There seems to be something wrong with these Pokémon

The bloated figure stiffened visibly, and the hands that were holding up the iron pot slowly dropped down, and his expression was full of astonishment when he looked back.

"Xiao, Xiao, Xiao...Ye!"

Ditto was in a trance for a moment and didn't notice that a gap appeared in the snow wall it was defending tightly. Then the Pokémon with long golden hair rushed in, knocked the stunned Ditto away, and squeezed next to Sakura, shouting impatiently.

"Ah...oh, here you go, here you go." Sakura shrank her neck, and the cold water on the ends of the blonde Pokémon's hair splashed onto her exposed cheeks, making her shiver uncontrollably.

Thanks to this chill, her brain, which had been stuck, cleared up for a moment. Looking at the young man holding the warm yellow duck in his arms, and thinking of the tragic experience she had gone through, she couldn't help but burst into tears.

“Wooooooaaaaa…”

Sakura, who was starving and cold, rarely met an acquaintance on the top of the icy snowy mountain. The grievances in her heart suddenly burst out uncontrollably like a flood.

She ran to Xiaoye in two or three steps, her frosted eyelashes trembling slightly.

"I, I finally met a living person!"

Xiaoye's hands, which were gradually warming up, touched the hands that were as cold and purple as in the coldest days of winter. Surprised, he stuffed the Psyduck in his arms to Sakura, and at the same time summoned Ditto to warm Sakura up.

"Don't be anxious, hey, don't cry." Xiao Ye stood up at a loss, glanced around a few times, and then walked towards Sister Michu who was licking the inner wall of the iron pot with her tongue. While taking out the blue tangerine fruit that she had placed in her underwear and warmed with her body temperature, she comforted Xiaoying whose eyes were always following her movements.

"I'll make you something to eat first, wait a moment."

The green vine snake half-closed its eyes which were blinded by the cold wind. The vines which were originally full of ferocity moved docilely towards the snow door which was knocked open by Sister Michun, and uncomplainingly re-sealed the broken and collapsed door.

While helping Xiaoye boil water, wash pots and cook, Ditto expanded the blazing flame on his tail to warm the girl who finally smiled faintly.

Aoto Snake looked up at the disheveled Sakura, wondering what kind of terrible thing could have happened to make this always optimistic girl suddenly collapse at that moment.

----

Xiaoying picked up the porcelain bowl and sipped the warm meat porridge in small sips. As she swallowed, a stream of warmth flowed down her mouth to her stomach, and then to every corner of her body.

Only then was she able to move her previously frozen tongue and whisper what happened after she parted with Xiaoye in the forest.

The weak girl gained the courage to fly alone in the sky from others. She resolutely refused all company from her brother, put on her backpack, and waved goodbye to her brother.

But the worried brother always hid in the shadow behind the girl, silently guarding his sister's safety.

The girl who desperately wants to spread her wings and fly is unwilling to ride on her brother's wind. She wants to soar up into the sky with her own strength!

So on a dark and windy night, the girl once again mustered up her courage, packed her bags, and disappeared into the brightly lit streets of Viridian City with her Pokémon.

The rebellious girl looked back at the dimly lit city for the last time, with a hint of excitement and a little fear in her heart, and left a neatly written note to say goodbye to her dear brother.

Every Trainer who travels independently is a brave adventurer.

It's just that the girl who has never lived independently overestimated her ability. She got lost in the wild, got poisoned and injured, and had to camp to rest...

Although there were constant small troubles, the girl also experienced scenery that she had never seen when traveling with her brother.

Birds flying in the sky, fish swimming in the water, fruits and vegetables in the bushes.

For the first time, such colorful colors appeared before the girl’s eyes!

The warmth touched by the hands, the chirping heard by the ears, the fragrance smelled by the nose.

She sincerely thanked everyone who extended a helping hand during the journey. With the help of kind people, the girl learned how to bandage and treat, how to determine directions, and how to purchase supplies.

The ignorant girl grew up rapidly in just a few months, crossing the mountains and passing through the forests with Pokémon until she reached the foot of the Golden Mountain.

The girl tightly grasped the Poké Ball in her hand and looked up at the towering snow-capped mountains.

Is this the Golden Mountain known as the "Mountain of Evolutionary Stone"?

Maybe there is... an opportunity here for it to evolve!

The girl stepped firmly onto the winding mountain path, and the muddy road behind her was marked with her unyielding footprints.

It was freezing cold, and the human body was ultimately no match for nature. Before she lost consciousness, the girl placed all of her Poké Balls in the warmest place on her heart.

Snowstorm...

The girl slowly closed her frosted eyelashes and sighed softly in her heart.

It is very beautiful!

----

"That's what happened." Sakura bent her eyebrows and turned her warm gaze to Sister Mimi, who was desperately trying to pick up the Pokémon food on the plate with both hands, and smiled, "If it weren't for this legendary "elf in the ice and snow" who saved me, I'm afraid I would..."

Sakura didn't continue her words, but Xiaoye and the Pokémon present understood what she meant.

"The elf in the ice and snow?" Xiao Ye held Eevee in his arms and quietly changed the subject, "I remember it's called 'Mistress of Lips'?"

"Yes, both names are correct." Sakura looked at Sister Mimi who was twisting her body like dancing and explained, "'The Fairy in the Ice and Snow' was told to me by an old lady at the foot of the mountain."

Although Huangjin Mountain is not far from Huangjin City, the police force of Huangjin City is still unable to take care of this area. Every day, many adventurers climb this mountain for money or time, but they will eventually get lost in the ice and snow without leaving any trace.

Until one day five years ago, a boy climbed up the snow mountain because his mother had a high fever for several days in the cold winter. He believed a joke from others and planned to find a medicinal herb called "Xuanbinghua" on the top of the mountain to treat his mother.

But how could a skinny child withstand the beating of a snowstorm?

The north wind howls, the dead trees wail, and the falling snow sighs.

The boy soon fell into the snow, unconscious.

When the boy felt the familiar warm embrace and fragrance again, he opened his eyes and found himself back home, nestled in his mother's arms.

My mother, who had been ill for a long time, seemed to have recovered overnight. Except for slightly chapped lips and a slightly haggard look under her eyes, she looked radiant and full of vitality.

When the boy curiously asked his mother what happened, his mother just blinked in a trance and repeated in a low voice.

"I think... the person who rescued you must be a woman, right? Her long golden hair is like the blazing sun, dispelling the coldness in my body."

Coincidentally, since then, all those who got lost in the mountains would return to the warm houses at the foot of the mountain shortly after losing consciousness and falling in the snow, as if they were rescued by the "elves" in a fairy tale book.

The title of "Elf in the Ice and Snow" gradually spread, and Golden Mountain was no longer a symbol of "benefits and dangers".

"The old lady at the foot of the mountain was very kind. When I was attacked by the monkey monsters, she showed up in time to save me." Sakura swallowed a mouthful of warm meat porridge and continued, "But she always wore a black cloak to cover her face. If I couldn't tell her gender from her voice, I'm afraid I still don't know whether this lifesaver is a man or a woman."

At this moment, Sister Michun, who was standing next to him, happened to turn around, and her thick lips were covered with rice grains.

Seeing this scene, Sakura burst out laughing, took out a handkerchief and handed it to Miss Lip, who still didn't know what was going on, "Here, wipe your mouth, little elf in the ice and snow."

While Sister Michun took the handkerchief, Xiaoye also digested what Xiaoying had learned along the way and asked, "So your destination is also Jinhuang City?"

"Yes, I still need three gym badges." Sakura smiled proudly and pulled out a hairpin from her long blue-purple hair that was covered with ice. Just like when they first met, she boasted, "I have already challenged the Tokiwa Gym, and the result is a clear victory!"

The number of glittering badges on the hairpin has changed from four to five, with an additional green badge that is a mixture of dark green and light green like a feather.

"It's just that the one I'm fighting against isn't 'Sakaki of the Earth', but a woman dressed all in black." Seeing that Xiaoye was listening attentively, Sakura explained the details of the Tokiwa Badge in more detail, hoping to help the boy.

"The rules of the gym battle are 3V3, and the Pokémon used by the opponent are Tyrannosaurus, Tyrannosaurus, and Crab."

"Super strength and... giant crab?" Xiao Ye was stunned. After repeating, he asked, "What does this have to do with the earth?"

"Yeah, I'm not the only one who thinks so." Sakura waved her hand and continued, "But then again, this gym trainer is really irresponsible. According to the time you told me in Viridian Forest, he, as the gym leader, has been away for a month, right?"

The topic gradually went off track, and Sakura temporarily put aside her fear of being buried in the ice and snow and discussed with Xiaoye the interesting things she encountered on the journey.

When the conversation got excited, the two would burst into laughter, which would be carried into the cold wind through the small ventilation holes in the snow door, mocking the powerlessness of the blizzard.

The sky gradually brightened, and as the sun rose, bursts of dog barking could be heard outside the snow cave.

Xiaoye and Xiaoying broke through the snow door together, looking at the rising sun and a figure in a black robe walking towards them in the distance.

"Ah, it's the old lady at the foot of the mountain!" Sakura recognized the unique look at once, raised her right hand and shouted, "Old lady, I'm here!"

The old woman in the distance seemed to have heard the girl's call and sped up to rush towards them like flying.

Closer, closer.

As the old woman moved forward, the distance between them became shorter and shorter, and Xiao Ye was able to see the old woman's "equipment".

At this moment, the old woman was sitting on a sled, and five barking Catdogs were pulling the sled forward.

"Sure enough, you are still lost." The old woman's sleigh stopped in front of the two of them, and she said with a hint of laughter, "I knew you were a confused child at the foot of the mountain. You said you were going to Huangjin City, but you went in the opposite direction to your destination."

"It's easy to get lost in a forest with only one path, and it's even more impossible to find the right path in a snowy mountain with only one signpost for hundreds of meters."

Xiaoye looked at Xiaoying, whose face was flushed, with a little shock, and had questions in his mind.

This is totally different from the adventures the girl boasted about!

Who was the person who boasted last night that after this period of training, he could easily walk out of a mirror maze, let alone recognize the way?

"Haha, come on up, I'll take you out." Seeing the shy look of the girl, the old woman stopped teasing her. Instead, she called the two lost children to get on the sled and took them out of the icy snow mountain.

As the Growlers ran hard, the cold wind brushed across Xiaoye's cheeks.

Unlike yesterday, the wind today is less sharp and it won’t hurt even if it hits your face directly.

The snowstorm had stopped long ago, but there was still a lot of snow on the sled and the old woman.

After a few minutes, the old woman jumped off the sled first, pointed to the fruit trees with pink and white flowers on their branches and said, "Follow this road and you will soon reach Golden City."

Of course, considering the girl's lack of direction, she kindly added, "Young man, remember? Keep going along this road."

"Yes, yes, yes..." Although the old woman didn't point at her, Sakura still lowered her head very tactfully and repeated in a low voice, "I'll remember, walk straight, walk straight, walk... straight."

Xiaoye nodded with a smile and thanked the old woman. Then he and Xiaoying waved goodbye to her and walked on the green hillside.

Sister Mi Lip said goodbye to them halfway along the way and went back to the snow-capped mountains to fulfill her duty as the "elf in the ice and snow" given to her by others.

However, Xiao Ye still had a doubt in his mind, but he didn't feel comfortable asking in front of the old woman.

Growlithe is such a rare Pokémon, how did this old woman manage to own so many of them?!

----

The old woman watched with deep eyes as the two young boys and girls, who were at their prime, finally walked on the right path. Then she felt relieved, turned around, got on the sled, and drove back into the ice and snow.

However, on her way back, she no longer needed to hide her unique appearance. She let the cold wind blow open her hood, revealing her long dark green hair.

"You have worked hard. We will have an extra meal when we go back tonight!" Although the wrinkles on the old woman's face slightly affected her appearance, it was not difficult for people who had lived in the Kanto area for a long time to recognize her identity.

"Although I'm retired, I still have to do something every day to get used to it." Old Junsha stretched her body and smiled, "Isn't it, old friends?"