Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: The Phantasmagoria

Special Episode: Can You Make A Promise?

Part 1: One Lucky Day

A flurry of cascading snowflakes descended from the twinkling midnight sky, the furious gale of the night blowing them to new destinations. Across giant and sheer glaciers in the ocean, and huge swathes of freezing tundra's, they would ascend into the skies, reaching the Frost Region's very own Glacier Peak Mountain.

While not the most hospitable for majority of Pokémon, many Ice-types in particular would call it their home - especially one village nestled atop the mountain's rugged cliffs. Travelers and Pokémon native to it would come to call it Kyuris - named after the beast, Kyurem, who was rumored to dwell deep inside the mountain's many caverns.

At a time like this, everyone who inhabited the village was asleep, taking rest in their timber cottages. But one cabin on the outskirts of the village still showed signs of activity throughout the night, with a warm and illuminating lantern turned-on near the windowsill. Just beside the isolated lodge, and sitting on a ridge overlooking the mountain, an alabaster coated Ninetales would keep a sharp eye on a snow shelf tucked away in a distant valley - his concern grew.

"Definitely need to check that out with Beartic, and-"

Realizing the words coming out of his mouth, he steered his gaze to instead stare at the starry sky. He has promised his mate that he wouldn't think or mention about work for an entire week, as the two had been given time off to adjust to their new life.

"Ah, I wonder how long I'll have to stay up…"

It appeared his decision to advert his attention was a good choice, for the auroras decided to return in full swing tonight. The divine curtains of twisting green light spiraled across the stars, providing its cosmic radiance to all those that gazed up at the heavens.

It was one lucky day, and it seemed Arceus himself bestowed these blessings unto them.

Before he could continue to admire the scenery, a creaking of the door to the cabin behind him would steal the spotlight, looking back to see his beloved mate exit the home and walk softly towards him. She was a Ninetales just like him, but her cream-ish locks of flowing fur were more darkened in tone.

He didn't know much about Shiny Pokémon, but it was another lucky stroke for him to meet a wonderful woman this rare and beautiful.

"Honey… I think it's finally about to happen," she said quietly, a wide smile stretching across her muzzle.

"… You're for real, aren't you?" He gulped, psyching himself up for what was to come - an excited grin of his own forming nonetheless. "You still think you're correct on your assumption?"

She laughed, hastily returning to the door. "Hurry. I'll prove you wrong once we see her."

Before he could retort back, she was already inside once again. Bidding farewell to the calm snowy showers of the outside, he joined her on the inside, closing the door and embracing the warmth he grew to miss everyday.

It was no mansion, but it was cozy enough for two Pokémon to reside, which was soon to change. Other than their own bedding, their harnesses, rope, and other work equipment were neatly placed on shelves, ready for them at a moment's notice. But no item nor piece of furniture was more important than what was cradled in the corner of the home. Protected by warm bits of straw, a white Pokémon egg was to be seen. Visible cracks formed in its outer shell as it wobbled on its own back and forth.

"You weren't kidding…" the male Ninetales' said softly, slowly inching his way over toward the nestled egg. "And look! He's already trying to break free and see his pop, ha!"

Rolling her eyes, the soon to be mother carefully rested her body mere inches from the shaking egg. She would be joined by her mate as the young couple watched with bated breath for their sole child to finally be brought into this amazing world.

They wouldn't have to wait any longer.

"Hey! Look! Its-"

"Shhh!" the female harshly shushed.

The egg's movement accelerated as chips of the outer shell began peeling off, until a wide cracking noise and tear in the thin frame would pop the top half of the egg right off, revealing the newly born Pokémon inside. The innocent and baby-blue eyes of a snow-white Vulpix would slowly unfurl, batting its virgin eyelids at the influx of blinding new light. It yawned cutely, locking its tired gaze unto the two starry eyed Pokémon staring back, mewling softly at them.

The new mother would waste no time in standing up to brush aside the scattered pieces of shell casing that surrounded her child. After doing so, she delicately grabbed the tiny kit by the scruff of its neck, laying down and placing the pup near her stomach to rest upon.

"Hah… it looks like I was… right, huh?" she said, her emotional dam about to burst with joy. "Come… come and see your daughter, honey."

He would only break out of his happiness induced stupor after her words. The Ninetales' slowly walked over, getting a good look at the fuzzy little face he would take care of the rest of his life. He didn't cry often, but no man wouldn't cry upon seeing their kid for the first time.

"Wow… You're adorable, you know that?" he mouthed.

A weary cry from the pup was the response he got, and he accepted it.

"Heh, me too… me too." He raised a paw, gently touching the Vulpix's much smaller pair with his own. "You don't know it, but you've got great things coming your way…" His mate silently agreed, diligently attending to her daughter's dietary needs.

The rest of the night would go smoothly as both parents stayed up until the morning and even the day to make sure their Vulpix was well secure for living with them as a loving family.

"C'mon! Just a little more, sweetie!"

The one year old fox kit listened closely to the male voice's encouraging shouts, stumbling around in the general direction she heard it come from. Eventually, her sluggish crawl would turn into a staggered trot, utilizing her four short paws to now walk towards the voice.

"That's it! Keep going!"

To a mere infant, the wooden floor of a modestly sized cabin was like traversing an entire continent, but her will to reach the Ninetales wouldn't falter, bringing her closer and closer. It wasn't long until her efforts would be rewarded, as she completed the journey, rubbing her furry cheek against her father's forelegs and babbling away incoherently.

"Haha, you did it!" He angled his neck downward, nuzzling the little fox. "You made daddy very proud today, didn't you?"

"… D-dad-dy?"

The Ninetales' sturdy blue orbs lit up in surprise at the high pitched yet soft voice coming from the Vulpix. He kneeled to the floor, wanting to hear more from his daughter.

"Sweetheart, can you say that one more time?"

"… Daddy!"

The father immediately embraced her with a paw, laughing loudly. "You called me daddy! Haha, can't wait to show your mom what you just did!"

The tiny pup, however, didn't seem to understand her father's enthusiasm, and endlessly repeated that word for her own entertainment.

While the claws of a Ninetales weren't as sharp as a Weavile's, or any other clawed Pokémon, the tips of them were just pointed enough to slice an Occa Berry in half.

Vulpix watched in childlike fascination as her mother expertly diced up the pile of berries and other frost resistant fruit on the kitchen counter. The Ninetales would then brush the bits of cubed fruit into a bowl, moving on to the next step of prepping dinner.

"Does this interest you, sweetie?"

The distracted kit's ears perked up at her mother's comment. "Mmm… yeah," she mumbled, not knowing what to say.

Being only three years old, she didn't have the vocabulary to express just what about her mother's cooking interested her.

"Do you remember that nice warm berry soup that me and daddy make all the time?"

The Vulpix thought long and hard, before nodding viciously, remembering that meal fondly. If she were to learn how to create it by herself, then she could eat as much as wanted of it, and that was a small child's dream.

"Well, you might not follow everything I do, but just watch what I do, and try picture yourself doing it!"

And so Ninetales' restarted the process, slicing the berries, placing them in a dish, adding drops of honey and pinches of sugar, then putting it all into the open tray of a funny red and yellow device. It was shaped like a Darumaka, which never failed to amuse the little girl whenever she saw it. After a few minutes, the device grew red and hot, jettisoning steam from its 'nostrils'. But once its tiny tantrum was over, her mother adopted small mitts around her paws, opening up the appliance and retrieving the now liquified contents from it. She placed the scorching bowl on a nearby rack to cool off, free from the paws of a curious Vulpix.

"And once it cools off, it'll be ready to eat!" her mother explained. "Maybe when you're older you can start creating your own food… or making your own recipes, and then teach your children them!"

Vulpix didn't exactly know what a 'recipe' was, but the thought of making her own dishes or recipes by herself one day excited her. However, there was one other concoction she wanted to see done before her eyes - the round delectable puff-like treats she'd only see whenever she was on her best behavior.

"Poke… puffs? Mommy! Can you make Pokepuffs?"

The Ninetales' face blanked a little, knowing exactly where her beloved daughter was going with this. She sighed, knowing this was still good learning for her small fox.

"Oh… alright, sweetie. But I'm only doing this so you can do this yourself one day."

"Yay!"

While the Ninetales got to work on whipping up a batch, an enthralled Vulpix would observe her do so, attempting to harness the cooking powers of her masterful mother.

"Take a good look! That's what me and daddy do on a regular basis!"

"I see - I see!"

Vulpix slightly squirmed her way out of the Ninetales' smothering tails, getting a good look at the group of working Ice-type Pokémon entrenched in a pit just beside a valley of steep looking snow overlooking the village. The workers chipped away at the hole's sides, ensuring all the snow would simply fall inside once triggered to fall.

They were the Glacier Guiders, a group of Pokémon from her village that prevented avalanches and saved Pokémon all across the Glacier Peak Mountains.

"You see, sweetie… when the seasons change and the weather gets warmer, we have to stop any deposits of snow that may come falling down."

"Wow… Do you do that everyday, mommy?"

The Ninetales' giggled, bringing her child close. "Not always, sweetie. But in order to keep everyone here safe, sometimes me and your daddy must do what we need to do."

"That's so cool!"

While the pup had seen a lot of things in her five years on this earth, the jobs her parents went on all the time always stirred her mind crazy at what it was. But one lucky day, her constant begging to tag along would pay off, and she got front row seats to observe them work a safe distance away.

"Honey! Uh, got some news!"

Vulpix, hearing the jubilant tone of her father, bounded after the voice's direction, but found herself barreling into a set of soft wispy tails.

"Just wait a second, sweetie," her mother cooed, much to the dismay of the hyper fox.

From beyond an embankment of compact snow, a massive Beartic and another Ninetales emerged, heading their way with concerned expressions on their faces. Vulpix hid in her mother's tails at the sight of the imposing bear, but slowly popped back up once seeing her father.

"Turns out those 'travelers' we found near the cave weren't actually travelers - they were bandits."

The Shiny Ninetales' gasped at the revelation. "Surely that can't be true, right, Beartic?" She tilted her head. "What would thieves want in these mountains, anyway?"

Beartic shrugged. "Dunno. They were Ice-types too - a Glaceon, a Bergmite, and a Froslass." He laughed hoarsely. "Said they came here to see if Kyruem is really here, but ah… was a buncha nonsense to trick us into lettin' 'em go."

"We don't have proper jailing quarters in the village, so what will we do with them?" she questioned. "Could a guard unit from Slush City come and arrest them?"

"Might just have to keep them in the village for now, honeym" her mate responded. "It's a bit dangerous traversing the mountain now, and a couple of thieves in the mountains isn't really a priority."

Beartic scoffed. "We'll let them hang around Kyuris for the time being. In the meantime, let's keep setting off these avalanches before the caravans come in a few days."

Vulpix wasn't quite sure what exactly the three were discussing, but all she could grasp was that they had caught thieves - bad Pokémon. Heroes always saved the day from Pokémon like those in the stories her parents read to her, and it seemed today proved those mere tales to be true.

She could only wonder what it felt like to be a hero and save the day herself.

"With that taken care of… I suppose we have some time for recess."

The Jynx had little time to react before her hyperactive students exited their seats and bolted to the door in an excited frenzy.

"Ah! Please don't push or shove, and remember to stay within the school yard!"

The teacher's advice fell on deaf ears as each child exited the schoolhouse in droves, running out into the fenced off snowy fields to frolic around and play with their friends. Vulpix exited last, thankful not to get trampled by her fellow classmates. While she did want to know more about today's lesson, the kit wouldn't pass up another opportunity to read her favorite book.

Once outside, she searched the crowds of playing Pokémon to find her friend - Cubchoo. After spotting the cub standing around all by herself , she jogged over, her quite hefty saddlebag of school supplies and books fluttering in the wind behind her.

"Cubchoo! I brought my book again!"

The bear sniffled the drooping blue mucus dangling from her nose, eyeing the incoming Vulpix. "R-Really? You'll read some to me again, r-right?"

"Um, yeah!"

The bear's eyesight was poor without her glasses, and since she had lost them a while back, Vulpix had volunteered to act as the Pokémon's eyes and read to her on occasion until she got a new pair of glasses.

The cub clapped her paws in delight. "Yay! Same s-spot?"

"Sure!"

Huddled together on a frost covered bench underneath a tree, Vulpix opened her saddlebag and procured the little red book from it. The title across the front read 'The Lucky Tale', accompanied by colorful art of a fox-like Pokémon with an erupting volcano behind it. The children's novel told of a Fire-type Vulpix from a faraway continent, who would go out on a heroic adventure to stop a volcano from destroying her home village.

Vulpix couldn't help but see herself in that other Vulpix's situation, imagining herself of saving her own village from an incoming avalanche or roving bands of thieves. Her imagination went wild with different scenarios as she read out loud the first few chapters to her friend.

"W-Wow! She really beat that mean Houndoom a-all by herself?" Cubchoo squeaked out in surprise, sniffling.

"Yup!" Vulpix flipped the page. "She's really cool!"

"Um, Vulpix?" Cubchoo's attention was honed in on a circular sticker attached to the book's cover. "What's t-that thing say?"

The confused fox tilted the book on its side, cocking her head. "What do you mean? I don't see it!"

"There!" The small bear pointed straight at it. "Isn't that the book return thing from the library?"

With a quick glance, the kit was able to determine that her friend was correct in her assumption. Horror dawned on the Vulpix's expression as she closed the book in fear.

"Ah! I was supposed to turn this book in yesterday!" She leapt off the bench, tossing the book into her saddlebag in a hurry. "I need to go right now and turn it in!"

"B-But it's school time!" Cubchoo sneezed, frowning. "You can't just leave right now, right?"

Vulpix couldn't put this off any longer, as she already feared bringing her parents home a bill for a late fee. If she were to run all the way to the library and turn it in, then it was possible she could return before recess ended.

It was a bargain she had to take.

"I'll be back soon! If, um, I'm gone longer, just tell Miss Jynx I got really sick all of a sudden!"

"O-Okay…"

With her new mission on a time limit, Vulpix ran towards the fields fence that blocked her from leaving. She didn't like breaking rules or skipping class, but she swallowed her worried thoughts and squeezed her small frame through the fence's holes, eventually ending up on the other side of it.

'Okay, now to go to the library!'

She put her stubby paws to good use, sprinting down the school's hilly terrain and into the snow packed central square of the inner village. Shooting past wooden cottages and confused Pokémon wandering the streets, she made a mad dash to the tiny house of bookshelves this village called a library.

'Please, please help me make it, Arceus… or Kyruem, whoever!'

The young kit prayed to whatever Legendary out there witnessing her plight as she neared the last turn to her destination. However, she didn't account for the slick coating of ice that encased the cobblestone roads, causing her to slip and glide across it.

Vulpix gasped, realizing her situation and squeezing her eyes shut, unsure and frightened of where her journey would end up. She expected to face plant into a pile of snow, but didn't expect to smash right into the backside of another Pokémon. Luckily, she was able to regain her footing right after, quickly hopping up and rubbing her freshly bonked snout with a paw.

"Ouch… sorry there, miss… or, um, mister?"

The Pokémon in question, a Froslass, whirled around with a twirl of her ghostly kimono-like dress of ice. Thankfully for the fox, her aged face lacked an angry expression, seeming more embarrassed than anything.

"My, was I in your way to the library, dear? I apologize for being rather slow…"

Vulpix seized up, shuffling her forelegs together. "Um, yes? Wait, No! I mean- I just needed to return a book here." She motioned to her saddlebag with a whip of her head. "I gotta get back to school, so that's why I ran and, er… slid into you."

"Well, dear, I'm afraid to tell you that the library is closed today."

"W-What?!"

She was gonna get killed by her parents.

"Yes, but…" The Froslass made up her mind. "Since you came all this way, I can possibly convince the librarian in there to accept your deposit."

"Really?!" Vulpix grew a joyous smile. "You'll do that for me?"

Froslass giggled. "I am the librarian's assistant, so I can make it happen if I wish… Do you have it on you, dear?"

Vulpix wasted no time in opening her saddlebag to retrieve the book, handing it off to Froslass, who turned around and floated into the timber lodge. Vulpix was just behind, unsure if she would have to pay a late fee for her tardiness. Inside was a narrow labyrinth of dusty bookshelves and halls of paintings of old elders or other important figures of Kyuris. Nonetheless, the two went past it all to reach the desk at the end of the room, finding a quite busy Sandlash swamped with surrounding papers.

Frosslass coughed to get its attention, briefly chatting with the Ice-type while Vulpix curiously analyzed the stuffy library as any kid would do. But what she did notice from the adult's conversation was the mention of a late fee - her blood ran cold.

'Shoot! Now I need to get mom and dad to do this!'

"It's fine, Sandslash, I will pay for it with my own money." Frosslass took out a sack of Poké from her dress, dropping the right amount of coinage onto the desk. "That should cover it, right?"

'Huh? Did she…'

The Sandslash seemed to accept the payment, shooing them both off with a wave of its icy claws. Froslass immediately began to leave, chauffeuring the shocked kit beside her out the door and into the cold streets. The hasty return back to school wasn't present in Vulpix's mind, as only one question resided within her.

"Why'd you pay for my book fee, Miss Froslass?"

The Ghost-type folded her hands. "I'm aware that school children don't carry around Poké with them, so it seemed convenient to pay right then and there… And besides, I wanted to help out a child that I presume loves to read, correct?"

Vulpix blushed. "Um, yes! I come here when I don't have homework to do."

Froslass laughed into a hand. "My, I bet you're quite a smart girl in school with all the knowledge you must know by now…"

"Er, well…" The kit dug a paw into the snow. "I kinda just like books about heroes and stuff. That's… that's what I wanna be when I grow up!"

"Ah… that's a good dream to have. But being a hero isn't all about strength - it's about having the knowledge and wisdom to save the day for others that lack it! Only when you better the lives of other Pokémon can glory be considered yours…"

Vulpix wanted to have that glory, the feeling of bettering someone else's life with her own. Like her parents, she wanted to help others. But while translating the Pokémon's words into her own guidance, she remembered that one prospect her mother had mentioned.

"Um, Miss Frosslass? Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything, dear."

The fox squirmed, trying to find the right words for her proposal. "Well… my mom told me a while back that once I turned seven years old, we'd need a nanny at our home to watch me while they were gone for work, and…" Her crystalline colored eyes shimmered with hope. "Could… could you be my nanny for just a bit?"

Frosslass was stunned that the child would entrust a mere stranger with an offer this personal. She contemplated it, but felt her hesitant defenses on the outside weakening at the kit's innocent and hopeful gaze. On the inside, her heart thumped with joy at the thought of watching over this youth.

It was one lucky day for her to be late to work.

"If your parents would accept me as one… then it would be an honor, dear."

Vulpix did a little dance with her paws, jumping up and down, careful to not slide on the ice again. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I won't be bad or anything, I promise!"

"I know who your parents are, so I expect you won't be trouble." Frosslass angled her head. "My, shouldn't you be back at school by now?"

"Uh, shoot! I gotta go now, Miss Froslass! But I hope to see you again!"

Vulpix said her goodbyes in a frantic flash, darting down the opposite street back to her school. She may have been late to return, but she definitely considered this to be one lucky day for her to earn a new friend and a possible nanny through her heroic adventure.

It took a lot of convincing, or rather, begging from Vulpix to have her parents strike a deal with the Froslass, and have her become the kit's nanny while they were gone. However, the two Ninetales' would keep a sharp eye on the Ghost-type in secret before they could fully trust her to guard and care for their child alone. But after realizing her true intentions, Froslass was given passage and fully accepted into their home.

"Remember just a pinch, dear."

"Um, right!"

Since Vulpix's mother was quite busy on certain weekends, the pup was able to practice the many recipes that the Shiny Ninetales adopted over the years with someone else. With Froslass supervising by her side in the kitchen, she tried her very best to prepare a dish of Pokepuffs her hard working parents would appreciate when they finally came home.

Frosslass took the pot of sugar from a flustered Vulpix. "Like this…" She lightly tipped the container over the bowl of patter they were stirring. "And you pull it back before it becomes too sugary to eat."

"That's… that's not a bad thing, though!"

Her nanny chuckled, handing the pouting kit a wooden spoon to stir the contents of the bowl with. Eventually, their quite messy efforts in the kitchen will be rewarded, but Frosslass knew to take it one step at a time with the child's remarkable sweet tooth.

"Mag… nifi… um.. kent?"

"Magnificent, dear," Froslass corrected, observing Vulpix decipher a novel of stronger vocabulary for her age. "And that word right there is 'artificial'."

"Arti… ficial?" A nod sealed in the kit's vocal victory. "Artificial! Artificial!"

The bookshelves inside their tiny home provided many insights into a world of knowledge, history, and even fiction that amazed the kit. But Vulpix wanted to someday visit a huge library and read all the books there.

Still, she learned little by little of Celestic and the surrounding continents each day.

"Wow! Is this really just a library?!"

Vulpix sped past the double doors of the building's entrance, entering a grand room with bookshelves that rose like pillars, and stained glass windows lining the walls. Well lit chandeliers were suspended from the stylized stone ceiling, burning fervently.

"Yes, it is!" Froslass answered, a wide smile across her face, but quite as large as Vulpix's. "Slush City's library isn't as monumental as the one in Empyrean City, but its wealth of collected intelligence is vast enough to have you reading for centuries!"

The kit didn't understand much of the old lady's spiel, but her parting words excited the small bookworm greatly. With a wag in her tails, Vulpix picked an aisle to trot down, analyzing the titles of fiction, non-fiction, and other works that interested her.

Frosslass hovered behind her in amusement, even feeling youthful just walking down these old hallways of literature.

Hours seemed to go by in a flash in the library as Vulpix turned another page of the extensive book she was reading out loud to Froslass. It was a codex of all Legendary Pokémon around the globe - their mythos and real powers described in details.

Currently, they were discussing the possible truth of Kyurem and the fabled treasure beneath the Glacier Peak Mountains.

"Nanny! It says here in this book that Kyurem really does exist! And, um, but there's no sign that there's treasure there at all."

Frosslass nodded. "Many Pokémon spread rumors that Legendaries guard relics of artifacts of importance. While most are false or hearsay, it doesn't stop exploration groups from trying to find them."

Vulpix pondered this truth. "That seems kind of silly… If Legendaries are like us, why would they do something like that? If they got loads of Poké from selling their treasure, then they could buy all the Pokepuffs they ever wanted!"

The Ghost-type laughed fondly at the kit's innocence. "It's not so simple, dear. Some could protect treasures out of honor or duty, or even to keep it out of the hands of Pokémon who would steal it for their own intentions."

"… Nanny, do you know why Pokémon do bad things?"

Despite it being a question by a still growing child, it was a question of philosophy that every Pokémon had a different answer to. For Frosslass, that answer resided deep inside her aching heart - hidden beneath layers of regret, anger, confusion, and great sorrow over the old lady's many losses over her years on this earth.

But being here and reading right now with this joyful spirit soothed the woman's frothing feelings inside.

"Vulpix… did I ever mention to you before that I had a daughter?"

"Um… no?" The kit leaned in, ears springing up with curiosity. "Who is she? And is she the same age as me?"

Frosslass sighed contentedly. "No, my dear. If she were still alive, she'd be the same age as your parents."

"If she was still alive…? Do you mean...?"

"Yes, dear. She…" Frosslass swallowed her distaste. "My daughter is no longer with us, along with the children she was going to bring into this world. There's not a thing I could do to see her again, no matter my actions."

Vulpix bit her lip, lowering her book. "Nanny… why are you telling me this?"

"Because Pokémon have many… vindictive but very real reasons for being bad to others and themselves. And I am no stranger to it, dear."

The kit gasped, not believing her words. "You? A Bad Pokémon? That can't be true… right?" she almost pleaded.

"Yes… I am. While I am an old lady, my childish anger still found me in groups of roving bandits who attacked and stole from others." Frosslass sighed, gazing out an adjacent window. "I told myself when venturing to the Glacier Peak Mountains with thieves beside me… that there was no reason for me to exist in this cruel world, but that is no excuse for my actions, dear."

"But… you aren't a bad Pokémon, nanny." The fox's eyes shined with hope and happiness. "You've taught and shown me so many cool things this past year! You've shown me that you're a good Pokémon and an awesome nanny!"

"… Thank you, dear." Frosslass shuttered a few freezing tears from the pup's statement. "I was happy to have your parents accept me despite my actions, and It means… a lot for you to say those kind words to me."

The fox leapt forward with astounding speed, wrapping the Ghost-type in a much needed hug. It would last for quite a while, both parties knowing how much the other meant to them.

Frosslass quietly watched on the sidelines of the open field as Vulpix and her friends from school played in the snow - playfully wrestling or throwing snowballs at each other - just being kids and having fun with their lives.

She coughed quietly into a hand - she knew her time was coming soon, but she wasn't thinking about herself or the life she left behind before settling down in this isolated village. Instead, her thoughts were of the kind and intelligent Vulpix she would have to leave behind very soon.

What sort of emotional toll would she leave on her? Could it be repaired? Should she have ever accepted the offer to be in this position of her life?

Nevertheless, having an impact at all on the fox's growth in life was something remarkable to her. All her past regrets seemed to vanish when that young Vulpix yipped in joy upon finishing an exciting book, or recreating her mother's recipes perfectly.

Frosslass would never be a mother again, or even see her own grandchildren, but her cold heart might as well melted over her brief time with the kit - pretending there was a deeper connection between the two - like mother and daughter. She watched Vulpix score a point in the strange children's game they were playing, wondering if whatever paradise beyond this realm would absolve her of her sin, or if that even mattered to her in the first place.

This was redemption - letting go of past anger and finding purpose with one's fading years.

Vulpix stormed out the house after hearing her parent's sorrow filled words, tears streaming down her face. She ran, but didn't go far, standing near the cliffside near their house and crying her heart out in disbelief over what happened.

Frosslass had passed in her sleep - her nanny was gone.

She was rightfully upset, confused, and angry that one of the closest Pokémon in her life would just be taken from her like that. She didn't want to believe that it had happened, and that she would see the kind, old Frosslass waiting at their doorstep like so many times before.

She didn't want to say goodbye just yet.

Bawling her eyes out, she didn't hear the crunching of snow behind her - not until the calm voice of her father would interrupt her emotional moment.

"I know you're hurting, sweetheart, but please understand this was something unavoidable."

"W-Why…" Vulpix spoke through her tears. "I still wanted to do so much with her, and…"

The kit broke down again, now aided through her turmoil by her father's reassuring paw on her back.

"I know, honey. It hurt us to see her go too, but I'm sure she had a lot of fun watching over you in her final year." He smiled warmly, nuzzling the Vulpix's tears away. "We know she meant a lot to you, so we won't hire a new nanny. Know that her memory and pride in you stays forever."

Vulpix wiped away the wetness staining her cheeks. "Will… will I ever have to see you and mom g-go… one day?"

There was silence as her father took in the quiet mountain's breathtaking view of the drifting snow over the cliffs. He remembered a sight like this, the night his daughter was born, and the day his life changed forever.

"One day - when you become a woman - you'll understand things you don't now. That means saying goodbye to Pokémon you've come to cherish, and it could come at any time, sweetheart… This is something me and your mom must face on a regular basis, and something you've only just experienced now."

The teary blue orbs of the Vulpix were now dry, courtesy of her father's small speech. The loss of her nanny was devastating, but this was something she'd just have to accept it and move on - like heroes did. However, the thought of losing her parents someday hung heavy on her young mind, never leaving it as she thought happy thoughts of her many adventures with Froslass.

'… I hope you're still watching me, nanny.'

"Are the straps working? Let me see real quick…"

"I'd be more concerned about the harness, honey. You know that thing almost snapped like a twig last time at our checkpoint."

"Well, consider it one lucky day now that the weather's warming up a tad bit. Hopefully that pile near Abomasnow's area won't come down because of it."

Vulpix listened to both her parents bicker back and forth about their upcoming mission near the mountain's peak. She had only heard snippets about it, but apparently it was really important, and demanded all members of the Glacier Guiders to attend.

Her mother returned the kit's curious gaze. "Me and your father will be gone for a bit long this time, but I think you can handle yourself at eight years old, right, sweetie?"

Her father also jumped in. "Yeah! Did we also tell you another group will be working with us? Called the 'Rescue Society', and they help Pokémon in need of assistance all across Celestic!"

Vulpix grimaced. "Um, will you be able to maybe come back tonight and read that book to me?" She smiled, hoping to win over them.

The Ninetales' couple exchanged looks, wondering if they'd even return today at all. But after a quick glance back at the puppy eyes display their child was exuding, their was no doubt that they would return and read to her.

"We promise," her father said resolutely, heading towards the doorway. "We'll pick it up on our way back, so just be patient for now, okay?"

The Shiny Ninetales present would jostle the metal gear attached to her white frame, following in her mate's pawsteps. She looked back, sending her daughter a wave of goodbye.

"Be safe, sweetie! We'll be back as soon we can!"

With a loud closing of the cabin's door, they were gone, and Vulpix was now alone for the time being. She considered visiting Cubchoo and her other friends to hang out, but felt drowsiness clogging down her natural kid instincts of playing.

'Maybe later I can show them the next book in the series…'

With a yawn, she ambled over to her cloth bedding in the corner of the lodge, curling into a ball of white fur to rest away the day until the night would arrive with its bedtime stories she was promised.

After hours of sleeping peacefully, a colossal rumbling noise and subsequent echo of it would awaken her as she scrambled up into an upright position in shock. Various potted items on shelves in the room fell to the ground and shattered from its might, the windows briefly rattling and shaking.

'Wha- What was that?!'

Vulpix was deathly afraid to check out what happened, but she reluctantly mustered up the courage to exit her bed and look around. Nothing inside the kitchen blew up this time, and there were no lanterns lit right now.

In a confused state, the kit looked out the window, finding the serene image of her village in the daylight. Strangely, the walls of packed snow that bordered the cliff behind the village many times before were absent. She rubbed her eyes, thinking she was just hallucinating after waking up.

'Why isn't it appearing? Why-'

Vulpix watched as an incoming sea of snow, ice, and rocks tumbled down the cliffs and pummeled into the houses dotting the outskirts of Kyuris, obliterating them completely in its destructive wake. Another rub of her eyes, but still, the impending wave of snow didn't vanish.

'Wha…'

The avalanche didn't stop, destroying more and more of the village as it grew ever so closer to Vulpix's home. She slowly backed up from the window, absolutely petrified at what she was seeing. The cabin began to tremble and quake before the incoming surge of the snow and ice, the windows shattering as a flood of arctic fury flooded the cabin's insides. Vulpix screamed in terror, dropping to the ground in a panic before the scattered shards of broken glass could cut her.

Frigid rocks and other bits of stone and wooden debris from the village smashed into the home's sides, blowing the walls wide open and pushing the creaking foundation of it near the cliffside. Vulpix held onto a nearby piece of timber wedged into the floor for dear life, still praying that this was just a horrible nightmare.

She would never awake from one as the avalanche's destruction of the house would crush its last remaining legs of support, sending the pummeled structure down the cliff's steep and rocky slopes. Vulpix cried out in pain as she fell with the wrecked cabin, striking multiple jagged pieces of rock and wood the way down, feeling her consciousness fade in and out.

It wasn't until her and the remnants of her cabin smashed into the snowy ground that she was brought back into reality. Vulpix immediately let loose haggard breaths, coughing out vestiges of blood onto the snow. Attempting to move from the rubble proved futile, as boards and other pieces of icy rock trapped her battered body underneath.

The kit could do nothing but cry for help and hope that someone could hear her.

"M-Mom! Dad! P-Please! … Anyone… please help me…"

Her cries soon turned into soft whimpering, the fox's pain surging from the arctic wind's cold bite upon her wounds. Everything in her surroundings began to blur, and she truly wondered if she was going to die here - all alone, without her parents and friends by her side.

But before she could think about that, a distant snapping noise and a muttered curse word would prove otherwise. From an adjacent cliffside, the remains of a connection of rope dropped into the snow, along with a Pokémon decked out with gear for the winter elements, and a black cape that fluttered in the chilly wind.

It was fox-like, bipedal, and had a large mane of black and red fur - along with sharp crimson claws that adorned its paws. Vulpix knew these Pokemon were called Zoroark, and were known for their crafty illusions.

"Man, I told Bisharp not to cheap out on the rope for this operation." The fox shook his head, chuckling. "Now I gotta take the long way back up the mountain, and hope that wasn't what I just heard up there near that village…"

"… Please… help."

The Zoroark spun around at the introduction of the soft yet pleading voice, being witness to an injured Vulpix trapped beneath the debris of a demolished house. His features softened as he quickly approached, kneeling to meet her weary gaze.

"Hey, I'm with the Rescue Society, and I'm gonna help you get out of this, alright?" His claws searched for the area where her legs were trapped. "Just hang on tight, kid - you'll be out lickety-split, alright?"

Vulpix didn't respond, already unconscious from shock and trauma.

It takes just one lucky day for your life to change forever… for better or for worse.

Want to discuss anything related to The Phantasmagoria with the author himself? If so, send a friend request to my Discord linked below!

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Next Special Episode Part: Falling Without Purpose