Pokemon: Skybound

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In the valley, the battle to capture Moltres had officially begun. Meanwhile, Lorelei and Sabrina had made their way down to the midpoint of Mount Ember.

Having just traversed the route earlier, their descent was much quicker, though the atmosphere was far from lighthearted.

Unlike the uphill trek, where conversation occasionally broke the silence, this time the two women walked side by side in an oppressive quiet.

Sabrina, ever reserved, didn't feel the need to speak. Lorelei, still holding a grudge over being dismissed, refrained from initiating conversation.

With no shared topics of interest, the silence between them grew heavier with each passing step.

Yet Sabrina didn't mind. Her aloof personality thrived in solitude, and the silence gave her time to enjoy the tranquil descent.

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BOOM!

A sudden explosion of thunder cracked behind them. Lorelei instinctively turned to look back and saw that the summit of Mount Ember was now shrouded in thick, dark clouds. Streaks of lightning snaked through the sky, accompanied by ominous rumbles.

CRACK!

Lightning repeatedly struck the mountain peak, shaking the ground beneath them. The force of the strikes caused the mountain to tremble violently.

Lorelei was caught off guard, stumbled and nearly fell, only managing to steady herself by grabbing onto a nearby rock.

Straightening up, she gazed at the ominous clouds with a look of unease.

"That's… no ordinary thunderstorm!" she muttered, her voice trembling. "What kind of Pokémon could cause such a dramatic shift in the weather?"

Before she could speculate further, snowflakes began drifting down from the dark clouds above. One landed softly in her palm, its chill unmistakable even in the heat of the mountain.

"Blizzard?" Lorelei whispered in disbelief.

It was now clear that this wasn't just a thunderstorm lightning and snow were colliding in a fierce elemental display. The sheer force behind such a phenomenon left her stunned.

As an Ice-type expert, Lorelei knew how difficult it was for a Pokémon to unleash a Blizzard in such a hot climate.

Only a legendary Pokémon or one with extraordinary power could achieve something like this.

Turning, she saw Sabrina staring calmly at the storm. Unlike Lorelei, Sabrina's expression was one of quiet admiration, free of surprise or concern.

From the clouds above, flickers of fire occasionally pierced through the darkness, struggling to escape. Birdlike cries echoed faintly, signalling the battle raging above.

Lorelei broke the silence. "With all this commotion, aren't you curious about how Kai is capturing Moltres?"

Sabrina glanced at her indifferently. "Why? Do you want to go see it?"

Lorelei hesitated. Of course, she did! But she swallowed the words and pressed her lips together, unwilling to voice her thoughts.

Sabrina, as if reading her mind, replied flatly, "I'm not curious. Moltres is just another Pokémon. It doesn't warrant my attention."

Lorelei's jaw dropped. "How… how can you say that?!"

To Lorelei, Sabrina's dismissive attitude was incomprehensible. A Gym Leader, someone chosen to represent the Pokémon League, should surely possess a greater passion for legendary Pokémon!

Just as Lorelei was silently fuming, another tremor shook the mountain. This time, it was far more intense.

BOOM!

A deafening explosion followed. They turned to see a massive plume of lava erupting from the long-dormant volcano, soaring high into the sky.

The eruption shattered the storm clouds, scattering them with a burst of heat and energy.

Streams of molten lava began cascading down the mountain like a slow-moving, fiery flood.

Lorelei's face turned pale. "The volcano's erupted! This is bad Kai's in danger! That valley isn't far from the crater. He could be caught in the lava flow!"

Despite her alarm, Sabrina remained composed, her expression unchanging.

Lorelei stared at her incredulously. "Why are you so calm? Kai is up there, right in harm's way! Don't you care about his safety?"

Sabrina's gaze shifted to the summit, her voice calm and unwavering. "He's Fine. Nothing as trivial as this will harm him."

"Lucky?! How can you be so—"

Sabrina cut her off, gesturing toward the sky. "If you don't believe me, look there."

Lorelei followed Sabrina's gaze. In the distance, a black speck was slowly approaching. As it drew closer, she could make out the unmistakable silhouette of a Charizard flying toward them.

When the Charizard finally passed overhead, Lorelei could see Kai sitting safely on its back, looking completely unharmed.

---

Sabrina smirked faintly and turned to Lorelei. "Miss Lorelei."

Lorelei, startled by Sabrina's sudden formality, blinked. "What?"

"I suggest you hurry down the mountain. Otherwise, you might not make it in time."

"What?" Lorelei was taken aback. "Why only me? Aren't you coming with us?"

Sabrina didn't answer immediately. Her gaze lingered on Lorelei for a moment, as though contemplating her response. Then, without a word, she turned away.

---

Before Lorelei could process the situation, a shadow flashed before her.

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind swept through, sending her hair into disarray and knocking her glasses off her face.

When she managed to recover and put her glasses back on, Sabrina was gone.

Looking up, Lorelei spotted the Charizard soaring away at high speed. On its back, Kai was holding Sabrina securely in his arms, his posture resembling a knight rescuing a princess.

Kai glanced back and shouted down at her, his voice carrying over the wind. "Hey, Lorelei! Hurry up and get off the mountain! Don't stick around too long, or you'll get caught in the lava!"

Lorelei stood frozen in disbelief, watching as the Charizard disappeared into the distance.

Her expression twisted with a mix of frustration and exasperation. "Are you kidding me?! You couldn't have taken me too?!"

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