Chapter 56:

On Thin Ice at the Snowpoint Gym

Maylene was insistent on how fine she would be taking down Team Galactic. To her credit, Acuity Lakefront wasn't a blizzard at all; just some light snowflakes. Still, she was going in thin clothing, barefoot no less.

"This is all part of my training" Maylene said.

I still wasn't 100% convinced, insisting that I would walk her over. Maylene agreed. Despite her willingness, she wasn't going to get over yesterday for some time.


As we walked to the Cliff, we had a talk about Maylene's training. "Why Snowpoint City?" I asked. "Surely you would know this would be far too cold for you."

"Part of being a Gym Leader is resisting every challenge that comes my way, that includes the bitter cold" she replied. She looked in the distance to see the Route 217 blizzard in the air. "Though I guess I did push myself a little hard. I'll train somewhere a little warmer next time."

"Well your skills are about to be put to the test" I mentioned. As I said this, I walked through the grass and came across a small, brown Pokémon that had hair all over, including over its eyes. It also had a pink snout.


Swinub

203

Ice/Ground Type

Pig Pokémon

Region of origin: Johto

1'04" (0.4 m)

14.3 lbs (6.5 kg)

It has a very sensitive nose. It can locate mushrooms, berries, and even hot springs buried under ice.


"Swinub can learn Rock Climb!" Maylene told me. "Why not catch it?"

"That's the plan" I told her. "Go Luxray! Use Crunch!" Swinub however came first with an Ice Shard; a fast move like that would go a long way. Luxray finally got a Crunch in and almost took down Swinub. "Go Ultra Ball!" I yelled. The Ball just continued to shake over and over again… and stayed closed!

"Alright!" Maylene said. "A new team member!"

"Good job Luxray!" I said, just as I noticed some electricity coming from its fang. Not sure what that could mean...


We soon reached the Cliff where Barry was waiting once again. We saw my blonde haired friend waving up at us.

"Beat the Gym yet?" he asked.

"I haven't even taken it on!. Maylene is coming up to give you a hand! You'll need it!"

Maylene sent out Machoke and had it use Rock Climb to the top of the cliff. Upon reaching the top, Maylene put her thumb up to Barry. "Don't worry, I'll give you a hand! A Gym Leader and a Trainer with 7 Badges; Team Galactic don't stand a chance!"

Barry looked down at me again. "Well if you don't hurry up and beat the Gym I'm gonna fine you! Two is great, three is better!"

He was right; it would be a good idea to take on the Gym now. Time to give Swinub the Exp. Share; it needed to get stronger.


So here's a question; is ice skating mandatory in life? Because this Gym was one big ice rink. Just with slopes and stairs mixed in with some snowballs. Why didn't I pack my skates? BECAUSE I DON'T SKATE!

"I'm not sure about this" I thought. I put one foot on the ice and suddenly, I slid across to the other side of the Gym, but not to the Gym Leader who was on top of another slope that you could only get up by climbing some stairs; I'm talking right into a wall. My nose was probably a lot flatter upon impact.

"You okay?" An Ace Trainer ran up to me. He was wearing orange snow wear and black boots.

"I'm fine" I said, getting up. I knew this Gym would take some getting use to. Sinnoh may be cold, but Twinleaf Town felt like Hoenn compared to this.

"Well, you're in my sight so I think it's time to battle!" the Ace Trainer told me.

I tried to get my Pokéball out my Bag, but slipped and fell over. "I'll be a minute" I said.


Eventually I was able to get up and the battle started. "I choose Luxray!" I yelled, almost slipping over again.

"Go Glalie!" shouted Ace Trainer Anton. He sent out a round white Pokémon with gritted teeth and large black horns.


Glalie

207

Ice Type

Face Pokémon

Region of origin: Hoenn

4'11" (1.5 m)

565.5 lbs (256.5 kg)

It prevents prey from escaping by instantaneously freezing moisture in the air.

Snorunt -Lv 42- Glalie


"Okay Luxray, give it a dose of your Spark!" Instead, Luxray's fang was starting to spark again. It then jumped and chomped down on Glalie; sparks flew off it as it did.

"Well it seems your Luxray has learned Thunder Fang!" Anton said.

"Nice one!" I told my Electric Type.

"Allow me to show you a similar move. Glalie, Ice Fang!" Glalie's teeth seemed to get cold as it bit Luxray.

"Luxray, another Thunder Fang!" Luxray once again used it. A Critical Hit! Glalie was down!

"Nice one" Anton said. "Good luck with your new move; you're gonna need it. Our Gym Leader is really strong."


Well by move Anton meant Thunder Fang. But he should have also meant move where I was going to go because one more step and I was sliding away again. I couldn't control myself and slammed into a snowball. Except, I didn't slam into it. It just turned into a mound of snow which stopped me. I felt like this could help stop me.

"I see you've found this Gym's puzzle" said another Ace Trainer, this one being female.

"Yep" I mentioned. "I just can't get the hang of it."

"Well, you can get the hang of battling though!"

Oh yeah, I could do that.


"Go Sneasel!" shouted Ace Trainer Brenna.

"I choose Staraptor!" I shouted. "Use-"

"Sneasel, Ice Shard!" Sneasel fired a shard of ice at Staraptor for Super Effective damage.

"Staraptor, Close Combat!" Staraptor kept attacking Sneasel repeatedly. Sneasel was down in one swoop.

"I choose Snover!" Brenna yelled, sending in the Grass Type. "Another Ice Shard!" This Ice Shard was stronger because Close Combat had lowered Staraptor's Defense.

"Staraptor, Close Combat!" Staraptor once again struck Snover multiple times, knocking it out.

"Go Snorunt!" yelled Brenna as I recalled Staraptor.

"Go Toxicroak!" I yelled. "Use Revenge!" Toxicroak punched Snorunt for quite a bit.

"Snorunt, Ice Fang!" Snorunt bit Toxicroak with its icy jaw.

"Now use Poison Jab!" Toxicroak jabbed Croagunk, knocking it out.

"Good job slider boy!" Brenna playfully taunted.


At that moment, Swinub's Pokéball was shaking. "What's going on?" I thought as I sent it out. Well, it seems my new friend was evolving! It got bigger and bigger until I saw its evolved form; an even hairier brown Pokémon that now had two small white tusks.


Piloswine

204

Ice/Ground Type

Swine Pokémon

Region of origin: Johto

3'07" (1.1 m)

123 lbs (55.8 kg)

Covered by a shaggy coat, it is strong against the cold. Its tusks of ice thicken when it snows.

Swinub -Lv 33- Piloswine


That gave me the confidence I needed.

I continued to battle the Trainers and take Center visits, until finally I slid in front of the stairs that had the Gym Leader. She had black hair, a white shirt with a blue jumper wrapped round it.

"Hi there!" she said gleefully. "Candice will be the one challenging you today!"

Great. I wanted to get here but it took longer than I thought.

"Today, Candice will be using her Ice Types to freeze you in place! Can you melt through?"

Was this who I was challenging? Seems so.


"Go Toxicroak!" I shouted.

"Candice chooses Sneasel!" said Candice as she sent out the fast Dark Type. "Okay, Sneasel starts with Aerial Ace!" Sneasel skated along the ice and into Toxicroak for Super Effective damage.

"Toxicroak, Revenge!" Toxicroak jumped into Sneasel and punched it. It was 4x Effective on Sneasel, taking it out in one. Good start.

"Lucas took down the easy one, but now Candice sends out Piloswine!" Out came her woolly brown teammate.

"Toxicroak, Revenge!" Toxicroak punched Piloswine for Super Effective damage, but Piloswine took it very well. It just slid back a little on the ice.

"Piloswine used Earthquake!" Piloswine caused the earth below to rumble. Toxicroak couldn't take it; it fell.

"Well, try using Earthquake on a Pokémon in the air!" I shouted as I sent out Staraptor. "Use Close-"

"Ice Shard!" Piloswine hit Staraptor with a shard of ice, knocking it out the sky and onto the frozen ground. Staraptor got up quickly and used Close Combat. Piloswine was finished.

"Let's see how Lucas deals with the The Ice Monster. Candice chooses Abomasnow!" Candice sent out a large white Pokémon with purple eyes and green hands, feet and tail.


Abomasnow

143

Grass/Ice Type

Frost Tree Pokémon

Region of origin: Sinnoh

7'03" (2.2 m)

298.7 lbs (135.5 kg)

It whips up blizzards in mountains that are always buries in snow. It is the abominable snowman.

Snowver -Lv 40- Abomasnow


It started hailing, which is what I expected from Abomasnow's Snow Warning Ability. "Staraptor, Aerial Ace!" Staraptor dove down into Abomasnow. This was Super Effective, but Candice wasn't phased.

"Abomasnow used Avalanche!" Abomasnow suddenly summoned multiple frozen rocks from above. They hit Staraptor for a ton of damage. Staraptor was buried underneath.

"NO!" I shouted. The frozen rocks were easy to shift through, revealing the fainted Staraptor.

"Lucas likes my move. Avalanche does double damage if a Pokémon has been hit, sort of like Revenge. Candice took him by surprise, how will he conquer her?"

"With Empoleon!" I replied. "Ice is it's specialty, and you'll see why. Empoleon, Flash Cannon!" Empoleon shot a beam at Abomasnow. It was almost finished.

"Abomasnow used Focus Blast!" Abomasnow summoned a ball of energy from its palms. It then shot it at Empoleon.

It hit. Empoleon was hanging by a thread. "Empoleon, Aqua Jet!" Empoleon darted into Abomasnow. It was down. However, so was Empoleon, succumbing to the Hail. I ran over to it. "Empoleon, that was excellent. We've almost won."

"Candice sends out her final Pokémon!" Candice's last one was white, floating and had a red bow around it.


Froslass

208

Ice/Ghost Type

Snow Land Pokémon

Region of origin: Sinnoh

4'03" (1.3 m)

58.6 lbs (26.6 kg)

It freezes prey by blowing its -58 degrees F breath. It is said to then secretly display its prey.

Snorunt - Dawn Stone- Froslass


"I choose Blissey!" I shouted.

"Frosslass used Blizzard!" Froslass fired an icy storm at Blissey who took it easily.

"Blissey, Light Screen!" Blissey created a shield around it, which halves damage from Special moves.

"Froslass used Blizzard again!" As expected, the damage was halved. There was no point in using this move anymore.

"Blissey, Grass Knot!" Blissey created some grass beneath it. It then tied around Froslass. Critical Hit!

"Frosslass used Psychic!" Froslass lifted Blissey up into the air with its mind then slammed it back down again.

"Blissey, Grass Knot!" Another Grass Knot hit. One more would do it.

"Froslass, Blizzard!" Once again, this didn't do a lot. Light Screen is a really helpful move.

"Grass Knot!" One more, and I was victorious.


"Lucas has overcome the battles frigid conditions" Candice told me. "Oh brother, did I really keep that up. Sorry, I'm an English Teacher in training so I wanted to practice my 3rd person. Here, this is the Icicle Badge. It allows you to use Rock Climb outside of battle. On top of this, you gets TM72 for Avalanche, which I've already explained the workings of it. Go forth Trainer, one more Badge is left!"

She gave me a light blue Badge with two spiky bits.

One more to go...


"No sign of Team Galactic" Barry told me that night over Maylene's phone. "You can take it easy for tonight, but promise us you'll join tomorrow."

"Promise" I said. "I got Badge no.7!"

"Neat!" Maylene replied. "So when will you make it here tomorrow?"

"When I can" I told her. "Not sure if It'll be first thing."