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"No. Do you think pork is icky?" Tails asked. Tails could eat rat anywhere. He didn't think Tristen had such an accepting palate.

I sat in the kitchen, accompanied by my Articuno. With Articuno not wanting to leave my side all that long at all because it being scared to death of what is out there in the world, and me knowing that it can't really be scared of the world and it needs its exercise like any other bird, I decided to try to do something to get Articuno used to getting the wind under its wings again.

I decided to go a bit of old school and decided to write a letter and send it off carrier bird of sorts. Articuno being the carrier bird obviously. All he had to do would be drop the letter off at where I need it to and he would come back as soon as the drop is made. That way he can always be quick to come back to me if he wanted to and he could always get the exercise just as he needs.

The letter, though would soon to be addressed to Miles. I felt that he may want to know what was coming up actually...

Dear Miles,

I'd figure that you might be a bit appreciative of this, me kind of taking up a habit like down there in Hyda. I remembered the carrier birds that you had over there to exchange information, and since I needed this Articuno to see the world that it has been missing out on and it knowing where you are, I'd thought I write to you, despite it'd being only little more than a couple of weeks I seen you last at the time of me writing this.

You must be dangerously genre savvy or something, and when you read this, you probably will laugh for that matter...I had no intention on joining the group in Mt. Silver. I did what I said I would and took Tails, Freth, and Tristen with me back to Mahogany. But you probably knew that I would be part of the group because you probably knew that something would be bound to happen in my hometown. Sure enough, something did. A unnatural snowstorm was unleashed upon the town. I say its unnatural because the weather was being altered by a machine that was hooked to the local Pokemon Center's back-up generator. It was, I come to find, a machine similar to what was used in flooding Cherrygrove city last week.

I regret to inform you in this letter, however, the one responsible for this matter. In light of this, I will also say I told you so, because it was Ein, your old student, that apparently went along with Cipher and these machines were just another one of his experiments in Chi. I told you that he wasn't going to stop doing what he does. No one knows, however, if he is leader of the entire thing or if he's just a large gear in this whole works that is Cipher. What is safe to assume, however, is that if he is encountered by anyone in this bunch, especially if he is encountered by me, he probably won't be seeing the next dawn.

At any rate, its late now, and I best wrap this letter up for now. I'll be in touch. Perhaps you can tell me if the kids at Swain's place found their home or if there is any headway on Tristen. I'll be sure to arrange a trip there for that reason either way when the opportunity is there.

Sincerely,
Blizzard

As soon as I finished the letter, I put it in a container then strapped it to Articuno's leg and lead him out of the cavern. "Alright, Articuno, there's nothing to be afraid of and its just a straight shot to there. You can go there and come straight back, ok?" I asked.

"Arrrrr...."

"You'll be fine. The message doesn't have to be there instantly, you can take the long way if you fear humans too much. All you have to do is just make it there and come back. That's it. Ok? This will be good for you..." I said, rubbing the side of its head. "Now get going. Alright? I'll be here waiting for you."

With a bit of reluctance, Articuno finally kicked off the ground and started his way into the air and fly off into the distance. "........." About time that bird got wind under its wings. Maybe he'll be back a bit more confident. Hopefully.

Then something graced Tristen's nose. "Is that Spoink?" He asked. Suddenly pork sounded real good.

"Crispy. Just. Don't burn it." He said to him. Sounds like bacon was on the menu.

"I'm used to it." He said. "We had to hunt and kill to live. Though I didn't hunt too much, so." He said, rubbing the back of his head. "Still, I guess you ask because you live with people who hadn't been used to this?"

"Nevermore? Nevemore where are you?" Sub called out as he paced around the HQ looking for his faithful companion Murkrow named Nevermore. The female Murkrow was usually always at her trainer's side but today Sub was having trouble finding his buddy.

"Not everyone. Some people like to hunt and eat their own food," Tails said. He halted for a moment before turning toward the left of the path. He smelled water vapor, and knew there was only one reason: from a crack between crags wafted thick plumes of steam. Tails walked into this steam with no recoil, but he stopped anyway.

"This one's too hot," he said. "This steam will burn you. But we can leave the pig here and it'll cook even better."

"He was raised as a human, doing human things like buying food from stores," Tails said, emerging from the steam. "And I think he thinks that every Pokemon could have been a trainer's Pokemon. That might be what gets him most. At one point, I don't think I woulda had a problem drowning a human if it meant saving my own life. I'm not so sure anymore."