her eyes. 'You are an odd creature of fire. White is not often a colour seen with the flames, unless you dare burn too hot.' She giggles, a high-pitched, girlish sound (not unlike the game's cry damn this thing for not letting me post the link).

Core froze upon hearing about her albino scales, only her eyes moved to meet the Frolass's icy blue ones. She stood there for what seemed like an eternity while it only lasted a few seconds before Core's core personality began to shine through. The smile shifted from a mildly worried/wicked look to a more 'in your face' confident one. "Who hasn't told you about the great and powerful fire of doom you're about to endure?? MY NAME IS CORE! MOLTEN CORE! THE MOST MOLTEN CORE YOU'D EVER HAVE THE PLEASURE OF MEETING!!" Core shouted confidently into the far regions of the cave as loudly as she could!

'Heh, mama always did say the louder you roared, the bigger you look to them... I seriously hope I don't get killed...' Core then shoved that thought as far back as she could as a bead of terror rolled down her face. "W-white? HAH! You've got to be kidding me!! You must be c-color blind!! I-I'm normal colored!" She said, her voice jumping as she tried her best to stay confident.

Miyuki's body seemed to vibrate with the echo of Core's voice. Unfazed, she reached forward and wrapped her fingers around the Charmander's uncomfortably warm arm, looking pointedly at the similarity in shade. 'I am as white as the fallen snow, hatchling, and so, I see, are you. A rare thing, it is.' She releases the reptile. 'White is the purest colour. Or, rather, it is the absence of colour. It is a brilliant cause of deception. It holds no emotion. Betrays no concern.' Her breath is cold, and ghosts over Core's scales. 'I should think you should be lucky for your kind, to show off such brilliance.'

It was so cold now that Core could see her own breath! She quickly wrapped her tiny albino arms up around herself not wanting to freeze, yet she did it in such a way it looked merely like she'd folded her arms still trying to play off being this cold. It was true that Molten Core was terrified the little fire type so out of her element and yet, somehow it felt like she belonged in a strange sort of way. She glared as the pokemon merely wrapped it's arm around hers still too cold to move away that fast, if she was going to do something to her, it'd be now! 

She shut her eyes as the arm was examined but felt a sigh of relief rush out of her as she let loose the breath she'd unknowingly held in. It wasn't good for a fire type like herself but it came with more, she'd realized now that this icy ghost wasn't going to hurt her, yet it praised her for her scales when others scorned her. Core's fierce gaze loosened a little as she stared up at the pokemon in front of her wondering if it actually was a compliment or was this ghostly ice type trying to trick her... 

Core narrowed her eyes and peeled her scaly lips away from her pearly white teeth wondering what this pokemon's game was. The little knowledge she'd learned from her mother about other pokemon was starting to take it's toll. "It holds no emotion. Betrays no concern." What? What did this mean? Was she supposed to take it as a threat and become all absent from this place?

Miyuki gives a sly smile. 'Colours are associated with emotion. Red is passion, fire, anger. Blue, calm and sorrowful. Purple, royal, wise, dignified. White is not a colour. It is emptiness, but it is bright. Or, perhaps, you could look at it as every colour. Overwhelmingly everything, hiding apathy beneath it.' She draws a hand across the ground, trailing sparkling ice. 'When you have seen what I have seen, you will understand. If you live that long.' She giggles. 'The world doesn't like outsiders. You learn to blend in, or you learn to frighten. If you become very good, you do both.'

She waves her hand, and the cave warms considerably. The ice seems to melt. 'Recover from your weakness and go.'

This is a very, very, very convincing trick. Cold-induced hallucinations and illusions are a Froslass's speciality. The way 'out' leads further into the caves, and the cold darkness is actually the exit.

Core then began to slowly take the path before turning back after a few steps and said. "Hey you! Wanna fight instead?" She smiled cockily pretended to punch the air really hoping this ghostly ice type would partake in her little battle. Despite the cold circling around her, she refused to leave without a few new scars! Her movements had been slow since the blanket of ice had surrounded her almost welcoming her into it's icy warmth. She shivered even more but still refused to leave.

"Come on!" She smiled throwing out her arms trying to warm herself up. The rapid movement of her joints were indeed warming up but she was still a lot slower.

Miyuki regarded her with an air of amusement. 'Darling creature, the fight might go beyond fainting, if you catch my drift. I'm not usually one to turn down a fight, but it hardly seems fair that I could probably breathe on you and you would faint, and what fun is a guaranteed win against a baby?' She giggled. 'No, dear, I decline your challenge. Come back for it when you're a bit bigger.'

Core puffed up her cheeks as the embers of her temper began to burn. "I AM NOT A BABY!!!" She snarled through clenched teeth, this pokemon was going to learn that messing with an albino who is very sensitive about that topic will indeed be taught a lesson!! 'Come on fire! Come on fire, PLEASE WORK!!!!' She prayed hoping all she had to do to summon fire was to pull it out from within! She closed her eyes and concentrated hard hoping the fire would spring forth and light up the frost!!

The Froslass backed off a bit. No matter how small the injury, getting burned and melted was something to be avoided, in the way walking on hot sand or getting a splinter was to be avoided. 'Ooh, feisty, aren't we? Do you enjoy antagonising Pokémon you can't hope to beat? That'll get you killed, someday.' It's punctuated with a cool breath. 'Have you ever heard the phrase, "Biting off more than you can chew?"'

"Well, mama always says the bigger the bite, the stronger the warrior!!" Core growled looking confident wondering why this pokemon still wasn't attacking and also questioning the environment. Sure, she'd melted the snow but now it was colder than ever and the entrance seemed to be in a different place. Core gave up trying to summon the flame within suddenly remembering the last time she'd tried, it had only just been hot air. She also began to question her own abilities as a fire type. Sure, she had a flame upon her tail but could this coloring be somewhat reminiscent of an ice type? Her father was a ditto so would it even be possible? Nah, absolutely not!

She puffed up her chest and then refocused her gaze upon the Frolass and questioned, "Hey, why does everything look so different? I came in that way when there's an opening here?" She then gestured towards the fake door and an icy wall where the door once was. She then glared at Miyuki, "You think I don't know which one is true?" She then walked over towards the fake door and looked at it as well as slowly reaching out a tiny white claw hoping for the sun's usual refraction off of her icy white scales.

Miyuki smiles slowly. 'You're cleverer than most adults, you know. Idiots, the lot, bumbling around like they think they own the world when really they're just tiny little bugs under the feet of giants.' The 'sun' reflects, but it's an odd sort of reflection, like it's being filtered through a blue cloud. 'Let's play a game, shall we? In lieu of your battle. The only way out is to go in, and the world goes topsy-turvy...' She drifts towards the fake door, where it melts into reality and shows only more of the cave system, dripping with the water of the river above. 'Or I can let you go. But how boring is that, hatchling?'

Core slowly turned back towards the Frolass still freezing yet trying to keep her core temperature stable despite it being incredibly taxing without that ability but who was she to turn down a challenge? Only the weak can't finish a battle they start! It was then she'd realized how redundant that was and instantly shoved the thought away. She smiled as she again 'folded her arms' "W-what k-ind of challenge?" She internally glared at herself for even letting it slip that she was cold. She would definitely fix this next time!

Miyuki gestured to the darkness. 'Find your way out. You lose if you ask me to show you the way. Easy-peasy.' She backs away, taking much of the cold with her. The cave is damp ahead, rather than icy. 'Unless you're too scared to try, of course.' She was good at pushing the right buttons; her eyes glinted with mischief. 'If you win, you earn freedom and maybe,' she raises a finger, 'my help in the future. I also have a stash of berries I'd be willing to share.'

Core snarled a bit at the mere mention of her being scared! "I'M NOT SCARED! I'M BIGGER, BRAVER AND STRONGER THAN ALL THE OTHER POKEMON!!" Core panted, still having a hard time keeping warm and decided to trudge on ahead into the darkness, the only source of light being on the tip of her tail. "That pokemon, who does she think she is saying I'm scared! Ha, I knew I'd show her!" Core unfurled her arms and punched the air once outside of icy death's clutches. 

"This'll be easy, although." She made a disgusted face at the thought of an ice Pokemon's favorite berries. She'd prefer the more spicy kind like a nice, juicy Tomato berry!Just the thought of those made her mouth water but she quickly shook off the thought and began to pick up speed, rushing forwards as to try to avoid the falling water droplets. Each one stung her and fizzled on her scales making it an incredibly painful journey but one she wouldn't soon forget!

Miyuki hovered behind, watching the white Charmander dart about and fail to miss a handful of the falling water droplets. It was amusing, certainly. Not once did she think about helping Core by freezing the water, except where they fell in range of her chilly aura, how silly. It was almost cute, how desperate the Charmander seemed to the Froslass.

'Do let me know when you feel like giving up,' she piped cheerfully.

Core snarled at the remark of 'giving up' and sped up as the 'insults' were only thrusting her towards her victory, still completely unaware of Miyuki's 'help'. Core almost let out a cry of pain as her eyes began to well up with tears as one of the droplets hit the very sensitive towards water tip of her tail. But she clamped her jaw refusing to let the sound out and pulled her tail in front of her, slightly hovering over it. 'Calm down, Core, calm down. It was just water hitting your very source of life fire, you'll be fine! Just calm down already and get the glory! SHOW THIS FROLASS YOU'RE NOT A WEAKLING!' Core clenched her teeth as the scream disappeared now overly determined to finish what she'd started!

A better Pokémon would see that pain and realise this game was probably a bit much for a single-digit-leveled Charmander. In fact, a better Pokémon wouldn't have let this happen in the first place. The better Pokémon would have ignored Core, or helped her get to max health and send her on her way. However, there was something not quite right about Miyuki, in the way there was something not quite right with most Froslasses, but magnified exponentially for reasons unexplained. The evident pain on Core's face made Miyuki smile, sickeningly enough. Schadenfreude, she supposed.

The caves would seem to be in a different configuration when Core blinked.

'Oops,' Miyuki said, sounding not sorry at all.

Core slammed face first into a wall and almost knocked herself out, almost. Things went dark as she reeled backwards letting the tail fly out in front of her and ended up on her butt. She took a minute to figure out what had happened to herself and half another minute to get the ringing in her ears to stop. 'This Frolass is nuts! She thought to herself quietly wondering what she could be thinking letting a fire type like Core enter a watery doom? Why did water have to be so hateful of fire? Why couldn't they just get along and let each other experience thermal baths in lava as well as clean and clear baths in water? She groaned as she yet again shut her eyes trying to right the world now extremely low on health. She questioned the sanity of her game's host as well as why the world was spinning so much.

I'm just a kid! Surely she wouldn't kill a kid... right?

A fruit thudded on the ground by Core's feet, frosted over but still the recognisable blue of an Oran Berry.

...

What, she didn't want the Charmander to faint this early in the game! The answer to the Charmander's question was debatable, of course. No one could prove she's ever killed anyone. But she wouldn't deny or confirm, either, so the question, had it been asked aloud, would not have been actually answered.

'Go on,' Miyuki urged, hovering above Core.

Core shook her head trying to correct her vision when she suddenly heard a small 'thud' land in front of her. She opened her ruby eyes only to see an oran berry! She let out a small gasp and snatched up the berry faster than an Arbok to a dead furret would. It tasted so good as well as the familiar tingle of her health being restored was a nice bonus! She clenched her fists and jumps off the ground letting her tail be her guide and rushed forwards yet again dodging the trickling death from the ceiling!

"I'M THE QUEEN OF THE WORLD! THANKS FOR THE BERRY!" She shouted feeling pumped wondering if the strange Frolass had actually done her a favor. She thought about it for a minute before shaking her head, remembering the taunts earlier.