The Teams Team Up: Part 2

I find myself stood outside the base of Mt. Thunder alongside Wooper and Team Marsh. After a small breakfast at the campsite, we sorted through our supplies and hiked through plains and valleys until we finally arrived here.
The weather was nice and pleasant on the trip over, but here? The sky is blanketed in dark clouds. The low rumble of thunder echoes all around us from time to time, accompanied by distant flashes of light. I was never too scared of thunderstorms before, but right now, I'm feeling real on edge. We're wandering around outside during all of this! My badge won't attract lighting, right?!

Squishy gazes up at the mountain, a stern look on his face. “Mt. Thunder...It is said that one of the humans from those stories had climbed to the very top to face off against a Zapdos. To think he did so mere weeks after starting his team...”
His words strike fear into me as I imagine the worst-case scenario at the top. “I-I don't think I can fight something like that! Ain't that some gigantic thunderbird?!”
“That it is, Chespin. It has been long since the events of those stories took place. Back then, this dungeon would not have been too rough? Nowadays, it is quite dangerous.” Glancing back at all of us, Squishy shouts, “This is the real deal, everyone! Stay alert at all times!”
Squishy and Berry lead the way in. Making sure Wooper is close by, I follow them inside the dungeon. Thunder and lightning are rough but at least there's no way there are any Ice types in a place like this.

Looking behind it, I notice the path has been obscured by jagged rocks. The very air on the mountainside feels electrified, making my quills stand on end. My nervousness only grows as we begin climbing. I keep looking around and over my shoulder, expecting to get jumped at any moment. Team Marsh seems to be taking it slower as well. It isn't long before we find our first foes, a duo of Manectric!
Before any of us can react, they fire a jolt of electricity skyward! Their attack flies into the thunderclouds, causing the spot they hit to glow brighter and brighter. I let out a scream as two bolts of lightning come crashing down directly onto Team Marsh, temporarily blinding and deafening me as I try to curl up and defend myself!

Once my senses return, I yell out “Squishy! Berry! NO!”
My cry of fear is met with a loud, long laugh from...Squishy?! “Ohohohoahahaha!” H-he's completely unharmed?! I pick my head up, confused. Squishy turns to Wooper, shouting, “Woopy! You know what to do, so do it!”
I watch as Wooper and Squishy let out a yell, the former slamming his tail on the ground. Red streaks of light from underneath them rush for the Manectric, exploding the ground beneath them! The foes are sent sailing into a nearby rock wall, crumpling in a miserable heap in front of us.

I can't believe what I just saw. “H-HOW?! Nothing about you guys makes ANY sense! You got hit by lightning! LIGHTNING! Something like that is enough to kill a normal human like nothing, but it didn't even harm you?!” Am I losing my mind?
Wooper laughs a little, saying, “Uhh, Chespin? Electricity doesn't hurt my parents and I, duh!”
Berry is a little taken aback by my outburst. “Hmm, we just don't feel it, mmm?”
“Well what DOES hurt you two?! You seem totally invincible to me!”
Squishy lets out a little laugh. “Ohoho, we're not invincible. In fact, any plant-based foe could cause some real trouble for us.”
“...Wait, for real?” I extend a vine out, holding it in front of me. “You're telling me that getting hit by THIS...is more dangerous to you than actual lightning?”
Wooper nods. “You betcha!”
I retract my vine, confused. I guess I should have known by now, but it was still all kinds of strange to witness in person. A little vine from me hurting them more than one of the most powerful forces of nature? “...Let's just get moving.”

To my relief, the dungeon is actually pretty easy for awhile. Any foe we run across is taken care of by Wooper and Squishy. To my surprise, Berry picks me up during their fights, turning away from the action. It confuses me a lot until I realize that she's using herself to shield me from electrical blasts, much like I do for Wooper and most attacks in general.
Eventually, we travel through a dark tunnel. It doesn't seem very long, but the light at the end feels agonizingly far away. There could be enemies all around us, it's the perfect spot for an ambush! I want nothing more than to just run for the light, but I doubt I'd be able to manage the enemies on this mountain alone! I let out a sigh of relief as we come back out into the light.
My relief is short-lived.
A flash of light illuminates everything, followed afterwards by a deafening BOOM! The ground begins to shake, a loud rumbling sound getting closer and closer. Looking upwards, I feel myself freeze in fear at what I see. A ton of large rocks and boulders are rolling down the mountainside, coming right for us! Taking the lead, Squishy yells, “Get back in the tunnel, Berry!” He tugs me forward by biting onto my bag, and I watch as Berry scoops Wooper up and runs back the way we came, just before the huge stones land with an earth-shaking THUD!

“W-Wooper!” I shove past Squishy, rushing towards the mass of rocks that now completely block the tunnel, fearing the worst. “WOOPER!”
It's faint, but I can hear yelling from the other side. “We're okay!” It's Wooper!
I let out a shaky sigh of relief. “Oh, thank god...We're okay too!”
“We're gonna find another way up, keep an eye out for us, Chespin!”
“We will!”

I return to Squishy, feeling more on edge than ever before. He clearly notices, and asks, “Are you okay, Chespin?”
“Well, I'm not hurt, but...I can't say that I'm okay.” I feel my heart pounding from what just happened.
“You needn't worry about Woopy and Berry. They are more than capable of fighting.”
“But...I've never fought without him at my side in some way.” I look down at the ground in sadness.
“Truly? Never?”
I shake my head. “It's not even that, either. He practically NEVER leaves my side, and it's been that way since the day I woke up here.”
“I see...Well, we had better keep moving so that the two of you can rejoin each other. Are you well enough to continue, Chespin?”
I hesitate for a moment. I'm not really okay, but I know what Wooper would be telling me right now. 'C'mon, we gotta go!' and that sort of thing.
I take a deep breath, saying, “Okay. Let's hurry up, meet the others, get the treasure, and get the hell off this mountain.”

Squishy and I continue up the mountain, a bad feeling growing in the pit of my stomach. Even if Squishy's powerful...Wooper's not here. I feel so exposed without my friend I can aim at enemies like a gun. I'm not going to feel right until all of us join back up.
Entering a small cave, I feel a cold wind blow through me, making me shiver a little. Have we really climbed that high already?
“Keep an eye out, Chespin. This is another prime spot for a surprise attack.” Squishy leads the way, looking around to spot anything in the shadows. Just then, as we're about to exit, I spot a dark blob leap out! “Get ready to fight, Chespin!”
Focusing on the unknown foe, I manage to make out its shape. It's...a large brown...thing. Almost like a mix between a boar and a woolly mammoth.
It's a Piloswine. An Ice type.
You have got to be kidding me.

The Piloswine laughs, shouting, “Perfect, more suckers to shakedown! There's a toll for all those who want to climb the mountain. Hand over the item bag and maybe I'll let you pass.”
I can't believe my luck. Is this asshole serious?
“Oh COME ON! What is WRONG with these dungeons?! We are NOWHERE NEAR ICE! What the HELL are you doing on a mountain called MT. THUNDER?! I have HAD it with these STUPID Ice types always showing up!” I turn to Squishy, shouting, “Squishy! Hit him with all you've got. Show no mercy!”
Squishy nods, blasting forth a Hydro Pump! The Piloswine leaps to the side just in time, narrowly avoiding the attack. I hear the Piloswine begin to inhale loudly, causing me to cringe at what I have to do next. I have to protect Squishy!
I leap in front of him, back facing the opponent. Squishy looks down at me, yelling, “FOOLISH BOY, GET OUT OF THE WAY!” With a swing of his head, he shoves me away, nearly causing me to trip. I can only watch as Squishy takes a direct hit from a blast of icy energy.

“Squishy!” Why'd he do that?!
“Hah...I can take it, Chespin! Now, think of your strongest attack, and DO IT!” Squishy fires off another Hydro Pump, missing the Piloswine again.
I look around, thinking of something to do. We're close to the exit, I can see a faint ray of sunlight just past the two! Using my vines, I grapple a stalactite near the exit, reeling myself past their fighting. Now in the sunlight, I hold my hands skyward, focusing my entire being into building up power. Looking up, I see the ball of energy building in size. C'mon, why's it gotta take so long?!
Squishy doesn't even try to dodge, tanking all of the icy blasts the Piloswine shoots at him. Finally, he lands a Hydro Pump, slamming our foe across the ground. I look up at the ball of energy again. Perfect, it's just the right size now, and our enemy is too dazed to get back up right away!

Running back into the cave, I hold my hands to my side, and in one quick motion, hold them together and throw them forward to fire a beam of pure light directly at the stupid Piloswine! I let out a cheer as it scores a direct hit, knocking the enemy directly into a rocky wall! Oh yeah, it never gets any less satisfying blowing someone away with a Solarbeam!
I walk over to him, angry that I had to deal with yet another Ice type enemy. The Piloswine can't seem to stand back up, but it's still conscious. That isn't good enough for me.
Reaching into my bag, I pull out the empty bottle from last night. With a loud scream, I smash it over their head, causing them to collapse instantly! It's still not enough, so I begin shouting at my now-unconscious foe. “TRY SHAKING DOWN EXPLORERS NOW YOU STUPID ROTTEN CHILLER!”
I close my eyes and clench my fists, exhaling slowly as I savor my moment of sweet, sweet victory. God, it felt so good to shatter that bottle over an enemy's head, especially one that's an Ice-type! It's a rush of pure satisfaction, of pure triumph. I showed that stupid Piloswine that he messed with the wrong team!

Squishy slithers up to me, looking a little beat up. “Solarbeam, so you do know a powerful attack! But what was that thing with the bottle about?”
Still fired up, I say, “Only one of the most classic human fighting techniques there is! Probably don't hurt as much as that beam, but man, the feeling of bashing a bottle over someone's head? It's such an amazing feeling.”
“I see...” Squishy looks a little skeptical. “Let us get out of this cave.”
Coming back outside, we travel for a few more minutes until we find a tucked-away alcove. “Here. Let us rest a little, Chespin.”
I take a seat on a small rock, rummaging through my bag for an Apple. I hold another Apple in a vine, letting Squishy eat from it.
“Chespin, what was with that outburst earlier? It was just an ordinary foe.”
I cross my arms, looking out over the horizon. “I hate going on adventures and finding an Ice type as the bad guy. Again.”
“But that reaction seems unusually strong! Could it be there is some story behind it?”

I sigh, my mind going back to the incident from months past. “Don't go getting spooked by my story again, but Wooper and I went into an icy cave to find a treasure so we could trade them for beds. That treasure was a bunch of Frisms, if you remember the one I gave you. It all went south when some stupid Cryogonal came out of nowhere and attacked us.”
Squishy gives me a curious look. “It was all to obtain beds?”
I nod. “Then I saw that thing getting ready to attack Wooper and...I don't know what came over me. I had only known him for a week and yet...I had to protect him! I tackled him out of the way, taking the hit for him.”
“Ah! See, Chespin? Only a true hero could be so selfless.”
“I'm really no-” I shake my head, he's probably not going to listen to that. “I took the hit for him and the pain...it was like nothing I had ever felt in my life up to that point. We continued fighting it, but our enemy got a lucky shot and...Wooper went down.” I cringe as I remember the details. “This was also before I knew a thing about fighting, and my vines barely scratched the enemy. It was only because of a few lucky Blast Seeds that I won.”
Squishy looks down at the ground. “So your first adventure went that badly...I see.”
“Until a few weeks ago, I had constant nightmares about it. Ever since that first adventure, two things have remained constant. I seriously hate Ice, and...I have to protect my friends, even if that means I get hurt instead!”

“So that's why you leapt in front of me. How courageous...” Squishy looks up, staring into my eyes. “...and foolish! You cannot take every attack meant for your companions!”
I shake my head. “No! I gotta protect Wooper! I've protected him from ice, from horrible poison, and-”
Squishy raises his voice, his voice taking on a stern tone. “Some things will be far worse for you to be hurt by. You would be beyond foolish to protect him from fire when he can put OUT fires! Outside of a very specific attack, Ice will hurt Woopy much less than you. THAT is why I pushed you out of the way earlier.”
“But that Cryogonal called his icy attack a 'Freeze-Dry!' And when it did hit Wooper, he got knocked out instantly! I can't let that happen to him ever again!”
Squishy lowers his voice. “I see...So all this time, you have thought the same would happen to Woopy each and every time. While your loyalty to Woopy is commendable, you must take greater care in how you protect him.”
I let out a sigh. “I get it. I'll have to talk to him about what we'll change sometime.”
“Good! Now, let us be off. Berry and Woopy could be at the top already.” Squishy slithers out of the alcove. Grabbing my bag, I follow behind.

The sounds of thunder grow louder as we ascend Mt. Thunder. Enemies are more sparse up here, and while Squishy does most of the work, I manage to fend off an Electrike or two with my vines. Even if I'm basically being carried through the dungeon by Squishy, it still feels nice to use my vines to beat enemies down. Just when it looks like we're about to near the final slope, we spot someone guarding the path.

They have a shiny metallic body, covered in thorns. They 'stand' on three vines, with a green spiky ball at the end of each. Spotting us, they let out a shout, slamming their mace-like vines into the ground.
I glance over at Squishy, who gives me a frustrated look. “Remember what I said about being careful with how you protect others? Ignore that for now. This foe looks extremely dangerous.”
I look around nervously, shouting, “B-but what do I do?! He's covered in thorns, I can't hit him without hurting myself!” This would be so much less stressful if I could breathe fire or something!
“Check inside your bag, boy! And be sure to protect me from his attacks. Someone like him could put me out of commission with a single blow, but you should fare much better against his strikes!”
I cringe at the idea of getting hit by this thing, but I know what I have to do. This is Wooper's dad, after all!

Squishy lets out a shout, the telltale red streaks of an Earth Power darting for Ferrothorn. The ground erupts underneath the enemy, knocking them into the air. Ferrothorn lands right on his vines, and begins to rush towards Squishy!
Leaping into action, I rush in front of Squishy, my armored side towards our adversary. A second later, I'm knocked across the ground as I take a heavy strike to the back! I wince from the pain, but I know I can take it! Compared to an Ice attack, this is nothing!
Standing back up, I look up as Squishy hits our foe with another Earth Power. Frantically looking into my bag for help, I spot a strange seed. It's shaped like an arrow, looking much like the second 'badge' on my scarf. I shove it into my mouth, a rush of energy filling my limbs.
Feeling much lighter, I dart back in front of Squishy, bravely taking the hit for him once again. This time, I tumble a bit before landing on my feet, but just as I'm ready to return to Squishy's side, I spot Ferrothorn club Squishy with his mace-like vines. Hard.
Squishy lets out a loud groan as he slams into a wall, collapsing to the ground. Weakly picking his head up, he says, “Ough...I cannot fight him any longer, Chespin...finish the job for me.”
He looks back at the Ferrothorn. With his voice fading, he says, “Remember this moment, monster...” A black, evil-looking cloud of energy shoots out of Squishy's body, blanketing the spiky being. With that, Squishy slumps down.

I look around, terrified. I feel all alone right now, wh-what just happened?! Squishy's down! Is he still alive? What was that black cloud? How can I fight something like this all alone when even Squishy couldn't deal with it?! Where's Wooper?
...Wooper's waiting for me just past here, he's gotta be. That's why I gotta fight this thing, no matter what it takes!

Nothing I know how to do will work, so I begin digging through my bag, hoping to find something. I get caught up in searching to the point where I don't realize that the Ferrothorn is readying another attack. Looking up just in time, I duck to the ground, the attack smashing down on my back. To my confusion, its attack feels a lot...weaker now? In fact, that barely even hurt at all! Did Squishy somehow lay a curse on this thing?!
Okay, if he's only hitting that hard now, I can definitely do this! Using the speed from the Quick Seed, I put some distance between the two of us, rummaging through my bag. Reaching inside, I pull out...some strange stick? It's red, with a fireball-shaped orb on the end. Could it be...? Where did this thing even come from?
Curious, I wave the stick, pointing it towards the Ferrothorn. A blast of fire shoots out of the tip, scorching the enemy! My earlier fear and paranoia melts away as I realize what I hold. Oh hell YES, this thing is awesome!

The Ferrothorn tries to charge at me, but I quickly use my vines to slingshot myself past him. Turning around to face him, I realize I'm in another one of those moments, a moment where all rational thought gives way to my childhood memories and fantasies. I can't stop myself anymore, I have a real-deal WAND in my hands!
“MAGIC MISSILE!” I wave the wand again, my foe letting out low roars of pain as the fireball strike home. I keep firing fireball after fireball. “MAGIC MISSILE! KILL THE STUPID METAL THORNY THING!” I twirl the wand around, doing a little spin myself before thrusting it forward, shouting out as loud as I can.
“BURASTO BAAAAAAAAN!”
With that last fireball, the Ferrothorn finally collapses. I blow on the tip of the wand, sticking it back into the bag. Man, that actually felt really, really good!

Now out of danger, my concern returns as I spot Squishy. I run over to him, relieved to see him still breathing. Digging through my bag again, I stuff a Reviver Seed in his mouth.
Moments later, he finally picks his head up. He spots the Ferrothorn, and says “Impressive...you did it, Chespin!”
I breathe a sigh of relief. “I did, and it was all thanks to this thing!” I pull the wand back out, showing it to him.
“Oh my, those things are somewhat hard to come by. Wherever did you get it?”
“I...don't know? I've never seen this thing before today.” Sticking the wand back in the bag, my hand brushes against a piece of paper. Pulling it out, I take a peek at it. “A letter?” Opening it up, I read it aloud.

“Heard you guys have had a lot of trouble with ice during your adventures to bring cozy times to all. Take this wand I found in the storeroom and blast those enemies to kingdom come!
-Toge, Team Cozy's biggest fan.”

I put the letter back in the bag, a small smile coming to my face. “I knew he was a fan of us since we saved his life, but man. Talk about helpful, I wish I had this wand months ago!”
“Ohoho, Woopy must be absolutely delighted to be part of the same guild as all of you.”
I nod. “You shoulda seen him those first few days. I've never seen anybody so excited in all my life!” Glancing back at the Ferrothorn, I say, “Hey, what was up with that black cloud that rose out of you earlier? Did you lay a curse on that bad guy?”
“That was a technique I only use if I know I cannot continue the fight. Though it may cost me my consciousness, it severely hinders the enemy's abilities, allowing others to continue battling without fear.” Squishy lets out a sigh as he looks at me once more. “To aid a human in such a way...I'm so grateful for such an honor.”
I rub my forehead, a little annoyed at his constant human talk. Maybe once this is all over I'll talk to him about this all. “Let's just hurry up and find the others. I won't feel right until Wooper's back!”

Squishy and I climb the final hill, arriving to the very top of Mt. Thunder. Looking around, I spot a second path not too far from us, as well as a third path that leads downward into a cave. I take a seat on a nearby rock, resting for a little as I look off over the landscape. The storm clouds are closer than ever, lighting streaking from cloud to cloud. Despite how ominous the weather looks here, the plains and forests off in the distance look bright and beautiful, the view absolutely incredible from this high up. I'm snapped out of my sightseeing by a very familiar voice.
“Chespin!”

I whip my head towards the direction of the voice, spotting Berry and Wooper coming up from the other path! Shooting my vines towards him, I reel Wooper into a hug! “Wooper! I was worried about you that whole time!”
Wooper looks up at me, smiling. “So was I! Beat up any bad guys while I was away?”
Setting him down, I say, “Yep. We had to fight ANOTHER stupid ice type. One that I blew away with that big beam of light!”
Squishy slithers up to us. “Chespin also protected me from a nasty Ferrothorn, fighting it even after I was knocked down.”
“Wha-no way!!” Wooper gasps, his mouth going wide. “You fought something even Dad couldn't take out?!”
I can't help but smile at his amazement. “Ahaha...it's less impressive than it sounds.” I pull the fiery wand out of my bag. “A certain someone from the guild snuck this in my bag at some point before we left. If it weren't for this, it woulda gotten really bad! So I uh...relied on my tools more than my abilities.”
Berry joins us, saying, “Hmm, a win is a win, no matter how it's earned.”

Standing back up, I say, “So, that treasure, where is it? We better not have climbed all the way up here for the 'treasure' of a good view.”
Berry pulls out the map, looking at it once more. “Hmm, should be here somewhere...Perhaps that little cave over there?”
“Right!” Squishy motions for us to follow him. “Stay vigilant! Situations like this often have the strongest foe in the area just before the treasure!”
“Got it.” I follow the others towards the cave.

Just as we approach, a flash of light brighter than any thunderbolt shines from the cave! I let out a cry as I cover my eyes, temporarily blinded. It's like looking into the sun!
A strange voice yells out at us, their voice echoing throughout the area. “Who dares to show themselves in the domain of I, the Living Thunderstorm?”
When I open my eyes again, I'm seeing spots no matter where I look. The light now much dimmer, I can make out the source of the voice. They are tall and yellow, with black stripes on their neck and...ears? Their stomach is also white, and they have glowing orbs on their head and tail. It's like a mix of a sheared sheep, a kangaroo, and a lighthouse, all at the same time.

“...An Ampharos?” I'm confused, this isn't the sort of fearsome foe I had imagined would be at the top of this mountain.
Squishy yells at our opponent, saying, “We come seeking the treasure our map told us about!”
The Ampharos smirks, saying, “Well then, come and take i-oh?” His voice quiets down considerably, his former cockiness gone. “What's that on your scarf?”
“Aha! Noticed our badges, have you?” Squishy sounds a little too prideful as he says, “The smaller ones are Team Cozy, while we are Team Marsh!”
“My my! May I take a look?” The Ampharos approaches Squishy, his expression softening considerably as he sees Team Marsh's badges. “Team Marsh...Oh, I remember now, there was a team by the same name long ago that had rescued me in the Great Canyon. I've heard so many tales of your feats throughout the years!”

I let out a nervous sigh. This went from 100 to 0 in an instant. “So...you're not gonna fight us? No big battle atop a stormy mountain?”
The Ampharos laughs, his light orbs flickering as he does so. “Ahaha, quite the contrary, I'm glad to have visitors, especially those that are friends with Team Marsh! In fact...” He points to me, saying, “How would you like to learn how to harness the power of a thunderstorm yourself?”
Gasping, I say, “Wha-but how? I can't call down lightning or shoot it out of my hands!”
Ampharos holds a flipper to his chin. “You can't shoot it out of your hands, but...How's making your hands crackle with power sound?”
“...Wait, seriously? You mean like, punching someone so hard it zaps 'em?”
“Right you are! Come over here and I'll show you.”

I turn back to the others, unsure of things. Wooper says “Go on! If he tries anything, he'll have to fight us all!”
With backup like them, it's probably okay. I approach Ampharos, who kneels down and grabs my right hand.
“First off, I'll need to give you a little spark. This might sting a little, but it won't last for long, I promise!”
'A little'? Isn't that what doctors say before doing something incredibly painful? But...the thought of zapping foes is irresistible. Nodding to the others, I tell the Ampharos, “Okay. Make it quick.”

Ampharos's flippers begin to spark with electricity, his orbs lighting up in tandem as he grips my hand. I grit my teeth as I feel my body begin to twitch from the electric currents, and yet...This doesn't hurt anywhere near as much as I thought it would! Does this body actually resist shocks and jolts?
Ampharos lets go, my hand still crackling a little before it fizzles out. “You should have a little spark of your own now.” He points up at the storm clouds. “Look up at those thunderclouds. Listen to the thunder echoing through the mountain range, see the flash of lightning. Remember these, and call them to your mind while clenching a fist.”

I stare up at the storm, drinking in every last detail of it. Even a minuscule amount of this sort of power would be incredibly useful. I clench my fist and...nothing. I try again, tensing up my arm as well. I feel a strange warmth fill my hand. Looking down, I see my hand is now wreathed in electricity! What's more, it isn't hurting me at all! “I-I-I'm doing it!”
The Ampharos gives me a small clap. “Good, good, exactly like that! Now...give me your best shot! Don't worry, I can take it!” I feel bad for punching someone that taught me this, but if he's asking...
With a yell, I slam my fist into his stomach, the force of my blow knocking him a little off-balance, but not enough to knock him down.
Regaining his balance, the Ampharos lets out a happy laugh. “Well done! Practice a little and you might be able to get more of a spark out of it.”
“Got it!” I spark up my hand again, grinning. Wait until those Ice types get a load of this!

Wooper walks forward, a look of wonder on his face. “That's great, Chespin! Think of all the bad guys that'll be taken by surprise!” Looking up at Ampharos, he says, “But...where's the treasure?”
“My my, wherever could it be, I wonder~?” Without warning, the Ampharos heads into the cave. A minute later, he walks back out, holding a small chest.
Something about this guy feels off. “Wait, you're just...giving it to us? Why?”
“When I moved up here, I found this chest in that cave. I was so excited, but when I opened it, I was saddened to find that none of it was of any use to me! It doesn't matter to me if it's given away, so have at it! I needed to clear up space anyways.”
So he's just pawning his trash off on us? “Well...okay.”
“Hope you four enjoy it!” With that, the Ampharos leaves us, heading back into his cave.

Squishy slithers up next to me. “Ohoho! It's quite rare for an adventure in a place like this to end without a battle! Go on, Chespin, let's see what it is!”
I flip the latch, opening the small chest. Inside, I spot a...CD? This is like that thing that taught me Solarbeam, right? Grabbing it, I notice that the writing on it is faded, making it impossible to read.
“Oh, oh, lemme try it!” Before I can respond, Wooper pushes his head towards the CD, causing it to crumble into dust.
“Wooper! You broke it! What's with you?!” Did we come all this way for next to nothing?
Wooper doesn't respond, seeming to be in a trance all of a sudden. “Uhh...Wooper?” I wave my hand in front of his face. Is this really what I was like when I used one of them?

After a few moments of this, Wooper wordlessly wanders off away from the group, stopping in an open area nearby. Curious, I follow him, wondering what's gotten into him. Just as I'm about to step in front of him, Wooper opens his mouth, firing off a light-blue beam of energy. I feel a rush of cold air as the beam whizzes right past my head, the energy coating a nearby boulder in ice!
My mind goes blank as the sight of the attack, paired with my close call, causes a wave of terror and fear to slam into me. All rational thought leaves my mind as I remember the scene from my old nightmares. I let out a horrified scream as I fall to the ground, trying to protect myself as I feel myself shake and shudder. “AAAAH, NOOOO! G-G-GET AWAY!!”
I hear Wooper gasp at my cries of horror. “Ch-Chespin! I'm so so so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you! The disc taught me how to do that! I didn't realize how big it would be, or even that you were right there!”
I take a few very shaky breaths as I get up, my heart still racing. “Th-that disc taught you how to shoot i-ice?!” Great, now his parents know just how badly I can fall apart at the sight of ice.
Wooper nods, frowning. “It did, but...maybe I shouldn't do it if it's that bad for you to see.”
“I...” I don't know what to say. The mere sight of Ice-based attacks still utterly terrifies me, especially when I'm caught off-guard! But...this one came from Wooper himself! Part of me wants to be afraid of him, and yet...oh, what am I thinking.
This is Wooper! The embodiment of enthusiasm! The friendliest Pokemon I've ever seen! ...The other half of Team Cozy! Even if it's a terrifying attack, it's a terrifying attack that's working FOR us!
Taking a few deep breaths to try calming myself back down, I say, “We'll...have to work on it. I thought I was getting better with this sort of thing, too...”

Once I compose myself, I turn back to Team Marsh. “Sorry you had to see that.”
“Hmm, there's no need to be sorry. We all have things that we fear.” Berry points back to the small chest. “Mmm, was there anything else in there?”
“I dunno, the first thing I saw was that disc.” I walk over to the chest, peeking back inside. Reaching inside, I pull out the only other item, a stone shaped like a music note. I hold it up, confused. “...A weird lookin' rock? The treasure was a scary move and a strange r-”
Squishy lets out a loud cry of surprise, cutting me off. “MY WORD, IT'S A WISH STONE!”
“A Wish Stone? You mean I...Wooper and I get to make a wish now?” My mind instantly searches for something to wish for. I could wish for TRUE beds from the human world for the whole guild! I could wish for a ton of Spinda drinks! I could wish for...
I'm snapped out of my thoughts by Berry. “Mmm, those are extraordinarily rare, Chespin. Incredibly hard to come by. But wishing here won't work.”

Figures, there's always some kind of catch. Sticking the stone in my bag, I say, “Well, how do we get it to work?”
“Aha, that's the tricky part!” Squishy begins to explain. “You see, you must take it to one of only a few special places in the world. Most of these are highly advanced dungeons, the likes of which would test even the most skilled of explorers.”

I look down at the ground, my hopes crushed. “B-But I'm not one of those...I can count the amount of dungeons I've actually been through on my quills! And I was so close to making a real wish...” I let out a sad sigh, disappointed at the news.
Wooper walks up to me, patting me on the back with his tail. “It's okay, Chespin. Nothing's saying we have to hunt for those places right away.”
“Wait...you're fine with not going? I thought you'd be pushing me to go.”
Wooper nods. “It's fine, Chespin. Maybe we can go after we get more experience with exploring?”
“Maybe. I definitely know what I want to wish for.”
“...You do? I hope it's something good!” That's strange, did Wooper hesitate a bit there or did I just imagine that?
Squishy speaks up once more. “While it is true most of those dungeons are grueling tests of endurance and skill, I have heard some are much closer to standard fare. Try out one of those dungeons, and give it a go!”

My hope rekindled, I pick my head back up. “We'll have to look into it once we get back to town! Anyways, we should get off this rock. But uh...how do we get back? I think I forgot my Escape Orbs.”
Berry digs through her bag, pulling an Orb out. “Never leave home without them, mhmm!” Berry smashes the orb on the ground, a blue light surrounding us all. My vision goes blurry only to return to normal in a matter of seconds. Just like that, we're at the base of the mountain. The stormclouds have cleared up a little, a few rays of sunlight washing over us.

I stretch my arms, relishing in the feeling of sunlight once again. “Glad to be back around some greenery again! But, aren't you guys sad you two didn't get any treasure?”
Squishy shakes his head. “Not at all, Chespin. I'm perfectly happy with the experience alone!”
I shrug, saying, “Alright, so now what? Head back home?”
Wooper speaks up with “Oh, oh! Can we check out Pokemon Square? I think we deserve a little break before heading back home!”
I nod. “I'm down for it. I've always wanted to see what that place is really like.”
Berry puts a hand to her chin. “Hmm? Have you heard of it before today?”
“I-I uhh...yes? Someone in town um...used to live there! Yeah, that's what it is.” I'd never be able to explain how I knew about it in a million years!
“Cool! C'mon, let's hurry back before night falls!” Wooper takes off towards the west, the three of us following behind him.

As we walk back towards Pokemon Square, I wonder about the Wish Stone. Can it actually grant wishes, or is that just some fable? Just how bad are the dungeons I'd have to go in to activate it? What would I truly wish for if the time ever came? What limitations are there on wishing? Would Wooper and I each be able to come up with a wish that works for the both of us? No matter what happens, one thing remains clear.

I'm gonna have to keep the Wish Stone a secret from the guild. There'd be absolute chaos if they knew what we found!