Raven quickly hurried outside, where his friends were waiting for him. Everyone was wearing winter gear, prepared for Snowpoint's freezing weather. The temperature was nice outside, as a pleasant breeze blew past the group. The sun was high in the sky, but mostly covered by clouds.
"Raven, you were supposed to be ready half-an-hour ago." Jeremy scolded as the group headed towards Mt. Cornet.
"My alarm didn't go off." Raven claimed.
"Hey, can you guys not start this so early?" Tori asked.
"Alright, this is the caves entrance." Jeremy announced. "Everyone stay close, it's easy to get lost."
The gang had only taken a few steps, when they noticed four boys loitering in the down the road.
"Oh, not these ass-holes again." Even remarked as he rolled his eyes.
"Oh, hey, um… Even. Been awhile." Stephan jeered.
"But we saw each other yesterday, oh but you knew that. Oh, you, your funny." Even sarcastically rambled. "Now get out of our way."
"Maybe I will, maybe I wont."
"Just leave'em alone, Stephan." Scotty urged.
"Quiet, Scotty." Stephan snapped. Then he turned back to Even. "How 'bout we have a battle, our two best trainers against your two best. Three Pokémon each."
"We accept the challenge!" Jeremy said, before the others could reply.
"We don't have time for this, Jeremy." Maxy reminded him.
"Come-on, Maxy, look at these guys, we can take'em down easy." Jeremy urged.
"Are you ready?" Stephan asked from across the cavern.
"Yep, we got our two best."
"Then lets begin. Come on, Desmond." Stephan motioned to the tallest of the boys.
"We'll make the first move." Desmond announced.
The battle soon commenced. Stephan and Desmond, versus' Jeremy and Maxy. Stephan's first Pokémon was Kirlia, while Desmond sent-out Buneary.
"I choose you, Nidoran!" shouted Jeremy.
"Go Magmortar!" Maxy yelled.
Kirlia quickly tried to use Magical Leaf, and formed a pink orb in its palms, which shot-out leaf's in all directions.
"Magmortar, Flamethrower!"
Magmortar shot hot flames out of his cannon, destroying the attack, and protecting Nidoran and himself. Magmortar quickly changed attacks, and attempted to use Thunder Punch on Buneary. Buneary tried to counter with Dizzy Punch, but after a few seconds of their fist colliding Buneary was overwhelmed with the power and sent flying back into the cave wall, unconscious. Desmond recalled Buneary, with a disappointed expression on his face. Then he sent his next Pokémon, Onix.
"Nidoran, Avalanche!" Jeremy commanded, and Nidoran formed a cyan sphere in his mouth, before send it flying. The sphere skimmed off the floor, before scoring a direct hit on Onix, who withered and fell to the ground.
Desmond angrily recalled Onix, and sent his last Pokémon, Skuntank, into the battle.
"Kirlia, use Magical Leaf!"
Kirlia again created a sphere of pink and threw-it into the air. The sphere exploded just before the roof of the cave, and sent shard leaf's speeding towards the earth. Magmortar again used Flamethrower to burn-up the leaves in front of him, but he was unable to defend Nidoran, who was pelted consecutively with the attack.
"Nidoran, return!" Jeremy ordered. "Go Snorunt!"
Jeremy's Snorunt popped out of its Poke'Ball and quickly got into the action by using Icy Wind. Snorunt spat-out a wind of sparkling snow towards Kirlia, who was unable to avoid the attack.
"Magmortar, Hyper Beam!" Maxy demanded.
Magmortar shot a powerful silver beam from his arm cannon, and it smacked Kirlia into the dirt, making him unable to battle.
"Skuntank, hit Magmortar with Sludge Bomb!" Desmond commanded.
Skuntank charged a purple beam in his mouth, and then shot it out towards Magmortar, who was unable to move due to the effects of Hyper Beam. Snorunt saw the incoming attack, and jumped in front of it, while using Protect. Snorunt created a blue energy around himself as he absorbed the attack. Behind him, Magmortar had recovered, and he used Hyper Beam again, scoring a direct hit on Skuntank and knocking him out.
Seeing his companion out of Pokémon, Stephan forfeited the battle.
"This won't be the last time you see me." He yelled angrily as Scotty escorted him out of the cave.
"Great job, guys." Raven commented.
"Lets just get going." Maxy sighed.
It took the group an hour or so, but eventually, they made there way out of Mt. Cornet, and just outside of Snowpoint.
It was midday as the group climbed-up a tall, snow covered hill.
"Look, Snowpoint City is just ahead!" Raven said excitedly.
"Its about time…I'm tired." Pepe complained.
"Guys, did you see that?" Even asked, while running towards them from the side. "A Sneasel just ran in that cave! I'm going-in after it, who wants to help me?"
"I'm really tired." Pepe repeated.
"Uh, I'll go." Lys offered after no one else did.
"Great, lets do it." Even exclaimed as he ran off towards the icy cave, while Lys trailed slowly behind.
"But, Even, Lys, you guys need this badge!" Jeremy shouted.
"Do you see that line?" Maxy pointed-out.
"Yeah, by the time they get back, we'll still be waiting." Pepe agreed. "Also, I dibs first."
"Second!" Tori piped-up.
"Dang-it, guys!" Raven said as he chuckled.
The five friends made there way to the city, and began to wait in the long line to fight the gym leader.