Trainers, which Pokemon is the best physically defensive Pokemon?

a) Abomasnow
b) Cryogonal
c) Avalugg

Calem, Serena and Shauna resumed their quest the day after they stopped Team Flare. The day in between was spent with Serena's mother, Grace, and coaxing her into accepting the path of her daughter.

"In my mind, I know I shouldn't let her anywhere near you. But in my heart, I know I shouldn't let her be out of your sight. Serena won't last five seconds without you at her side. It breaks my heart to say this… but I'd rather you had her. Please… give her the life I couldn't…" she had said, out of Serena's earshot, of course.

Calem had accepted the burden Grace had placed on him, caring too much about Serena to abandon her. He accepted Serena as his ward and eventual wife, before setting off to continue a journey he had long since lost emotional investment in: the Kalos League. In a mere week, the League meant a lot less to him than just seeing Serena safe and well.


Of course, it wasn't just the badges that lay before him. Passing by the mysterious Terminus Cave, Shauna heard a beautiful, lively tune behind her. She turned, to see a familiar blue deer land behind her. Calem and Serena turned as well.

Greetings, and welcome to my home, for it is on the path of your roam, Xerneas said. Shauna curtsied gently.

"It's certainly a nice place. Does Yveltal live here as well?" Shauna asked. As if on cue, Yveltal landed beside Xerneas.

Yo, Shaun, my lady, it's definitely a lovely sight to see you around my home turf, girl! Yveltal said. Calem and Serena looked between the two, bemused. The guardian deity of death sounded like a teenage surfer.

Anyway, my lovely saviour, it seems we owe you a favour. I've talked with Zygarde, and I think you'll agree, that it seems prudent to offer a little gift to you three, Xerneas rhymed. Shauna's inner child beamed at the thought of gifts, but the much more sophisticated demeanour she had evolved shone, and kept her impassive.

"Gift? Of what sort?" she asked, making sure she knew the facts. Serena beamed with pride, seeing a girl she considered her daughter acting all grown up.

What Xerneas is trying to say, but can't quite find the pair of words to say it, is that we have to totally thank you for that way cool save you did for all of Kalos, and we are going to do it the only way he has the faintest idea how: by offering the three of you immortality! Yveltal explained. Calem looked at Serena worriedly. Serena was gently playing with the side of her skirt.

"I thank you for the offer, lord of life, but I'm afraid me and Serena are going to have to pass," Calem said. Serena smiled slightly, the tilt of her head hiding it from everyone except Calem.

"Uncle… aunt…" Shauna said, looking between the two of them with an expression of trepidation on her face.

What of you, maiden who fought by our sides? Where is it that your desire resides? Xerneas asked. Shauna looked at Calem worriedly.

"Shauna… you do what your heart tells you to do," Calem suggested. Shauna took a deep breath, and turned back to Xerneas.

"I accept your offer," Shauna said. Xerneas bowed, and a runic light surrounded her. A massive pillar of light cloaked Shauna, hiding her from Calem and Serena's view. The light cleared away… and nothing out of the ordinary seemed to have happened. It was just the same old Shauna.

"Wasn't something supposed to happen?" Calem asked, more than a little wary.

It won't make sense until the age of thirty-five, at which Shauna will do nothing but thrive. Xerneas pointed out. Calem felt stupid for not realising that. Shauna bounded back to Calem, and gave him a gentle hug.


The journey continued through Couriway Town, and then onto Route 19 to get to Snowbelle. Along the way, Serena and Shauna didn't say a word. Calem looked between his two charges, both of whom were willing to engage with him, but not with each other. It was like something had snapped between them.

"Ah, hello, and welcome to Snowbelle City!" a nervous-looking man said. He looked extremely stressed out. Serena and Shauna both agreed: their first job would be to help this man.

"What seems to be the problem?" Shauna asked. The man gave a nervous start, realising that he was very obviously troubled. The look on his faced expressed puzzlement, before settling on a solution.

"All right, I'll tell you. Wulfric the Gym Leader went into the Winding Woods a few hours ago… and he hasn't returned!" he said, trying to keep a note of panic out of his voice.

"The Winding Woods?" Serena asked. "Surely a Gym Leader would be OK in a forest…"

"The Winding Woods, or Route 20, is a maze, not a forest. Strange things happen to those who spend too much time in there. Several lives, many of them children's, have been lost in there. Not killed. Lost," Shauna explained. Serena placed a hand over her breast. Something about that got to her.

"I heard an endangered life somewhere in there, Shauna, Some Guy. And you know what I do for endangered lives," Calem said. It was going to be a given that they would enter the Winding Woods.


"Wait!" Shauna said when the trio arrived at the Winding Wood's gaping maw. Calem and Serena turned around to face her. Shauna pulled a small ball of yarn from her bag, and tied one end to a tree at the forest's edge.

"What was the point of that?" Serena asked icily.

"This yarn will be our guide through the Winding Woods. I don't particularly want you to die yet, nor do I want to spend the rest of my life eternally wandering a forest maze. If I rewind the yarn, we should find ourselves at this spot," Shauna elaborated. Serena gave a brief sob, and turned away for a few moments. She turned back.

"I'm ready to take on this forest," she said half-heartedly.


The trio were walking for what was seemingly hours. With no sun in sight, there was no way to tell. Serena was convinced that the trees were watching them in a silent vigil. Shauna noticed one move out of the corner of her eye. Calem simply felt a sense of malice emanating from the woods, or at least the smaller trees.

"Maybe this was a bad idea…" Calem said, when an Ekans-like hiss sounded from a particularly close tree. Shauna looked down, and saw something she didn't expect.

"My yarn!" she cried out. The path the pair had been taking was traced in front of them, going at a perpendicular angle. The yarn was paired up: they had gone over this way twice.

"Of course, we're going in circles!" Serena said, beginning to cry. Calem grabbed her, and gave her a long, nervous cuddle. Eventually, Serena's sobs began to lessen. Shauna's eyes widened a bit.

"How did we miss that?" she asked. Calem turned. There was a small sanctuary opposite them, on the other side of the yarn.

"Yeah. Oops," he said. Serena let go of Calem, and ran to the sanctuary in a huge rush. Calem followed just as quickly, and Shauna was inhibited by the ball of yarn she was dragging: a ball which was quickly diminishing in size.


"Hello, young 'uns! Welcome to the Pokémon Village, home to abandoned and troubled Pokémon!" Wulfric said. Serena looked around in awe. The beautiful vistas were free-flowing, and countless critters bounded about in harmony. Aside from special little creations and a small manmade device, it was all natural.

"You like the sights?" Wulfric asked. Serena beamed.

"It's beautiful. And you said abandoned and troubled? I could live here!" Serena said, idly massaging her back in the middle of an excited cheer. Wulfric understood immediately that Serena's adoration was thanks to empathy, not sympathy. He gave her a nervous, though encouraging, pat on the back, taking care not to hit the place Serena was massaging. A small yelp signified he either found another scar, or had overstepped his boundaries.

"Well, Serena, there's nothing stating we can't take in an abandoned and troubled little girl like you. We probably need a permanent caretaker or two anyway. I really should not be leaving my Gym so often… or at least I should've remembered to warn the new guy. Anyway, want to come back to Snowbelle and challenge me as a Gym Leader?" Wulfric asked. Calem nodded, and Serena gave a wistful sigh.


"There's nothing quite like the twinkle of a snowbound land. I am Wulfric, tough as an iceberg, hot as a furnace. Welcome to the Snowbelle Gym Challenge for the Iceberg Badge!" Wulfric said genially, slapping a hand across his belly. Shauna got the impression of Santa Claus given form, but in blue.

The Gym Battle against Gym Leader Wulfric has now begun!

Leader Wulfric sent out Abomasnow!

Go! Delphox!

Abomasnow's Snow Warning whipped up a hailstorm!

The hail buffeted at Serena, requiring Calem to keep an arm on her. Shauna, having the youngest eyes of the group, was able to pierce the hailstorm easily. The snowy cloak that Abomasnow was using to conceal itself from Delphox came to nothing, as Shauna directed Delphox with relative ease. The Flamethrower did a particularly good job of roasting the half-ice half-grass snowman.

Leader Wulfric sent out Cryogonal!

Cryogonal rotated on the spot. A weird spot of light was emitted, and touched Delphox's eyes. Delphox started to titter about aimlessly, not being able to hear Shauna that well. Cryogonal grinned, and shot a brilliant Ice Beam at Delphox, combo-striking the critter and sending her flying.

Go! Charizard!

Calem's Charizard was a force to be reckoned with. His claws set themselves alight, and Charizard collided, dead centre, with Cryogonal using a powerful Flare Blitz. The attack roasted the snowflake, but sent Charizard lying on the ground.

Leader Wulfric sent out Avalugg!

"Come now. Let us fight this mighty hailstorm!"

Charizard resumed his feet, and used another Flare Blitz. This attack dealt far less damage, and Avalugg could use an Avalanche attack to finish off the Charizard. Shauna regretted not Mega Evolving him. Avalugg began to chew on some hailstones.

Go! Korrina!

The hail stopped.

Shauna pulled down the neck of her shirt, revealing her Key Stone. She had tied it to a necklace, and she was ready to activate it.

"No," Korrina said. Shauna understood the line, and lowered her hand. Korrina nodded, and jumped into the air. He generated an Aura Sphere, and flung it at the Avalugg. Avalugg reeled backwards; becoming perfect fodder for Korrina's following Flash Cannon. He twirled about, and shot a beam of aura, finally defeating the Avalugg.

Shauna defeated Leader Wulfric!

"Excellence! Brilliance! You fight with grace and aplomb! It's time for your last Badge!"

Shauna received the Iceberg Badge from Wulfric!


Past Route 21 and Victory Road was the Pokémon League. The trio made this passage without comment or event, a fact Calem was very concerned about. However, upon arriving at the Pokémon League, night happened to fall, and there was no time left for the actual challenge. Calem entered the Pokémon Centre.

"Do you have a room we could possibly rent out?" Calem asked the nurse in charge. She nodded, and led Calem and Serena upstairs to a small room for challengers in their position. Calem lay Serena in the room's bed, and sat down on the covers next to her.

"Are you all right? You haven't been the same since we met Xerneas," Calem asked. Serena looked from side to side before answering Calem.

"Not really. Shauna… she's not herself. She isn't the Shauna we love anymore. Xerneas cursed her with that," she said shyly. Calem looked up, and realised that Shauna had not followed them.

"I'll talk to her about it. You just rest easy, and I'll be back later. Is that OK?" Calem asked. Serena nodded, and pulled the covers up to her chin. She looked really exhausted. Calem kissed her gently on the forehead before leaving to find Shauna.


Calem found Shauna sitting on a small log a few metres from the Pokémon Centre. She was reading a book, the words in which Calem had only a cursory understanding of. He gave Shauna a pat on the shoulder, giving her a small startle.

"Are you OK?" he asked. Shauna looked up at the stars, closing her book.

"It's Serena. Our bond seems to have withered. She hates me, you know," she said, looking back at the Pokémon Centre.

"She doesn't hate you. She just doesn't agree with some of your life choices. And by some, I mean your life expectancy. She called it a curse by Xerneas," Calem explained. Shauna looked down at her hands, awkwardly fidgeting, as if she had something to say.

"What is it?" Calem asked with a note of trepidation.

"I'm leaving, Calem," Shauna said. Calem shook his head.

"You can't just walk out on us. I'm sure Serena will patch your relationship at some point," Calem said. Shauna shook her head this time.

"It's not thanks to our relationship. I was going to leave you after we beat the League and you two got married anyway. But after thinking it over with new information I have found access to, the matter I was going to leave you over before has become much more urgent. Serena disagreeing with me is just icing on the cake. Please, Calem, let me do this one job," Shauna said. Calem gulped, and looked out to the night horizon.

"I'm going to miss you. But I'm letting you go. Make me proud, Shauna. And if you find the chance to come back, I hope Serena will be proud as well," Calem said, looking at his friend with tears in his eyes. Shauna gave him a gentle hug, picked up her choice of supplies from the collective set, and set off on a new quest. Calem watched her go wistfully, hoping that, whatever her goal was, she would succeed in it.

The correct answer would be c) Avalugg. For a final PMC, that was pretty in-depth. Huh.

Next time, on To Lead The Way, we will actually finish the story. I have chosen to merge the Elite Four and Champion, destroying my personal expectation that these stories had minimum ten chapters.