Ash and company walked out of Snowbelle City's Pokemon Center, which was snowing and the temperature is freezing. All of them wore snow jackets of their signature colors and winter pants along with boots. Everyone was shocked.
"What the... where did all this snow come from?!" Trevor gasped. "Given the climate we've been experiencing since the beginning we've been walking around since late summer!"
"I know!" Serena agreed. "But it's like when the nurse said it was February because that's the only time that snow falls around here, it's like the weather finally caught up!"
"Oh well, at least there's snow to play in!" Shauna laughed as she jumped into the snow, laughing as she made a snow angel with Squishy in her pocket. The others turned to each other, shrugged, decided to play such as making snowmen, throw snow balls at each other, and make a fort. But eventually, they made their way to the gym, right in the dead center of town. And to their surprise, the inside looked like a battle ready ice chamber. And sitting at the end is a large man wearing a red and light blue suit and a big bushy white beard.
"Welcome to my gym, hohoho!" He laughed. "My name is Wulfric Noel. Tell me, are you my newest challengers?"
"Yes please." Serena responded.
"Hmph, very well. But I just have one question." Getting up and walking across the battle field, the teenagers were stricken with awe at how large this man was. While no where near as tall as Lysandre, he still stood two meters tall, and looked like he was around 350-ish pounds, mostly in his jelly like gut. Once he was close enough, he asked,
"What badge are you seeking?"
"This will be our eighth."
"Do you have any fire, fighting, rock and steel type Pokemon?"
"Yes." All three of the gym challenging teens answered.
"Well then, here you go." Wulfric rather surprisingly gave them each a badge just like that.
"Uh... what?" Serena was confused. The man sighed and went from a jolly old man to someone whom looked depressed.
"Look, here's the thing. I've been at this job for over about 65 years, give or take a couple, since I was your age. At my prime, I was considered one of the most fearsome of gym leaders fourth badge and onward. Back then, I only had to deal with a few fire types such as a Talonflame or Delphox, a couple of fighting types like Pangoro and Hawlucha, and rock and steel types were considered a rarity since they're typically found at beaches, caves or up in the mountains. Even when Kalos started bringing in foreign Pokemon I was still considered a respectable gym leader. But around 25 years ago, Mega Evolutions started to become a big thing, and now I'm only a challenge below the fifth badge. Now my Pokemon are frequently burnt and smashed thanks to my challengers being too fast or sturdy along with being hard hitting. I only ever win when the challenger doesn't have those select four types in their teams."
"Well that sounds sad." Trevor commented with furrowed eyes.
"Indeed. There's a saying about ice types. Ice is both extremely hard and terribly fragile at the same time. Depending on what Pokemon you choose and what moves they use, I could be your most challenging opponent yet or I could be a total push over. And let's just say that about a third of the time, I'm a complete push over."
"Well, it couldn't be that bad." Monique tried to lighten the topic, but he dryly chuckled.
"Yeah, try saying that after being beaten by a challenger with five badges and Charizard Y alone at one time that beat my entire eighth level team. Even Viola beats me handily with only her seventh level team."
"Oooo, that's bad." Ash cringed.
"Yes, so I've declared from that day on, I won't fight a challenger with the forbidden types, because victory is assured for them."
"Well, sorry I guess." Serena pocketed her badge. "I hope you do well then." A smile and a happy glint returned to his eye.
"Thank you children. Go, and have yourselves a good night." After they left, the teens talked amongst themselves about what just happened.
"Well that's sort of... anti-climatic for the final badge." Serena said while shaking her head.
"But if what he says is true, then it would've been anti-climatic anyway because any one of us would've beaten him in minutes while maybe losing one Pokemon." Trevor reasoned. "Ice has its merits but it pretty is weak by itself. Like bug around the first few levels. Remember when Serena battled Viola?"
"Yeah, I was able to beat a mostly evolved bug team with just a Fenniken and Ember. And one died without me doing anything." The tomboy sighed, her breath visible in the cold air. "Maybe it was better he just handed the badge to us. So that he wouldn't waste our times."
"Well, how about we look around then?" Shauna suggested. "That way we can at least have some fun in this city."
"Sure. Let's split and meet again at the Pokemon Center." Ash said. Everyone agreed and went their separate ways.
("What should I get Ash?") Serena thought to herself. Now that they're just about to apply for the Pokemon League, she wanted to give her boyfriend a gift. Something he'd really love forever, which eliminated food. She acknowledged that despite being his girlfriend, she hasn't been very romantic lately. She chalked that up to being a tomboy and not like the typical goo goo eyed girl one would expect. And the last time they did something special together with just the four of themselves was going to that restaurant and exploiting it to get rich. To her though, the lunch was the special part since she was eating a high quality lunch with him. Anyway, back to the matter of hand, she had to find the perfect gift. She couldn't mess this up. ("Hmmm, wonder if I should get Monique something as well? Let her know we appreciate her company?")
As for Shauna, she managed to get a gift for all her friends. And something good for Ash.
"Ah, he'll love this." The girl sighed, and proceeded to walk to the Pokemon Center. As she was going to the building, she noticed a mysterious light and chanting down an alley way. Going down it, she noticed Monique on her knees doing some sort of ritual while saying foreign words, and light was glowing from the runes she made in the snow. ("Best not to interrupt her.") Shauna thought as she exited the alley way.
Back in the Pokemon Center, all five of them came back to share what they did.
"So, I managed to catch an Amoonguss, a Noctowl, a Sudowoodo, a Ditto and a Zoroark." Trevor told everyone.
"Oh, those Zoroark are cool." Serena nodded. "With their appearance and illusion abilities."
"Oh, that reminds me, I made you all some special artistic ice." Monique brought up as she grabbed some what looked like disks of ice which contained portraits of her friends. "I used one of my hexes so that they would never melt. They'll still break if enough pressure is put on them, but never melt.
"Aw, thanks Monique!" Shauna hugged the Hex Maniac whom nervously giggled and returned the hug. "I was wondering what you were doing in that alley. I decided to let you be." Monique gasped.
"You saw me? Good thing you didn't. If I became distracted I could've become a living ice sculpture. Except well... dead."
"Oh." Shauna, along with the rest, were a little unnerved by that. "Aaaanyway, here's what I got you." Monique again gasped, but this time out of joy as she was presented with a Ouija Board."
"Oh my gosh! Now I can commune with spirits and have you guys witness it! Oh thank you!"
"What a coincidence." Serena giggled. "Seems like we all got you something similar." Wondering what she meant, the Hex Maniac was thrilled to see that she got a crystal ball from Serena, tarot cards from Ash and a figure 8 ball from Trevor. It was so much she even began to cry.
"Th-thank you all so-so much!" She went to get some tissues.
"My turn!" Shauna cheered. Here's some plushies for all of you!" The brunette gave her friends a plush of their first Pokemon. Ash a Froakie, Serena a Fennekin, herself a Chespin, Trevor a Pikachu, and Monique a Ghastly when she comes back.
"Aw, so cute! Thanks Shauna!" The tomboy giggled.
"So soft and neat. Thanks Shauna." Trevor expressed with a smile."
"Yeah, thanks." Ash laughed. "I've actually gotten you guys some stuff too. It's not much and I had no idea what to get, but I eventually got these." Conveniently Monique came back, and loved her plushie once Shauna gave it to her. Ash gave each of his friends friendship bracelets of those white cubes with black letters on each of them. They all said, 'Together Forever'. "This signifies that no matter what happens, we will help each other through anything."
"Like the power of friendship!" Shauna pointed out.
"Yes, exactly!"
"Wow, this is great." Serena sighed. "I also got you two something as well." Handing them two small boxes, Ash and Shauna were shocked to find metal chain bracelets with three hearts, each having a letter or two. A. Se. Sh.
"Wow, I would never have guessed you'd get us one of these!" Shauna marveled. "These must've cost a lot!"
"Well, they're cheap metal, but the symbolism is what counts." Serena held up a bracelet of her own. The three of them hugged together. Trevor didn't mind, though Monique felt conflicted. Initially she wanted to be his girlfriend when they first met, but after getting to hang out with him and trying to take things slowly, that initial longing of being in their open relationship seems to have greatly diminished, if outright gone. She felt completely satisfied with where she was right now. Perhaps it was just her hunger for companionship blinding her, making her think she wanted love. With a small smile, Monique internally accepted that even if she isn't in the relationship, being in this circle of friends was enough.
"Anyway, let's get a good night's sleep." The blonde tomboy yawned, and everyone agreed as they went to the beds of the Pokemon Center.
A/N: So at first at the time, I thought Monique would make for a good additional romantic partner for Ash, since she was popular, but then I realized, I went no where with this and with the Pokemon League Tournament starting next chapter I don't see any room without it feeling forced so Monique will just be left alone(for now.) I guess this was indirectly a holiday special, even if Christmas or Valentines wasn't directly mentioned. I feel bad for Wulfric. He says ice could be the toughest gym, but that's pretty much if you're using mostly grass, bug, flying and ground types. Dragon's weak but they're one of the best types as well. Otherwise he's probably one of the most push over gym leaders ever, which is sad when you're the 8th. What do you think? Let me know in the reviews below.