Some of you have been asking a few similar questions. When is King going to evolve? When will Marina meet Kenta again? Answer to the first: not now. I'm not actually sure when to evolve him, but the focus won't really be on him right now so that's all I know. Later, sometime.

I can't answer the second one though, ohoho. :P

Anyhow, enjoy!

Chapter 65
The Mahogany Gym

Marina woke the next morning bursting with energy. After waiting in a line, surprisingly, to eat breakfast in the busy Pokémon Center, she went outside and sent out most of her Pokémon team in an empty plot of land nearby.

"Okay everyone!" she began with a brief clap. The group of five turned their attention to her, stretching and yawning in the midmorning sun. After some hard thinking, she rested her hands on her hips. "Before we go to check if the Gym is open, we're doing to do some warm-ups. It won't be much, but just so we're awake and ready!"

At that, she put them to work. Her Pokémon were confused at first, but upon seeing their Trainer's vivacious energy, they complied with the simple orders she gave them. They stretched their limbs and took a couple laps around the area, walking at a gentle sprint at her command—which didn't stop King and Amber from dashing their share ahead of everyone. Marina had them practice maneuvers with one another, Prince and Muu-chan standing out fantastically in that aspect. A short amount of time was also spent testing their strength, which cheerful Phany excelled in by lifting his teammates on his trunk with ease.

By the end of the fifteen-minute workout, most of her Pokémon were wide awake and energetic. Marina plopped down on the grass for a moment's rest after she had rewarded them with snacks. As soon as she did, her Plusle scrambled over to her.

"That was fun; we should do this more often," she said. She petted behind Amber's long ears. "Maybe it's time for you to battle too, hm?"

"Plasu," Amber chattered distractedly as she climbed onto the girl's lap.

With a grin, Marina scooped the little Pokémon into her arms and stood. She looked over the land-dwelling members of her team, freed a hand and reached for her belt.

"Alright! Time to head out!"

The Mahogany Town Pokémon Gym was open this time, much to Marina's liking. Upon entering, her legs sprouted goosebumps and she felt an urgent desire to break out her winter attire. The cold sunk deep into her skin, and she shivered as she passed by a vent shooting out super freezing air. It was quite an easy guess, from the temperature and at first glance around the icy floors, what type of Pokémon this particular facility specialized in.

It feels like I'm in a freezer! She thought, hiding her hands in her jacket.

"P-Plasu," stuttered Amber, snuggling closer on her Trainer's shoulder.

Marina walked past the usual, but frost-ridden, statues depicting the recent winners. There were quite a few Pokémon Trainers about, most clothed heavily in coats and pants, and many which were battling one another—the busiest Gym she had ever seen. People were eager to challenge it after so long of being closed, and Marina guessed it was why the Pokémon Center in this tiny town was packed with Trainers. She bounded further inside toward them, not fearing the severe drop in temperature. She shivered at the coldness, but she would not let it slow her down or freeze her currently burning spirit.

However, the ice did.

"Wh-Whoa!" her shouts echoed throughout the building. The sneakers slipped from underneath her. Her backpack cushioned her as she landed right onto her back. While she gradually slid to a stop, she could hear a bit of laughter around her.

Geez, what an entrance, Marina thought as she took her time sitting back up. Her Plusle clung onto her jacket tightly like a koala.

"I'm okay!" she reassured, waving off any concerned glances. The smile she wore turned into a pout as she struggled to stand and move on her feet again. She usually had pretty decent sense of balance, but walking on slippery ice wasn't something she was well accustomed to.

"Here; let me help," a helpful female Trainer offered, holding out her hand.

"Thanks!" Marina accepted it and skidded as the woman pulled her away from the sheet ice and onto a grooved floor. She and Amber sighed in relief as Marina reached the firm ground, and she nodded to the Trainer clothed in a heavy ski jacket.

"So, are you here to battle, too?"

"Yeah! This is the busiest I've seen a Gym," she said.

"It's not as bad as a few days ago, but it's certainly something." The woman smiled as she looked about the open area at the battling Trainers. She backed away, and Marina did the same.

"You'd think all this fighting would warm up the Gym a little," Marina replied, giggling a little as she backed away. "By the way, my name's Marina!"

"Good to meet you, Marina. I'm Clarissa. Now, let's begin! Dewgong!" As Clarissa tossed a Poké Ball before her, a brilliant white sea lion appeared before her. It waved its beautiful ruffled tail, preparing itself for battle with a ready call.

"Oh, hold on!" The girl pulled out her Pokédex for a moment, obtaining the usual brief information about the Pokémon.

"Dewgong, the Sea Lion Pokémon. Type: Water/Ice
Its streamlined body has little drag, and it uses its long tail to change swimming direction quickly. Dewgong sleeps under shallow ocean waters during the day, and then looks for food at night when it's cold."

Making a comprehending nod, Marina looked from the handheld encyclopedia to the Pokémon on her shoulder. Amber stared in wonder at the other Pokémon before returning her Trainer's gaze. She lifted her ears and chattered cheerfully as the girl petted her and removed Amber from her shoulder.

"Okay Amber, this should be a piece of cake for you," she said as she put away her Pokédex. "It's time to shine!"

"Plasu?" As Marina bent down and released her, the Plusle jumped at touching the cold floor. With great agility, she latched back onto Marina's jacket only to be pried off again. Marina laughed and lightly prodded her along. The critter disdainfully accepted her situation and waddled toward Dewgong. Amber was quiet at first, but she clapped her hands with vigor as her opponent tilted its head in both greeting and curiosity.

"It's so cute," Clarissa complimented before ordering her Pokémon, "Dewgong, Aurora Beam!"

"Thanks! Amber, use Spark!"

Dewgong concentrated a frigid sphere of energy before firing rainbow-colored frost in its enemy's direction. Amber, who was charging electricity, yelped in panic as she tumbled out of the way. Her ears flattened and she shrunk away from the sea lion.

"Like we practiced, Amber!" Marina encouraged her. "Use Spark!"

With a shaky mumble in reply, Amber began preparing another attack and walked cautiously toward Dewgong. Another icy beam was fired, and her concentration and confidence shattered again. The attack merely grazed her, but Amber cried and retreated fearfully. She dashed back toward Marina like a bullet, climbing up Marina's leg before the girl caught her.

"Amber, it's okay!"

"Plaaasu!" The frightened Plusle disagreed noisily, fidgeting in her hands as she was placed on the ground again.

"Come on," Marina coaxed her. She gently pushed her, optimistically cheering her on. "You've got to fight back!"

But Amber would have nothing of it. The little Pokémon made one final attempt at facing the opponent before returning to Marina's side, clinging to her leg with an iron grip.

Calling her Pokémon's name again, the girl Trainer put her hands on her knees and looked at Amber "Why are you so scared?"

Amber made a low, grumbling cry as she stubbornly looked away.

"Perhaps you should use a different Pokémon," Clarissa finally suggested.

"Well," Marina twisted her face as she took a brief and awkward glance at her, "This is her first actual fight, so she's nervous."

Clarissa shrugged a little, and her puzzled Dewgong tilted its head.

Marina sighed. "I guess you're right. Okay, Amber, you win."

"Plasu!" chirping in a mixture of joy and relief, Amber was eager to take her Trainer's hand and climb back onto her safe spot on Marina's shoulder. Marina simpered and petted her lightly before sending out another teammate.

"Go, Prince!"

"Eif!" the Espeon called as he appeared before them. With a flick of his ears, he faced Dewgong elegantly.

"Prince, use Psybeam!"

"Try your Water Pulse, Dewgong!" Clarissa ordered, both she and her Dewgong seeming relieved at the appearance of a more capable fighter.

Prince fired his attack at once, taking seconds of his opponent's attack before dodging out of the way. He and Dewgong exchanged another round of water and psychic energy at the whim of their Trainers, the Espeon proudly evading with use of his acute foresight.

"Rest, Dewgong!"

Taking on a sudden wave of drowsiness, the sea lion grew peaceful as it curled up and covered its face with its tail. The bruises caused by Prince's attacks melted away bit by bit, returning the Pokémon's coat back to its pure arctic white. Prince waited patiently for Marina's orders as it watched the Dewgong recover its wounds and snooze away vulnerably.

"Keep using Psybeam, Prince!" Marina said. "Whittle it down before it wakes up!"

Prince immediately complied, assaulting his napping opponent from different angles. His attacks, however, seemed to grow immensely in power all of a sudden. As Marina took notice of this, she eyed her Plusle, who was clapping and cheering with glee. Every time she clapped, Prince's energy swelled, and Marina's suspicions were confirmed and she pulled out Amber's Poké Ball as quickly as she could.

"Amber, you're not supposed to do that!" she lectured in a whisper. "You're only supposed to use Helping Hand in double battles!"

"Plasu?" Amber stopped clapping and stared at her in a confused and bothered manner. Before she could resume cheering, Amber was recalled into her Poké Ball.

Marina sighed as she glanced at her opponent, who did not seem to have noticed what had been going on. She looked down at Amber's Poké Ball, making a conflicted frown. "Geez, you're being difficult today. "

I didn't think she'd refuse to battle like that. She listened to me perfectly fine before. Then again, she hasn't ever actually fought something else before…

"Eifi!"

"Oh!" She looked back up as she head Prince's call, pulling her from her thoughts. Her Pokémon was looking at her expectantly as Dewgong began rousing from its sleep. "Prince, just keep using Psybeam!"

"Wake up and use your Aurora Beam, Dewgong!" Clarissa countered.

Their Pokémon launched their techniques, which collided in a blinding flash of bright light. A heavier mist hazed around them, and the sea lion bawled weakly as Prince changed his Psybeam's trajectory in order to strike it—enduring the frosty Aurora Beam as a result. Having faced a more powerful version of the attack from a far more potent creature before, Prince took the coldness without budging an inch. Dewgong, however, staggered and struggled to lift its head.

"Rest again, Dewgong!"

"Quick, Prince! Finish it off with Psychic before it heals itself again!"

Before Marina could finish her order, Prince dashed toward Dewgong and fired off the blast of energy with haste. But as he ran, his paws quickly met with the ice, flinging him out of control.

"Oh! Prince, look out!" Marina called in vain.

The Espeon helplessly spun and flailed until he bumped into the bouncy blubber of his opponent. He slipped away and—noticing that his attack had landed and the Dewgong had fainted as a result—smoothly straightened his posture, attempting to hide his careless stumble. Even so, the two Trainers laughed, causing him to turn away in a sort of mild embarrassment.

"That was a great battle, thank you," Clarissa said after she recalled her Pokémon.

"It was, thanks!" returned Marina. She bent down to pet Prince, who trotted over to her side. "Do you know if the Gym Leader's here? Like, is he really busy?"

"Yeah, a couple of days ago it was packed, but most people now are training for rematches. You should be able to challenge the Leader now, if you get to him." Clarissa stuffed her hands into her puffy ski jacket, a thick layer of clothing that Marina wished she had put on herself before arriving at the Gym.

"Okay, thank you!" With a bow, the girl Trainer turned and looked around. All around them was ice. "Um…?"

Clarissa giggled. "To get to the end, you'll need to skate across the ice."

"What?" Marina turned to her in disbelief, but returned her gaze to the wintry expanse. She put her hands on her hips and, after a moment, returned her Espeon back into his Poké Ball. Taking a deep breath in preparation, she planned her path and moved her feet accordingly. She kicked off the grooved floor onto the icy plane. "Here goes nothing!"

"Good luck!" The woman called after her, even after cringing as Marina slipped trying to return Clarissa's polite gesture.

Waving off her fall, the girl attempted a giggle and continued forward into the Pokémon Gym.

The building was filled with Trainers like herself, so naturally she faced several other battles before she reached the Gym Leader. She tried to send out Amber again with only the same, if not more intense, result; and decided to let her Plusle alone for now. During the rest of the fights, she relied on more than just King the Quilava because most of the ice-type Pokémon the Trainers used were part water as well—such as Dewgong. She used Muu-chan and Prince to take down the sea lions Seel and Dewgong and the clam-like Shellder and Cloyster, utilizing Phany and Lyra the Lapras on occasion to include them in the training.

Marina slid back and forth through the gym until she had to leave to take a break and warm back up. When she returned, she had an easier time navigating the sliding maze without being bothered. Upon reaching the other end of the building, a vast ice-based battlefield lay untouched before her—so clean of scuff marks that she could see her face in it. The strip of ice was surrounded by a wide moat of water that snaked underneath it.

"Wow, that's really cool," she said to herself.

Sometime during her observing, the other side of the field was no longer empty. A sophisticated and composed voice filled the area.

"It appears we meet again, Marina."

"Huh?" The girl looked up with a blank look of surprise, and she almost slid on the thin coating of ice underneath her feet as she saw an elegant woman draped in indigo standing across from her. As the woman performed a familiar curtsy, Marina recognized her. "You're—!"

"Good afternoon, Marina," greeted Cilice with a calm smile.

Roster time!

Marina's Current Pokémon:
King the Quilava (Male)
Phany the Donphan (Male)
Muu-chan the Misdreavus (Female)
Prince the Espeon (Male)
Amber the Plusle (Female)
Lapras (Female)

Available via PC:
Kenya the Fearow (Male)
Etc.

Huh, it's half male and half female. Even if you switch Phany with Kenya the Fearow it still ends up that way. lol