Candice sat on her throne, drinking warm tea is a posture some would consider in opposition with what was expected of a Gym Leader.

"What's the best way I can mess with those guys when they get here?"

A stern boy with purple hair entered the gym, glaring at everything as if it was beneath him.

"Gym Leader! I demand a battle!"

She looked over, annoyed.

"You know what? I was having a perfectly good time by myself until you walked in. Fine, fine. I guess I have time for rude people too."

A Mid-Sinnoh Night's Dream - XX - The New Normal

Hilbert noticed the rest of the group walking a slight distance behind him and Dawn as they headed to the gym. "Why are you guys hanging back?"

"Oh, no reason," Lucas shrugged.

"...Alright."

Cheryl whispered to Lucas, "They aren't holding hands."

"I can see that. It's because we're following them," he whispered back, before raising his voice. "Oh, you know what, I think I'll stop by the Pokemon Center again, just in case."

Hilbert looked back at him weirdly. "...We just left."

"Be prepared, Boy Scout motto and all that. Come on, Barry."

Cheryl got the idea, grabbed Marley's arm, and brought her with them, leaving the two to get to the gym on their own.

Of course, they weren't actually going to the Pokemon Center. Rather, they ran behind the nearest corner and started following the pair at a distance, on the watch for anything confirming their theory.

Sure enough, after a tense (from their perspective) few minutes, Hilbert grabbed her hand and flushed slightly pink.

"ALR-" Barry's mouth had multiple hands slapped over it before he could get to yelling. Hilbert looked around, but shrugged it off and continued on his way.

"Why would they hide it?" Cheryl wondered aloud.

"Maybe he's doing that 'No hugging, no kissing' thing some team leaders do on TV. To set the example, I guess."

"He does seem like the type."

"I mean, he's always copying stuff from one show or another."

They caught up to Hilbert and Dawn at the temple's entrance, where they would fight their Gym Battle. Hilbert quickly let go of Dawn's hand, and the others pretended not to notice.

"Did you guys run back here?"

"Uh… yeah!" Barry slapped him on the back and pushed him inside.

The temple was just as icy as the flora outside, reflecting light through countless sheets like they were glass. The floor shined like water, but it was nearly dry to the touch.

"Challengers, hello!" Candice yelled, sliding down a ramp of ice, and coming to a stop in front of them, "Welcome to the Snowpoint Gym! It's also a temple to Regigigas, not that they're ever around!"

Hilbert raised a finger, his expression slipping off into thought. "Before we get started, what's the policy on Earthquakes?"

"I was just about to get to that!" She said cheerily, stampeding on through the interruption. "This temple is really old, like super old! The ice hasn't melted in a thousand years, so good luck trying to break it or dig through it!"

"Okay… but my whole thing is breaking through walls."

"I'm sure it'll be fine! ...But just in case, you're going last!"

"Oh, son of a- Fine, fine, that's fair."

Barry cricked his neck as he walked towards the widest area of the temple. There wasn't dedicated seating for the arena, but they stood close enough to get a look, Abra already setting up a shield for them.

"You might remember, but since you're in the second half of the Gym Challenge, the rules have changed!"

"Uh… I forgot."

"No problem! Instead of the typical three-on-three, it'll be an endurance match. Four-on-four, to the last Pokemon standing."

"Alright! Come on, Prinplup!" Barry jumped around, sending out his partner.

The penguin-like Pokemon appeared, clearly satisfied by the familiar surroundings, and its home-court advantage.

"A Water-type, I see…" Candice tapped her temple, "I expected you to use a Fighting-type or Fire-type, but that doesn't matter! Sneasel!"

The Dark-type was a snappy sort, clearly not averse to fighting dirty, and already assuming the combat stance.

"Prinplup, Withdraw and stay away!"

Prinplup jumped back, skittering slightly on the ice and curling his limbs. It raised its arms in defense before Sneasel could get off a good Slash.

"Keep going, girl! Take 'em down!"

"Girl? Prinplup, Attract!"

The Water-type stopped, a distance away from the Sneasel, before taking up a pose. It pointed one flipper at its opponent, raising the other to its head, almost as if tipping a hat. There was a purple aura around it, and Hilbert swore he could see symbols for 'menacing' floating in the air, along with the hearts speeding towards Sneasel.

Having been more confused by the pose than anything else, it was hit dead-on by the stream, and knocked back. It stood up, seconds later, with pink in its eyes, refusing to attack.

"No! Sneasel, snap out of it!"

"Was… was that a Jojo ref-" Lucas asked, dumbly.

"What kind of story do you think this is? Of course it was," Hilbert laughed.

"Prinplup, Hone Claws until just before it wears off, then use Metal Claw!"

The temple was filled with the sound of metallic screeching as Sneasel wandered around, dazed, and Prinplup sharpened his flippers.

As Sneasel seemed to regain awareness, Prinplup struck, its claw landing like a cannonball, and rocketing Sneasel into the opposite wall. The ice didn't even crack.

"Good one, girl, come on back," Candice, only dampened slightly, recalled her first Pokemon. She recovered her cheer in moments, calling, "Alright! Piloswine, let's make this quick!"

In a loud 'THUMP', Piloswine stomped out onto the ice in a blast of light.

Prinplup eyed it, simultaneously honing its claws for the next fight.

"You've got this! Use Scald on its legs to make it slip in the water!"

Barry watch the steaming jet of water make contact with Piloswines feet, before being immediately cooled by the floor, but not freezing.

"Huh… Let's try making a lot more, then! Keep using Scald, and dodge!"

Prinplup followed the order, skating around the slow but steady Piloswine, covering it and the floor in a thin layer of lukewarm water.

"Piloswine, freeze that penguin!"

"Block it with Scald!"

The Ice Beam met boiling water in mid-air, melting it onto the floor.

Barry shouted, "Alright! Prinplup, make some waves! Use Whirlpool!"

The surface began rippling, rising and falling, before exploding into a vortex around Piloswine, sucking the water inwards and upwards, taking the Ice-type along with it.

With another loud 'THUMP' and a splash of water, Piloswine onto its back, unconscious.

"Another one?! Wow!" Candice, never letting anything get her down, gave him a double thumbs-up. "Super cool! Let's see how you handle a real counter! Abomasnow, yes, we can!"

"...I'm not sure what I can't believe more," Lucas said, dumbfounded. "That Barry came up with a strategy like that, or Candice's Abomasnow ran for office in Unova."

"That joke is old. Wait, no, it's 2009, that's funny. And Barry isn't stupid, he's just stupid."

"..."

"I mean, when it's not important."

"Sure, sure."

Barry smirked over in the arena, as Prinplup stared down the Grass-type.

Candice cried, "Let's get this started with a Magical Leaf!"

Leaves and bits of grass flew out of Abomasnow's coat, righting themselves in mid-air and aiming themselves at Prinplup. They shot off in a storm, tearing past him as he dodged, though a few sliced across his flubbery torso.

Barry winced. "Keep it cool! Use Scald!"

In the stands, Lucas was still confused. "Wouldn't he be better off using Metal Claw?" He scratched his temple like he was missing something.

"I mean, yeah, and I don't know why he would be using Whirlpool again, it would do even less damage."

Even when they didn't know, Barry had a pretty good idea. Water-types, obviously, have pretty good control over water. While some of the more aquatic variety only live in the ocean, hence the typing, others can manipulate water itself. Such Pokemon can use moves such as Whirlpool and Surf, even outside of the oceans.

He was soaked up to his calves, luckily not burned, but was definitely feeling the steam flowing across his skin.

"Prinplup, use Metal Claw on its face!"

Abomasnow punched Prinplup high into the air, knocking the wind out of it.

Pokemon evolution is generally thought to be a result of a particular Pokemon growing strong enough. This is true in most cases, though some observe Pokemon of equal age, but of different evolutionary stages, going toe-to-toe. This is because evolution, simply put, is the desire of a Pokemon to change. To become stronger. To go even further beyond. To advance with each turn, growing past what they were before.

Barry had an impossibly large grin etched on his face, as Prinplup glowed white in the air. Water started whipping around, rising into the air, even more violently than before.

"Finally! You know what, everyone? I think I've had enough!"

The evolving mass was falling, but quickly supported by a jet of water shooting up to hold it in the air.

"I'm tired of being the weakest! I'm over getting left behind! I'm done playing catch-up! I'm sick of it, man! I won't sit back because we're not strong enough, not anymore! I'm done with it! We'll use our strength to take our future!"

Prinplup's size increased, growing upwards and outwards, the edges of a crown growing from its head. It snapped into a deep blue coat, regal and elegant.

"EMPOLEON!"

Water began floating into the air, defying gravity.

Barry laughed. "You know what? It might not be aura, but it's as close as I'm gonna get! Sorry, Hilby, I'm stealing your signature move!"

Liquid froze as it made contact with Empoleon's outstretched flipper, shooting outwards like a fencing pole. Water swirled around it in a Whirlpool, condensing itself into ice.

"GIGA…"

Hilbert, of course, was more excited than anyone else. "Do it, Barry!"

A sphere of water grew behind Empoleon, almost like a jet-pack. Magical Leaves were sputtering against his coat, but there wasn't a visible effect.

"DRILLLLLL…"

Empoleon shot forward, propelled by the Aqua Jet, and advancing with a whipping Whirlpool in the figurative palm of his hand.

Abomasnow didn't stand a chance.

"BREAAAAAAAK!"

And then…

The floor cracked.

And all hell broke loose.

Half-way to the ceiling, Regigigas's body groaned through the air. It left behind a hole in the floor, and an outline of where its body was minutes before.

Candice looked up at it, scratching her head in thought. "You know what? I really should have expected that. And I did, but for Black."

"Hey! You sayin' I can't do cool stuff too? Just who the hell do you think I am?" Barry cried in response.

Hilbert rushed over to Barry, sliding to a stop next to the blond. His, Lucas's, Marley's, and Cheryl's Pokemon were already out, ready for battle or combat.

"First off: Really cool finisher. Might need to work on the timing and pitch, but otherwise really good. Second thing: How the hell are we going to fight that thing?" He looked up at the towering Legendary, and the blinking lights, as wide as his head, on its torso. It was moving slowly, pushing itself up from the icy cavern below.

"Lucky for you, I have a back-up plan!" Barry said, taking up a ridiculous pose, swaying his hip and sharply wiggling his arms.
"You had a plan?"

"It's a figure of speech, man! Give me a minute." With that, Barry turned on his heel and ran out the front door.

"..."

"REGICE! HEY, REGICE! CAN YOU HELP ME OUT?"

Hilbert exhaled a puff of air. "Is that some local prayer I don't know about?"

Lucas shook his head. "No, but Barry's been acting kind of funny. Probably saw an illusion or something."

They heard a faint cry of "Regi-Regi-Ice."

"...No way."

Barry charged back in seconds later, a frozen golem trailing behind him.

"Alright! Regice will freeze him back up in no time!"

"Barry."

"Yeah?"

"Where on earth did you get a Regice?"

"It's a funny story, see, back in March, when we were in the Lucario Kingdom…"

Barry, bored out of his mind, and tired of watching Lucas practice fighting the local Lucario, decided to go explore.

That led to him taking a rather precocious mountain path. Given it was springtime, he should've expected to be more mud than usual.

It was still a surprise when his feet slipped out from under him, and he began skating down the side of the mountain, carried without any input on his end.

When he hit the end of the trail, he expected that to be it, and he was just going to have to hobble back up to camp, but no, he had to break through a weak rock wall and into Regice's hibernation chamber.

"Whoa…" He looked around, standing and smudging the dirt and gravel off his pants. There were odd puddles on the ground in an even odder formation, and on closer inspection, they turned out to be frozen solid. "That's weird…"

"Regi-iceee."

"Whoa!" Barry jumped back, surprised by the groaning cry from the corner. A half-melted golem was against a back wall, trying to stay in the shadows and avoid the light of the opening. "Oh, that's not good… Need some help, man?" He could think about the fact he was meeting a Legendary later.

"Regiiiiii," it echoed in a high pitch.

"Yeah, got it. I think I have some Burn Heals, might help…"
And help it did. While it didn't restore the golem, it stopped the melting where he sprayed with the cooling agent.

"There! You know, Lucas might call me an idiot for not catching you… but that'd be kinda messed up right now. Later!" Barry waved to the recovering Regice as he hurdled over the rocks and out of the cave. A few Rock Slides later from Lucas's spare Geodude, and the wall was completely repaired.

A trudge up the mountain later, Barry was tired, muddy, and in desperate need of a shower.

So, quickly heading off to do that, he actually forgot to tell anyone where he'd been.

"...And then I figured it would be awkward to bring it up so long after it happened, so I just kinda… didn't? And we passed by his cave on the way here, so I guessed he was around."

"...Huh," Hilbert turned back to Regigigas, who was solidly encased in ice, but still in the open air of the temple. "Shouldn't we put that thing back where it came from?"

"Or so help me?"

"Shut up, Lucas. I don't doubt Team Galactic's going to be heading here, considering this is probably being recorded.

"Oh, that's right…" Candice knocked her knuckle against her forehead. "If only there was someone trustworthy to handle it…"

Hilbert put his finger on his nose immediately. "Not it."

"Dude, what?"

"Thanks for volunteering, Barry."

The blond actually recoiled from that. "What? No! I couldn't- I mean, catching Legendaries is your thing, dude."

"Well, you know, don't keep all your eggs in one basket, something or other.

"But- but- but-"

"Catch the damn Pokemon, Barry."

Realizing he wasn't going to win any arguments, Barry sighed and reached into his bag for a few dozen Pokeballs. "Man… This is gonna take forever!"

Regice floated around, nudging Barry in the back.

"Huh? What?"

"I can speak with them once you capture them. I believe the human term is 'kill two Bird-types with one stone'."

"What's a Bird-type? I mean, uh, I don't speak Pokemon. Hilby?"

"...That doesn't even… Whatever, catch both, screw the rules."

"Whatever you say, leader." Barry reached for another, singular Great Ball. Color coordination and all that.

"On account of the gym being unusable for a few days, as well as the Regigigas situation, I have decided to award you your Gym Badges by proxy!" Candice said to them, as soon as she was sure no one was watching.

"...We could hold the battles outside…"

"No, no, you've earned it! After all," she pointed at Barry, "You stopped a Legendary from going rogue, and tamed another." She pointed at Hilbert, "We've already had a battle, and despite your loss then, I have no doubt you would have won today." Instead of predictably pointing at Lucas, her hand dropped back to her side, her other on her hip. "And the rest of you have dealt with Articuno, and that makes you worthy in my book!"

"Huh. Are we just ignoring that Barry caught two Legendaries? Is that not even a little bit weird? Okay. Guess we're heading back to Hearthome then."

"Now, wait just a minute!"

Hilbert turned back to the Gym Leader. "Yeah?"

"I've decided I want something else, since I didn't get to actually train Articuno!"

"What are you- Oh, yeah, Undella Town. Fine, what is it?"

Candice giggled, a dark aura floating off of her. "Well, it's simple!"

He hesitated, but bravely responded, "What?"

"You have to go on a date with me!"

"NO! NOPE NOPE NOPE, SORRY! CAN'T DO THAT, I'M IN A HAPPILY COMMITTED-" His panicked rant was headed off by Candice breaking out into full, from-the-stomach laughter.

"Oh, oh, oh, you should have seen your face! I'm guessing it's Dawn? Though, I can definitely understand if it's Cheryl. Or maybe, maybe, you're going the harem route? Are Barry and Lucas just tomboys?"

Hilbert, inflamed in the face from embarrassment and a decent amount of anger, turned on his iced heel and ran straight out the front doors. "Nope, nope, not doing thisssssss!"

Candice slapped her knee, still giggling. "So, was he just embarrassed, or did I hit the nail on the head?"

Dawn tapped her index fingers together, looking away and glaring at nothing in particular. "Maybe…"

"LET'S GOOO-" Barry had multiple hands clapped over his mouth and was dragged out the door.

Dawn was left alone with Candice for a brief moment, before she turned, huffing in faux-anger, before running after the others.

Candice leaned back, stretching and getting the humor out of her system. "Gotta love those guys…"

Following a local tourist's guide, they decided to check out Snowpoint's Move Tutor.

The squat graying old woman looked up at Infernape, rubbing her chin.

"This one's got it. Potential."

After Barry ran to the Pokemon Center, he brought Empoleon to the old woman.

Again, she looked up at a Pokemon. "This one too."

Dawn placed Turtwig on the woman's hardwood floor, bowing to the tutor.

"Girl, I don't know what you want from me, but there's not much to work with here. I'll do my best, but no refunds."

Hilbert asked her to take a look outside to take a look at Golurk.

She looked up, reasonably so, and thought for a minute.

"I can see aura, if you couldn't tell- Can't use it though, I've tried- What I teach Pokemon only strengthens their current skill set. There's nothing I can do for a Pokemon like that one. It knows all that it can learn; I can tell that at a glance, Aura Guardians."

"...Guardians?"

"Ah. Slip of the tongue. Regardless, give me three Heart Scales and a few hours, and I'll teach them something."

"Man, I can't wait to see Empoleon use Hydro Cannon!"

"Idiot!" The tutor spoke harshly. "Do you really think any human could teach the ultimate elemental techniques? It takes years for Pokemon to master those techniques in the wild! In captivity, yes, a weakened form can be achieved, but a true attack of that caliber is outside of humanity's reach!"

"...Alright, sorry…" Barry stepped back, cowed for the moment.

"Sheeeeeeesh… Bit of an overreaction if you ask me."

"Thank you, ma'am. Please, take your time." Hilbert grabbed Barry's sleeve, tugging it sharply, and their team left the old woman with their starters.

She puffed a pipe, deep in thought.

"Odd bunch of kids."

"How is it still snowing here? It's July."

"Isn't that how Digimon got started? Well, no summer camps here, but still."

"This isn't a TV show, Lucas."

"What about a book?"

"Not that either. Probably. Moving on!" Hilbert felt a sudden urge to bean Lucas in the head with snow, so he did.

It harmlessly slid off of his water-proof jacket, though it earned him a glare.

"You really want to play that game?" Lucas scooped up two handfuls and made a perfect sphere in seconds.

"How'd you make it like that?" Hilbert's question went unanswered, as his face was covered in ice. "Mmthrrrfmmcker!"

"What was that?"

He spit out a mouthful of freezing water. "Nothing I can repeat without censors! Abra!"

The Psychic-type sunk up to its chest in snow, and visibly glared. A mass of fluff rose into the air, shaping itself and shifting like water.

"I will turn this town into an icebox of a cemetery."

"Abra, NO SOCIOPATHY!"

"It's called psychopathy, boss."

"Not the point, bury Lucas!"

"Infernape!" The snow melted out of the air uselessly, Infernape emitting waves of heat. "Ha!"

"That's cheating!" Hilbert got another faceful of snow, from a different direction. He sent a glare at Dawn before returning fire. Oricorio was standing next to her, covered in ice but seeming unfazed. Her pom-poms had been completely replaced by snowballs, and she repeatedly made and gave them to Dawn.

Cheryl called out Kangaskhan so her kid could play with the snow. Chansey was also having some trouble with not having long enough arms.

Marley was laying in Arcanine's fur, watching the carnage unfold, but keeping herself warm with the Fire-types coat.

Snowball fights are a lot of fun with multiple people and some of their Pokemon.. Until Barry and Cheryl cheat and use actual Ice-types, at least.

AN:

Sorry this chapter took so long, I've been in a bit of a funk. Also, I really didn't feel like writing a Gym Battle. I'll probably make it a thing for Hilbert to battle Candice whenever they meet, like how Maylene kicks him in the face. I might go back and write one if I ever get bored. It's been more of a Barry-focused chapter, so he got to break the gym.

Are we at 100k yet? I'll probably write a special episode with a 'viewer mail' segment. Man, I gotta chill out with the TV metaphors.