Chapter 44:

Fire in the Ice

Loation: Frost Cavern

Almost on the brink of frostbite, I continued my way through the frigid Frost Cavern. I wanted to find what was going on and get out.

Suddenly, I was ambushed by a horde of Pokémon. They were small, pink and had blonde hair.

Smoochum (Lippouti)

#083 (Mountain)

Ice/Psychic Type

Kiss Pokémon

0.4 m (1'04")

6 kg (13.2 lbs)

It tests everything by touching with its lips, which remember what it likes and dislikes.

Baby Pokémon.

"Blastoise, go!" I shouted. "Use Surf!" Blastoise made a large wave that washed away the little dolls.

After sliding on some ice, I got back to a snowy surface. Of course, I couldn't catch my breath. A Brain and Brawn were waiting for me.

"You need to be hardy to survive here!"

"You need to be intelligent to survive here!"

Calem Vs. Brains and Brawn Eoin and Wolf

"Grumpig, go!" shouted Eoin, sending out a black and pink Pokémon with black orbs on its body.

Grumpig (Groret)

#008 (Coastal)

Psychic Type

Manipulate Pokémon

0.9 m (2'11")

71.5 kg (157.6 lbs)

It uses black pearls to amplify its psychic power. It does an odd dance to gain control over foes.

Spoink -Lv 32- Grumpig

"Hariyama, go!" Wolf shouted.

"I choose Sableye and Talonflame!" I shouted.

"Fake Out!" Hariyama clapped in front of Talonflame. It flinched.

"Sableye, Shadow Claw!" Sableye thrusted its hammer on the floor, and its shadow extended towards Grumpig. It slashed it, almost knocking it out.

"Grumpig, Power Gem!" Grumpig fired a bright diamond at Talonflame for Super Effective damage.

"Sableye, Shadow Claw!" Sableye thrusted its hammer on the floor, and its shadow extended towards Grumpig. It slashed it, almost knocking it out. "And Talonflame, Fly!" Talonflame flew up to the ceiling, dodging another Power Gem. "Use Shadow Claw again Sableye!" Sableye once again slashed Grumpig with its shadow, knocking it out.

"Use Wake-up Slap Hariyama!" It did nothing on Sableye.

"Now Talonflame!" Talonflame flew down and attacked Hariyama. "And Sableye, Shadow Claw!" Sableye slashed once again at Hariyama. It was a Critical Hit. Hariyama was down.

"You need to be hardy to accept a loss."

"You need to be intelligent to accept a loss."

After that, I slipped around on the ice. I still wondered what would be at the end of the cave. Maybe a Legendary Pokémon?

I found some stairs downwards which I took, finding myself on the first floor but on top of a ledge. I could see the entrance. "Great," I thought. "I could just come out this way- wait I have my Escape Rope."

The third floor. I saw a large opening in the distance, so I went towards it. However, I slipped on the ice and crashed into a Black Belt.

"Hey, watch it! Trying to train here!"

Calem Vs. Black Belt Kenji

"Go Malamar!" I shouted.

"Gurdurr, you're up!" Kenji replied. He sent out a grey Pokémon with pink muscles and, most notably, a red beam over its left shoulder.

Gurdurr (Ouvrifier)

#094 (Mountain)

Fighting Type

Muscular Pokémon

1.2 m (3'11")

40 kg (88.2 lbs)

With strengthened bodies, they skilfully wield steel beams to take down buildings.

Timburr -Lv 25- Gurdurr

"Malamar, Psycho Cut!" Malamar sliced at Gurdurr for Super Effective damage.

"Use Hammer Arm!" Gurdurr brought its heavy arm down on Malamar. This also lowered Gurdurr's Speed.

"One last Psycho Cut!" Malamar sliced at Gurdurr once last time, defeating it.

"Man, I could have beaten you if I completed my training. Thanks a lot kid."

After that, I ran to the opening where I saw who I feared would be behind all this. Yep, it was Team Flare. One of the Grunts looked round.

"Ah great," he said. "Mable, we have a guest."

A woman with short-blue hair and goggles wearing an orange dressed turned round towards me. "What? The Rhyhorn kid? Great. Why do you have to waltz up to us?"

From behind her, I noticed a large-brown Pokémon with two white tusks.

Mamoswine (Mammochon)

#078 (Mountain)

Ice/Ground Type

Twin Tusk Pokémon

2.5 m (8'02")

291 kg (641.5 lbs)

Its impressive tusks are made of ice. The ice age is over and the climate has warmed, so this Pokémon's population has thinned.

Swinub -Lv 33- Piloswine -Lv up with Ancient Power- Mamoswine

"What are you doing with that?" I asked.

"Preventing you and your nitwit friends from getting to Anistar," Mabel said.

"Why?" I shouted. "How am I supposed to get my next Badge? Walk the other way? And what about the other Trainers? You're putting every Trainers progress at a halt to fuel your stupid goals."

"Because" she said. "Anistar City has connections to the origins of Mega Evolution, and we can't have you interfering like that again."

"Lil-C!" Trevor and Wulfric arrived on the scene. "Looks like you guessed correctly."

"What do you want?" Wulfric shouted.

"We want you out of here!" Mabel said. "Get him!" A Grunt started making his way over to me.

"I'll take care of it," said Trevor. "I want to try out a new friend."

Trevor Vs. Team Flare Grunt M

"Golbat, go!" the Grunt yelled, sending out a Flying Type.

"I choose Glaceon!" replied Trevor, sending out a blue Pokémon with long ears.

Glaceon (Givrali)

#084 (Coastal)

Ice Type

Fresh Snow Pokémon

0.8 m (2'07")

25.9 kg (57.1 lbs)

By controlling its body heat, it can freeze the atmosphere around it to make a diamond-dust flurry.

Eevee -Lv up near Icy Rock- Glaceon

"Glaceon, Ice Shard!" Glaceon fired a shard of ice at Golbat. It hit.

"Golbat, Poison Fang!" Golbat sunk its jaws into Glaceon. It was badly poisoned on impact.

"Glaceon no!" Trevor shouted. "Use it again!" Glaceon fired another shard of ice at Golbat. A Critical Hit took it down.

"Urgh. Go Manectric!" Out came an Electric Type. "Use Fire Fang!" Manectric's fangs were set alight. It then bit down on Glaceon.

"Swift Glaceon!" Glaceon fired stars at Manectric. The poison took Glaceon down. "I'm not finished. Quagsire, go!" Out came the blue Ground Type.

"Manectric, Bite!" Manectric bit down on Quagsire.

"Use Earthquake!" Quagsire made the entire ground shake, which shook away the rest of Manectric's HP.

"Unbelievable kid!"

"That's enough!" I said. "It's my turn."

"Fair enough," said Mabel. "Urgh. I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU!"

Calem Vs. Team Flare Scientist Mabel

"Blastoise, I choose you!" I shouted.

"Go Houndoom!" Mabel replied.

I pressed my Key Stone. "When our hearts become one. Beyond evolution… MEGA EVOLVE!" It was my Mega's time to shine.

"Houndoom, Shadow Ball!" Houndoom fired a shadow blob at Mega Blastoise.

"Use Surf!" Mega Blastoise created a large wave that crashed into Houndoom, knocking it out.

"WHY? MUST? YOU? BE? SUCH? AN? ANNOYING? BRAT?"

"The jig is up!" I said. "Let Mamoswine go!"

"Hmm… nah," Mabel said. "I think we'll leave it just…" Wulfric stepped up to her. "Here?" she squeaked.

"If you don't let go of Mamoswine," Wulfric said. He then unveiled… a Mega Stone! "You will have to answer to me and Mega Abomasnow!"

Mabel gulped. "Fair enough." She got out a Holo Caster. The male Scientist was fuzzy, obviously from poor connection. "Xerosic, the Gym Leader is threatening us, and we have no more Pokémon. We have to retreat."

We couldn't quite hear Xerosic talk, and the connection soon cut out. "Take your stupid Mamoswine," the Grunt said, as he and Mabel escaped.

"Come back here!" Trevor said.

"No," I told him. "You'll get lost."

"Well at least we got Mamoswine back!" Wulfric said. "Come on, let's get us all back to Dendemille!"

Location: Dendemille Town

The three of us returned in one piece. We were all exhausted and very cold. Professor Sycamore was waiting at the Pokémon Center.

"You saved it!" he said. "Magnifique! Don't worry, I will return it to the Mamoswine Warden on Route 17. But before I do, Trevor. I have a present." Professor Sycamore went into his coat. He pulled out something that made Trevor's jaw drop.

"A Key Stone and Mega Ring?!" he said. "Really?"

"Oui!" said the Professor. "I had a talk with Guru Gurkinn, and he believes it is time. For Serena to. I will give her one when we meet again."

"I can't believe it," said Trevor. "I… CAN USE MEGA EVOLUTION NOW!"