Why is it cold in a volcanic area? Ingrid exhaled, his breath visible in the frigid air as he stared at the lava flowing just ahead. A trace of confusion flickered across his face.
They had just crossed the jagged ridge into the volcanic zone, a region saturated with fire energy. Fire-type Pokémon darted playfully around pools of magma and craggy terrain. The sky was dim, shrouded in clouds and drifting ash that made breathing difficult and blurred their vision.
For trained persons like them, whose bodies were honed and resilient, it was bearable. But for the villagers of Rastor—who often ventured here hoping to bond with Fire-types—it could be a challenge.
Normally, simple magic would solve these problems. Enchantments could sharpen vision or filter out the ash from their lungs, and even common folk were capable of casting such spells. But this time, they had vowed not to use any magic, out of respect for the rules of the land.
To be fair, the rule wasn't particularly strict. Arthur, the one who set it, didn't mind the use of magic for personal comfort in extreme environments—be it desert, snowfield, or volcano—as long as it wasn't used to harm or disrupt the ecosystem.
But Gadeon's group—guardians of order and upholders of the law—took such matters more seriously than anyone. They had sealed their magic and suppressed their mana, using it only if absolutely necessary.
They were here now for Ingrid. Queen Lavinia and Mage Commander Lorelia hadn't yet chosen the Pokémon they wished to bond with, so while they deliberated, they allowed Ingrid the chance to seek out his first companion.
Queen Lavinia extended her hand, catching a drifting fleck of ash. Her expression shifted to surprise. "These aren't volcanic ashes," she said softly. "They're snow."
"Snow?" Ingrid echoed, eyes wide. He caught a few flakes himself—and realized the Queen was right. But how could it be snowing… in a volcanic region?
"I wonder," Gadeon muttered, shaking his fist thoughtfully, "if I could punch a hole in the sky and stop the snowfall without any magical enhancement?"
His Mankey stared up at him, head tilted, as if trying to decide whether its new Trainer was a genius—or just completely insane.
It wanted to get stronger, but punching holes in the sky? That sounded too absurd!
After only a short time together, the two had already hit it off. Gadeon began recounting stories from his battle-filled past, his booming voice animated with excitement. Mankey listened with shining eyes, its energy rising with every tale.
Under this human's guidance, it was sure to grow strong—fast!
Gadeon glanced up at the snow still drifting from the ashen sky, shrugged, and returned to training Mankey. He was teaching it how to channel energy into its fists, guiding it to learn Focus Energy, a move it had previously skipped over. Afterward, he planned to move on to Focus Blast, then Focus Punch.
Despite his eccentric personality, Gadeon took his new role seriously. He was responsible for Mankey now—and he was determined to teach it well.
As Rosaria's father, he couldn't afford to fall behind. No way was he letting his daughter leave him in the dust!
Suddenly, Lavinia froze mid-step. Her gaze sharpened, fixed on a distant patch where the snow was falling more heavily—strangely dense amidst the flowing lava streams.
Without a word, she bolted toward it.
"Lavi?" Gadeon paused the lesson and ran after his wife, with the lethargic Lorelia and a concerned Ingrid following close behind.
Lavinia knelt at a mound of snow that looked utterly out of place. The earth surrounding it was red and steaming, scorched with volcanic heat—but in this one isolated spot, snow had gathered unnaturally, almost as if concealing something.
Without hesitation, she began digging through the snow. Moments later, she uncovered a small Pokémon, panting and drenched in sweat, its body trembling on the verge of collapse.
It was a fox-like creature, coated in icy blue fur that shimmered like frost beneath moonlight. Six slender tails curled behind it—though now, they drooped lifelessly. Its cerulean eyes were clouded with exhaustion, and its once-snowy crest was matted with melting ice and soot.
The poor thing was clearly far from its ideal environment. Every breath was shallow and strained, its body wilting under the brutal heat of the lava plains.
"A Vulpix? Why is its fur white?" Ingrid asked in disbelief, staring down at the fragile creature. Then a realization hit him. His eyes widened.
"Wait—don't tell me... is this a Shiny Vulpix?"
"No," Lavinia said softly, eyes fixed on the fox. "This isn't a Shiny. I can feel Ice Element in its body..."
Earlier, they had come across a lake teeming with Magikarp. Curious, they had scanned several using their Pokédex—and confirmed that Zeth's Shiny Magikarp, despite its golden scales, retained its original Water typing. Its color was merely cosmetic, not elemental.
But this Vulpix was different. Its snowy fur wasn't just a visual anomaly—it radiated elemental energy, cold and pure.
She extended her hands, palms glowing with a soft mix of white and gold light—a fusion of Ice and Holy elements. The healing aura began to wrap gently around the Vulpix.
In this situation, there was no room for hesitation. Following the rules would mean letting this Pokemon suffer. That wasn't an option.
Ingrid quickly pulled out his Pokédex and scanned the Vulpix, whose complexion was already improving under Lavinia's magic.
---
[Alolan Vulpix]
[Types: Ice]
[Ability: Snow Warning (Hidden Ability)]
[Level: 6]
[Alolan Vulpix, native to cold mountain regions, typically live in small groups of two to five individuals. These packs—known as skulks—cooperate closely and are often led and protected by an Alolan Ninetales. Alolan Vulpix can expel breath as cold as –50°C, capable of freezing threats solid in self-defense. While not well-suited to warm environments, their six tails can generate ice to cool the surrounding area when necessary, allowing them to temporarily endure harsher climates.]
[Base stats: -Redacted- (Total: 299)]
[Moves: Hypnosis, Powder Snow, Tail Whip, Disable, Chilling Water, -empty-, -empty-, -empty-, -empty-]
---
Alolan Vulpix? A variant? Ingrid stared at the data flashing across his Pokédex, stunned.
This Alolan Vulpix wasn't just rare—it was exceptional. Despite having no trainer, it had already reached level 6, a step ahead of the many level 5 Pokémon found in the area. Even more surprising, it had somehow learned one TM on its own, without guidance.
But what is it doing here? he wondered. Shouldn't it be in a snowy habitat more suited to an Ice-type?
In the monitoring room, Arthur had been quietly observing the group of four—particularly Gadeon, who was looking uncomfortably familiar. But his attention suddenly snapped to the Vulpix, and his expression shifted to one of heartache.
"Why are you here again!?" Arthur blurted out, startling everyone. They turned away from their own monitoring screens to see what had caught his attention so suddenly.
When creating a template, Arthur had set strict rules regarding variant Pokémon. The odds of a mutation were intentionally kept extremely low. This Alolan Vulpix was one of the lucky few: born not as the common Kantonian variety, but as a true Ice-type variant.
The odds worked in both directions, too—an Alolan Vulpix's egg could just as rarely produce a Kantonian offspring.
Arthur still remembered the day one of his apprentice Pokémon Breeders informed him that a Vulpix with icy blue fur had hatched. He had rushed to the site immediately, then personally transferred the newborn to a snowy area where it could comfortably live its life.
But the Alolan Vulpix had other ideas.
Having glimpsed the fiery red Vulpix pack right after hatching, it became fixated on returning to them. It had stubbornly made its way back to the volcanic region, despite being physically unsuited for the heat. When it tried to rejoin the group, it was rejected—shunned for its cold energy, pale fur, and frailty.
But the little Alolan Vulpix didn't give up.
Though spurned, it followed the pack from a distance, enduring the suffocating heat, the burns, the loneliness. It watched from the shadows, never close enough to be accepted, never far enough to give up hope.
Arthur had come back time and again, healing its weakened body, gently urging it to return to the snowy area where it belonged. And for a time, it listened—grateful for his kindness.
But the moment Arthur left it in the snowy area, the Vulpix always found its way back here.
Even if the others rejected it, even if it had to suffer.
It just wanted to walk alongside them.
And so it followed them still—burning, limping, smiling.
The little Alolan Vulpix thought the pack had rejected it for being too weak. Determined, it trained relentlessly—growing stronger and stronger. That's how it had reached level 6 and learned a TM move all on its own.
But even then, it was still rejected.
Arthur felt helpless but refused to give up. This time, he promised the Alolan Vulpix he would take it to another Vulpix pack living in the grasslands. It wasn't as perfect as the cold, snowy mountains—but certainly better than the volcanic area, its nemesis.
The Alolan Vulpix reluctantly nodded, pressing its head against Arthur's chest in a quiet gesture of thanks.
Arthur smiled then, convinced this time would be different.
Surprisingly, unlike the volcanic pack, the grassland Vulpix welcomed the Alolan Vulpix warmly, playing with it as if it truly belonged.
Relieved, Arthur soon left them to their new happiness.
But the moment his back was turned, the Alolan Vulpix slipped away—once again returning to the volcanic region, back to the pack that had rejected it.
At that moment, Arthur felt like banging his head against the wall.
So f*cking stubborn!
You have a happy new family waiting for you in the grasslands—why keep going back?
And so the cycle repeated: Arthur would find the Alolan Vulpix, convince it once more, and the little fox would agree to return to the grassland.
Eventually, the grassland pack grew confused and rejected the Alolan Vulpix too, believing it didn't want to stay with them.
Arthur felt completely helpless—but he couldn't just stand by and watch the Alolan Vulpix die from the heat. All he could do was keep treating it and bringing it back to the snowy region. It would've been easy to lock it up there, force it to stay... but he didn't want to cage it. He couldn't bring himself to take away its freedom.
Once, he had even asked if it wanted to become his partner. But after a brief moment of hesitation, the Alolan Vulpix shook its head, rejecting him—still too fixated on the volcanic pack that had cast it aside.
After wrestling with the decision for a while, Arthur finally chose to craft an amulet—an item imbued with cold energy that would shield the Alolan Vulpix from heat. It went against the core principle of the Safari Zone: letting Pokémon live wild and free in their natural habitats. But what choice did he have? Letting it suffer alone wasn't an option...
The amulet was nearly finished. But before he handed it over, he decided to take a chance. With the Safari Zone newly opened to trainers, maybe—just maybe—someone would come along who could capture this stubborn Alolan Vulpix and give it the companionship it truly needed.
And now… it had happened again. The Vulpix had snuck back into the volcanic area—and this time, it had completely collapsed from the heat.
Arthur had been focused on the group of four—hadn't even noticed when it wandered off—until the camera feed caught it lying in the scorched terrain. A woman with a long brown ponytail was gently cradling it in her arms, casting healing magic over its weakened body.
Arthur let out a long sigh and folded his arms, murmuring a silent prayer. If possible… please convince that stubborn little Vulpix to become your partner... He stared at the screen, hope flickering in his eyes.
"Vul~?" The Alolan Vulpix slowly opened its eyes, blinking weakly. It looked around, disoriented—until its gaze settled on Lavinia.
She smiled warmly, pulling it into her arms and holding it close to her chest. Ice-elemental energy continued to flow from her hands, keeping the fox cool and comfortable.
"How are you feeling?" she asked gently.
"Vul~" it chirped softly, a happy cry. It nestled into her arms, nuzzling against her affectionately—its way of thanking its savior.
Once the Alolan Vulpix had calmed down, Lavinia gently asked, "Vulpix, why are you here? Shouldn't you be somewhere colder?"
At her words, the little fox's ears twitched. Something sparked in its eyes. Without warning, it leapt from her arms and dashed off into the distance.
Lavinia stared after it, then smiled softly. Her mind was already made up. If possible... I want to capture this beautiful Pokémon—it's truly enchanting...
Without hesitation, she followed—her companions trailing close behind.
They soon found the Alolan Vulpix crouched behind a jagged rock, its gaze fixed on a small clearing ahead. Just beyond the boulder, a group of four Vulpix played near a volcanic tree—an unusual Fire-elemental species that thrived even within molten terrain.
The group watched in silence. It wasn't hard to understand. The way the Alolan Vulpix stared, longing in its eyes, made the truth painfully clear. Rejection—by those who should have accepted it. Such things were not uncommon, among Pokémon... or humans.
When someone was born different, being cast out was often the cruel consequence.
Still, Lavinia's brow furrowed. The Alolan Vulpix had collapsed from the heat, yet it had come back without a moment's pause. That kind of determination didn't come from a whim—this likely wasn't its first time. Its obsession with the fire-dwelling pack ran deep.
That kind of desperation wasn't easy to resolve.
For a moment, Lavinia found herself at a loss. How could she possibly convince it to become her Pokémon... when its heart was still clinging to those who had turned it away?
Then her eyes drifted from the lone Alolan Vulpix to the group beyond—and something caught her attention. One of the fire Vulpix wasn't acting like the others. While it played with the rest, its eyes told a different story. Subtle glances, faint hesitation, the way it lagged just slightly behind... Lavinia's heightened perception picked up on the signs.
That Vulpix wasn't happy.
It was pretending.
Arthur, still watching the scene unfold from his surveillance feed, blinked in surprise. Then his expression softened with a hint of guilt. I'm sorry I didn't notice sooner...
There were thousands of Pokémon in the Safari Zone—he couldn't watch them all, all the time. And until now, none of the fire Vulpix had shown the slightest reaction when he brought the Alolan Vulpix away. They always kept playing, carefree, as if nothing had happened.
Maybe... that was why he'd assumed they didn't care.
But now—seeing this—he realized he'd been wrong. Not all of them had been heartless.
Maybe, Arthur thought, that's why the Alolan Vulpix keeps coming back...
At that moment, the gloomy Vulpix continued pretending to play with its pack, but anxiety churned steadily in its mind.
Where's that white Vulpix? Did that same human come and take her away again... to a better place?
No... I didn't see him this time.
She's not lying somewhere, collapsed... right? This place is too hot for her...
Please... please be safe... I want to go look for you, but... if I leave, my friends might turn their backs on me. I don't want to be alone too...
I'm sorry I kept ignoring you... I just didn't want them to hate me...
But now... I regret it. Where are you? Please, be okay...
Or maybe... maybe you finally realized this place isn't right for you—and you've gone somewhere cold, somewhere safe. That would be good... right?
What if you're still here somewhere? What if you collapsed—burning from the heat, unable to move...
The Vulpix's thoughts spun in tight, frantic circles. Everything led back to the Alolan Vulpix. The regret twisting in its chest only deepened, but it didn't know what to do.
It wanted to help—but the fear of being abandoned by its own friends warred with the guilt of leaving the Alolan Vulpix to suffer. In the end, it simply kept pretending, putting on the same cheerful mask while its heart quietly fractured.
But Lavinia had already noticed. So had her companions. The signs were subtle, but undeniable—and they had come to the same conclusion as Arthur.
And now, Lavinia moved.
Her footsteps broke the stillness, drawing the attention of the Vulpix pack. Startled, they stopped playing and turned to face her, eyes sharp with caution.
But she didn't pay the other three any attention.
Her focus was fixed on just one—the Vulpix who had tried so hard to hide its sorrow.
Without hesitation, she stepped past them and gently scooped the gloomy Vulpix into her arms.
"Vul?" it yelped softly, eyes wide. (Huh? What's going on?)
Silent and unwavering, Lavinia turned away—cradling the confused Vulpix in her arms—while the others watched in stunned silence. She walked straight toward the rock where the Alolan Vulpix lay hidden.
When the Alolan Vulpix saw Lavinia approaching with another Vulpix in her arms, it froze in shock. A flicker of panic flashed in its eyes—but it stayed rooted to the searing ground, paws blistering against the heat. Still, through the pain, a glimmer of hope shone in its gaze.
"Vul...?"
Lavinia knelt before the Alolan Vulpix and gently set the gloomy Vulpix down onto the warm earth. She looked at them both—one nervous and filled with quiet regret, the other trembling but radiant with cautious hope.
"You two should talk," she said gently, "This silence... it's been hurting both of you."
She turned to the gloomy Vulpix. "You don't have to keep pretending you don't care. If you care, then show it. Hiding it only deepens the wounds—for both of you."
Then her eyes shifted to the Alolan Vulpix. "And you… you were never truly alone. Maybe you already sensed that. But unless you find the courage to reach out, the knot in your heart will never unravel."
She paused, giving them space as their eyes slowly found each other.
"It's not easy to speak up. It's hard to face someone when you feel abandoned... or when you're afraid of losing the place you belong. But if even a small truth remains between you—face it. Speak it. Only honesty can heal what's broken."
Lavinia rose to her feet, stepping back to give them room. The two Vulpix remained frozen, glancing at her as if silently pleading for her to say more, to bridge the gap between them.
But she only smiled, her voice calm and quiet as a passing breeze. "You don't need me to fix this. You just need to stop running—from each other, and from your own hearts."
Hearing Lavinia's words, the Alolan Vulpix froze in surprise. Slowly, it turned to face the gloomy Vulpix, who now stood trembling, teeth clenched. Then, with a very human-like sigh, it lowered its head and let out a soft cry. "Vul…" (I'm sorry.)
"Vul... Vul!" (I always pretended not to care because I didn't want to be pushed away by the others… but I know that must've hurt you. I'm sorry…)
"Vul~ Vul... Vul~!" (I could've talked to you, played with you in secret... but if I did, you'd only get hurt by the heat. So I pretended I didn't care—to make you stop coming back.)
Then, suddenly, it looked up—its expression shifting to anger, tears welling in its eyes.
"Vul?!" (Why did you keep coming back?! I tried to push you away—why didn't you just leave and go live somewhere cold, somewhere safe?)
Lavinia and her group watched from a short distance, unsure of the exact words being exchanged between the two Pokémon. They didn't need to understand the language—the emotion in their cries was unmistakable. Grief, guilt, longing, and hope... it all poured out so clearly that no translation was needed. And so, they watched in silent.
The Alolan Vulpix listened in stunned silence, wide-eyed as the words sank in.
But it didn't cry.
Instead… it smiled.
A wide, radiant, joyful smile—filled with warmth and relief.
"Vul~!" it cried as it pounced, knocking the fire Vulpix onto its back. (I know. I always knew. That's why I kept coming back—to see you!)
The Vulpix blinked up at it, stunned. Then something shifted inside. Like puzzle pieces finally sliding into place.
So that was the reason the white Vulpix kept coming back?
Because of me?
I was the one who kept hurting her?
A heavy wave of guilt swept over it, followed by deep, aching regret.
"Vul…" (If only I'd realized sooner...)
Just then, the other three Vulpix stepped closer, expressions twisting with disdain. They growled at the Alolan Vulpix, then turned to their companion.
"Vul!" one of them snapped. (What are you doing, playing with that weird-colored Vulpix? Come back, or you'll catch whatever it has!)
The Vulpix's ears twitched at the words—and then its eyes blazed with anger.
Fury surged through it. Gently nudging the Alolan Vulpix off its chest, it stood upright and stepped protectively in front of her. Planting its paws firmly on the ground, it assumed a battle stance, a faint crackle of fire flickering around it.
"Vul!" it snapped. (Shut up! I'm done with this! I won't tolerate it anymore!)
Its voice shook, not with fear—but with fury and conviction.
"Vul!" (You're the heartless ones! You're not my friends—not anymore! Get out of here!)
The three Vulpix froze in shock—and then, furious, they all took battle stances, ready to gang up three against one.
Lavinia stayed calm, stepping back further, as if she already knew how this fight would end.
The Alolan Vulpix wanted to jump in and help, but the gloomy Vulpix gently nudged it back, signaling it to stay out of the way.
The three Vulpix attacked as one, flames flaring. But the gloomy Vulpix was faster—dodging, countering, striking with precision. A swift kick sent one tumbling. An Ember scattered another. A headbutt sent the third flying.
To the surprise of both the Alolan Vulpix and the three bullies, the gloomy Vulpix swiftly won the battle.
Like the Alolan Vulpix, it had been secretly training hard to become stronger. In its heart, it dreamed of growing powerful enough to lead the pack—and one day welcome the Alolan Vulpix back. But now, it realized it had trained far beyond that goal; it was strong enough to take on all three of them at once.
"Vul!" it called to the Alolan Vulpix—a clear invitation to leave together, side by side.
No longer gloomy, the once-downtrodden Vulpix now radiated determination.
The three defeated Vulpix, confused and humiliated, quietly retreated. Their pride bruised, they didn't dare glance back.
"Vul!" the Alolan Vulpix chirped joyfully, nuzzling against its newfound companion, who shyly looked away.
Then, the once-gloomy Vulpix turned to Lavinia, eyes curving into a grateful crescent smile.
"Vul~" it said softly. (Thank you.)
The Alolan Vulpix mirrored the gratitude, their thanks unspoken but deeply felt.
Lavinia smiled warmly, accepting their silent thanks before gently asking the Alolan Vulpix, "Would you honor me by becoming my partner? I vow to protect you, cherish your strength, and walk beside you as equals."
The Alolan Vulpix froze for a moment, then glanced hesitantly at the Vulpix beside it.
Sensing its thoughts, Lavinia added softly, "You can become my partner, and your friend can become my friend's partner. That way, you'll always be able to live and play together." She nodded toward Ingrid, who was approaching with two pendants—one infused with Ice energy, the other with Fire.
Before arriving, they had thoughtfully prepared a variety of items to help win over any Pokémon they hoped to befriend—among them, elemental pendants designed specifically for different types.
The Fire-type Vulpix was exactly what Ingrid desired. Given its recent victory over three of its kind, its strength was unquestionable—and Ingrid was clearly pleased.
Both Pokémon's eyes lit up as they happily accepted the pendants around their necks. The moment the charms touched their fur, they felt a surge of elemental energy—warm and familiar, perfectly attuned to their own. A soothing comfort washed over them, as if the pendants were made just for them.
Taking the moment, Ingrid asked, "Will you walk beside me as my partner? I am a Knight Commander, and I vow to honor your strength and ensure your future shines with purpose and pride!"
Though the Vulpix didn't understand the meaning of "Knight Commander", it nodded eagerly—happy to be together with the Alolan Vulpix, no matter where.
Ingrid knew this too. The entire effort to capture these Pokémon had been orchestrated by Her Majesty the Queen, and Ingrid planned to earn the Vulpix's trust gradually.
Having seen other Pokémon get captured inside Poké Balls before, both Pokémon expressed their willingness by gently tapping the Poké Balls Lavinia and Ingrid held.
They were drawn into the Poké Balls in a flash of light—no resistance, no hesitation. The spheres remained still, not shaking even once, before clicking softly to confirm the successful capture.
Watching the whole scene unfold, Arthur finally released a relieved sigh and smiled—happy that both Pokémon had found their new homes.
Now, only Lorelia, who had been quietly observing, remained without a Pokémon of her own.