AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 82 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. Well, this is the chapter where Tristan competes in his Gym battle against Pryce. Not much to say here, but I'll let you read and review responsibly for yourself.
TEASER: Tristan finally has his Gym battle against Pryce, the Mahogany Town Gym Leader. When Lapras faces off against Pryce's Piloswine, it'll be a battle to see who can out-freeze whom!
Chapter 82: THE PRYCE IS RIGHT
(Music Cue: Opening Title 1999-2001 (as heard in "Fighting Flyer with Fire"))
Last time, our heroes finally arrived in Mahogany Town, where Tristan planned to battle against the Gym Leader, Pryce, for his seventh Johto League Gym badge.
However, they didn't count on seeing Team Rocket frozen in their tracks at the Gym.
Hillary and Pryce agreed to free them and have them help clean up, but because Tristan didn't trust them, he bitterly refused to help.
Hillary took offense to Tristan's distrust to Team Rocket, believing they had changed, and they got into a heated argument that got so out of hand, she was forced to send him away.
But when Team Rocket stole Pikachu, Hillary saw the error of her ways and went in hot pursuit with Pryce right behind her.
Team Rocket made quick work of Hillary's Squirtle and attacked mercilessly, but the timely arrival of Tristan and Lugia helped them rescue Pikachu, and together, they helped save the day.
Now having made up with Hillary, Tristan can now focus on his Gym battle against Pryce, but the question is: will his winning streak be hot enough to get him a new badge or will Pryce's Pokémon freeze it in its tracks?
Tristan and Pikachu were getting themselves ready for their Gym battle at the Pokémon Center the next morning.
He thought about what Pokémon he would use against Pryce's Pokémon.
Just then, Hillary and Togepi came to the lobby to see him.
"Good morning, Tristan," she said. "Did you sleep well?"
"I sure did, sis," answered Tristan. "After our big argument yesterday, it made the rest even better. It's a good thing we make a great team."
"You said it," agreed Hillary. "So, did you come up with a strategy for battling Pryce's Pokémon?"
"It's a no-brainer," replied Tristan. "Quilava's my number-one choice. Its Fire attacks should get me the badge with no problem."
"True, but keep in mind, Tristan, you need to have experience on your side and not just type."
She's right, thought Tristan. If I'm gonna get that badge today, I have to think more than one step ahead. Pryce has many more years of battling experience than I do. But that doesn't mean that he can't be beaten.
(Music Cue: Pikachu Appears!)
At the Gym, Pryce was busily brushing a big brown furry Pokémon with an impressive hump on its back. It had two small tusks made of ice, and a pink, pig-like snout.
Presently, an elderly woman came to him. She was wearing a green short-sleeve shirt and red overalls. "Well, Pryce, I see you're getting your Piloswine ready for battle."
Pryce nodded in agreement. "Piloswine and I wanted to make up for lost time, even after our battle with Ash, so I wanted to make sure that it was ready for Tristan and his Pokémon. You should've seen his Bayleef in action yesterday. Its Razor Leaf was very powerful."
"Whoo-ee!" remarked the woman. "Now that is one tough Trainer you'll be going up against."
"You know what?" replied Pryce. "I was astounded to see a Lugia with Tristan, too."
"Whoa, you saw a Lugia?"
Pryce nodded. "I don't know for sure, but it looked to me like those two were good friends. I wonder if he ever captured it with a Poké Ball."
"It's hard to say for sure, Pryce," replied the woman. "But it sounds like Tristan'll be tough to beat regardless of whether he has it with him or not."
Presently, Tristan and Hillary arrived. "Good morning," they said.
"Ah, good morning, guys," said Pryce. "Did you sleep well?"
"We sure did," answered Tristan. "And I'm ready to go."
"Who's that with you, Pryce?" asked Hillary.
"Oh, this is my good friend, Sheila," replied Pryce. "She's full of energy and reminds me of me back in my younger days."
"It's nice to meet you all," answered Sheila.
"I'm Tristan, and this is my sister, Hillary," said Tristan.
"Nice to meet you, Sheila," added Hillary.
Pikachu and Togepi greeted Sheila warmly.
Inside the Gym, they saw a battlefield that almost looked like crystal. It was the same battlefield that Tristan and Hillary worked on the day before.
"After Team Rocket stole Pikachu, I wanted to make up for it by cleaning up the battlefield myself," explained Pryce, "although Sheila put in her fair share of the work herself."
"This is so awesome," said Tristan. "I can't wait to get started." And he started to reach for one of his Poké Balls. "For my first Pokémon, I choose..."
"Wait, hold on!" called Hillary.
Tristan fell flat on his back thanks to Hillary's shout. But he quickly stood back up. "Hey, Hillary, what's the deal?!"
"I'm afraid you can't have a Gym battle if you don't have a judge," explained Hillary.
"Well, actually, Hillary, there is a judge," smiled Pryce.
(Music Cue: Fighting Spirit (as hard in "Pallet Party Panic"))
He then motioned to Sheila. "Sheila, why don't you explain it to them?"
Presently, they heard Sheila give a huge chuckle just as she stepped on the judge's platform.
"I hate to be a-tootin' my own horn and all," said Sheila, "but there's a secret about me that you youngens don't know."
"What's that, Sheila?" asked Tristan.
"This pleasantly dressed woman and sidekick of Pryce is only one part of me," explained Sheila, "because I'm in reality...a certified triple-A judge for the Johto League!" And with that, she tore off her clothes, and revealed another set of clothes, including black pants and a pink t-shirt with a Poké Ball on it.
"Whoa, no way!" exclaimed Hillary. "You're an official triple-A judge?!"
"Yup," smiled Pryce. "So, if you're satisfied, Tristan, let's get started."
"You bet!" agreed Tristan. "I'm ready to go!"
Sheila explained the rules of the match. "I'm pleased to announce that the official Johto League Gym match between Pryce, the Mahogany Town Gym Leader, and Tristan, the challenger from New Bark Town, is about to begin! Each Trainer will use two Pokémon. The match when both Pokémon on either side have been declared unable to battle. The challenger is allowed to use a substitute Pokémon when necessary, but the Gym Leader is not." And she raised both her flags and shouted, "All right, let's begin!"
"Dewgong, go!" shouted Pryce as he threw a Poké Ball.
(Music Cue: Flying Poké Ball Chaos (as heard in "Current Events"))
Pryce's Dewgong emerged from the white light that shot out of it and immediately dove into the water.
I thought as much, thought Tristan. Dewgong's got Water and Ice-type characteristics. However, I've got a surprise for him. "Quilava, I choose you!" he shouted as he threw his Fast Ball.
Quilava emerged from the white light that shot out of it.
"Why's he using Quilava against Dewgong?" wondered Hillary. "He should know that Dewgong is also a Water-type."
"Okay, Quilava, let's do it!" said Tristan.
Quilava ignited the flames on its head and back.
"Quilava, use Flamethrower now!" commanded Tristan.
Quilava launched a powerful stream of fire from its mouth.
"Dodge it, Dewgong!" shouted Pryce.
Dewgong quickly dove underwater and evaded Quilava's Flamethrower.
All Flamethrower did was hit the water, causing a cloud of steam to form.
"Now, Dewgong, Ice Beam!" ordered Pryce.
Dewgong launched an icy cold beam of energy straight at Quilava.
"Quick, Quilava, block it with Flamethrower!" commanded Tristan.
Quilava launched another stream of fire from tis mouth at Dewgong's Ice Beam.
Sure enough, it was a battle between fire and ice. Quilava was putting up a good fight, but Dewgong's Ice Beam was just as powerful.
"That's it, Dewgong, push that Flamethrower back!" encouraged Pryce.
Dewgong redoubled its efforts and pushed Quilava's Flamethrower back.
But Tristan wouldn't give up without a real fight. "All right, Quilava, let's really turn up the heat!"
Quilava increased its firepower to the max, and sure enough, it was able to cancel out Dewgong's Ice Beam and score a direct hit on it at the same time, sending it careening on the battlefield.
"No!" cried Pryce.
"Whoa!" exclaimed Sheila.
"Now that was hot," remarked Hillary.
"All right, Quilava, let's finish it off with a Quick Attack!" ordered Tristan.
Quilava sped forward as a white line streaked behind it, and it scored another direct hit on Dewgong, sending it flying.
Dewgong fell backward onto one of the ice pillars, knocking it out instantly.
"Aah! Dewgong!" cried Pryce.
"Dewgong is unable to battle...Quilava is the winner!" declared Sheila as she raised the green flag in the air.
"That was awesome, Quilava," commended Tristan.
Quilava gave a happy reply.
Pryce recalled Dewgong to its Poké Ball and held it close. "You did a great job, my friend." He then turned to Tristan. "Now that was impressive, Tristan. I can see that your fiery passion for battling and the love and trust between you and your Pokémon is something that can't be ignored. But remember that this is just the beginning, and I've still got my prized battler ready to go."
Tristan nodded in agreement. He knew that the next Pokémon Pryce chose wouldn't be easy to defeat.
Quilava knew this, too, and just to be sure, it turned up the heat from its flames.
"Piloswine, go!" shouted Pryce as he threw his second Poké Ball.
(Music Cue: Johto Trainer Battle (as heard in "A Goldenrod Opportunity"))
Piloswine emerged from the white light that shot out of it.
"So that's the Piloswine that Pryce was talking about," said Tristan as he scanned it with Dexter, his Pokédex.
"Piloswine, the Swine Pokémon. Piloswine's body is covered in fur, although it uses its nose to sniff for food and its ears to sense sound."
"That Piloswine's gonna be tough to beat," said Hillary to herself. "Let's just hope Tristan's ready for anything."
Pikachu and Togepi agreed nervously.
"Piloswine versus Quilava," said Sheila as she raised her two flags in the air. "Let the battle begin!"
"All right, Quilava, your Flamethrower worked before, so let's try it again!" commanded Tristan.
Quilava charged forward and shot another powerful stream of fire from its mouth, scoring a direct hit on Piloswine.
But Piloswine wouldn't give up without a real fight.
"Hey, not bad," remarked Pryce. "Your Quilava's been trained exceptionally well. But now, let's see if you can handle this. Piloswine, Blizzard!"
Piloswine unleashed a powerful cold blast of wind and snow from its body, causing Tristan and Hillary to cover their faces.
"That's super cold!" bellowed Hillary.
Pikachu and Togepi shivered in agreement.
"I can't see a thing," grunted Tristan. "Quick, Quilava, use your Flamethrower attack to stop Piloswine's Blizzard in its tracks!"
Quilava unleashed several Flamethrower attacks from its mouth in an attempt to stop Piloswine's Blizzard, but all it did was create a thick layer of steam.
And unfortunately for Tristan, he still couldn't see Piloswine.
"Piloswine, Take Down!" ordered Pryce.
Out of nowhere, Piloswine charged and struck Quilava at full velocity, sending it flying.
"Quilava's in major trouble!" exclaimed Hillary.
"Hang in there, Quilava!" encouraged Tristan. "Use your Flame Wheel attack!"
Quickly, Quilava spun into a fiery wheel and rolled toward Piloswine.
"Stop it with your tusks, Piloswine!" commanded Pryce.
Piloswine used its tusks to stop Quilava and its Flame Wheel in its tracks.
"Oh, no!" exclaimed Tristan.
"Piloswine, Fury Attack!" shouted Pryce.
Piloswine furiously and repeatedly struck Quilava using its tusks. Then with one final strike, sent Quilava careening into the air and into one of the giant ice pillars on the battlefield, creating a field of icy dust.
"No, Quilava!" cried Tristan.
When the dust cleared, Quilava had a dazed expression on its face. It had been knocked out.
"Quilava is unable to battle...Piloswine's the winner!" declared Sheila.
"Oh, Quilava lost," said Hillary sadly. "That's such a shame."
Pikachu and Togepi sadly agreed.
"Return, Quilava!" called Tristan as he recalled Quilava back to its Fast Ball and held it close. "You were great. Take a nice, long rest." He put it away and took out a Poké Ball. "Well, it's time, old friend, so give it your best shot. Lapras, I choose you!" He then threw the Poké Ball.
(Music Cue: Johto Champion Battle (as heard in "Wired for Battle"))
Lapras emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It looked happy to be on an ice battlefield and was pumped for battle.
"Yeah, Lapras is a great choice against a Piloswine," said Hillary.
"An interesting choice," remarked Pryce. "And a good one, too. But don't think for a second that type alone will win the match for you."
"Of course not," replied Tristan. "This battle will be decided by our abilities. Lapras and I have known each other for quite a while now, and we believe that we can do it together."
Lapras happily agreed.
"Piloswine versus Lapras!" declared Sheila as she raised her flags. "Let the battle begin!"
"Piloswine, Blizzard!" commanded Pryce.
Piloswine unleashed another powerful blast of snow and wind from its body at Lapras; however, Lapras didn't seem fazed at all by the attack.
However, Tristan, Hillary, Pikachu, and Togepi were.
"Blizzard again?!" bellowed Hillary. "But why?"
I'm not sure, Hillary, thought Tristan. But whatever Pryce is planning, I'd better think of a way to stop it. "Lapras, Hydro Pump attack!" he shouted aloud.
Lapras shot a powerful blast of water in an attempt to stop Piloswine's Blizzard.
Sure enough, both attacks were perfectly matched.
"Piloswine, Take Down!" ordered Pryce.
Quickly, Piloswine rushed through the blizzard and rammed into Lapras using its tusks.
"Fury Attack, go!" commanded Pryce.
Piloswine furiously and repeatedly struck Lapras with its tusks, leaving it no room to counterattack.
"Hang in there, Lapras, don't give up!" shouted Hillary.
Pikachu and Togepi cheered really hard for Lapras as they watched it get struck by Fury Attack over and over.
We can't win by just standing by and getting hit, thought Tristan. I've gotta stop it somehow. "Lapras, Ice Beam attack on Piloswine!" he commanded aloud.
Lapras shot an icy cold beam of energy at Piloswine and scored a direct hit on it, freezing it solid.
"Yeah, that worked!" said Tristan.
But Pryce didn't seem bothered by Piloswine's frozen state at all. "Freezing Piloswine sort of reminds me of the time when my passion for Pokémon was in hibernation for all those years," he said to himself. "But Ash helped me see the error of my ways when he reunited me with it." Pryce realized that he needed to fight harder than he ever fought before. "Do it, Piloswine!"
And with all its might, Piloswine managed to break free from the ice, much to Tristan and Lapras' shock.
"Whoa, no way!" exclaimed Tristan.
"That was a pretty smart move, Tristan," said Pryce. "But unfortunately for you, Piloswine also has Ice-type characteristics, making it almost impossible to freeze it for very long."
Pryce is right, thought Tristan. Using Ice Beam won't work on Piloswine. Then he remembered the icy battlefield. That's it! Lapras travels on ice faster than in water! It just might work! "Okay, Lapras, let's get moving!" he said aloud.
(Music Cue: OK! (Orchestra & Guitar (as heard in "Wired for Battle"))
And Lapras made a mighty jump and started skating on top of the ice at remarkable speed, much to Pryce's surprise.
"Hey, what's up?!" he gasped.
Sure enough, Lapras was skating along the ice very smoothly and quickly.
"Awesome!" said Hillary. "Tristan figured out that Lapras is very agile on ice! If he keeps this up, he might have a shot of winning this match!"
"Quick, Piloswine, use Fury Attack!" commanded Pryce.
Quickly, Piloswine charged at Lapras as it slid toward it.
"Slide away to dodge it!" shouted Tristan.
Lapras used one of the ice pillars to quickly change direction and avoid Piloswine's attack.
"Wha?!" exclaimed Pryce. He was never expecting Lapras to be this fast on the ice.
"Whoa, that's slick thinking!" remarked Sheila.
"Tristan and Lapras are using the ice pillars to slide from one place to the next," remarked Hillary. "So the quicker Lapras slides around, the easier it is to change direction."
Sure enough, Lapras was using the ice pillars to its own advantage.
In no time at all, Piloswine was having a hard time figuring out where Lapras was going to charge in from and attack.
"Ha!" chuckled Pryce. "It's just like the strategy Ash and Pikachu used in their battle against me. But now that Piloswine's facing an even bigger opponent, it won't be able to slip under it. All right, Piloswine, you've gotta strike first!"
Piloswine charged in and prepared to attack using its tusks.
"Just what I was hoping for!" said Tristan. "Okay, Lapras, launch yourself into the air using Hydro Pump!"
Lapras shot a powerful blast of water from its mouth toward the ice, causing it to launch high into the air, much to Pryce and Piloswine's surprise.
Piloswine stopped dead in its tracks.
"Okay, Lapras, Body Slam!" shouted Tristan.
Using its full weight, Lapras proceeded to land on top of Piloswine, and sure enough, it scored a huge direct hit on it, creating an icy cloud of dust.
"Aah! Piloswine!" cried Pryce.
"Yes!" said Tristan.
"Looks like that's all she wrote!" remarked Hillary.
Lapras landed neatly back on the ice, seemingly victorious.
But when the dust cleared, Piloswine hadn't gone down. However, its stamina seemed to be running low.
"Now, Rest, Piloswine!" instructed Pryce.
(Music Cue: A Formidable Opponent Appears)
On Pryce's command, Piloswine started sleeping. And as it did, its body started glowing in an indigo aura.
"What's Rest do?" wondered Tristan.
"Not good," remarked Hillary. "Piloswine's getting its energy restored by using Rest. So once it wakes up, it'll be back to full power!"
"Then we've gotta stop it before that happens!" said Tristan. "Lapras, Ice Beam, go!"
Lapras launched another icy cold beam of energy at Piloswine, and scored a direct hit on it, freezing it solid.
The still sleeping Piloswine didn't seem fazed by the attack, and sure enough, it woke up as its body stopped glowing, and it broke free of the ice once again.
"Lapras, Hydro Pump now!" shouted Tristan.
"Piloswine, Take Down!" ordered Pryce.
Lapras fired a powerful blast of water at Piloswine, just as it charged in for another Take Down. But unfortunately, Hydro Pump didn't push it back far enough, and so when Piloswine successfully pushed through, it scored a direct hit on Lapras.
Lapras managed to land on its flippers after it got struck.
"Are you okay, Lapras?" asked Tristan.
Lapras gave a hard nod.
"All right, Pryce, this battle isn't over yet!" said Tristan.
"Your Lapras is, indeed, strong, and seems to be ready for more," remarked Pryce. "Piloswine, Fury Attack!"
Piloswine charged in, and furiously and repeatedly struck Lapras one blow after another.
"Lapras seems to be getting tired," said Hillary to herself. "I wonder how much longer it can keep going."
Pikachu and Togepi watched with concern.
Piloswine's Fury Attack pushed Lapras backward on the ice.
Lapras, meanwhile, was struggling as it tried to keep up the attacks.
Tristan watched Lapras, as it had taken heavy damage from Piloswine's attacks over and over. He wanted to continue the match, but he wasn't sure how Lapras was feeling. "Lapras, do you feel okay to go on?"
Lapras shook itself and gave another hard nod.
"Yeah!" said Tristan excitedly. "We're back! And we still have a chance to win this thing!"
"Well, Tristan, you battled bravely, but it's time to end this match," said Pryce. "Piloswine, finish it up with Blizzard!"
Piloswine unleashed another blast of snow and wind from its body, but this time, its Blizzard attack was much stronger than before.
"This Blizzard's relentless!" bellowed Hillary.
"Lapras, Ice Beam attack!" shouted Tristan.
(Music Cue: Lugia Appears (as heard in the Japanese version of "Revelation Lugia"))
Larpas unleashed its most powerful icy cold beam of energy to try and stop Piloswine's Blizzard.
Sure enough, both attacks were evenly matched with no signs of letting up as both Pokémon gave it their all to push the other's attack back.
"All right, Piloswine, give it all you've got!" commanded Pryce.
Piloswine increased the velocity of its Blizzard attack.
"Lapras, maximum power!" shouted Tristan.
Lapras, too, increased the power of its attack to the max, and sure enough, both attacks were so powerful, they created a tremendous explosion, creating a huge cloud of smoke.
Tristan and Pryce shielded their faces as they tried to figure out who won.
When the dust cleared, Lapras and Piloswine, who were heavily bruised, were tensely facing one another as the seconds went by.
Lapras started to waver, but remained standing.
Piloswine, on the other hand, seemed okay, but smiled at Lapras after battling so hard. Then it collapsed and had a dazed expression in its eyes. It had finally been defeated.
"Pryce's Piloswine is declared unable to battle...declared Sheila as she raised the green flag in Tristan's direction. "Lapras and Tristan are the winners!"
(Music Cue: Ending 1997-1998)
Tristan smiled and leaped for joy as he heard the news. "Yes, we did it!" he cried as he ran onto the ice. "Lapras, you're the..." But just as he went on the ice, he forgot about how slippery it was and slid forward uncontrollably.
Fortunately, Lapras used its body as a shield to stop Tristan before he fell. It wondered if Tristan was okay.
But Tristan felt unshaken after it had saved him. "Lapras, you're the coolest! Thanks so much."
Lapras gently slid him off the ice and back to safety.
Pryce came to Piloswine. "You battled fiercely, my old friend, and I'm so very proud of you."
Piloswine gave a nod. It enjoyed a long and difficult match.
"Now, get some rest," said Pryce as he returned Piloswine back to its Poké Ball.
"Boy, Tristan, that was slippery, but you did it again," said Hillary as she walked over to him.
"Thanks, sis," replied Tristan.
Pryce walked over with Sheila to Tristan. "Well, done, Tristan. Excellent job. Your Lapras is really well-trained. You two share a bond that reminds me of my younger days."
"Thanks, Pryce," smiled Tristan. "Lapras and I have known each other for quite a while now, and we always have a fun time together."
"I can see why," replied Pryce. Then he took something out to give to Tristan. "I believe this badge is yours. It's the Glacier Badge, and it's proof of your victory here at the Mahogany Gym. And as a little insurance policy, I decided to give it to you because I recognize that it takes complete trust between Trainer and Pokémon to come out on top. This badge is truly yours."
"I don't know what to say," said Tristan.
"A simple 'thank you' will suffice, Tristan," smiled Sheila.
"Well, then, thank you, Pryce." And Tristan happily accepted the badge and proudly proclaimed, "YES! I got a Glacier Badge!"
"Pi-Pikachu!" cried Pikachu as it happily posed with Tristan.
"That's great, Tristan," said Hillary. "You have seven badges now. One more, and you'll be able to compete in the Johto League."
"Boy, I can't wait to get that last badge!" said Tristan. He was getting more and more excited.
Pryce was a little surprised. "I didn't realize that this was your seventh badge," he smiled. "You should try to get your last badge at the Gym in Blackthorn City. I know you'll make it to the Johto League. Keep on training and make your friendships with your Pokémon grow."
"Thanks, Pryce, I'll do my best," replied Tristan as he shook hands with Pryce.
And so, Tristan earns his seventh badge, and our heroes prepare to leave for the next Gym having gained some hard-earned wisdom in the process.
That night, Tristan and Hillary were walking toward the Pokémon Center as the moon shone brightly.
"What a day," said Tristan.
"You said it, Tristan," agreed Hillary. "It was exhausting to just watch that hard-fought, hard-won battle. I could use a good meal."
"Me, too, let's eat," smiled Tristan.
Just then, Tristan's PokéGear rang.
"Who could be calling at this hour?" he wondered.
"I don't know, but whoever it is, it must be important," replied Hillary.
Tristan took out his Poké Gear out of his backpack and pressed the button. "Hello, this is Tristan."
"Hi, Tristan, it's Professor Elm."
"Hi, Professor Elm," smiled Tristan. "What's going on?"
"I called because something weird is going on with the radio broadcasts all over the Johto region. They were talking about Team Rocket taking over the radio station in Goldenrod City."
(Music Cue: Radio Tower Takeover 0:00-0:06)
"Team Rocket?!" gasped Tristan. "No, it can't be!"
► TO BE CONTINUED