This is the first of three chapters today.
It was evening by the time Ash and his friends arrived in Mahogany Town.
"Let's see..." Ash said, frowning. "Where's the gym?"
He glanced around. "Dexter?"
It's the building just next door to the Pokémon centre.
Ash looked up. "Oh, yeah! Thanks!"
"Did you do that on purpose?" Brock asked, blinking.
"Well, not especially, no..." Ash replied. "I just thought it was going to save time to ask first, rather than getting lost."
"That's... surprisingly sensible," Misty informed him. "Okay, let's go. Think there'll be time to get a challenge in tonight?"
"Hope so," Ash said, looking up at the sun slipping towards the horizon. "Come on, guys!"
Ash knocked on the gym door. "Hello?"
There was a long pause. Then a middle-aged woman opened the door. "Good evenin'!"
"Uh... hi?" Ash said. "Are you the gym assistant?"
"That's me," she nodded. "Sheila's the name. Guess you're one of the ones who did their research, half the people who don't do it come here and think I'm the leader..."
"I'm sure you'd be good at it," Brock told her.
"Oh, thanks," Sheila smiled. "Pryce might not, though... he's a great trainer, but a bit... prickly, sometimes."
"Is there time for me to challenge him?" Ash asked. "I know it's kinda late?"
"Sorry, he left about ten minutes ago," she apologized. "I was just locking up."
"Aw..." Ash sighed. "Where'd he go? Or do I have to wait until tomorrow?"
"Hmm." Sheila pursed her lips. "He does tend to spend a lot of time meditating... tell you what, come with me and we can let him know there's a challenger."
"Sounds good to me!" Ash agreed. "Lead the way!"
"You know," Sheila mused, as she hiked up a mountain trail in the gathering gloom, "You're a lot fitter than I was expecting."
"I keep in shape," Ash agreed, breath steaming in the air. With the sun sinking below the horizon, it was quickly getting colder – and darker – but Quilava was helping, so there wasn't much of an issue with seeing where they were going.
Her flames lit the way quite nicely.
"Just, uh..." Ash looked around. "How far is it?"
"Oh, not much further." They reached a broader spot, one lined with benches for people to stop and rest, and Sheila pointed out one particular path. "This way, he tends to meditate here in the evenings."
Squinting, Quilava blazed her flames up a bit higher so they could see further. The path wound through some boulders for a few dozen feet, then disappeared around a corner.
"Want a lift?" Ash offered her.
"No thanks, I'm good," she replied, leaping to one of the boulders. "Got to stay in shape somehow."
Ash nodded. "Got it."
Not noticing the curious look Sheila was giving him, he followed the path through the boulder field – towards where he could hear a faint splashing sound.
As it turned out, for Pryce, to meditate meant to sit in a freezing waterfall.
The Mahogany Gym Leader didn't look up at first as Ash approached. When the young trainer was only a few feet away, his eyes opened.
"Hm," he said, spotting Quilava first. "Better than some..."
Looking up further, he saw Ash – though not very well, in the flickering orange light provided by the Fire-type's flames.
"This is a challenger, Pryce," Sheila said briskly. "Thought I'd bring him up – so you knew to be at the gym on time tomorrow."
"Heh." Pryce shook his head. "Not likely to be worth my time..."
"You'd be surprised," Ash replied. "But... aren't you a gym leader?"
"What's it to you?" Pryce asked.
"Well... I thought Gym Leaders were supposed to take on all challengers?" Ash pressed. "Why should it matter? If they've got a Pokémon-"
"Pokémon are only for battle," Pryce replied. "A Pokémon that can't battle well is worthless."
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" Ash replied hotly. "Pokémon are friends and partners!"
"You know it!" Pikachu agreed.
Pryce gave him a look, then shook his head with a sigh. "Live in the mountains for a few decades and you might change your mind on that, boy. Nothing's your friend except yourself."
"Oh, thanks," Sheila said with heavy sarcasm.
Pryce continued as if she hadn't spoken. "You live up here, you get a feel for how the weather works – and then it turns on you. I've been in fine weather which has turned to a white-out blizzard in the time it takes to have lunch. Pokémon are the same."
"Do you want to get punched?" Pikachu asked, blinking. "Seriously..."
Quilava shrugged. "I'm amazed his Pokémon haven't done that already, to be honest."
"You're wrong!" Ash said firmly. "And I'm going to prove it to you – by tomorrow morning!"
Pikachu's head snapped around. "What did you just say, Ash?"
Pryce laughed. "That'd be the day. But... you know what? I'll make it a supplementary challenge, now you say that. If you can't prove to me that my philosophy is wrong, then I just won't battle you."
"Fine!" Ash agreed.
Pikachu sighed. "Ash... this is a bad idea."
"What are we going to do now, Ash?" Pikachu asked, as they walked back down the mountain path. "You and your big mouth..."
"No, I've got a reason for this," Ash denied. He checked Sheila was out of earshot, and then went on. "I remembered as he was talking – his Piloswine, remember?"
Pikachu frowned. "I think... hmmm, it rings a faint bell..."
"It went off in a snowstorm to get him medicine, and never returned," Ash explained in a low voice. "Pryce thinks it abandoned him. I just need to get back to the Pokémon Centre and switch a few Pokémon around..."
As they entered the Pokémon Centre, Sheila sighed.
"Sorry about that, kid," she said, shrugging. "But that's just Pryce for you. He's a good trainer, but he can be a real prickly customer at times."
"I know," the Joy said, leaning on the counter. "Hi, Sheila. This a challenger?"
"I want to be," Ash confirmed.
"Good luck trying," Sheila said, shaking her head. "If you want to change his mind, you've missed the boat on that one. He's not been the same since his Piloswine left."
"I heard that," the Joy agreed, frowning. "But I never really heard the why behind it. What happened?"
"I don't know." Sheila spread her hands in apology. "Why does a perfectly normal Pokémon – a starter, even – just up and leave? Especially when their trainer's hurt? I don't know... but that's what made Pryce so jaded."
"Right!" Ash said firmly. "I'll go find that Piloswine!"
Sheila blinked. "What? How?"
"Wait a minute..." the Joy began, leaning further over her counter. "Aren't you Ash Ketchum?"
"...you're kidding!" Sheila gave Ash another look. "You're not kidding."
Ash blushed at the sudden change in their attitude. "Really, it's nothing big..."
"Sure, and I'm the Grand Champion of Unova," Sheila replied. "Okay, now I kind of want to see what happens. That old grouch has needed a shakeup for a while..."
"Okay, Noctowl," Ash said, some minutes later. "Your job is just to make sure Pidgeot and I don't fly into a mountain in the dark."
"Well, I'll do my bally best... hmmm." Noctowl looked Pidgeot over closely. "Tell me, old chum, can you see this?"
He waved a wing.
Pidgeot blinked, as a pair of faintly glowing lines materialized in front of her. "Yes, actually."
"Right." Noctowl took flight, and the lights drifted to his wingtips – one red, one green. A third, white, light appeared on his tail. "They'll leave a long trail, so just follow it and everything should be tickety-boo."
"Ash?" Lucario asked, as he clambered aboard Pidgeot. "You're really going to do this?"
"I am," Ash confirmed. "I want to be sure that Pryce is... well, I guess I want to make sure he's okay. Last time, he changed his mind, but this time... I don't know." He shrugged. "I suppose I think the most likely thing to work is something dramatic."
"I see. Well... stay safe, Ash," Lucario advised softly.
"I intend to," Ash replied. "Right, guys, let's go!"
Noctowl took flight, the lights leaving a long trail behind him as he flew. Pidgeot waited a few seconds, then took to the air in a storm of wind and followed.
"Can we go a bit lower?" Ash called, looking out into the night with his Aura senses rather than relying on his insufficient night vision.
"For a bit," Noctowl allowed from ahead. "But there's a dashed big wall of rock in half a mile or so, and we'll have to sheer off."
"Got it," Ash confirmed. "Give us a roll before you do, so Pidgeot has the warning."
"Understood."
They dropped lower, the mountains obscuring the stars on both sides as they flew near-silently through the night. The occasional Ledian flashed below, but otherwise the night was dark and still. Even the moon was down.
"How much area do we need to search, Ash?" Pidgeot asked, wide white wings-of-air in broad, low-speed configuration barely visible as she carefully angled them for maximum efficiency. "We could be here a while – I dare not fly fast and low when it's this dark."
"It's okay," Ash assured her. "Noctowl? How far are we from Mahogany?"
"About eight miles, old chap," Noctowl replied. Ahead, he performed a slow roll, then pulled up into a climb.
Recognizing the signal, Pidgeot followed suit. The two Flying-types rose up the near-sheer cliff face with a comfortable amount of sky room, then dipped down into the next valley.
"Whoa," Ash said, distracted for a moment by the starlight glittering on the lake of ice below. Then he frowned. "Wait... Noctowl, can we head ahead and a bit to the left?"
"Abso-balley-lutely. Follow me!"
Ahead, the illusory constellation marking Noctowl's position drifted down and left. Pidgeot banked gently, feathers rustling, and she followed with great care.
"Yeah," Ash said, some seconds later. "Yeah, that's a Pokémon alright. And quite a big one. Noctowl? There should be some kind of place to land... about ten thirty to Pidgeot now."
There was a pause.
"Right, I've got one," Noctowl reported. "Pidgeot, I'll guide you down. Follow the yellow lights."
A glidepath appeared ahead of the larger Flying-type, curving around in a spiral and then dropping down.
The landing was tricky. Pidgeot couldn't see her destination even as she dropped lower and lower, following the light-path Noctowl gave her, until suddenly she caught sight of a rock looming out of the darkness and backwinged desperately.
Fortunately, the rock was several feet to the side of her flight path, but even so it was a nasty scare.
"Sorry about that, Pidgeot," Ash said, wincing. "I'll try to make sure the takeoff is smoother."
"I'd appreciate it," Pidgeot replied, shaking her wings out as Ash got off her back. "How, though?"
"Don't worry, I do have a plan," Ash told her. "Want a rest for now, though?"
"That'd be nice."
Ash recalled her, and looked up to Noctowl's signal lights still orbiting overhead. "Stay up there for now, okay? Keep an eye out."
"Not a problem. Not a problem at all," Noctowl agreed.
Ash smiled, then sent out Quilava. "Right. Ready, Quilava?"
She nodded, and blazed her quills up. The flickering firelight they shed revealed a frosted landscape, moss clinging to the otherwise-barren stones.
Ash blew on his hands. "Brr, chilly up here..."
Concentrating, he started up the Airslip Aura technique, holding air close to his body to warm it up. It helped, a little. "Right, let's go..."
He set off, boots crunching slightly, and Quilava followed close behind.
Some distance away, Pikachu shook his head.
"Ash is an idiot," he said.
Lucario shrugged. "Would you rather be out up that mountain, in the cold?"
"No!" Pikachu replied. "I'd rather be in here, like I am – but I'd rather he was here as well. I'd rather we went in the morning, instead of Ash go flying through the night without even moonlight for Pidgeot to see by!"
After a moment, his blue comrade stretched out a palm. "I understand your frustration," he said, calmly. "But Ash wants to do this, and I couldn't come up with a good reason why not. So I did not say anything."
Pikachu nodded, touching the palm for a moment. "Sorry," he sighed.
"No need to apologize. As I say, I feel much the same."
"Nearly there," Ash said, nodding. "Look – I can just about see a cave."
Quilava inhaled briefly, and spat a small Ember. The light it gave off lit a cave mouth about five or six metres away, with a faint trail visible heading off to the left and down the mountain.
"Looks like," she agreed. "What do you want to do?"
"Well, that Pokémon I could see is very close – in fact..." Ash closed his eyes briefly to check, "yeah, I can see it's a Piloswine now. So... head in, and start the process of thawing him out."
"Right," Quilava nodded. She continued forwards, lighting the cave as her Ember died, and Ash followed her.
The path led down a few metres of uneven ground before kinking a little to the right, and in the small hollow that resulted Quilava's light began to reflect off something clear and glittering.
A moment after Ash confirmed that this was the frozen Piloswine he was expecting, he sent out Meganium.
"We're here?" she asked, shivering slightly. "Brr, it's cold in here..."
"Yeah, surprisingly cold," Ash agreed. "It must have been like this for decades, if Piloswine's still frozen. Right – Sunny Day!"
Meganium nodded firmly. Her flower opened a little, and five glowing orbs shot out of it to hang in the air.
"Good," Ash complimented her. "Now – keep that up, and use Aromatherapy as well. Quilava, what's your weakest Fire-type attack?"
"That'd be Ember," she replied. "Wait, no – I suppose it's Fire Spin, that move's damaging over time."
"Good. Can you set up a fire around Piloswine? A good distance away."
"I'll do my best." Huffing, she blew flame from her quills and traced a wide circle around the frozen Ice-type. The flames licked up for a moment, then fell back to a steady, simmering heat.
"Chaps?" Noctowl said, flying back from the far end of the cave. "I found why this place is so bally cold – that end only opens onto a flippin' glacier!"
"...that would do it, yeah," Ash agreed. "Right. Time for step two."
"What's step two?" Noctowl asked.
"...so, the idea is, you provide light here and so Pidgeot can use that to land," Ash said.
Makes sense, Dexter agreed. How long will you be?
"Depends how long it takes me to persuade Pryce," Ash replied, rolling his eyes. "Right. Pidgeot?"
The big Flying-type formed. "Are we going flying at night again?"
"I'm afraid so," Ash shrugged. "Don't worry – no more low level stuff for now."
Chirping a moderately happy acknowledgement, Pidgeot bent down to let Ash board. "Where to, then?"
"Pryce's cottage," he told her. "It's on the outskirts of Mahogany, I think – land next to the Pokémon Centre, and I'll check there."
There was a knock on the door.
Pryce looked up from his mug of cocoa, frowning. "What do you want?" he called. "It's far too late! Come back tomorrow!"
"It's important!" a voice replied.
The gym leader frowned. That voice sounded... familiar.
Just in case, he scooped up the Pokéball belonging to his Jynx before going to the door.
Unlocking it, he glared out. "It's eleven thirty, what do you-"
"Hi," Ash waved. "Sorry, but – this is kind of important. You need to see this."
"See what?" Pryce asked, frowning. "Can't it wait?"
"Not really," Ash hedged. "Sorry."
Pryce glared at him. "I'm sure you are. What is this thing that's so urgent?"
"I found your Piloswine."
The elderly gym leader blinked. "What."
"He was frozen in ice – I found him, he's thawing out now," Ash explained. "I think you should be there when he recovers."
"But..." Pryce shook his head. "Why – I mean... he left me! Why did he do that?"
"I heard a bit about that," Ash nodded. "You were burned, right?"
Pryce nodded reluctantly.
"And – there were some Lum berry branches around him," Ash went on. "I think he got frozen on the way back with medicine for you."
Pryce's mouth opened for a moment, then he shut it and gave Ash a suspicious look. "Why should I trust you about this? You could just be making it up to get your gym challenge!"
"Then let me show you," Ash replied. "It's quite a long way up the mountain, but I've already been there. On a night this clear, Pidgeot can fly there safely – with both of us."
The Mahogany gym leader frowned for a little longer, then sighed. "I suppose it's not too... right, give me a minute."
He went back into his house, and picked up a couple more Pokéballs.
"Just in case," he told Ash, not explaining further.
"Right." Ash nodded, and sent Pidgeot out. "Ready for this?"
"As I'll ever be, I suppose..."
Backwinging hard, Pidgeot came down to land by the light of Dexter's Flash.
"That was so much easier this time," she said gratefully.
You are welcome, Dexter replied. Another Venomoth flew at him, and he ducked out of the way. Can I turn off the light now?
"Go ahead," Ash said, slipping off Pidgeot's back and helping Pryce down. "Thanks for your help."
As Dexter collapsed into vectors and returned to his projector, the gym leader looked around. "This is a long way up in the mountains..."
Ash shrugged, picking Dexter up. "It's where I found him. This way."
The cavern was much warmer the second time Ash entered it. The half-dozen floating orbs of the Sunny Day were either still there or had been replenished, and Quilava's circular Fire Spin crackled away with a gentle red heat.
"Good to see you back, Ash," Meganium said with a smile. "He's starting to stir, I think."
"Looks like we got here just in time, then," Ash replied.
Pryce had stopped in the door, eyes fixed on the slowly defrosting Piloswine. His eyes flicked from the puddle of water to the pile of Lum branches, some of them still half-held in ice, and then to the Pokémon himself.
There was a metallic clatter as his grip on a Pokéball loosened, and it fell from nerveless fingers to hit the ground.
A Glalie promptly emerged, yawning. "What is it, sir?"
It stopped. "Wait, is that your Piloswine? Last time I saw him I was a Snorunt!"
Pryce took a shaky step forwards. "Piloswine?"
The words seemed to reach the big Ground/Ice type. He shook himself, ice cracking away with a series of splats and splashes, and looked up.
"Pryce?" he asked, sounding confused. "You look... old. Is that really you?"
"I'm sorry," Ash said, addressing Piloswine. "You've been up here for decades."
Piloswine glanced over at Ash, then looked back to Pryce. "You're better, that's all that matters."
Pryce blinked. "I... what did he say?"
"He said that all that mattered was that you were okay," Ash supplied.
"I heard rumours you could understand Pokémon, but..." the gym leader shot a look at his Glalie, who nodded a confirmation.
On seeing that, Pryce reached up to his eyes. "I... oh, damn and blast!"
He stepped over the flames, and knelt down. "Sorry, Piloswine. I should never have thought you'd leave me..."
Piloswine took a careful step forwards, brushing the plants out of the way, and nosed him. "It's okay."
"Sir..." Glalie said, then wobbled back and forth. "It's good to see you're happy again."
He glanced down at Pryce' belt. "Hey, Jynx! Check this out!"
A sleepy-looking Jynx materialized. "What is it? I was – wait a minute, is that Piloswine?"
"I know, right?" Glalie agreed.
"How do you feel?" Meganium asked, moving around outside the flames to face Piloswine.
"Alright. A bit cold, a bit numb..." Piloswine said, moving his legs to test them. "Not bad, I suppose."
"Right." Meganium glanced at Ash. "I'd prefer to have him thaw out more overnight, until he starts to feel uncomfortably warm. Then we can head down the mountain in the morning."
"That makes sense," Ash agreed. "Meganium says it'd be best if we overnighted here and went down in the morning."
Pryce thought about that, then nodded. "Fine," he said. "I've slept rough before."
He chuckled. "And... I guess you win. You did manage to change my mind."
The door to the Pokémon centre creaked open.
As it did, an electric mouse sat on one of the chairs stirred.
Pikachu yawned, blinked, and spotted who'd just come in.
"You're back!" Pikachu beamed, running over to Ash and leaping to his shoulder. "And you didn't hit a mountain!"
"Sorry, Pikachu..." Ash said, taking his friend down off his shoulder and giving him a scratch. "I know."
"I'd just rather you don't get into those kinds of dangerous situations..." Pikachu sighed, leaning into the scratch. "At least wait until morning next time, okay? I..."
He shook his head. "I know you'll fight through just about anything you see coming. I'm worried about things when you don't."
While they were talking, Pryce had gone up to the counter and rung the bell. "Hello?"
There was a pause, then the sound of a Chansey speaking.
The Joy came hurrying out to the counter, wearing a dressing gown. "Sorry about that, I'm – oh, hello, Mr. Pryce. Don't usually see you in this early." She yawned, then caught sight of the Piloswine. "Oh, is that a new Pokémon?"
Pryce handed over an old, worn but well-cared-for Pokéball. "No, an old one. Can you give him a general check up?"
"Sure." Joy yawned again, as Chansey came up to the computer and started typing away... then blinked. "Wait."
She looked over at Ash, now sitting down next to Lucario in the hospitality area. "Did he-"
"Yes," Pryce confirmed with a sigh, then smiled. "He did."
In the pre-dawn gloom, an encampment slept.
The two humans were in their sleeping bags, underneath a blanket on pegs – no need for a full tent this far south, the Sevii islands were so warm in fact that a tent was a worse idea – and their Pokémon were scattered around taking the opportunity for a night in fresh air.
After all, they were scouting out the meadow for a potential Rocket satellite base... and the Boss had given them two weeks to do it. That was reason enough for a holiday.
Slowly, the light across the camp brightened. This light, however, was unusual – it flickered and danced, like firelight, and it came from the west.
Hunched over, stepping carefully, trying to sneak and not doing very well at it, a Moltres came walking slowly into the campsite.
She stepped carefully over the Arbok sprawled out on the ground like a fallen log, ducked under the Meowth dangling from a tree, and – after some thought – just went around the burly Gyarados.
Periodically, she looked up to make sure she was still on course for her goal.
The trainer she'd learned was called James was... fascinating, to her. She'd picked up that he was part of some kind of organization which habitually stole Pokémon – but, at the same time, she'd seen him protect her and even some other Pokémon, and never seen him steal a thing.
It was all very confusing.
Distracted, her foot came down on something which rolled away beneath her. She staggered, giving an undignified squawk of surprise as she stepped on a second Luxury Ball, tripped and landed in a heap.
There was a bright flash of light.
Meowth yawned, and cracked an eyelid. "Eh?"
Scanning the campsite, he saw nothing out of the ordinary. Gyarados rolled over slightly in his sleep, but there was no other sign of movement.
"Huh. Must be some Flyin' type or somethin'," he shrugged, and went back to sleep.
Wedged underneath Gyarados' bulk as he settled down, a Pokéball flashed once.
That afternoon, the two – accompanied by Brock and Misty, as well as Sheila – climbed up into the foothills outside Mahogany proper.
"This should do," Pryce decided, looking at the prospective battlefield. "And no potential avalanche sites around it, either."
"Is that a-"
"Yes," Pryce told him bluntly. "I looked you up, I heard what you did to Jasmine's walls."
Ash's cheeks heated. "I don't mean to, it just happens!"
"And I'd rather not melt my gym," Pryce countered. "Right. First off – the rules. Five Pokémon a side, and the winning Pokémon must switch out until at least one other Pokémon has been defeated, until this is no longer feasible."
"Why's that?" Misty asked. "That's an unusual rule."
"Something something hypothermia," Pryce replied shortly. "Now shush. Are these acceptable, challenger?"
"Sure!" Ash agreed. "I've got my anti-Ice team ready!"
Pikachu grumbled something indistinct.
Pryce began by expanding out his first Pokéball. "Okay, Dewgong!"
Pikachu perked up. "Can I-"
"Sorry," Ash replied. "I'm trying to make sure everyone gets a go. You've had three already in Johto."
"Awww..."
While Pikachu sulked, Ash sent his own Pokémon out. "Snorlax!"
Snorlax yawned. This was fairly usual for him.
"Oh, I see where this is going," Pryce nodded. "Your Snorlax is so fat that Ice attacks won't hurt it much."
"...actually, I just don't think he'd be much use against Dragon types," Ash admitted. "But yeah, that helps too..."
Sheila waved her arm. "Begin!"
"Dewgong!" Pryce instructed. "Begin with an Aurora Beam!"
The Ice-type attack hit Snorlax, creating a small patch of frost. Snorlax glanced down at it, miffed, and then fixed Dewgong with a stare.
"...why are his eyes glowing?" Pryce asked.
Dewgong yelped, and dove for cover as Snorlax fired his Hyper Beam.
The blaze of intense orange energy hit the ground just where Dewgong had been, and traced a line of scattered frost and crumbly soil across the ground after him.
Fortunately for the Ice-type, the attack was petering out as it reached him, and only retained enough force as it clipped his tail to spin him around a little.
"Get him while he's recharging!" Pryce called. "Water Sport!"
Dewgong skidded to a halt on the frosty ground, and nodded. Inhaling, he fired a shower of water at the sluggish Snorlax, soaking him from top to bottom.
Snorlax swiped irritably at the water jet. "I don't need another bath, it rained yesterday..."
Misty winced. "Ew."
"Actually, I saw him doing it a few days ago," Pikachu informed her. "He uses shower gel and everything."
"Huh. Okay, I... guess?"
The spray of water finally stopped, and Snorlax shot an irritated look at Dewgong again. This time, rather than just opening up with a Hyper Beam, he began to lumber forwards – clapping his fist into his palm menacingly.
"Now, Dewgong!" Pryce ordered. "Freeze him in place!"
Snorlax flopped forwards with a wet thud as the Ice Beam arrived, and started to snore.
"...wait," Pikachu said, as the Ice attack froze a thin coating of ice across Snorlax' body before expanding out to the water which had covered the nearby floor as well. "This seems somehow-"
"Sleep Talk!" Ash called, from behind a convenient rock.
Snorlax let out an ear-punishing snore, and his right fist caught fire. Pushing off with his feet, he slid across the icy ground towards the startled Dewgong.
The Sea Lion Pokémon got out of the way with a quick Ice Beam to produce some surface to slide on, and propelled himself along it to evade Snorlax' Fire Punch. Turning in a skid at the end of his track, he charged another Ice Beam to fire at Snorlax.
It was at this point he discovered Snorlax had been following him.
Very fast.
"Ouch..." Ash winced, as the Giga Impact hit. "I guess he learned that one too..."
"Is it me or is he becoming your ice specialist?" Pikachu asked.
Ash shrugged.
Dewgong went flying across the arena as they spoke, hitting a rock with a thwack and cracking the surface slightly. He got up, wobbled for a moment, and slumped back to the floor.
Pryce looked at the results for a moment.
"Well, so much for that," he said, shaking his head. "It's vaguely embarassing to be beaten by a Pokémon who doesn't even wake up to do it..."
"Sorry," Ash replied, recalling Snorlax. "Who's next?"
Pryce considered it. "Tell you what. Glalie, your turn!"
Glalie materialized. "On it, sir."
"Glalie, huh?" Ash said, frowning.
"Ash, if I may?" Lucario asked.
"Sure," Ash agreed. "You've only had the one Johto gym fight so far."
"My thanks."
Pikachu muttered something which Ash decided not to notice.
"I hate it when people abuse type advantage," Pryce grumbled good-naturedly. "It's practically the defining attribute of my gym..."
As he spoke, Glalie floated out to take his position, and Lucario matched him.
The Fighting-type bowed to his opponent, palms together. "I hope we will have a great battle," he said.
Pleasantries over, he took his stance – one foot forwards, the other back and perpendicular to the direction of his opponent. Both forepaws were clenched into loose fists, one above the other, held to protect his torso and head.
Blue aura crackled around them for a moment as he made ready.
Glalie was not idle either. His horns glowed, blue light drifting around them for a moment, and the glow then spread to his whole body.
Sheila watched them, until both seemed to be ready. "Right. Begin!"
"Aha!" Chuck said with a grin, reading the sign. "You are truly a dedicated Pokémon, to put such effort into training yourself! Tell me, how many badges do you have?"
Raikou showed the set of four badges pinned to his scarf.
"Excellent!" Chuck proclaimed, cracking his knuckles. "Now, let us begin! Primeape!"
Raikou looked Primeape up and down. "Right! A Fighting type, makes sense I suppose... this being the Fighting gym, and all...okay, here goes!"
He pounced forwards, electricity crackling around his fur.
Primeape jumped out of the way, avoiding the Wild Charge except for a single stray bolt which snapped onto his gloves – making a bang but doing no real damage – and hit the floor with legs compressed, before bouncing forwards as if he'd been shot from a spring.
Whirling, Raikou grinned. "Time to show you something new from the box of tricks!"
His eyes flashed.
Primeape drew back his fist to deliver a devastating Superpower – then stopped in mid-air, outlined by a yellowish glow.
"Ha!" Raikou boomed. "Didn't expect that, did you! Extrasensory!"
Whipping his head around, he slammed Primeape into the wall with a thud.
The simian Pokémon wasn't out of the fight yet. He pulled himself out of the small crater, brushed the cracked plaster off his fur, and came in again – this time, with dark-typed energy swirling on his gloves in an Assurance.
Raikou let him approach, then whipped his tail around. "Thunder!"
Primeape bounced off the ceiling that time, and hit the ground with a final thwack.
"Most impressive!" Chuck applauded. "But I am not done yet, challenger! Here is the other member of my four-badge team! Poliwrath, show your skill!"
Poliwrath gave Chuck a look.
"What?" Chuck asked.
"That is a legendary Electric-type, sensei. I am a Water-type. I have a problem with this."
"Can we fight now?" Raikou asked, tail lashing.
Poliwrath sighed, took his stance, and got hit by a Thunder.
Chuck took in the slightly bored expression on Raikou's face, and returned his smoking (and annoyed) Poliwrath. "Right! I can see I was right to prepare a little something extra for you!"
"Oh?" Raikou's eyebrows went up. "I like the sound of this! What do you have for me?"
In reply, Chuck took a third Pokéball. "Chesnaught, go!"
Chesnaught bashed her fists together. "I am ready!"
Raikou frowned, examining her. "Hm, I've never met a Chesnaught before. You seem to be some kind of Grass-type, but-"
Arm glowing, Chesnaught slammed her fist into the gym floor. Roots erupted from it, reaching for Raikou's form, and he jumped into the air at speed.
Ducking one reaching, spiked vine, he blew a second into charred carbon with a close-range Thunder attack and bit through a third. Spitting out the bitter-tasting plant material, he landed outside the perimeter of the attack.
"Aha!" he said, tail crackling. "Electroball!"
The attack hit her shell and bounced off.
"...hm, that's not normal, I must admit," he said, blinking. "You're not secretly a Ground-type, are you?"
"Chesnaught!" Chuck called. "Show your Superpower!"
Raikou leaped back into motion, the spiked fist whistling over his head as he got clear, and then launched forwards in a blurring Extremespeed.
Chesnaught blocked with a Spiky Shield.
"Ow!" Raikou announced, bouncing off and landing on stinging paws. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you..."
He grinned. This was more like it.
AN:
This just wouldn't stop growing. Do let me know what you think...
Despite what Ash says, he does have a positive reason for sending out Snorlax here. The big bear is strong, tough, and – on ice – fast too.
Also, Raikou happened to pick a terrible move, since Bulletproof negates that specific Electric attack.
