Chapter 16

Footprints in the Snow

'And if we come together as one, complete the quest that we've begun, we will win the battle!'

A six foot tall emperor penguin emerged onto the war-torn battlefield with a roar and massive quake, causing several of the ice spires to collapse around it. Empoleon's metallic feathers dripped with condensation, and it appeared to Weiss that the ace of her team had never looked more at home than surrounded by an arctic wonderland.

Across the arena, Dewgong took a break from clearing its pool of ice to study the peculiar Pokémon usually found to the far north of Sinnoh, and even Pryce stood up a little straighter.

"It's been too long since I last saw an Empoleon in person," he said, smiling fondly. "It's a prideful Pokémon, not unlike yourself, but with good reason. When you announced your intention to challenge me using only Ice-type Pokémon, I must admit I was disappointed. There's no shortage of overeager teenagers in the world wishing to impress me, and I'm afraid very few actually have."

Pryce gestured toward his gym trainers on the balcony now making room for Ruby, Yang, and Sakura. "Your Empoleon is an impressive specimen, possibly the strongest I've ever seen. Whether I retire or die first makes little difference to me, but I'd like to see how I fare against the so-called 'Emperor of Winter' before that inevitable day comes."

Weiss nodded, feeling a familiar heaviness on her shoulders and chest. "I received Empoleon from Professor Rowan's lab as a Piplup when I began my journey nearly four years ago. There's no one I trust more when our backs are against the wall than Empoleon. He's the reason I'm the trainer I am today, and if I were a better listener, we wouldn't be in the situation we are now."

She stepped onto the ice mindful of her footing, and laid a hand atop his shoulder. "Empoleon," she said, "I'm sorry if I've ever neglected you or the other members of the team that aren't Ice-types. Raising them has been a Schnee tradition for nearly a millennia, and I've been captivated by their beauty since I was a little girl."

The heiress smiled fondly, thinking of the first time her Papa took her to the Pokémon ballet on ice. "This battle has taught me that I'm far from being a Pokémon Master, and that I still have a long way to go if I wish to even call myself an expert. I know you're still recovering from the battle with Gyarados, but I wouldn't ask this of you if I didn't think you could win. Together I know we can still win this. What do you say?"

Empoleon stooped down and nipped at her ponytail, his way of showing affection, and normally reserved for when they were alone. Weiss giggled like a little girl, her feet standing atop his own, and gave him a hug. "You're the real Ice-type Master, Empoleon. I see that now, and I promise to be the best student I can possibly be."

After a good luck kiss on the cheek, Weiss returned to her trainer's box and took a series of deep breaths. Empoleon meanwhile stretched and prepared for a battle it hadn't expected. Potentially four battles in a row to be exact.

"You can do it, Weiss!" Ruby cheered from the balcony. "Go get him, Empoleon!"

"Hurry up and win this so we can leave!" Yang cried, unable to keep her teeth from chattering.

Sakura moved between Ruby and Diana, and leaned over so only the substitute gym leader could hear. "Thanks for texting me," she said. "I figured Weiss would try something like stupid. Didn't think it'd be this bad though."

"Don't mention it. Just because I want to watch the Schnee girl squirm a bit doesn't mean I necessarily want to see her lose, much less get publicly humiliated. A good gym leader is supposed to root for their opponents. Master Pryce taught me that."

Sakura nodded. Although she considered Weiss her friend now, she understood where Diana was coming from. Weiss had tried sabotaging Ruby's gym battle against Morty only a couple weeks ago, and had lied about what time her own gym battle was supposed to start. Sakura had gotten accustomed to the oftentimes prickly heiress and accepted that her attitude wasn't anything personal, but rather just the way she was. She would've been lying however if she said she didn't enjoy seeing Weiss get a taste of her own medicine once in a while.

"Four to one..." she said, shaking her head. "You think she can do it?"

Diana bit her lip, looking thoughtfully at the pair. "Master Pryce taught me everything I know about Pokémon, and I know him better than anyone. I don't know if the battles with Froslass, Glaceon, or even Ninetales necessarily impressed him, not after all the Ice-type Pokémon he's battled, raised, and buried, but even I have to admit the Schnee girl has talent. Empoleon isn't anything like her other Pokémon, and from what Ruby's told me, besides Yang's Blaziken or maybe her Arcanine, it might be the most powerful Pokémon in the gym."

She watched closely as the emperor penguin continued loosening up for the upcoming battles, occasionally pruning its metallic feathers. "Ice-types aren't normally known for their defenses," Diana continued. "Weiss did her best to mitigate that by bolstering them with Aurora Veil and focusing on her Pokémon's evasiveness, but that won't work against someone with as much experience as Master Pryce. Empoleon on the other hand is as defensive as it gets, and is the perfect Pokémon to challenge an Ice-type gym with."

"Then why do I get the feeling there's a 'but' coming?"

Diana's eyes twinkled and a sly grin crept on her face. "-but she's still battling Master Pryce. Many Ice-type Pokémon are also part Water, and challengers using Steel-types while not as common as Fire or Fighting, are still something we battle against on a weekly basis. The Schnee girl is putting her expertise of Ice-type Pokémon up against Master Pryce's knowledge of their many weaknesses, as well as his over sixty years of experience. Just like her other Pokémon, there's a good chance Master Pryce knows her Empoleon better than she does. Oh, and it's four against one..."

She chuckled under her breath, and Sakura gave her longtime friend a sideways glance. "Are all Ice-type trainers as cold as you and her?"

Diana shrugged. "Do all dancers stand like flamingos when they're nervous?"

Sakura looked down and saw that she was in fact standing on one foot with the other resting against her knee. "No, we stand like this all the time actually." Feeling even less assured than before, Sakura scooted closer to Ruby. That always seemed to make her feel better. "Weiss has this in the bag," she said. "You know her. Always the drama queen. She probably enjoys seeing us worry like this."

"Who's worried?" Ruby shared a smile before turning back to the battlefield. "You can do it, Weiss!"

"Challenger," Lyam called, "if your Pokémon is sufficiently ready, the first attack is yours."

"I'd hurry if I were you," Pryce said. "You've already allowed Dewgong to catch its breath and restore more of its health with Aqua Ring. Wait any longer and you'll be back to square one."

Weiss gave the old man a sly grin. "Apologies, Master Pryce, and no offense to Dewgong, but I don't believe it'll make much of a difference. Empoleon, clear a path with Aqua Jet!"

"Dive and use Rest!"

Dewgong dived under the water as commanded, but not before freezing the surface with Ice Beam, causing Empoleon to slide clear across the pool.

"Drill Peck, Empoleon!"

The emperor penguin stopped its momentum by digging a flipper into the ice, and much like Dewgong's horn, its beak began spinning like a drill, shattering the ice and stirring the water into a whirlpool.

"Horn Drill!" Dewgong sprang out of the water, its head tucked and horn spinning, but Weiss had been expecting Rest to be nothing more than another ruse to let her guard down. "Steel Wing!"

The drill-like horn came into contact with Empoleon's metal flipper, creating sparks and filling the air with a terrible screech. The old man with hearing aids seemed to be the only one unaffected by the sound reminiscent of a power drill on a chalkboard, but much to everyone else's relief, the contact lasted only a moment before Empoleon used its considerable bulk to fling Dewgong into a nearby column of ice.

The sea lion scrambled to get upright again and dive back into the pool, but Empoleon cut it off with another Steel Wing and another column of ice. "That's enough, Dewgong," Pryce said when his Pokémon tried rising again. "You've earned your keep this week, and a bucket of fish."

Dewgong gave his trainer a forlorn expression that might've been an apology, but was met with a gentle smile as it returned to its Pokéball. Lyam announced the winner and a young gym trainer came running down the stairs, and after taking a circuitous route around the battlefield, took the Pokéball from his master into the back room.

"I don't think Horn Drill failed just because of Dewgong's exhaustion or Empoleon's feathers," Pryce said. "Horn Drill, Sheer Cold, Fissure, and Guillotine don't work particularly well against Pokémon at higher levels than the user, which against Dewgong is rather impressive. I dare say this battle might actually be worth being my last after all, but we'll just have to see about that. You still have a long way to go after all."

Pryce readied another Pokéball, and both Empoleon and Weiss readied themselves. "Go, Sneasel!"

A Pokémon emerged resembling a weasel with dark blue skin, razor sharp claws, and a red feather atop its head. Everything about the peculiar Pokémon screamed predator, but in the wild, its prey never even knew they were in danger, and usually didn't have a means of defending themselves. Sneasel were ambush predators, preferring the eggs of animals and sometimes even Pokémon, but would eat just about anything it could get its claws on.

Empoleon roared in response, likely recognizing Sneasel as a natural predator of unborn Piplup, but the Dark-type Pokémon merely grinned at its foe and licked its lips.

Weiss gave the natural animosity between them little thought. This particular Sneasel had likely been born and raised at the gym and thus had never eaten another Pokémon or its eggs. It was also fairly young, and she couldn't help but wonder why Pryce would send out an inexperienced Sneasel instead of its evolved form Weavile, a Pokémon she had been expecting, prepared for, and even worried about.

'Don't underestimate it,' Weiss reminded herself. She had made that mistake far too many times already.

"Challenger!" Lyam called. "The first attack is yours."

She nodded and took a deep breath. "Empoleon, Aqua Jet!"

Another stream of water burst from underneath Empoleon's feet before flying toward Sneasel, destroying everything in its path. Sneasel however merely spun out of the way, the attack missing by mere inches, but Empoleon might as well have been a mile away for how quick it'd been.

"Scatter the ice columns!" Empoleon hesitated momentarily as if trying to decipher her meaning, but almost immediately began destroying all the nearby columns of ice, scattering debris all across the battlefield. Instead of ordering an attack while it was occupied, Pryce simply watched, looking thoughtful while he studied the terrain.

"Sneasel," he called, "use Brick Break!"

"Iron Defense!"

Empoleon's feathers shone like polish steel as its incredible defenses were bolstered even further, but the massive penguin still grimaced when Sneasel struck its kneecap with a super effective Brick Break.

"Hone Claws!" Sneasel grinned wickedly and scraped its claws against Empoleon's metallic hide, sharpening them while at the same time unleashing a sound worse than nails on a chalkboard or knives on glass. Weiss grimaced and covered her ears, but atop the balcony, Ruby screamed and dropped to her knees, distracting her if only momentarily.

Weiss thought it was a creative way of using Screech to lower Empoleon's defenses faster than they could be raised, and it might've worked had Empoleon not been a Steel-type accustomed to hearing the sound of metal on metal every time it moved.

"Brick Break again!" The horrific sound mercifully ended as Sneasel struck another blow to Empoleon's left knee, breaking its concentration and bringing it down to a kneeling position.

"Empoleon, Swords Dance!" Just as Sneasel was readying the finishing blow to the back of its head, Empoleon held its flippers to the side and spun like a top, knocking Sneasel away while also raising its attack. "Now use Steel Wing!"

"Metal Claw!"

Sneasel was too groggy to dodge properly, but its sharpened claws gained a similar metallic sheen to that of Empoleon's flippers, and the blades clashing showered sparks across the battlefield. Sneasel's resistance didn't last long however as the sheer size, weight, and power of Empoleon sent Sneasel soaring through several pillars of ice, bringing down the largest atop of it.

"Sneasel is unable to battle," Lyam declared. "The winner is Empoleon!"

Ruby, Sakura, and Yang all cheered from the balcony, but Weiss merely sighed with relief and allowed herself a moment's respite. She kept a close eye on Empoleon while he stretched his left leg, but if he was hiding an injury from his trainer and opponent, he was doing it well, just as she would expect.

'The battle's not even half-over.' She reminded herself, returning to task. 'All we've done is defeat an exhausted Dewgong and juvenile Sneasel. The REAL battle hasn't even started yet...'

Pryce returned Sneasel to its Pokéball and handed it over to Diana's younger brother after a word of thanks. "Nothing like a young, rambunctious Pokémon to make an old man feel young again," he said with a mischievous grin. "I've seen how you deal with a tank and speedster, so let's see how Empoleon fairs against an unbreakable wall! Go, Cloyster!"

He spun a Pokéball between his fingers before tossing it into the air, releasing a purple shell about Weiss' height and three times her weight that spun just like its Pokéball. From all around the battlefield, jagged rocks buried under ice homed in on the spinning Pokémon, but they all shattered against its impenetrable shell.

"Rapid Spin..." Weiss muttered.

"Did you really think I wouldn't notice you setting up Stealth Rocks?" Pryce asked, pleased with both himself and his opponent. "It wouldn't have damaged Cloyster's shell anyway, but I wanted to prove to Diana that my eyes aren't as bad as my ears. Not after the cataract surgery anyway." He chuckled to himself before getting serious again. "Cloyster has the strongest defenses of any Water-type Pokémon, and comes in close second for Ice-types. Against lesser skilled trainers, Dewgong and Cloyster serve as my aces, rarely getting to battle together, much less playing second fiddle to Mamoswine. Let's see if the time we spent preparing for today was worth the trouble. As always the first attack is yours."

Weiss nodded but remained silent and deep in thought. Cloyster wouldn't even need to attack in order to exhaust Empoleon. It could just hide in its shell and use Withdraw to mitigate damage, and either its shell would break first or Empoleon would wear itself out. It wasn't a particularly elegant strategy, sacrificing a Pokémon to wear down the opponent so another could take advantage, but Weiss would've expected nothing less from 'The Teacher of Winter's Harshness'.

"Aqua Jet into Steel Wing!" she cried.

Empoleon engulfed itself with a watery veil and flew toward Cloyster's shell, its flippers gleaming like guillotines. Much to the emperor penguin's surprise however, its razor sharp blades bounced harmlessly off the thick shell, but its thin veil of water remained as Aqua Ring took hold to help restore some of its strength.

"Swords Dance!"

Once again Empoleon spun with its flippers outstretched, creating sparks and causing superficial damage to Cloyster's shell, but each rotation appeared to leave more scratches than the previous. Weiss had little fear of a counter-attack, especially one without warning, and so allowed Empoleon to raise its attack until it couldn't go any higher before ordering him to use Steel Wing again.

Again and again the unstoppable force hammered the immovable object, Empoleon's attack and defenses maxed out, and the veil of water helping keep it from becoming exhausted. Weiss knew however that Empoleon would need to catch its breath eventually if he were to have anything left for Mamoswine, but could also see Cloyster trembling after every blow. It was as though its shell could crack any moment.

"Just a little more, Empoleon! You can do it!"

"That's enough, Cloyster," Pryce called. "Explosion!"

Weiss screamed and very nearly stepped out of her trainer's box. "Empoleon, Iron Defense! NOW!"

She couldn't tell whether her command had been in time or not because a bomb suddenly went off in the middle of the Mahogany Gym, right in Empoleon's face. Weiss shielded her face as best she could from the sharp rocks and ice, but still felt several superficial cuts wherever she wasn't protected by layers of wintery clothing. She paid it little mind however, instead focusing on the large figure staggering in the smoke, far away from where it had previously been standing.

The smoke clearing revealed a battlefield even more war-torn than before, with not a single ice column remaining. Empoleon was breathing heavily and had lost many of its metallic feathers, but was still standing proud, albeit with some help from its sword-like flippers embedded in the ground.

'The Teacher of Winter's Harshness' or not, Weiss couldn't believe Pryce would order his Pokémon to use Explosion just to gain a pyrrhic victory, but as she pondered the peculiarity, she finally glanced across the arena and gasped.

Cloyster's purple shell had been completely blown apart, but its inner shell, which was gray and shaped like a Shelder's, was still fully intact and wide open. The Pokémon normally hidden inside was a pure black pearl with menacing eyes and an evil grin not unlike a Gastly, and besides being a little out of breath, looked to be in perfect health.

"H-how!?"

"That combination took us nearly a decade to get right," Pryce said, sounding rather pleased with himself. "Explosion usually knocks out the Pokémon that uses it, but as you can see, Cloyster's only a little worse for the wear. That's because its inner shell was closed and the explosion went outward. I figured if your Pokémon is going to use Shell Smash anyhow, you might as well get the most bang for your buck."

"Shell Smash?" Weiss stuttered, suddenly finding it difficult to stand.

Pryce nodded. "I wouldn't worry about Cloyster's shell regrowing. Its natural predator are Kingler, and they're known for destroying Cloyster shells from time to time, if they don't self-destruct first." He chuckled to himself, pleased with himself almost as much as the destruction of his gym. "It'll regrow in a week or two. I'd be more worried about your Empoleon now that Cloyster's attack and speed have increased, and now that it doesn't have a bulky shell slowing it down. Let the lesson continue. Cloyster, use Spike Cannon!"

A large spike replaced the one above Cloyster's head it had lost, and launched it at Empoleon as if firing a cannon. The emperor penguin didn't have time to guard itself, and instead took the brunt of the attack head on. Another explosion engulfed the battlefield and Weiss cried out for her Pokémon, and a roar shaking the gym responded.

"It might not be super effective," Pryce said, waiting for the smoke to clear, "but it still hurts like hell. Sounds like all we did was make him mad though. Cloyster, again! Rapid fire this time!"

Another spike replaced the one previously fired, but instead of immediately launching, it glowed white and fired jagged chunks of ice almost too fast to follow.

"Steel Wing!"

Several of the icy pellets struck Empoleon's weakened chest, but raising its massive flippers in defense, it charged toward Cloyster, shaking the battlefield with its roar and weight. Before the emperor penguin could slice it in half however, a jet of water shot out from underneath Cloyster, pushing it across the battlefield, all the while maintaining Empoleon in its crosshairs.

Weiss gritted her teeth, having never imagined a Cloyster moving so fast. "Blizzard!" Empoleon opened its beak wide, and without any need to gather its strength, unleashed the full fury of winter upon the arena. Yang might've screamed from atop the balcony, but the spikes shattering on the ground at Empoleon's feet were all anybody heard.

Cloyster gritted its teeth as it sank into the snow and ice, but only when it adjusted its aim did Weiss give another command. "Aqua Jet into Steel Wing!"

The flightless bird took to the air with water propulsion of its own, its metal wings blocking the barrage of spikes.

Again Cloyster tried to get out of the way at the last possible second, but had difficulty lifting off the ground due to being half-buried and its significantly increased weight.

The emperor penguin struck, slicing into Cloyster's unprotected pearl, and sending it soaring across the battlefield. Empoleon appeared to try and attempt a follow up attack but staggered, and Cloyster remained lying upside down, too either injured or dizzy to take advantage of its opponent's exhaustion.

Weiss noted that Empoleon's Aqua Ring was still intact, but the issue had less to do with health than it did stamina. "Empoleon," she called, "finish this with Stealth Rock!"

It nodded, and with an agonized roar, Empoleon swiped its flippers across the icy ground and sent jagged rocks flying toward Cloyster.

"Hydro Pump!" Despite lying upside down, Cloyster opened its mouth and a river issued forth, intercepting the rocks and sending them right back at Empoleon.

"Blizzard!" Taking a deep breath, the wrath of winter howled once again. The water froze and debris became heavy, and flew back into Cloyster, rolling it over several more times before finally coming to a halt.

"Cloyster is unable to battle," Lyam declared.

Once more Ruby, Sakura, and Yang cheered, but Yang's were half-hearted. Not only could she not feel her fingers or anything below the waist, but she also knew just like Weiss that Empoleon had very nearly used up the last of its strength defeating its third opponent in a row with the toughest challenge still to come.

"Great work, Empoleon," Weiss said quietly, conscious of everyone looking at her. Her faithful Pokémon returned to its side of the battlefield and gave her a loving look before turning back around to face its final opponent.

Pryce recalled Cloyster, and after thanking it, handed the ball over to another gym trainer. "Well done," he said, almost smiling. "Had you started this battle properly, this one-sided affair would probably be in your favor. As it is, your Empoleon is nearing exhaustion, and I still have an ace up my sleeve. Once upon a time, he was the strongest Pokémon in all of the world, and for a few minutes, he still is."

The former Champion retrieved an ancient-looking Pokéball from his coat and stared at it fondly. Even from afar Ruby would've recognized it as a handmade apricorn ball from her former boss Kurt, but the paint was too worn to tell anything else, other than it was well-loved.

"Go, Mamoswine!"

Pryce tossed the ball into the air, and a mammoth with the face of a boar emerged onto the battlefield, shaking the entire gym. Eight feet tall it stood, possibly taller, with sharp tusks and legs as thick as tree trunks. Its brown fur had thinned and grayed over the years, not unlike its trainer, but it stood tall and proud even when Stealth Rocks dug into its body.

"Mamoswine is my last active Pokémon from our championship days," Pryce said sadly. "Some are in the sanctuary, spending most of their remaining days sleeping, while others are buried in a special place. It won't be long before I'm buried with them, but Mamoswine still has a few years left before he goes out to pasture."

Pryce gave the Pokémon a look of fondness that a parent might give their child, or perhaps a child to parent. Finally he turned his gaze to Weiss, looking almost as fondly at her. "The final test of this battle will be whether Mamoswine can defeat your Empoleon before it collapses from exhaustion. If you do that, you'll earn the Glacier Badge. Otherwise you can schedule a rematch with Diana for next week. As always, the first attack goes to the challenger."

Weiss drew a deep breath and slowly released it, holding it for seemingly the entire battle. She knew even if Empoleon was at full strength, this battle wouldn't last long. Both Pokémon were powerhouses and every attack would be devastating. She'd been counting on Empoleon's incredible defense to bypass its weakness to Ground-type attacks, but she suspected even a Tackle from Mamoswine could send most opponents to the Pokémon Center.

Mamoswine on the other hand like many Ice-type Pokémon had a multitude of weaknesses, including both Steel and Water, and wouldn't even resist Empoleon's own Ice-type attacks. It also-

'Pokémon battles are childish,' she heard her father interrupt. 'And pursuing this childish dream of yours is a waste of your time and everyone else's, and it'll end with getting yourself or someone you care about killed. You'll fail just like your mother and grandfather failed. You'll see...'

"You can do it, Weiss!" Ruby cried. "Go get them, Empoleon!"

Weiss nodded, silently thanking the girl she got killed, just like her father predicted. "I've wasted far too many years of my life letting Father walk all over me," she said loud enough for everyone to hear. "Far too many years being footprints in the snow. I will be the greatest trainer in the world. Not to spite my father, or to make my grandfather proud, but because it's my dream and the dreams of my Pokémon. Empoleon, use Hydro Pump!"

The emperor penguin opened its mouth wide and unleashed a river not unlike those that flowed throughout Mahogany, but it was quickly swallowed up by the sudden appearance of a sandstorm. Weiss covered her face and mouth and tried ordering a counter attack, but ended up spitting out sand instead. She thought the attack might've still connected, but knew from experience that Sandstorm weakened Water-type attacks by nearly half. Unfortunately that also meant Empoleon's Aqua Ring had likely dried up as well.

Empoleon was part Steel-type however, which thankfully meant it wouldn't take damage from Sandstorm, and also wasn't likely to get ambushed in one either. After nearly coughing up her lungs, Weiss gathered what little moisture in her mouth she had remaining and began shouting commands, but the words froze on the tip of her tongue.

Her breath plumed in the air and a hailstone struck her between the eyes. "Sandstorm and hail?" she stuttered.

The two were mixing together as if sand and ice weren't natural opposites, and Weiss couldn't help but hold out her hand to catch one of the hailstones. It should've been dirty, not unlike ice on the side of the road, but instead sparkled, and the sand crystal within the hailstone was more beautiful than any snowflake she'd ever seen.

"Mamoswine is as much a Ground-type as it is Ice," Pryce said, nothing more than a shadowy figure across from her. "Despite your insistence on calling me an 'Ice-type Master', none of the Pokémon I battled with today have been pure Ice-types. Mamoswine was my very first Pokémon, but it wasn't until many years later while traveling the world with your grandfather that I discovered my affinity for Ice. Before that, I fancied myself quite the Ground-type expert. Here, allow me to demonstrate. Mamoswine, use Fissure!"

"Into the pool, Empoleon!" Weiss screamed. "HURRY!"

Mamoswine raised onto its hind legs and brought all its weight down onto the icy field, fracturing it and creating valleys not unlike veins in a body. Weiss dropped to her knees as if the ground had been pulled out from underneath her, but she barely noticed and kept her concentration on Empoleon who used Aqua Jet to take to the air and make a quick escape.

Ice and dirt were thrown into the pool which was now leaking water badly, but besides appearing a tad dizzy, Empoleon didn't seem to have been affected by the one-hit knockout. With any luck its Aqua Ring might even return, but Weiss wasn't the type to count on luck. Not in this battle anyway.

Four years of training together paid off, and without needing to be commanded, Empoleon surrounded itself in a veil of water to regain whatever health it could. The pool was draining fast however, and in mere moments the flightless bird would have nowhere to hide. "Empoleon!" Weiss cried. "Remember Sneasel! Use Steel Wing!"

"Ice Fang!"

The colossal mammoth's icy tusks doubled in size and it charged straight toward his opponent who was charging as well. At the last possible second however, Empoleon slid on its belly, ducking underneath the tusks, and taking Mamoswine's rear right leg out from under it.

Empoleon came to a sudden halt behind its opponent, slashing Pryce with icy slush who couldn't help but laugh. "Using your opponent's tactics against them mid-battle," he said approvingly. "Well done, Miss Schnee. Mamoswine, use Icicle Crash!"

Mamoswine took a deep breath and exhaled freezing cold air toward the ceiling. The falling ice momentarily suspended itself in the air, growing heavier with each passing second in the shape of stalactites, before suddenly crashing down onto the arena. Several struck Empoleon, who despite his metallic feathers and resisting the attack, dropped to his knees, giving Mamoswine enough time to stand back up and face its opponent.

"Superpower!"

"Quick, use Drill Peck!"

Empoleon dug its razor sharp flippers into the ice so as to hold its ground against Mamoswine's super effective attack. Weiss hoped to at least mitigate some of the damage, but all she could do was hope and pray when the two behemoths collided and an explosion rocked the gym.

Ruby and Sakura screamed from atop the balcony, but Weiss barely heard them as she searched through the smoke and debris for Empoleon, eventually finding him on the other side of the battlefield, his beak slightly bent and his flippers having dug massive ruts in the ground. It seemed to only be standing out of habit, and due to resting its entire weight on its wings. Mamoswine appeared to be having difficulty standing as well, and its icy tusks had partially melted. Even the combination of hail and sandstorm overhead had ceased.

Weiss allowed herself the briefest moments to congratulate herself and Empoleon, and also thank Ruby for giving her the idea. Scizor using Superpower in their own battle had been on her mind the past few weeks. She often had trouble sleeping at night thinking what she could've or should've done differently, and Weiss being given time to think and strategize was a dangerous combination. Drill Peck being a Flying-type attack had the advantage over Fighting even if Superpower was vastly superior. It hadn't won them the exchange, but at least they were still in the battle, and it had cost their opponents dearly.

Just like Scizor, Mamoswine had overexerted itself and was now overheated, which was crippling to an Ice-type Pokémon. Superpower had also dropped its attack and defenses a stage, possibly more, but Empoleon's were still as high as they could go.

She turned to Empoleon on his knees, struggling just to stay awake. 'If this battle wasn't so important to us, to ME,' Weiss thought to herself, 'he would've already fallen unconscious. Empoleon's doing this for me...'

"How about we end this with one final attack," Pryce suggested. "If we continue battling, I'm afraid our Pokémon will only end up further injuring themselves. Your Empoleon would rather die than lose this battle and let you down, and I'm afraid Mamoswine would prefer dying in battle rather than to old age." He grinned at his lifelong partner, understanding and relating all too well. "Call your final attack, and I'll call mine. The Pokémon left standing will be declared the winner."

Weiss swallowed the lump in her throat and again turned to Empoleon who was looking back at her. It had been four long years since she fell in love with an undersized Piplup afraid of water, and nearly three since he had evolved into Prinplup in order to shake that image and prove himself her strongest Pokémon, only to continually fall short. Since evolving for the second time however, he had done everything asked of him and more, rising to the challenge of every opponent, and rarely falling short.

With great effort and the sound of twisting metal, Empoleon got back to his feet. "Empoleon, no matter what happens, I love you, and thank you." The emperor penguin nodded, sharing the sentiment before turning to face his greatest opponent yet. He didn't roar or bluster like usual, instead he simply bowed his head in respect and Mamoswine responded in kind.

Weiss took a deep breath. "Everything we've worked so hard for comes down to this. Empoleon, use Giga Impact!"

"Go, Mamoswine! Giga Impact!"

The two behemoths roared and became engulfed in golden radiance not unlike that of Hyper Beam. They hesitated only for a moment as if to flaunt their incredible power to one another before pushing off the ground and colliding in a blinding light that engulfed the battlefield and shook the gym, if not the entire city.

Dust, smoke, and chunks of ice filled the air as the trainers and spectators waited for the debris to clear to find out which Pokémon was still standing, only to discover both Mamoswine and Empoleon lying beside each other face first on the ground.

"Empoleon..." Weiss whimpered. "No..."

"Both Pokémon are unable to battle," Lyam declared. "The battle is a draw!"

"Nonsense." Pryce shook his head. "This is my gym and I'll run things the way I want. I'm not ending my final battle in a draw, much less against Nicholas' granddaughter. Neither Pokémon looks to be in danger of never waking up again, so the first to stand back up will be the winner." At the sound of his trainer's voice, Mamoswine began to stir.

"Empoleon!" Weiss cried. "Stand up! Hurry! Please, Empoleon!"

The emperor penguin began to stir as well, but while Mamoswine gritted its teeth, Empoleon appeared to only be moving out of pure instinct, possibly not even conscious. The pair stood up almost simultaneously when Empoleon's legs suddenly gave out from underneath.

"EMPOLEON!"

Razor sharp flippers dug into what remained of the battlefield, keeping him upright, and through sheer force of will, kept his head held high so as to meet his greatest foe in the eye. Mamoswine nodded as if in respect, and grimaced as its injured hind hind leg gave out.

"Mamoswine is unable to battle!" Lyam declared. "The battle goes to Lady Weiss Schnee of Lumiose City!"

Cheers came from above, but Weiss didn't hear them. She dropped to her knees and stared at Empoleon. "W-we won?" she stuttered, tears welling up. "Empoleon, you did it!" She climbed back to her feet and came running as fast as she could, avoiding the hazards of the battlefield as best she could, and wrapped her arms around Empoleon, nearly dragging him down atop of her.

"Thank you so much, Empoleon," she sobbed. "You were incredible. You don't know how much this means to me. Thank you..."

The little penguin she had once taken baths with and followed her around like she was its mother wrapped a flipper protectively around her, careful not to put too much of its weight on her. She kissed him on the cheek and Empoleon nestled its head on her shoulder. It let out a series of honks that Weiss had long since learned to interpret, but despite getting even more teary-eyed, she laughed due to its misshapen beak.

"We'll get that straightened out at the Pokémon Center. Don't you worry."

*sniff*

"I love you, Empoleon. I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone..."

"You did it, Weiss!" screamed a voice even more high-pitched than her own. "Aaahh! INCOMING!"

Weiss had just enough time to glance up and see Ruby slip on the ice before she was blindsided by a super effective Double Edge. The two spun across the arena, nearly sliding into the empty pool before miraculously coming to a halt.

"Oh my gosh!" Ruby screamed, panicking atop Weiss. "Not again!" She tried to stand but her legs were too weak and the ice too slick. "Weiss, I'm so sorry, I-"

She was interrupted by Weiss' laughter, who despite having a bloody lip, several cuts, and possibly another concussion courtesy of her traveling companion, had never looked happier. "I seem to recall this is how we first met," she said. "If you're still worried whether you're the same Ruby as before, let this be proof you're still the same dolt."

Ruby wiped something from her eye. "You really mean that, don't you? You didn't even try to kill me this time."

Weiss' lip twitched. "Not yet. Now get off me before I change my mind."

Ruby wasn't sure if she was serious or not, but was glad when Yang and Sakura arrived to rescue her and help them both to their feet, and was slightly more careful this time when she wrapped her arms around Weiss.

"You did it!" Ruby cried, the pair spinning on the ice as if they were dancing. "I knew you would!"

"You were amazing, Weiss," Sakura said, joining the embrace. "You too, Empoleon."

"Great, you won. Can we leave now?" Yang stuttered. She grabbed hold of the trio, not so much to keep them from falling into the pool and their possible deaths, but rather the extra warmth.

A polite cough caused them to turn and remember they weren't alone. "Lyam," Weiss gasped, almost as embarrassed by her disheveled appearance as the sudden outburst of emotion. "I-I-"

"Congratulations, Miss Schnee," Lyam said, bowing low. "Your grandfather and mother would be most proud, as am I."

Weiss was so happy she could've given the former Schnee steward a kiss on the cheek, but had just enough decorum remaining to nod respectfully. "Thank you, Lyam. I wish they could have been here to see us."

"I believe they are in a manner of speaking. You carry your family's legacy everywhere you go, and you honor their memories by imparting their virtues on those around you." He gestured toward Ruby and the others.

*sniff*

Ruby held Weiss a little closer, no doubt thinking of her own mother whom she honored every day, and Weiss wiped something from her eye that for years she'd attest had merely been a speck of sand.

"That was incredible," Sakura gushed. "I've never seen anything like it!"

"Neither have I," said a raspy voice. "At least not in a very long time."

"Master Pryce!" Weiss shoved her companions away, nearly into the empty pool, and gave a Kalosian bow which was more courtly than what was the norm in Johto, and usually reserved for royalty. Weiss, while never having never bowed so low in her life, was quite accustomed to seeing it performed in front of her.

Pryce navigated the battlefield as best he could, but Diana and another gym trainer quickly ran to his aid and helped him across. He laid a hand on Mamoswine as he passed by and ran his hand through its thick fur. The mammoth gave him an apologetic look, but he winked and motioned for him to stand up, which after a few failed attempts he just managed to do. Empoleon meanwhile waddled over to his trainer, using its massive flippers like crutches, and bent down to play with her ponytail.

"Not now, Empoleon," she giggled. "Later, when nobody's watching."

"That was as fine a battle I've ever had. It might not have started the way I would've liked, but I suppose you Schnees are hardheaded and prefer doing things in your own time." Pryce chuckled as if a memory suddenly came back to him. "I couldn't have asked for a better battle to retire on, but thinking on it, I may stick around for just a little while longer. Only because Diana's still too soft and immature for my liking though."

Diana and the rest of the gym trainers all grinned and stared admirably at the man they had practically devoted their entire lives too. Weiss thought them all incredibly lucky, but standing beside Empoleon and her friends, partially wrapped in Ruby's cloak, she supposed she was the luckiest of them all.

"Thank you, Sir," Weiss said, still bowing. "I'll remember everything you've taught me today. Not only will I put it to good use, but I'll pass it along to other trainers as well. I swear on my family name that I'll make you proud."

"I already am. Now stand up straight. My back's hurting just looking at you."

"Yes, Sir!" Weiss' head shot up and she stood straighter than she ever had her entire life.

The old man chuckled at her. "You're Nicholas' granddaughter alright. Here, you deserve this almost as much as Miss Rose." He motioned for Weiss to hold out her hand, and placed a metal snowflake in the shape of a hexagon into her palm.

The Glacier Badge shook in Weiss' hand, and she quickly wiped away tears before anyone could notice. "I'll treasure this, Master Pryce. Of all the gym badges I've earned, this one means more to me than all the others combined."

"I don't doubt it, and I don't believe there's any TM I could give you that your Pokémon don't already know or aren't already capable of learning on their own. Icy Wind, Ice Beam, Blizzard, and Avalanche are all favorites of the Mahogany Gym, but seeing how your Pokémon need a bit of rest before moving on to Blackthorn, and seeing how Miss Rose is struggling just to stand even with help, you're welcome to train at my gym for as long as you'd like."

"You really mean that!?"

"Of course. Somebody's gotta clean up this mess. Diana's got a gym battle first thing in the morning, and then another in the afternoon."

Weiss bowed again. "It'd be an honor, Sir! Ruby, Yang, and Sakura would love to help as well!"

"WE WHAT!?" Yang screamed. Ruby and Sakura didn't seem to mind being volunteered for the job, but Yang seemed to briefly consider pushing them all into the pool, or more likely, setting them on fire.

"Before old age causes me to forget-" Pryce got a peculiar sparkle in his eye, glancing at the girls. "If you truly wish to become an Ice-type Master someday, there's someone I'd like you to meet. They live deep within Ice Path on the way to Blackthorn, and they're THE Master of Ice-type Pokémon. The definite article you might say. I'll introduce you to her, if you're willing to make the journey."

Weiss gawked at him. "Y-your master?"

"Aye. They flew in from the Seafoam Islands just a few weeks ago. Your friends are welcome to come along too of course."

"Really!?" Ruby and Sakura cried. "We'd love to!"

"Nope, count me out," Yang said. "I've had enough of you winter-loving freaks. I'm going back to Alola and working on my tan as soon as we get out of here."

"We'll leave as soon as Miss Rose and your Pokémon have sufficiently recovered," Pryce continued. "Until then, spend time with your friends and Pokémon. That time is precious, and take it from an old man. You'll never get it back."

This time Weiss didn't bother hiding her tears, and clutching the Glacier Badge tightly, she bowed again before throwing her arms around Ruby, followed by Sakura.

"Thanks for believing in me," she said. "I couldn't have done it without you. Either of you..."

(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. One of my goals for this chapter was to showcase Empoleon as a major force to be reckoned with, and a Pokémon that can hold its own against Master caliber trainers and Pokémon. He was pushing himself beyond his limits for Weiss' sake, and will surely be paying for it in the chapters to come, but he walked away with the victory which is all that matters. Dewgong was already pretty exhausted after defeating three of Weiss' Pokémon, so that battle felt like a "given", and I liked the idea of Pryce using a Sneasel rather than Weavile, but Cloyster and Mamoswine were Empoleon's true challenges.

Not gonna lie, I was rather proud of the combination of Explosion and Shell Smash, and it's a combination that makes sense in my opinion. Cloyster does in fact have an inner and outer shell, and I think it stands to reason that given enough time and training, someone of Pryce's experience would be able to combine the two attacks. Also, I'm aware that Sandstorm in the video games doesn't weaken Water-type attacks like Sunny Day does, but it makes sense in my opinion, and I tend to lean on "What makes sense" over what the actual game mechanics are.

After sixteen chapters and nearly 100,000 words, Weiss' character arc which started in the first chapter has come to a close. That doesn't mean her story has come to an end, or is coming to an end any time soon, but she's learned the lessons she needed learning and is a better trainer because of it. She's still Weiss of course, but she's worthy of being Ruby and Sakura's mentors going forward, and a rival to Yang.

Thank you for all the love and support, friends. I hope you enjoyed the battle and Pryce's Pokémon, and I hope you enjoy the coming chapters. I'm personally looking forward to meeting Pryce's mentor, who some of you might already be able to guess.

All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with this story and wonderful readers such as yourself. God bless)