Slugma needs to keep using moves continuously, or at least be paired with two or three others, so they can fight off the cold and buy more time before it seeps in.
"Oh Dialga, there's a huge hole here! It's a cave! Quick, bring me another torch! Someone, come with me to investigate!"
While checking the western side of Route 210 Plateau, someone accidentally discovered a hole under the barrage of Ember and Flamethrower attacks, revealing a suspicious cave entrance. However, before they could investigate further, snow fell from above, quickly covering the hole once again.
After that, everyone gathered and focused on this part of the area.
Once they confirmed there was indeed a cave, Officer Jenny immediately rejected Mayor Monny's proposal to involve the townspeople in the search and instead organized a specialized police team for a swift and efficient operation.
Professor Carolina, seeing the urgency, agreed, urging, "Let the professionals handle it."
People began to move away from the area as the snow-melting operation had to start. Most of the Slugma could no longer withstand the cold, and the ones that survived were now joined by the remaining Growlithe and Arcanine from the police team.
Growlithe unleashed Flamethrower, while Arcanine followed with an even fiercer version of the move. A series of orange flames erupted from their mouths, cutting through the cold air and creating a powerful display of fire.
A second, a minute, two minutes, three minutes...
"How thick is the snow here?" someone couldn't help but ask.
In the end, the police team had searched for spots where the snow, if it melted, wouldn't be quickly covered by new snowfall, and coincidentally, Absol was also leading the trio there.
"Cynthia, don't be afraid. Grandma is here, Grandma is here—"
Professor Carolina did her best to call out her granddaughter's name, hoping for any response.
Inside the cave, the sunny day orb had already passed. Due to the winter, the sunlight was weak, dashing Cherubi's hopes for another sunny day. As a result, Magby wouldn't be able to receive another supply of warm energy.
In the pile of snow, Allen, Cynthia, and Buneary kept digging, with a little help from Absol, who kicked its heels, sending snow flying everywhere.
The snow landed on Cynthia's palm, so cold that after digging for a long time, her little arms grew stiff.
Despite feeling tired from all the digging, she didn't give up, and then she suddenly heard a faint voice calling her. It was distant, but she trusted her hearing. It gave her hope.
She instantly perked up and craned her neck, her ears standing alert. After making sure she wasn't mistaken, her eyes lit up. It was Grandma's voice!
"Grandma, I'm here!" Cynthia cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted in a random direction, shocking Allen and Grandma Wilma.
"Cynthia!!!!" Professor Carolina was alarmed, and after confirming it was Cynthia's voice, it didn't take long before she shouted, calling everyone to focus on this part.
So, Professor Carolina dug through the snow with all her might. The other Celestic Town residents also helped, but they were a little afraid when they saw such a thick layer of snow. Some dug, while others watched the situation, in case another avalanche struck.
Shovels, hoes, and dustpans were used. Everyone, human and Pokémon, seemed to be in a hurry. It was definitely a weird but also warm scene, seeing humans and Pokémon working together to perform such a rescue.
"Officer Jenny, how about my Rhydon Body Slam the snow instead?"
"..."
"Heavy Slam?"
"..."
"Tackle?"
"..."
Officer Jenny's mouth twitched, finally unable to hold back before instructing her subordinates to arrest the Celestic Town mayor for entertaining such an idea.
Mayor Monny was sad. He patted his confused Rhydon.
Most Arcanine and Growlithe were strategically placed to keep an eye above, so in case another avalanche struck, a Flamethrower or Fire Blast could help save people. Other strong humans and Pokémon joined forces to dig.
"Cynthia, are you tired?"
It had been over five minutes since they started digging, and Allen could tell she was struggling.
"Cynthia?" he called again.
"..."
No response.
Confused, Allen glanced to the side and saw her. His heart skipped a beat.
She had been digging for so long, but her grandma still hadn't heard her—or so she thought. In reality, her grandma had heard her once and shouted back, but she hadn't realized it.
Believing that her cries were going unanswered, she felt a wave of sadness wash over her. The snow still trapped them, and with a heavy heart, she dropped her hands and sat on the ground in disappointment.
'Did I cause trouble for everyone?' she thought, and tears began to flow down her cheeks.
"Hey, hey, don't cry," Allen said, panic rising in his voice. He rushed to her side and gently wiped away her tears with his sleeve.
"Don't worry, we'll get out of here and meet Grandma again, okay?" he said, trying to comfort her.
'Yeah, at least I'm not alone. Allen is here with me,' Cynthia said, bracing herself as she sniffed.
Her tears only lasted for a moment before she wiped them away and stood up again, her hands clenched into fists.
She patted her head with her other hand and muttered to herself, "Cynthia, be strong. Cynthia is strong, so don't cry." She repeated the words softly before turning and spotting Allen. Her lips parted in a strained smile, revealing her white teeth, though it was clearly forced.
"Don't worry. Cynthia is very capable... Cynthia isn't a troublemaker. Cynthia can still find Grandma," she whispered, then returned to digging through the snow.
Allen wanted to say something, but the words got stuck in his throat. He sighed.
In the end, he followed her and continued digging alongside her. He also didn't forget to release all the Pokémon from their Pokéballs to help.
Grandma Wilma and Altaria stayed at the back for safety, keeping watch in case any wild Pokémon appeared from behind. She also remained cautious, wary of Absol's intentions, which was why she didn't join the digging.
However, her expression soon turned strange as she took in the scene unfolding before her.