Chapter 52 Norall Gym Battle
Ash and Lillie are entering the small hut to the Snorunt Village, as the name implies, there are a lot of Snorunt in the area. They just explore the place and interact with some talking Snorunts before leaving the mountain, and they just have a weird experience that they can't say with words. But as they are going to leave, they find Pandora gathering four grunts in the way.
Pandora: Well that was a short farewell, Ash and Lillie. Hi again. It turns out that they wanted to watch us up there from a safe distance.
Lillie: Okay?
Pandora: And looks like we're not alone now. I can see other people further down. Since the Avalanche was cleared just before we got here, I suppose more visitors are starting to come back. If you go down this way on your own, you might be challenged by trainers all the way back to the city. My agents can't risk going down there wearing Team Portal uniforms. I'm already famous, and I don't need to add infamous on top of that. I think it will be easiest if we all went together.
They see Pheromosa opening an Ultra Wormhole, which is something that they are shocked to see.
Pandora: Ash and Lillie, first I'll drop you off in Norall City, then the rest of us will take our leave.
After getting back to the Norall Base, Ash and Lillie head to the Pokemon Center as they are going to contact Ash's mother.
Delia: Hello Ash, what seems to be the problem?
Ash: Well, Mom...I am in Norall City...but I have some questions that I want to ask. You mentioned that my aunt lives in Norall City, did she have white hair?
Delia: (Nods) Why yes, so I assume you met her?
Ash and Lillie look at each other, now they know why Pandora seems familiar, she is Ash's aunt that was mentioned by his mother.
Ash: Well, she didn't recognize me, and I didn't recognize her in the first place...you see...
Then he tells her about what happened on top of Norall Mountain, and Delia is quite surprised to learn that Pandora is the leader of Team Portal, as Ash mentioned that the team was stealing stuff from the Game Corner and BCC.
Delia: If what you have said is true...then this is awful...I never knew Pandora would do such a thing.
Lillie: So what are we going to do then?
Delia: We can't let this news go to the crowd, we should keep this a secret. From what I heard from you two, she didn't know that you are her nephew, and she assumes that I didn't know her as the boss of Team Portal. I am not going to expose her as well, but if you two face her again, I just hope you can make her open her eyes.
Ash and Lillie nod as they end the call.
Lillie: So she is your aunt, and she is also a famous model...but she has to be the leader of Team Portal...
Ash: Yeah...all she wants is to get into the Data Vault...but why?
Lillie: No matter why she wants to go there, right now we should go to the Gym first. After beating the gym, we should go to the Underwater Hotel to stop them.
Ash: You're right.
Ash and Lillie are finally arriving at the gym, once they get in, they find two doors, one saying the spectator entrance while the other one says challenger entrance.
Lillie: So we are going to the Challenger Entrance since you are challenging the gym.
Ash: I guess so.
As they enter the Challenger Entrance, what they see in front of them is a giant ice field with a majority of blocks changing colors.
Ash: What is an Ice Type Gym without the skating field like this? But why are some ice glowing?
Lillie: I don't know.
As they step on the nonchanging ice, they are teleported back to the entrance.
Ash: So the non-changing ice are teleportation ice...that's good to know.
But as they step on the other changing colored ice, they are slipping as they have to find their way through. There are three kinds of puzzle, and they have failed for a lot of times until they manage to reach the end.
Ash: This sure is tiring...I mean...the other Ice Type Gyms might have this kind of field, but they won't have this kind of teleportation...
Lillie: That won't change the fact that I like Ice Type.
As they reach the end, they find the speaker again.
Mysterious Voice: You made your way through the ice and found me in our game of hiding and skate!
Lillie: I think this is the ninth time we heard this voice...
As they manage to enter the room, a blue-haired girl is standing in front of them, and she is the Ice Type Gym Leader.
Aurora: I'm Aurora! Welcome to the skating rink! I hope my show didn't keep you waiting too long. Having two professions in the same place can lead to a chaotic schedule. I actually change the layout of the ice and pillars depending on whether I'm skating or battling. If I didn't, you might have to be an ice skater yourself to figure out how to reach me. But you'll still have to maneuver around the ice if you want my badge!
Ash: I am Ash and this is Alice. I am the one that is going to challenge you, while Alice is come to cheer me on.
Aurora: (Blinks) Do you have stage fright? If so, I will need your friend to wait in the room behind you when we battle.
Ash: (Holds Lillie's arm, causing her to blush) I don't have stage fright, rather I need her to give me encouragement.
Aurora: (Smiles at the reaction) Ah, a young couple I see. Very well, she can sit in the audience seats while we battle.
After Lillie and Pikachu go there, they see the guard standing as a referee as he states the rules.
Referee: The match between Gym Leader Aurora and Challenger Ash is about to begin. Each Trainer will be using 6 Pokemon, and when one side loses all their Pokemon, the other side wins. Now please send out your Pokemon!
Aurora: I'll be starting with Scott!
Her first Pokemon is Abomasnow, with the Snow Warning, the Hail comes.
Lillie: If her Pokemon is nicknamed famous Ice Skaters, then this one is named after Scott Hamilton...
Ash: Talonflame! I choose you!
Ash sends out his Kalos Bird Pokemon, and he notices that Abomasnow has an Icy Rock, which prolongs the hail. Abomasnow uses Ice Shard and Icy Wind, as Talonflame gets neutral damage because of its Flying Type.
Ash: If our speed is lowered, then I'll get it back! Use Flame Charge!
Talonflame goes for the attack as it hits Abomasnow, and the Flame Body also causes it to get burned. And in the end, it is defeated by Talonflame's Brave Bird.
Aurora: Well, you may have the Type Advantage, but here is Kristi!
Her second Pokemon is Weavile, named after Kristi Yamaguchi.
Ash: Talonflame, return! (Recalls Talonflame.) Go! Pangoro!
Ash goes for the Fighting and Dark Type Pokemon, and it goes for Low Sweep, which lowers Weavile's speed.
Aurora: Counter!
Ash widens his eyes as the attack hits Pangoro, which deals a lot of damage, but not enough to make it faint.
Aurora: Hone Claws and Night Slash!
Ash: Dodge the attacks!
With Weavile's knee injury from the Low Sweep, Pangoro manages to dodge the attacks, but it is still defeated by Weavile's Night Slash.
Ash: Toxtricity! I need your help!
After sending out the Electric and Poison Type Pokemon, it uses Overdrive to knock the Pokemon out.
Aurora: If you are using Toxtricity...then I'll go with Peggy!
The third Pokemon is Walrein, named after Peggy Flaming. As the hail is finished, it goes for the move again so that it can use its ability Ice Body to heal itself.
Aurora: Even you are an Electric Type, I can still do this! Brine and Aurora Beam at the same time!
The Brine and Aurora Beam deals a lot of damage to Toxtricity, as its health is getting lowered.
Ash: Right now I need to stop the Ice Body! Use Poison Jab!
As Toxtricity goes for the attack, it poisons Walrein.
Lillie: Good, Walrein is poisoned, which means it won't be healed by the Ice Body.
And in the end, it is defeated by Boomburst, which is a strong Normal sound move.
Aurora: Three Pokemon down...how about Brian!
The fourth Pokemon is Avalugg holding an Iron Ball, and it is named after Brian Boitano, Ash goes for another Fire Type: Larvesta, to battle. Avalugg goes for Curse, which raises the Attack and Defense Stat, even though it is slower when holding an Iron Ball.
Ash: Flame Wheel!
Larvesta goes for the attack, but Avalugg uses Recover to heal itself and goes for the Skull Bash, which deals a lot of damage.
Ash: Larvesta, are you okay? (Larvesta nods) Good, now use Heat Wave!
Larvesta uses the Fire attack and it also deals damage to Avalugg, but Avalugg uses Avalance to fight back. In the end, Larvesta uses Heat Wave again to defeat the Pokemon.
Aurora: I see you really are strong, here is my fifth Pokemon: Midori!
The fifth Pokemon is Mr. Rime named after Midori Ito. It goes for the Light Screen and Reflect to create the double barrier.
Lillie: Oh no...the double barrier...
And in the end, it defeats Larvesta with the Psychic attack.
Ash: Hariyama! I choose you!
After sending the Pokemon out, even though it has Psychic weakness, but the Brick Break really deals a lot of damage. In the end, it goes for the Night Slash to defeat Mr. Rime.
Lillie: Okay, she has only one more Pokemon.
Aurora: My last Pokemon is not going to be easy for you. Go, Yuna!
The final Pokemon she sends out is an Aurorus, and it is named after Kim Yuna. Ash goes for Greninja for this Pokemon and he also activates the Battle Bond.
Aurora: So this is the Bond Phenomenon that I have heard of...interesting.
Aurorus goes for the Thunder Wave to make Greninja paralyzed, and then it goes for Ancient Power, Greninja dodges the attack and goes for Water Shuriken, which is super effective. And then it tries to use Night Slash. But it gets hit by Freeze Dry, which is the Ice Move that is super effective to Water Type Pokemon. In the end, the Mega Shuriken defeats the Pokemon.
Aurora: I guess I slipped up! (Recalls Aurorus) Congratulations! You've earned the Sheet Badge!
Ash takes the badge and thanks her, and Lillie and Pikachu also come down and they cheer for Ash.
Aurora: Wow, you have 9 badges! That means you're halfway through the gyms. Some people don't even attempt the league here because they're intimidated by the size of it. I don't think you need to be told this, but if you don't try, you'll never know how good you can be!
Ash: I can tell.
Aurora: I wouldn't have become the face of ice skating in Ceolis if I backed out from fear. I'm actually still afraid of failure, but I've found the suspense of not knowing if you'll succeed or fail is heavier than the disappointment of failing.
After that, they bid farewell to the ice skater and they use the teleportation pad back to the entrance. Then they decide to head back to the Fork on the Road to see if Draga is still at the entrance of Dark Dungeon.
Here is a new chapter, and now Ash has nine badges, which is half of the badges that he earns in the Ceolis Region. Ash and Lillie also notice that Pandora is Ash's aunt, what will happen if they meet again? I hope you like this chapter.