Chapter 120: A brighter sun can warm an ice land's center heart

Joey blinks and wakes up, "Huh?"

Lucario wakes up with a start, "Huh?"

"Meh?" Ask Amy.

"What?" Ask Nina.

"Quel?" Ask Vincent. "Quel?"

"Huh?" Ask Yang, surprised. "What happened?"

Joey blinks and looks around, "What happened Jack? Weren't we just on a floating platform fighting a colossal red sheep?"

"I think so. But we fell to the bottomless pit, and here we are back in the Sheep Dungeon"" Said Jack.

Joey rubs his head, "So all that we just went through was just a dream?"

Amy shrieks, "I hope no one saw what happened!"

Vincent asks, "What for? We all fell asleep."

"I think that Masked Man did it." Yang thinks. "He set up a trap."

Joey growls, "How dare he! No one messes with MY head and gets away with it!" His energy now cracked around him in the form of lightning.

Nina said, "But you know, Hiro made a great sacrifice to save Kisa and the others. He won't be forgotten. I just hope he's okay."

Amy said, "I'm not. That brat may be mischievous. But you might be right about giving himself up for Kisa. We should go after him. The problem is where did that Masked Man went?"

Jack sees some crack windows from the ballroom windows. He climbs up, and then sees someone. He calls. "Uh, guys. If you're not aware, he's right outside getting on a snow mobile."

Everyone asks, "What?"

Joey was shocked, "You mean he's still here?" He stops shocking lightning around his body.

They dash up to the open broken glass and peek through. They see the Masked Man trying to work on the snow mobile with the sheep around his arm.

"Come on, you piece of junk." Said the Masked Man, trying to get the snowmobile working. "Work!"

"Let go of me, you freak!" Hiro shouted, struggling.

"Don't make me hurt you." Said the Masked Man.

"Go ahead, and I'll press charges."

"Bagh!" The Masked Man chops the sheep on the neck, and Hiro goes out. "There we go."

"Ahem!" The group calls.

"Hey you!" Joey called out.

The Masked Man turns up to see the broken windows, and then spots the group. He becomes surprised, and then zaps the snowmobile to life. "Time to part. I'm out of here." The Masked Man drives off.

Joey watches the Masked Man take off, "Are we just gonna stand around and watch him escape?"

Jack realizes that going after the Masked Man is dangerous, but he can't let him get away, so he said, "No way! We're going to put an end to this!"

"Now you speaking my language, Jack!" Joey shouted, "Let's get him!" The group jumps out through the open window and goes after the Masked Man.

But Jack has other plans for his team. He said to his cousin, Joey, "Hold on, cousin. I need you and the others to cut him off."

Joey nodded, "Got it. Let's go guys!"

Amy said, "Okay!"

Nina brings her Poké ball and calls, "Mamoswine! Let's go!"

Joey levitated into the air, "Let's cut him off like Jack said."

"Good idea, monsieur." Vincent agrees. "The Masked Man may know how to escape, but we know the exit."

"I'll fly Jack over there." Yang said.

"That's okay. I have Arcanine." Jack calls. He pulls out a Poké ball and calls, "Arcanine, I summon you!"

The Poké ball opens up, and then reveals a big red fur dog. "Ar! Ar!" It spoke.

"Ya!" Jack and Pikachu ride off to chase the Masked Man.

Joey takes off to cut off the Masked Man's escape with Lucario running beside him. Amy, Nina, and Vincent follow Joey through the snowy forest and chase after the Masked Man. The Masked Man continues driving the snow mobile to the exit.

"Soon, little sheep, you will join us." Something appears out of nowhere and stops the Masked Man from proceeding to the exit. "Agh! What now?"

"Hey! Masked Man!" Nina shouts. "We're taking Hiro back!"

"Not a chance!" The Masked Man shouts, turning the other direction. "I'll take the syndic route."

"Bonjour, monsieur." Said Vincent, "Too late to take the syndic route."

"Agh!" The Masked Man shouts, surprised. He tries to get to the exit but can't. He tries again, but it was too late. A flying figure with a blue dog blocks the Masked Man off. "What now?"

Joey crossed his arms with a grin, "Going somewhere?"

Lucario held his paw-hands up in fighting stance, "You cannot escape with our friend."

The Masked Man spoke, "Ugh! Those brats avoid my trance and caught me in a trap. Forget escaping, I will find another route!"

The figure turns around and hi-tails to another route.

Joey shakes his head, "I wouldn't go there."

Lucario shakes his head, "Villains never learn master."

The Masked Man tries a new route, but then becomes blocked off by Amy and her Gyarados. "Agh!"

"Hi. Have you met my Gyarados?" Ask Amy.

The Masked Man grunts, "These kids are smarter than I thought. Time for plan B." He calls, "Fine, you want the Sheep so bad, come and take him!"

Joey lowered into a fighting stance, "Let's see how tough this guy is."

Amy calls the others with her Poké Gear, "Okay, we got him blocked off, now what?"

Jack replies in the Poké Gear, "Now we go after him. I just need to get in close and get Hiro back."

"Oh good lord. Okay." Said Amy. She gets on Gyarados and flies off following the Masked Man.

"Looks like we're going after the Masked Man." Said Vincent. "Bien."

"You said it." Said Furret.

Joey goes after the Masked Man too, "You can try but you won't escape us!"

Lucario followed, "Surrender the sheep villain!"

The Masked Man sees the group homing. "Ah. So you all trapped me in one circle and try to come after me? So clever, but not clever." He releases his arms and said, "Hmph!"

Icicle stalagmites come out of the snow trying to throw the group off. "What?" Ask Nina, surprised.

"Mamo?" Ask Mamoswine, surprised.

Joey zips around easily dodging the ice stalagmites, "Nice try."

Lucario jumps on the stalagmites and uses them to get faster by jumping on each one, "Is this all you can do, Masked Man? I'm a Steel type, strong against Ice."

"He's trying to slow us down." Said Vincent. "I'll get him!"

"No, Vincent. Jack told us to slow him down." Said Amy.

"Well, I'm doing it!"

Vincent reaches to the Masked Man and tries to take Hiro, but the Masked Man shoos Vincent away. "Huh? Scram, you!"

"I'm taking him now, you creep!" Vincent said.

"Why you! I'll erase you!" The Masked Man grabs Vincent on his face and shocks him.

"VAAAAGH!" Vincent falls off and lands on the snow.

"What just happened?" Ask Amy, surprised.

Joey narrowed his eyes, "This guy, there's something weird about him." Joey looks carefully at Vincent and Furret from afar and sees Vincent and Furret traumatized and unable to move. Some of Vincent's face is covered is glass icicle. "Hmmm. He used some kind of paralysis or immobilizing technique." Joey frowned, "That means he's a bit more dangerous than we gave him credit for."

"Okay, I'll get him." Said Amy. She pulls her bow and arrow, and fires a flame arrow at the Masked Man. "Bye-bye."

The Masked Man avoids and waves his arm on the side again. "Hmph!" More ice stalagmites continue popping out of the ground. The group avoids them one-by-one.

"This guy is not quitting, is he?" Ask Nina. "Where's Jack? And Pikachu?"

Joey flies up, "This guy is really beginning to get on my nerves." He then slashes with his claw sending a blade of energy down at the Masked Man."

"You made this too easy." Said the Masked Man. He blocks the impacts. "Do you think demon attacks are going to work against a spell caster? I am the king of ice, demon boy."

Joey smirks, "Don't you know I'm more than a demon?" He then charges and fires a ki blast down at the Masked Man.

"Stupid boy. Are you not aware of who am I holding?" Ask the Masked Man.

Joey realized his blast was heading towards Hiro, "Oh no!" He lifts his hands up and the blast changes its trajectory going over the Masked Man and into the sky.

The Masked Man laughs. "Good boy. If you were not aware, I'd say you would have 'erased' Hiro from existence, then again, your Ki is not match against my Magic." The Masked Man looks at his glove, and gasps in fear thinking. "Oh no. My powers are wearing thin. I need to hurry and finish this before it's too late." The Masked Man said, "But won't worry. I'll send you a gift." He points upward. The group looks up and sees a huge crystal above the group.

"Wha?"Ask Nina, surprised.

Joey looked at the crystal, "What one earth is that thing?"

Amy said, seeing the huge crystal, "Oh my god. So shiny!"

Nina alerts, "That is one huge crystal. He's going to kill us all!"

"See? I am not bluffing." Said the Masked Man. He raises his hand up high. "Time to part."

The Masked Man could try and release his hand down, but then saw a grappling hook come out of nowhere and snatch Hiro out of there. "AGH!"

Jack and Pikachu came out with Arcanine and Jack calls, "Guys! Run! This way!"

The group follows Jack, Pikachu, and Arcanine, and away from the huge crystal.

"Good timing, Jack. Late as usual." Said Amy.

Joey asks flying beside Jack, "And where have you been Jack?"

Jack said, "Well, heh, heh. I was hiding in the shadows waiting for the Masked Man to show up."

Yang spoke, "Jack, maybe we need to focus on getting out of here."

"We can't, not with that deranged man wearing a mask alive." Jack said.

"Yeah!" Pikachu agrees.

"We need to get rid of him." Said Kyo.

Joey asks, "How? He is a magic-user."

"Well, I'd say he's not weak wizard." Said Yang. "Even if you try and use Ki, he'll either send it back or cast it aside."

Joey said, "My mother has more experience fighting magic-users than I do."

Lucario replies, "Too bad your mother is always wandering master."

"Yeah, that's mom for you." Said Joey.

Jack smirks, "You just leave him with me, Pikachu, Kyo, and Arcanine."

"What? Me? I didn't agree to this!" Kyo shouts, surprised.

Jack said, "Just find somewhere safe. I'll draw him towards me." He realizes, "Wait, what happened to Vincent?"

"Do you want the know?" Ask Amy.

"Okay." Said Jack. The group takes cover letting the Masked Man chase Jack and his Arcanine. Jack provokes, "Hey! Come and get me, old man!" He spanks his rear at the Masked Man, "Right here!"

The group is surprised. Joey blinks surprised, "Has Jack lost his marbles?"

The Masked Man appears chasing Jack, Pikachu, Arcanine, and Kyo. "Give me back the sheep, you twerp!"

Jack turns around and looks at the Masked Man. Next, he pulls his eyelid down, and sticks his tongue out. Joey places his hand on his forehead feeling embarrassed and said, "Jack has lost his marbles."

The Masked Man becomes mad and said, "You asked for is!" He releases his arms out. More icicle stalagmites come out of the ground. Arcanine maneuvers through the icicle stalagmites swiftly.

"I need to lose him, but how?" Ask Jack. Before Jack could think of a plan, he asks the Masked Man, "Hey, why'd you let Team Rocket leave you alone for? Aren't you guys supposed to work as a team?"

The Masked Man replies, "Oh, don't worry about them. I consider them deadweights."

"Sheesh!" Said Jack, surprised. "What kind of monster are you?"

"The monster that wants the Sheep Zodiac." The Masked Man answered.

Suddenly, Jack and Arcanine are riding towards a cliff. Pikachu shouts, "Jack! The cliff!"

Jack shouts, surprised, "What? Oh Zucion!"

"Are you trying to kill us?" Ask Kyo.

Jack banks Arcanine away from the cliff, but has an idea. He shouts, "Arcanine! There!"

"What are you doing?" Ask Kyo.

"I have a plan." Said Jack. He calls, "Hey, old man, over here!"

Masked Man spoke, "Annoying pest."

Joey watches, "What is Jack's plan?"

"I can't watch!" Nina calls, covering her eyes.

Jack grabs a bomb, and fuses it. "I hope this works." He whispers to Arcanine, "Keep running, Arcanine, but run to that cliff."

Pikachu and Kyo are shocked. Kyo shouts, surprised, "What? There?"

"Trust me!" Jack calls.

Jack said, "Okay, time for my plan to go into action." He points, "Ya!"

Arcanine sees the cliff, but wants to avoid it. Then Arcanine looks at Jack, and charges at the cliff. Jack drops the bomb, and then it explodes, turning a black smoke into a white snowy fog.

Masked Man spoke, "Mere fool. I won't let you live." The Masked Man passes through the smoke, but then sees a cliff. The Masked Man shrieks, "AGH!" He falls off and screams, "AAAAAAGH!"

Joey blinks, "What just happened?" The group arrives close to the edge, and sees Jack, his Pokémon, Kyo, and the Masked Man gone.

"Are they"" Ask Amy, worried.

"No. Jack! Pikachu!" Nina calls.

"Jack." Said Yang, worried. "What were you thinking?"

But then Joey looks closely at the ledge, and then sees Jack walking up on to the ledge. Joey said, "Jack's fine, but he seriously needs to stop doing these things."

Jack carries Hiro on his arm, Pikachu on to his shoulder, and Kyo on his head. Kyo becomes very shocked like a cartoon scared cat.

Jack turns around and calls, "Yeah! We did it!"

Pikachu cheers, "Pi, Pikachu!"

Kyo falls off, and lands on the snow. The group stares at Kyo, and Jack apologizes. "Whoops. Sorry, Kyo."

Kyo gets up from the snow, and shouts, "Are you crazy, Jack! What were you thinking? We could have gotten ourselves killed!"

Yang asks, "What happened, Jack? And where's that Masked Man?"

Jack explains, "Well, he wanted Hiro, so I lure him into a trap."

"By sending him off into the cliff?" Ask Vincent.

"Yep." Jack replies.

"But Arcanine?" Ask Nina.

Jack shows Nina Arcanine's ball, "Safe. I was able to put him in before we fell off."

Joey snaps his finger understanding Jack's plan and nodding his head, "So that's it. The old luring into a trap plan."

Jack gives Joey a steak. "Right. Have a steak."

Joey takes the steak and chows down, "My favorite flavor! Yummy! Yummy!"

Jack asks, "Now, can we go home? I'm getting sleepy."

Hiro wakes up and asks, "Huh? Where am I?"

The yellow rabbit pops out of Amy's small bag and cheers, "Ja! Hiro's awake!"

"Oh, you again." Said Hiro, annoyed.

"Yes, us again, Hiro." Said the cow, Haru.

Joey nods, "Jack's right, we're done here let's head back."

"Yeah, sure. But that doesn't excuse all of you for leaving that Huge Sphere with that creep." Said Hiro.

Jack then pulls out a blue huge orb and said, "Oh, I wouldn't say that."

"Wait, what?" Ask Amy.

Joey snaps his fingers impressed, "Jack did the old Switcheroo on that Masked Man!"

"How?" Ask Hiro. "Did you steal it back? Cause you would have been going to jail for stealing."

Jack answers, "Wrong. Like cousin said, 'I swapped the Huge Sphere with a decoy'."

Yang spoke, "Nice one, Jack." He points at Amy, "You are becoming close to Amy."

Amy turns at Yang and asks, "Wait, what?"

Jack answers, "Nah. I learned a couple of tricks from her."

"Tis true." Amy agrees.

Kyo asks, "Hey! Are we going home or what? My fur is getting cold!"

"Well, I'm not." Said Hiro.

"Shut up, you brat!" Kyo shouts.

Joey replied, "Kyo's right," He gave a grin, "For once."

As the group makes their way back to the entrance and out of the dimension, Kisa looks at Hiro. She wants to say something nice for Hiro's sacrifice.

"Um, Hiro…" Kisa said softly, "…Thank you." Amy and Nina are adored to Kisa's words.

Hiro stops walking and blushes. He then looks at Kisa for one second, and then turns away. "Whatever." The group stops and looks at Hiro for a second. Hiro looks at the group and asks, "What?" They continue starring. Hiro said, "Okay. I didn't do it for the sphere. I…did it for you."

Kisa walks over to Hiro and snuggles him. Hiro blushes more trying to ignore it. "Okay, that's enough." Said Hiro, embarrassed. "People are watching." And then finally Kisa kisses Hiro on the cheek. Hiro freezes and then faints.

Amy and Nina giggle. Jack and Pikachu however stare at Hiro surprised. And then Jack picks up Hiro and holds him on his arm. Amy picks up Kisa and puts Kisa back in Amy's bag.

Joey crosses his arms and said, "Well, it's about time." He presses forward trying to remember, "And yet I feel like I'm forgetting something."

"Like who?" Ask Amy, curious.

Joey realizes and asks, "Wait, where's Vincent?"

The group looks around and do not see Vincent and Furret.

Joey snaps his finger and said, "Shoot! We left him behind!"

"Master, I got him!" Lucario runs up having stayed behind to retrieve the vampire chef. Lucario carries Vincent over his shoulders.

"Oh dear." Said Nina, surprised.

Joey blinked, "Wait where's Furret?"

Lucario gestures to his other shoulder where a fainted Furret lied, "I wouldn't forget a fellow Pokémon, master."

"No!" Amy picks up Furret from Lucario and holds it tight. "Not Furret!" She cries. "Why!" She points, "This is all your fault, Vincent!"

Nina said, "Looks like a Chill Touch. Hang on, I'll get him back to normal."

She pours hot water on the ice, and thaws Vincent free.

Vincent shrieks and breathes heavily, and Furret wakes. "Quel? What? Was I frozen?"

"Yes." Said Amy, "And look what you did to poor Furret!"

Lucario puts Furret down, "Um could we save the arguing for when we get back to the cabin?"

"I'm okay, Amy." Said Furret.

"Don't care!" Said Amy, hugging Furret, "You're still hurt!"

"Oh, please give me back, Furret." Said Vincent. "What did I miss?"

Jack said, "Maybe it's best until we get back to the cabin."

"Good i...i...Achoo!" Vincent sneezed. "Ugh. I hate the cold."

Lucario said, "Gesundheit."

Vincent sniffs and said, "Merci."

And then the group goes back to the cabin. The group walks away from the new world, and then goes back to the cabin with the Chinese Zodiacs. Since the storm is over, they should have no problem getting back to the cabin. The blizzard is gone and no longer colder than 30 degrees.

"So the storm stopped." Said Joey.

Jack thinks about his team effort from the battle along with what the Masked Man said before. "Simple. They will be erased for all eternity." This will haunt Jack and the zodiacs, but what can he do with only two Chinese Zodiacs left to rescue? This might not be enough since the Masked Man is a bigger threat.

Joey looks at Jack and asks, "Jack is something wrong?"

"That Masked Man is a monster." Jack said. "He was about to kill the zodiacs, but we stopped him." He looks at Jack with a serious look, "I think it's time we put an end to their plot and get the Chinese Zodiacs and Miss Honda home."