Chapter 38: A Blizzard of Battles
Roaring, flashing thunderbolts descended from dull, grey clouds that draped across the sky. Flying machines swayed left and right, evading them at every turn. Down below, Raikou sprinted across a deserted mountain, the fur on his back all standing straight up. Undeterred, the flying machines picked up speed, racing right toward the thunderous tiger. A cannon came out from the bottom of the machine, beginning to generate a pinkish grey sphere of light that crackled like the electricity that ran through Raikou's body.
"Target confirmed. Fire!" A middle aged woman's voice spoke through the flying machine. Fully charged, the sphere morphed into a horizontal beam of light that fired right at Raikou. The lightning Pokemon turned around, his sharp eyes gleaming with courage. No way was he going to be turned to stone again.
With a mighty roar, Raikou's body exploded with thunderbolts, all of which charged right at the beam of light. Upon making contact, an explosion of energy and dust blocked any and all visibility. Perfect for Raikou to make a break for it and run. He didn't waste any time leaping away from the chaotic scene.
"J! He's getting away!" A male voice shouted.
"Hurry and catch up to it! We can't let this opportunity slip away!" J exclaimed in an uncharacteristically loud manner. Normally, she always kept her cool. This was not the case now.
Inside one flying machine, Pokemon Hunter J watched from the windows as Raikou ran like the wind. Her goggles could see through the dust cloud that the attacks had generated, so she could see the lightning Pokemon just fine. Not even something like this would prevent her from doing and getting what she wanted. Originally, she had given up on Raikou and his comrades. They didn't have what she wanted, so her desire to catch them was gone.
That is, until recent discoveries convinced her otherwise. Raikou and his comrades didn't have the exact information she wanted, but old records she found in Ecruteak City just last week told her that they might know someone who did. Now, all of her energy was being put into catching not just Raikou, but his other friends. Being a legendary Pokemon, he would not prove to be an easy catch. It was rare for a human to catch a legendary Pokemon. No matter. J had caught him before. She could easily catch him again. This time, she wouldn't use the same tricks.
"Don't let it get away!" J yelled in an authoritative tone, like she was some military officer.
"Yes, sir!" The male Team Rocket grunts at the command post kept their eyes on the machines in front of them.
Finally, Raikou managed to find a large cave, running right inside without hesitation. Raikou wasn't a coward, and normally he would never hide. Previous encounters with J convinced him that sometimes fighting would only put him in more danger. It was better to be safe than sorry. As soon as he ran inside that cave, the light of a large crystal and a flowing purple mane gave him a warm welcome.
"Oh, good," Suicune mused with relief. The north wind Pokemon used his muzzle to stroke his friend's fur gently. "She didn't capture you again. I was getting worried."
"I wish I had come here sooner," Raikou confessed. He looked behind himself, facing the entrance. Good, the coast was clear. No flying machines in sight. Although he relaxed some, he knew he couldn't completely let down his guard.
Suicune shook his head. "Don't worry about it. You know how persistent she is."
When Raikou turned back around, he noticed something was odd. Suicune was the only one here? "Where's Entei?"
The north wind frowned the instant he heard that question. Then again, he knew Raikou would ask. Raikou could see the sudden change in Suicune's expression. That was enough to tell him everything he needed to know...or in this case, didn't want to know. "...She captured him, didn't she?"
"I'm sorry. He tried to take down one of those machines, and he was wide open," Suicune confessed. Cold stabs of guilt gnawed at the north wind Pokemon. "I wasn't able to save him."
"It's alright," Raikou told him reassuringly, with a ready and earnest smile, if somewhat forced, in lieu of their current situation. "She won't kill him. She considers us too important to just sell or kill off. As terrible as that sounds, we can at least take some comfort in that."
It must be confessed that neither of them found such a thing to be comforting. How could it be? Even Raikou felt his attempt at being positive came off in bad taste. He wished he hadn't said that. But in a way, it was true. Raikou had seen first hand what J did to valuable Pokemon, himself included. He could tell that she wanted them for a specific purpose. What purpose, they didn't know. Nonetheless, Suicune nodded in agreement.
"Yes. That's true."
"By the way...why is she chasing us again?" Raikou asked. "I thought she had given up on us."
Suicune's eyes turned to stern slits, showing that he was not going to sugarcoat anything. "She is after Ho-Oh and Lugia," Raikou's eyes widened in alarm. Ho-Oh and Lugia? What could she want with them? "I was able to read her thoughts as she was chasing me. You know how the Kimono Girls of Ecruteak summon Ho-Oh and Lugia to offer them thanks every year?"
"Yes."
"In three days, she intends to catch them right as the Kimono Girls summon them. She plans on using us as blackmail to ensure she gets what she wants from them."
Blackmail? Capture Ho-Oh and Lugia? Anger sparked from within Raikou's entire being, and the electricity charging through his body only made his fury burn hotter. His tail suddenly fluffed up, facing the ceiling, becoming straight like an arrow. It took every ounce of energy he had to not allow his anger to suddenly spill forth. Still, the thought of going after J and ripping her apart piece by piece was tempting. Raikou shook his head. This was not the time to think about mauling someone.
"What does she want with them?!" Raikou roared without meaning to. Then again, anyone would if they had received that kind of information.
Suicune's frown deepened. "I wish I knew," For all they knew, J's compatriots were probably interrogating Entei as they spoke. "They don't know what's happening. Someone has to warn them."
Warn them. Raikou stood up straight this time. He was fast like lightning. Before his conscious could reason with him, Raikou suddenly barked, "I'll do it! I'll get to them before the summoning!"
"Don't underestimate her," Suicune warned. Raikou flinched. The incident in Olivine City flashed through his mind. "She won't stop until she has all three of us in her grasp."
The lightning Pokemon could feel his friend's worry. The energy surrounding Suicune's mane had turned a subtle orange color. Not even the darkness of the cave could darken it. Raikou always knew that if Suicune's mane glowed a light orange, it meant he was truly worried. Touched by his friend's concern, Raikou simply smiled. Yes, Suicune had every right to be worried. They had already lost Entei. Even so, they couldn't just stand here and do nothing.
"I know, Suicune. I'm well aware of the risks. But I want to warn them anyway," Gradually, the hair on his tail thinned out. "They've done so much for us. I'd never be able to forgive myself if they were hurt or killed."
Suicune's frown turned upward into a smile. "I won't stop you. In fact...I knew you would give that answer. How about this?" Suicune suggested. "There's two of us now. You can go find Ho-Oh, since you can travel with lightning. I can dive underwater, so I'll warn Lugia."
He hadn't thought of that. Upon further rumination, he had heard that Suicune had recently learned the Dive attack. Raikou wasn't much of a swimmer, as water conducted electricity. But Suicune's suggestion was the best idea he could come up with. What else could they do at this point?
Satisfied with the suggestion, Raikou gave a solemn nod. "Good idea. I just hope we don't get turned into bronze statues in the process, and I know how indifferent Lugia can be."
To Raikou's surprise, Suicune let out a chuckle. Seeing the north wind Pokemon laugh was a rare sight. "Yes, I won't deny that he doesn't really care much for anything except for himself and Ho-Oh," Within a millisecond, Suicune's expression turned dark. "But I know this is a matter Lugia cannot possibly ignore. Have the machines left yet?"
Raikou poked his head out of the cave entrance. A sphere of light suddenly descended to the ground, generating an explosion of dust and debris. Raikou was quick to fall back, managing to get a glimpse of the flying machines still in the air.
"There's your answer."
"I have an idea. We can get through this."
As much as Raikou didn't want to take any chances, this was no time to just hide. He had to warn them. They both did. They needed to warn them or get petrified trying. Die trying, even. But this was a risk they needed to take. Finally, a geyser of water sent one machine high in the air. A barrage of lightning bolts struck two others, sending them pummeling to the ground. Raikou and Suicune bounded out of the cave, their large feet looking as though they weren't even touching the ground. Like air.
They prayed to Arceus that they could successfully complete the mission they made for themselves. If they didn't...No, they couldn't bear to think about that.
The minute Julia heard that Pryce had returned, the first thing she did was ask him for a rematch. Surprisingly, he accepted without hesitation. Julia and her Pokemon had trained for this rematch since her defeat. Now, their chance to win a gym badge had come once more. This time, Julia intended to win. Caiseal and Perrine sat on the bleachers as Julia and Pryce took their positions on different sides of the battlefield. Like last time, the field was encased in ice, and the frozen rocks hadn't budged since Julia visited before.
"This will be a four on four battle," Pryce proposed, pulling out a PokeBall from his coat pocket. The glare he shot at Julia was a combination of icy calm and flaming passion. "I won't go easy on you."
Julia pulled out one of her own PokeBalls. "Who said I wanted you to go easy on me?" No. Going easy would be meaningless. Even though she did find it in her heart to forgive Pryce for his transgressions against her, she still wasn't able to forget the incident no matter how hard she tried. Beating him in battle would give her great satisfaction. "This'll be a fair battle, no strings attached!"
Both Perrine and Caiseal exchanged worried glances. "Is it just me or is she suddenly kinda battle happy?" Caiseal asked.
"I think we know why," Perrine mused. Caiseal got the message and fell silent. If Pryce had commanded his Cloyster to attack him all in the name of teaching him a supposed lesson, Caiseal would get angry, too. Julia had been training for a rematch with him for almost a month. They silently prayed that she win.
"Go, Sneasel!" Pryce threw a PokeBall onto the field. The capsule opened, and a white light materialized into a black, bipedal Pokemon with one small ear and one large, red ear that resembled a feather of some sorts. The Pokemon's white claws looked sharp, like they could cut through a pillow, stuffing and all, and the mischievous gleam in its red eyes told Julia that it was going to go all out. Three, feather-like tails stuck out from its rear end, and two golden, oval shaped insignias on its body, one on the forehead, and another on its chest.
"Sneeeee!" The Sneasel let out a hiss, readying its claws.
For precautionary purposes, Julia pulled out her PokeDex to examine it. "Sneasel, the sharp claw Pokemon," Sharp Claw. How accurate, she thought. "Sneasel scale trees by punching their hooked claws into the bark. Sneasel are cunning and vicious by nature, with pairs of them scaring bird Pokemon out of their nests and feasting on the eggs they're forced to leave behind. Usually, when doing this, one Sneasel would lure the parents away with any distraction necessary."
"Ugh!" Julia squeezed her eyes shut, grimacing as she looked away from the PokeDex. As much as she hated to admit it, the Pokemon world was not a purely happy place. Even Pokemon could do gross or bad things, usually for survival. Naive as she was, she wasn't so naive as to think Pokemon were all nice creatures. Still, the knowledge of a Sneasel feasting on unhatched eggs created images in her mind that she didn't want to see.
No. She couldn't be grossed out now. This was no time for showing weakness. By the time she put her PokeDex away, Sneasel had already adopted a battle stance. Undeterred, she looked down at the PokeBall in her hand. "We've come this far. We can go farther...Saoirse! I choose you!"
Of all Pokemon, not once did Pryce ever expect the girl to throw a Snubbull into the battlefield. Most trainers he encountered didn't have Snubbulls, or if they did, they weren't used in battle. Pryce kept his cool, but raised an eyebrow in quiet surprise regardless. Said Snubbull took position, her soft feet embracing the sharp, biting cold from the ice beneath her.
"Snubbull!"
"Sneeheeheehee!" Sneasel put one claw on its abdomen as it bent over, laughing like it heard a funny joke. Julia balled her fist when she heard what it said. "THIS is my opponent?! Oh Arceus, it doesn't look like it can lay a scratch on me! Pathetic!"
How Saoirse didn't look or act bothered by Sneasel's insults was beyond her. Maybe she was just keeping herself composed for their battle. Julia wished she had her friend's maturity and sense of class.
"I'll make the first move," Pryce announced, extending his hand out. "Sneasel, use Slash!"
Charging across the battlefield, its thin legs racing on ice, Sneasel's claws glowed in a harsh white light. Not once did it slip on the cold, slippery surface. It was like Sneasel was riding the wind. Perks of being an ice type, Julia supposed.
"Dodge, Saoirse!"
Darting out of the way with a push of her feet, the bulldog Pokemon ran out of Sneasel's way. But the minute she tried to move once more, the wet surface made one of her feet slip, and the bulldog fell flat on her stomach. "Snubbull!"
Pryce smirked. "Use Metal Claw."
A steel type move. Fairies were weak to steel, and Sneasel was a dark type. Julia kept calm as Sneasel's claws went from bright white to steely silver. Saoirse was back on her feet the moment Sneasel made a beeline for her. This was no time to hesitate. It was time to do. Take action.
An idea hopped into her head. Before she could question it, she shouted, "Saoirse! Use Fire Fang and bite on Sneasel's claws to hold it off!"
With a nod, Saoirse opened her large maw, allowing flames to burst forth. Sneasel's claws came closer and closer, until they reached her mouth. An opening appeared, and Saoirse took it. She sunk her flaming teeth down on the sharp claw Pokemon's arms, holding them down so hard that Sneasel couldn't get them out. When Sneasel lifted his arms up, Saoirse went up with him.
"Sneeeeee!" It didn't help that the scorching pain from the flames ripped through every piece of fur and fiber on his body.
"Headbutt!" Julia called.
Saoirse rammed her head right underneath Sneasel's chin, knocking the sharp claw Pokemon for a loop. The flames on his arms disappeared, but large burn marks covered his arms from claw to elbow. But Sneasel did make one backflip, getting back on his feet. The moment Saoirse returned to the ground, one of her feet slipped, and she fell flat on her stomach.
"Use Metal Claw!" Pryce commanded.
Sneasel's eyes glimmered with a determined glint. His claws regained that steely silver sheen as he charged right at the bulldog Pokemon. Saoirse had no time to stand back up as two silver claws slashed her dress-like body. Fierce, burning pain shot through her fur with each scratch Sneasel left on her. Any attempt she made at fighting back was never finished, as Sneasel kept on scratching and clawing at the bulldog.
"No! Saoirse!" Julia's hands flew to her throat.
Perrine and Caiseal sat frozen on the bleachers, tense from watching the battle unfold. "Oh man. That Sneasel is really tough. It's not even letting Saoirse get an attack in."
"And it's really fast, too," Caiseal noted. Both he and Perrine had battled that Sneasel before, and won. Even so, their own Pokemon had trouble keeping up with that Sneasel's speed. Saoirse was too slow to do much of anything at the moment, even if she did have a type advantage. But last he checked, Saoirse didn't know any fairy type attacks. "I wonder how she's gonna get out of this."
Unable to watch Saoirse get hurt anymore, Julia shouted on impulse, "Saoirse, kick Sneasel in the stomach!"
The bulldog Pokemon had little options at this point, so she did as Julia asked and rammed one of her large feet into Sneasel's abdomen. The force was enough to propel Sneasel against an icy rock. Not enough to knock it out or break said rock, but enough to buy Saoirse some time. The Metal Claws had dissipated. Pryce watched the battle, wearing a stony, icy expression, like the battle was nothing but child's play to him.
"Icy Wind."
Once the sharp claw Pokemon was back on his feet, he blew a breeze of cold air right at Saoirse. "Dodge it!" Julia yelled, her eyes widening. Again, Saoirse tried to run, but the slippery ice made her fall on her back this time. The icy wind made contact with her fur, and the frigid gale reduced Saoirse to a shivering fetal position. Whether it was an attempt to keep herself warm or an attempt to defend herself, Julia wasn't sure.
A hand flew to the side of Julia's head, mingling with her hair. 'Oh no! Saoirse's gonna be done for if I don't think of something!' Nagging anxiety began to gnaw at her, threatening to choke her life out. Oddly enough, Saoirse didn't seem to feel the same. Pryce commanded more Slash attacks, but Saoirse got back up and kept headbutting them on her own, even taking some hits. Not even Sneasel knocking her to the icy floor was enough to keep her down. She just kept getting back up, like the injuries she sustained were nothing but blemishes on her fur.
Julia's mind and heart raced a million miles a minute. As proud as she was of her friend's courage and determination, she knew she wouldn't last much longer, and that Sneasel was just too fast. She found herself fixing her gaze on the rocks on the battlefield.
The rocks...images of Saoirse snowboarding on a block of ice flashed in her mind.
Wait...Sneasel's speed...That's it!
The gears began to turn, forcing the anxiety out of her heart.
"Metal Claw, Sneasel."
"Sneaseeeeeel!" Once again, the sharp claw Pokemon charged at the bulldog, his claws shining.
"Saoirse! Run toward the rocks and before he hits you, jump up!" Julia commanded.
Perrine and Caiseal exchanged confused glances. What was she planning? Saoirse didn't dare question it. "Snubbull!" She just nodded and slid toward a nearby rock. When Sneasel was ready to drop his claw down, the bulldog leaped into the air with a graceful leap. The Metal Claw shattered the frozen rock into pieces, both large and small.
One piece slid out underneath Saoirse. "Land on that chunk of ice and ride it like a snowboard!" Julia commanded.
"Snubbuuuull!" Saoirse landed right on the ice block. Before long, she was sliding around the battlefield like she was a professional snowboarder.
The kids could barely see it from where they sat on the bleachers, but Pryce's cold eyes widened just a little in surprise. Never before had he seen a Pokemon attempt a feat like this. Still, he knew he couldn't show surprise in front of his opponent. The gears in his head were still turning.
"Sneasel, use Metal Claw once more," Pryce commanded.
The weasel Pokemon slammed his Metal Claw on parts of the battlefield. Any time he would even attempt to smack Saoirse with it, she would always outrun him, leading to his steely claws breaking the ice on the arena. Not even running after the bulldog worked, as she was moving too fast for him to catch up.
"Use Headbutt!" Julia commanded.
Sliding across the arena, Saoirse used one of her feet to turn around. Sneasel tried to run, but the bulldog on the ice block came charging right at him, her head bowed and ready for headbutting. A hard blow struck Sneasel on the back. For just a moment, the air was taken right out of him, rendering him unable to breathe. It didn't help that Saoirse slammed her head so hard against his back that Sneasel was sent flying across the ice. Slamming against yet another ice rock, Sneasel slumped to the ground, its legs and arms weak and limp, like plum pudding.
Pryce visibly blanched at the impact of the attack. Even Julia couldn't keep her jaw closed. But in another second, the old man was calm once more. "Sneasel. Slash attack, and make it snappy."
Jolts of pain ran through Sneasel's body as he hoisted himself back on his feet. His sharp claws glowed in an intense white light. With a running start forward, Sneasel howled and charged right at the bulldog, who was once again sliding in his direction.
"Use Fire Fang again, girl!"
The two opposing Pokemon collided, and an explosion of both flames and energy made the air in the entire gym simmer for just a moment. Julia covered her eyes, her face overwhelmed by the intense heat. Pryce merely held up one hand to shield himself from the aftermath of the explosion. When the flaming cloud finally dissipated, two silhouettes lay on what was left of the icy battlefield.
Both Saoirse and Sneasel were face up on the ice, completely battered and covered with burn marks and visible wounds. Neither made any attempt to get back up.
"Snubbull…"
"Sneeeee…"
"Whoa!" Caiseal stood up in alarm, shouting. "It's a tie! They knocked each other out!"
Julia smiled, ambling over to her friend, kneeling down, and cradling her into her arms. "You were great, girl," She complimented. "I'm so proud of you."
"Snubbull snub…" Saoirse waved one of her small arms, like she was attempting a thumb's up.
"Don't worry. Once this battle's over, we'll go and have your favorite strawberry pancakes! How's that?" She suggested.
The bulldog smiled at the heavenly thought. Gooey, fluffy pancakes caked in thick maple syrup, with strawberries inside the flour and topping the surface. She closed her eyes, losing herself in the happy dream. Julia recalled the sleeping Pokemon before returning to her side of the battlefield.
Pryce recalled Sneasel quickly, pulling out another PokeBall not too long after. "Cloyster, I choose you."
A white light bounded onto the battlefield, materializing into Cloyster. Caiseal was quick to pull his PokeDex out to examine it. "Cloyster, the bivalve Pokemon, and the evolved form of Shellder. Cloyster's shell is harder than diamonds, so hard, in fact, that it can withstand explosions from a bomb without taking any damage at all. Not even missiles can break its shell. When the shell is closed shut, it is impossible to break or pry open, even by people with superior strength. Cloyster is capable of swimming in the sea. It does so by swallowing water, then jetting it out toward the rear. This Pokémon shoots spikes from its shell using the same system. No one has ever seen its innards."
Julia shivered. Memories of riding on Geraldine and almost getting impaled by Cloyster's Spike Cannon attack flashed through her mind. The fear morphed into a subtle anger.
"Pi-pikachu!" Hikaru suddenly barked, waving her arms up and down, her dark eyes glimmering with courage.
"Of course!" Julia exclaimed. "I was going to send you out anyway! You ready, girl?"
Hikaru balled one of her hands into a fist. "Pikapi!" With resolve in her heart, the shiny Pikachu bounded onto the battlefield.
"Cloyster. Use Razor Shell," Pryce commanded.
Oddly enough, there was no response from the bivalve Pokemon. It stood completely still, making no attempts to attack. Pryce raised an eyebrow. "Cloyster? What's wrong?" He asked.
Instead of attacking, Cloyster simply began hopping across the battlefield. It didn't take on any attack stances, and the whole thing just left everyone flabbergasted. Hikaru didn't even have it in her to attack it. Cloyster hopped across the battlefield, one step at a time, getting closer and closer to Julia's side of the arena.
"Pika?" Hikaru cocked her head to one side, wondering just what was going on.
Finally, Cloyster stood right in front of Julia, looking right at her with its pearl shaped head. A heavy silence consumed the entire gym. Even Perrine and Caiseal found themselves silent, also wondering what was happening. They hoped that Cloyster wouldn't dare to attack Julia itself.
Thankfully, they didn't need to worry about that ever happening. All of a sudden, a waterfall of tears poured out from Cloyster's eyes, and the bivalve Pokemon bowed up and down, bawling. "Clooooooysterrrrr!" It cried, its round eyes drowning in tears.
Everyone's jaws fell wide open. Not even Pryce could maintain calm, as his jaw dropped open in an ungraceful angle. On the other hand, Julia's shock and confusion morphed into calm, as she smiled and kneeled down to Cloyster's level. She even stroke the horn coming out from above its head with one hand.
"It's okay! I'm not mad at you, so don't worry," Julia told it reassuringly.
Relieved, the bivalve Pokemon flashed a smile of its own, even if it was still crying its eyes out.
"What's going on?" Perrine asked aloud.
Julia turned in their direction and said, "Cloyster just wanted to say sorry for what Pryce made him do to me and Geraldine that one time!"
"Oh," That was the only response they all could have. The memory of Pryce commanding his Cloyster to use Spike Cannon on both Julia and Geraldine was still fresh in their minds. But as it turned out, Cloyster never wanted to hurt them at all. After being ordered to do so by Pryce, the bivalve Pokemon had felt bad about it for the whole month and wanted so badly to apologize, even though he was glad nobody got killed.
Pryce listened to their dialogue and fell silent. How in the world could this girl understand what Cloyster was saying to her? Better yet, how did she even know? Was she making it up? No answers came to mind. But he had noticed changes in his Cloyster's demeanor and behavior after that, so this display did shed some light on that. Right after that, Cloyster returned to Pryce's side of the arena with a smile. All of a sudden, Cloyster used the spike on its head to poke its PokeBall. The ball opened, turning Cloyster into red light and sucking it right in.
"Huh?!" Now this was unexpected. Cloyster just returned to its PokeBall. Pryce pulled it back out and asked, "Do you...not want to battle?"
The PokeBall wiggled left and right, saying no.
Once the shock wore off, Pryce nodded. "I see. Alright then. I'll respect your wishes," He put Cloyster's PokeBall back, pulling out another one. "Change of plans. It seems we'll be having a three on three battle now. Or two on two, since you knocked out Sneasel."
The look of determination returned to Julia's face. "Fine with me!"
"Pika!"
This time, Dewgong came spiraling out on the battlefield. Landing on the ice with grace, the sea lion Pokemon's snow white fur seemed to glisten in the light. Just like the ice it stood on. Hikaru's ears and tail all stiffened, facing the ceiling.
Julia pointed her index finger at Dewgong. "Use Thunderbolt!" She yelled, her command sharp but resolute.
"Pikaaachuuuu!" The electric mouse unleashed a dazzling display of lightning bolts that danced across the battlefield. Dewgong slid across the ice, similar to how Saoirse did earlier, only the sea lion Pokemon rode the ice with just its body. Sliding in a graceful arc, Dewgong evaded every thunder strike with ease.
"Aurora Beam!" Pryce exclaimed, his command sharp and snappish.
With a confident sparkle lighting up its eyes, Dewgong opened its large mouth, allowing a rainbow colored blast of energy to shoot right out. The beam wasted no time charging right at Hikaru as she stopped using her Thunderbolt attack.
"Use Disarming Voice to hold it off!"
"Pikaaaaaa!" With a mighty howl, Hikaru emitted pink, circular soundwaves, managing to hold off the Aurora Beam somewhat. It was enough so that Hikaru could find time to dodge. Finding an opening, Hikaru stopped her attack and leaped over to a broken chunk of rock. No longer barred by the Disarming Voice, the Aurora Beam dissipated into thin air, leaving not a scratch.
"Use Headbutt, and don't hold back."
"Deeeeeewgon!" Dewgong slid across the ice once more, lifting its head upward.
Julia grimaced. She had to get an attack in, or Hikaru was toast. "Volt Tackle!" She yelled on impulse.
On cue, Hikaru raced across the ice. Gaining speed, her body exploded with lightning. As Dewgong came closer, Hikaru let out a howl as she made a majestic leap, ramming herself right into the sea lion's abdomen. The force of the impact sent Dewgong flying across the battlefield, breaking yet another rock into smithereens, creating a diminutive cloud of icy dust that covered the sea lion from horn to tail.
"Yes!" The girl balled her fists, watching closely to see if Dewgong was unconscious or not. A surge of pride swelled from within her heart.
...Which was quickly smothered as soon as she saw Pryce's calm, eerie expression. He kept his arms crossed, and his icy stare sent a shiver down her spine. No way was he going to let this girl defeat him.
"Aqua Tail," Pryce said.
The icy dust cloud dissipated as a spiral of water suddenly materialized. Dewgong let out a low screech as a diminutive whirlpool consumed its tail. Sliding across the ice, Dewgong used the water to propel itself at a faster speed than normally possible. "Pika!" The mouse let out a screech, transfixed by terror. Knowing what was to come, Hikaru attempted to scramble across the ice. The minute she even tried, every single one of her feet slipped, and her body met the frigid, slippery ice. More futile attempts, and Hikaru found herself stumbling with every step she took.
Of course, she was at the mercy of the Aqua Tail. A wall of water slammed into her, with the rest of it cascading down into a hole created by said attack. Unable to move, Hikaru fell into the shallow water underneath the battlefield. Not even the frigid waters biting at every single nerve in her body were enough to pull her awake from the attack.
"Hikaru!" Julia screamed, freezing as she saw no movement in the water. Caiseal and Perrine all stood up in alarm, fear catching them in its grip.
For a brief moment, there was no movement. Then, out from the water came a set of yellow, black-tipped ears, followed by Hikaru's head. The mouse Pokemon looked toward Julia, flashing a thumb's up with one hand. "Pikapi!" She squeaked, signalling that she was fine.
Julia exhaled a huge sigh of relief, the choking fear gripping her finally dissipating. Then the gears began to turn the moment she looked at the hole that Dewgong's Aqua Tail made. Last she checked, Dewgong was still weak to electric attacks. Maybe…
"What's she gonna do?" Caiseal asked.
"She's got that look on her face," Perrine pointed out. She was right. Julia kept staring at the hole, her eyes staring right through it. "She's thinking of something."
Think she did. Then she stopped thinking, as it was time to take action. "Hikaru! Dive into the water!"
"Chu!" With a nod, Hikaru dove back into the water.
Pryce smirked. "You won't be able to win like that. Dewgong! After it!"
"Deeewgong!" As ordered, the sea lion Pokemon slid across the ice and leaped in the water, in pursuit of the electric mouse.
Now it was Julia's turn to smirk. "I was hoping you'd do that!"
"What?!" Pryce's eyes widened, and his mouth fell open. She wanted him to do that?
"Hikaru!" She pointed to the water with one index finger. "Use Thunderbolt on the entire body of water! No mercy!"
No one had time to react before an explosion of electricity shot out from the hole. The lightning's bright flashes made everyone hold their hands or arms over their faces. Some sparks even managed to crackle their way through the ice, thick and dense as the frozen water was. A small explosion broke through Pryce's side of the icy battlefield, and Dewgong came sprawling right out, its sleek body covered with dancing sparks.
"Dewgong!" Pryce stammered.
Hikaru came back onto the surface. Julia could see fresh cuts and developing bruises, some of which were still soaked thanks to the frigid waters. The mouse Pokemon didn't look bothered, as she kept eyeing the Dewgong with intent to knock it right out.
"Can you still battle?"
"Pika!" Hikaru turned to face her trainer, giving an affirmative nod.
"You haven't defeated me yet!" Pryce slammed his cane down on the ground. "Finish this with Aqua Jet!"
"Volt Tackle!"
Both Pokemon enveloped by their respective elements charged at each other, ready to knock each other out. The second they made contact, an explosion of smoke covered the battlefield. A blast of wind rushed past both trainers, and once again, they used their arms to shield themselves. It didn't take long for the smoke to fade. When it did, both Hikaru and Dewgong were both lying on the ice, battered and unmoving.
"Piiii…"
"It seems both Pokemon are unable to battle," Pryce mused, recalling Dewgong without a moment's hesitation.
Julia did the same. "You were awesome, Hikaru. You deserve a good rest."
But the battle wasn't over. Close, but not over. Pryce still had one Pokemon left, and she had a good idea who it was. He pulled out another PokeBall before throwing it.
"Piloswine! Come forth!"
The mammoth Pokemon materialized, letting out a harsh mooing sound. Julia clenched her teeth. Piloswine was part ice-type and ground-type, so fire type moves could still work against it. At the same time, however, it was possible for Piloswine to still use ground attacks, and fire types were weak against ground. Rino was definitely a no-go. Tokiko was part flying type and she could evade the ground attacks, but she was still weak against ice. Twilight was strong and could hold her own, but she still had problems controlling her stubbornness, and every battle to her was like a fight to the death. As much as she wanted to use Twilight, she didn't want to risk putting Pryce's last Pokemon in danger. What to do? There didn't seem to be much options for her to choose from.
There was one Pokemon she could use. One who wasn't weak against ground or ice. Fast, strong, and could outrun the mammoth Pokemon easily. She had to take a chance. Take it or leave it.
"Lucretia, show him what you're made of!" The lavender feline hopped onto the ice gracefully, like she had practiced for years. The frigid battlefield still sent shivers through her body, though.
"Espeon!"
Pryce lowered his eyebrows. "Hmmm. An Espeon. A wise choice. Pilowine, use Mud Bomb!"
"Muuuuu!" With a mighty growl, spheres of icky brown mud materialized in front of his tusks. Piloswine lurched forward, allowing the muddy spheres to charge right at the Espeon.
"Use Psybeam to hold them off!"
"Espeooooooon!" For a moment, the red orb on her forehead glowed before sending out a purple beam of light. It hit every single muddy sphere, reducing it to just mud as it all plopped onto the ice.
"Use Ice Fang!"
"Muuu!" Piloswine opened its large maw, and its teeth glowed in an icy pale blue light. Lucretia didn't need Julia's commands in order to dodge. Being smaller and lighter than the hulking mammoth, she simply jumped up and around, evading the icy bites with grace.
"Shadow Ball!" Julia commanded. The Espeon fired a black sphere right at Piloswine. It hit him across his fur. Oddly enough, that lone attack was enough to render Piloswine wide open. It didn't make any attempts to attack, as it kept howling in pain.
Even Pryce found himself speechless. But he knew this was no time for slacking. "Use Blizzard!"
"Psybeam!"
Lucretia managed to get the drop on him as she fired a beam of light at Piloswine. It came so fast, Piloswine was unable to use his most powerful attack. In fact, any time he tried to attack at all, he would always be too slow to get ahead of Lucretia. The sun Pokemon always managed to attack first, and land successful hits.
"Wow," Perrine mused. "Piloswine's not doing too good."
"Considering it hasn't battled in a while, I think it's gotten rusty," Caiseal suggested. Any Pokemon who hadn't battled in a while could easily lose their edge, should they not sharpen their battling skills consistently. He figured Julia must have realized this, and taking full advantage of it.
"Trump Card, girl! You can do it!" Julia cried.
"Peeooooon!" With a shrill cry, white, card shaped rectangles materialized before charging right at Piloswine. This time, they just swiped right past him, not doing too much in terms of damage.
"Piloswine, use Fury Attack! Full power!" Pryce shouted.
"Muuuuu!" Now it was Piloswine's turn to charge, as his long tusks glowed in white lights. Of course, not even that attack could do much, since Lucretia kept jumping on the icy rocks every chance she got.
Everything that happened right after that was basically Piloswine attempting to attack Lucretia and failing, and Lucretia attacking it. Needless to say, Piloswine didn't stand much of a chance against the agile purple feline. The sun Pokemon kept firing Psybeams and Shadow Balls at the mammoth, finally knocking it out when it attempted another Blizzard attack. Pryce couldn't hold back his shock. His friend fell to the ice, unable to get up.
"Piloswine…"
The lack of movement and initiative to battle further made huge smiles spread across both Julia and Lucretia's faces. Unable to contain her bubbling joy, Julia leaped into the air with a loud cheer. "Yay! We won! We won!" Lucretia leaped into her trainer's arms, and the two of them spun around like a top, jubilant in their victory.
With a sad smile, Pryce called Piloswine back to his PokeBall. "It's alright, my friend. You were great," He whispered in a soft voice.
Perrine and Caiseal came bounding down the bleachers. "You really won! Congrats!" Perrine and Julia slapped their hands in a high five as Lucretia got back on the ground.
"We knew you could do it!" Caiseal exclaimed, pumping his fist.
Julia blushed. "No no. My Pokemon did most of the work," She looked down at Lucretia, who happily snuggled against her leg.
Even Pryce couldn't help but smile as he walked around the battlefield to approach the children. "This was a fine battle we had," He told Julia. "I really enjoyed it. As proof of your victory…" He rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a badge. "The Glacier Badge."
Taking it out of his hands, Julia held it up to her face to examine it. It was really not much more than a light blue hexagon with six triangular cavities in the middle, making it resemble a snowflake. But it still looked nice as it reflected the fluorescent lights in the gym.
"Thank you, sir."
He closed his eyes. "I'm glad I could have this final battle with you," He said in an oddly wistful voice.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Perrine asked.
"After this battle, I will no longer be the gym leader of Mahogany Town," Pryce answered.
If he had said he could see into the future, the kids wouldn't be nearly as surprised. All of them found themselves shouting, "WHAT?!" in perfect unison.
None of them asked why, though. Julia could take a guess, but Pryce answered before they could ask. "My recent actions have come under investigation, as you know. The Pokemon League has decided to revoke my status as a gym leader," He explained calmly, keeping his composure. "In short, I've been forced to retire."
Out of the corner of Julia's eye, a blond haired figure poked her head into the gym entrance. But the blond blur disappeared before Julia could get a closer look. Still, she listened to Pryce's explanation. Instead of being disappointed, she found herself smirking inside. After all, Pryce did bring this on himself by attacking her, she told herself. Boy, was she happy to have battled him when she did. She didn't dare voice these thoughts, as she figured it'd be rude. He did apologize for what happened, so rubbing salt in the wound wouldn't help. Mrs. Amoretto and other people didn't apologize to her for the things they did, so she could take some comfort in Pryce paying for his actions.
"Who's going to take over the gym from now on?" Caiseal wondered aloud.
Pryce smiled. "My granddaughter has wanted to become a gym leader, so I'm thinking of leaving it to her," He elaborated. "I've been making some preparations for this long before the Gyarados incident, so there's nothing to worry about."
With that, the kids said goodbye and left the gym, leaving Pryce alone. He didn't mind. Having time alone was always a pleasure for him. But over the next few hours, he cleared out the gym a little bit and put a padlock on the door. The moon was full and bright when he turned the key. Now he could leave the gym without worries.
"We had good times together," Pryce whispered to himself.
A silent goodbye to the gym, and he turned around to walk back home. Street lights still illuminated the area, and there were other people nearby, so Pryce didn't feel the least bit afraid of what the night had to offer. After all, he had walked this path a million times over the years. Day and night, rain and shine. Now it was time to end that routine forever. For now, he simply enjoyed the night time. The million stars twinkling in the sky, the Rattata scuttling about foraging for food, smelling a strangely sweet aroma…
Wait…
Pryce stopped in his tracks. A glistening, pink, powdery cloud suddenly billowed before him. The old man made the mistake of breathing it in his shock. Before long, his limbs turned limp, and his eyes grew heavy. Any attempt he made at keeping them open was futile. Soon, his legs could no longer move and with a thud, he fell to the ground, right on his back.
"What…?" Pryce could only mumble helplessly as he felt a set of hands rummaging through his pockets. They weren't his hands, as he couldn't move his own. All he could make out was straw blonde hair.
"Got the badge," Someone whispered.
"No...stop...help…" Pryce held his hand out in a futile attempt to stop the thief. Unfortunately, his eyes finally closed, and all energy seeped out of his body.
"Shut up, old man!" A female voice shouted.
"Weepinbell…" A Pokemon whimpered. It didn't sound like it enjoyed spraying that substance on the old man.
Now, all Pryce saw was darkness. His consciousness fading, he was wide open. All of a sudden, he felt something hard dredge into his stomach. It almost felt like the bottom of someone's shoe pressing onto his abdomen. A startled, pained yelp escaped his rasping throat. Whoever was stepping on him had no sympathy or pity for him.
"This is what you get for attacking my sister."
"HEY!" More voices. Deep, male voices. They sounded younger than his own voice. The police? "Leave that man alone!"
"Hands in the air, miss!"
"Oh, crap!"
Footsteps. Scurrying across the dirt. Men shouting in loud voices.
"Come back! You're under arrest!"
"Pryce! Pryce! Wake up! Are you alright?!"
"He's asleep. That girl must have made her Pokemon use Sleep Powder on him."
"Let's take him to the hospital."
Succumbing to darkness, Pryce finally fell asleep, his dormant senses blocking out reality completely.
A/N: Alrighty, so the Mahogany Town arc is finally over! And yeah, the Radio Tower arc will begin soon, though not without some cool down chapters to build things up. Harriet and Amara will be the subjects of them, so look forward to them! I also plan on writing the Radio Tower arc differently from how the games handled it, because we all know it's basically just grinding through a bunch of Team Rocket grunts and executives.
Also for clarification: about Julia being in the hospital for a week after she caught Geraldine, just want to clarify that yes, Pryce was forced to pay for the medical fees. I plan on mentioning that in-story later on, but I thought I'd make it clear for those who were confused. And yes, Amara overheard everything Pryce said and saw most of the battle. That's why she took Pryce's badge.
Julia's Party:
Hikaru (Shiny Pikachu, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Thunderbolt, Disarming Voice, Quick Attack, Volt Tackle
Lucretia (Espeon, Female, Bashful Nature)
Ability: Magic Bounce
Attacks: Psybeam, Trump Card, Bite, and Shadow Ball
Tokiko (Togetic, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Serene Grace
Attacks: Extrasensory, Headbutt, Dazzling Gleam, Magical Leaf
Saoirse (Snubbull, Female, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Intimidate
Attacks: Ice Fang, Bite, Fire Fang, and Scary Face
Rino (Nidorino, Male, Modest Nature)
Ability: Poison Point
Attacks: Double Kick, Poison Jab, Peck, and Horn Attack
Twilight (Ponyta, Female, Lonely Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Flame Wheel, Solar Beam, Hypnosis, and Stomp
Perrine's Party:
Kitsune (Ninetales, Female, Quiet Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Heat Wave, Extrasensory, Confuse Ray, and Faint Attack
Florian (Meganium, Male, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Overgrow
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Vine Whip, Body Slam, and Grassy Terrain
Baloo (Jigglypuff, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Cute Charm
Attacks: Sing, Wake-Up Slap, Disarming Voice, and Body Slam
Mushi (Paras, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Effect Spore
Attacks: X-Scissor, Stun Spore, Growth, and Giga Drain
Fuwari (Skiploom, Female, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Leaf Guard
Attacks: Bounce, Giga Drain, Fairy Wind, and Energy Ball
Chirin (Flaaffy, Male, Adamant Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Discharge, Cotton Guard, Power Gem, Signal Beam
Caiseal's Party:
Mallow (Marowak, Male, Lax Nature)
Ability: Lightning Rod
Attacks: Bonemerang, Bone Rush, Headbutt, and Rock Smash
Apollo (Typhlosion, Male, Bold Nature)
Ability: Blaze
Attacks: Flamethrower, Flame Charge, Rollout, and Smokescreen
Viole (Gloom, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Chlorophyll
Attacks: Petal Blizzard, Sludge Bomb, Sleep Powder, and Sweet Scent
Ravenclaw (Murkrow, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Super Luck
Attacks: Wing Attack, Steel Wing, Dark Pulse, and Roost
Heracles (Heracross, Male, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Moxie
Attacks: Brick Break, Megahorn, Aerial Ace, and Endure
Flippy (Quagsire, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Damp
Attacks: Water Gun, Mud Bomb, Mud Slap, and Slam