Ash sat on the couch in the Pokémon Center lobby, Nettle floating circles around his head like a moon orbiting a planet. In his lap was his Pokédex, Gym Leader Wulfric's trainer page open to his various team members.
The Ice Master's main team were all powerhouses, able to withstand incredible damage and then retaliating with a vengeance. Glalie, Walrein, Cryogonal, Beartic, Avalugg, and Mega Abomasnow were a devastating lineup. Unfortunately, Ash would not be facing those monsters, much to his disappointment. Ash probably wouldn't even face his backup team of Cloyster, Rotom Frost, Mamoswine, Weavile, Froslass, or Vanilluxe.
Wulfric had dozens of other Pokémon he used for challengers, making it practically impossible to prepare for specific matchups. He had plenty of foreign Pokémon, like Mr. Rime, Eiscue, Crabominable, and even some young creature called a Cetoddle. How he trained and cared for them all Ash couldn't begin to guess.
Since Ash wasn't an official Gym Challenger, Wulfric could adapt and adjust which Pokémon he used depending on Ash's abilities. He could start with a Bergmite and then switch to a Lapras for all he knew. Working on type disadvantages, Ash would have an uphill battle no matter what.
A soft alarm from the edge of the lobby made Ash look up from his dex and lift a hand to halt Nettle's orbit. The Teleportation Area was flashing, warning people to stay back from the specified area.
With a final, brighter flash, a Kadabra appeared with its charge in tow.
Serena looked around, smoothing down her dark plum coat and fixing the strands of hair that had fallen from her Ponyta-tail. Upon spotting Ash standing from the couch, she sped over to him with an intense expression.
Blinking in confusion when she got way too close to his face, Ash held still, eyes darting around as if he were desperate for help.
A hand on his jacket sleeve brought his eyes back to worried cerulean ones.
"You're okay?" The words were a gentle whisper, a striking contrast to the iron grip she had on his coat.
Understanding and a smidge of appreciation ran through him. They hadn't seen each other since before Omen.
Exhaling slowly, Ash nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay. We're all okay."
Breaths a bit shaky, Serena nodded, holding on a moment longer before stepping back. Closing her eyes, she let her shoulders relax. "Good. That's… I'm glad you're okay."
Ash cracked a smile. "I'm glad I'm okay too."
Rolling her eyes but losing the last of her concerned expression, Serena finally turned to greet Nettle. Deciding to abandon Ash for another planet, the UB renewed his orbit around Serena's head.
"So! Ready for Wulfric?" By some unspoken agreement, the small group of three headed outside and started towards the gym.
Ash tried to smother his instinctual grin, happiness coming so much easier now. If Serena noticed, she didn't comment, just laughed lightly at his battlelust.
"I don't know why I asked."
Serena caught him up on the small things she did, like the New Years Eve party she went to in Lumiose. She had left before midnight and instead rang in the new year watching the fireworks with her Pokémon.
With little fanfare, they entered the gym and were led to the main battlefield.
"Good luck, Ash." Serena sent him a fierce grin before jogging into the stands, Nettle chasing after her after giving Ash's face a hug. He set his sights on his opponent.
Wulfric was an imposing man, built like a caber toss athlete and with facial hair like his Walrein. He could probably hammer-throw Ash like a toothpick. He offhandedly wondered who could throw him further; Wulfric or Surge.
"Welcome, Mr. Ketchum!" The booming voice echoed through the cavern-like room. Wulfric's arms were crossed over his chest, winter coat resting on his shoulders, almost like he threw it on as an afterthought. The older man had an excited smirk on his face.
Ash walked to the trainer box, noting the rough ice-like field that luckily wasn't frictionless. He dipped his head in response. "Thank you, Leader Wulfric." He knew how to be respectful, it just depended on if he wanted to. Or if they deserved it.
"So, I hear you want some practice, who better to accommodate you than the strongest Gym Leader in Kalos?" The man's voice was slightly sarcastic, but in an amused way.
Ash shrugged. "I have some teammates that need to work with type disadvantages. How's your time crunch looking?"
"I say we got time for a 3-on-3. Good?"
Ash grinned savagely. "Good."
The referee took that as her queue and raised the two flags. "This is a 3-on-3 battle between Snowbelle Gym Leader Wulfric and Ashton Ketchum of Pallet Town! The trainer with the last Pokémon conscious will be declared the winner! Substitutions are allowed! Both trainers will release in 3-2-1 now!"
"Freeze 'em, Riff!"
"Let's go, Mirae."
Ash refrained from pursing his lips, but his eyes still analyzed their opponent. The Mr. Rime tapped its cane in time with its feet, the tap tap tapping already grating on his nerves. Mirae bared his fangs and flattened his ears when the chill of the floor sunk into his paws.
Ash was very grateful for Mirae's slight resistance to extreme temperatures thanks to Magic Guard.
"Misty Terrain!"
'Fuck.' there went his Dragon attacks and Toxic. Wulfric did his homework.
Mirae was growing to be a Pokémon capable of whittling his opponents down with a variety of techniques as his power output improved. In return, he could weather whittling techniques from opponents almost better than any of his other teammates, and Ash had high hopes to make Mirae a frustrating adversary.
"Double Team, Swift." Mirae's body shook and blurred before a dozen copies surrounded the merrily dancing Pokémon. Ash's eyes flashed to the clones' feet where the Misty Terrain was passing right through.
"Icy Wind."
"Glide and disarm." Mr. Rime spun, a powerful gust of sub zero wind slicing through the Swift like butter, unimpeded in its path toward the Dragon and Fairy type. Mirae's leg muscles bunched and extended, launching his armored body into the air. Ash watched intently as all the copies glided over the winds before their mouths opened.
The piercing wail managed to make Mr. Rime stumble in its dance, something of which Mirae quickly took advantage. The many Mytheon fired off Shadow Balls from all angles, the real one catching the Ice and Psychic type on its flank.
Yet the opponent proved its experience, cane lashing out and sending a wave of Psychic energy flaring out like an exploding bubble. Ash cursed as every clone faded and Mirae was struck. Snarling, Mirae's wings flared to catch himself before striking the ground, legs brushing against the icy floor.
Ash's grin grew wild when his teammate slammed into the dancing Pokémon, inky black teeth sinking into its shoulder. "Shadow Ball."
"Dazzling Gleam!" Ash winced when the Fairy energy sent Mirae flying back, the spectral energy dissipating before he could complete it. He landed harshly but quickly pushed himself up, diving back into the fray. Glowing with the light of Quick Attack, Mirae was upon Mr. Rime in seconds, slamming into its abdomen.
Wulfric grinned. "Ice Punch!"
"Lift your head!" Mirae threw his head up, the Ice Punch just missing his jaw and instead striking the armored chest. Mirae grit his fangs, but he was just saved from a lot of pain. The two landed on the hard ground, skidding across in a heap. Without orders, both fired off a Dazzling Gleam.
Ash averted his eyes from the brightness lest he go blind. He heard an explosion and some thuds, making him snap his eyes up. Mirae and Mr. Rime were now on opposite sides of the field, both slightly charred from the Fairy energy. Mirae was a bit worse off.
"Hail."
"Swift." Ash thanked the Legends above for Mirae's intuitiveness, because as Mr. Rime sent a glowing ball into the air, spectral-infused stars struck it without mercy. Pressing his advantage, Mirae once again shot forward with Quick Attack, but a bruised Mr. Rime was ready for him.
The Avalanche came out of nowhere, one moment the field was clear and the next Mirae was buried under a mountain of snow. "Mirae!" Ash gaped at the field as Wulfric smirked smugly.
But then Mr. Rime shrieked in pain.
Both trainers snapped their eyes back to the Ice and Psychic type. A hole had been smashed through the icy floor, and now Mirae stood panting above Mr. Rime, legs shaking and fur frosted, but tail flashing metallic. Snarling through his exhaustion, Mirae once again slammed his tail into his opponent, unbothered by the fierce Hail that fell from the sky.
Mr. Rime's friendly countenance finally broke, mustache twitching with the force of its sneer. Their battle devolved into Brick Breaks meeting Iron Tails, both attacking the other with wild abandon. The ferocity of a Dragon was something to behold, and Mr. Rime was quickly learning.
Its eyes flashed blue, and suddenly Mirae was immobilized.
The absolute fury that filled Mirae's eyes made even Ash shiver. "Bite!"
But Mirae took it a step further. Even through the pain of Psychic energy attacking his mind, he flooded his body with Darkness. From his teeth, it spread down his neck and to the rest of his fur until it was almost red in color.
Surrounded by so many Dark types, Mirae was bound to pick up a trick or two.
Mr. Rime flinched, the glow from its eyes blinked out. The moment it did, Mirae was on it. All the Dark energy that had previously coated his body rushed to his mouth and into Mr. Rime. It whimpered as the unnatural energy streamed into its body.
But it had one more trick. "Bury!" Wulfric bellowed.
The Avalanche that came down spared neither.
Ash and Wulfric waited with bated breath, watching the pile of snow for any shifts or movement. But after a full minute of quiet, the ref called it. "Both Pokémon are unable to battle." She gestured to the nearby Jynx, who shimmied forward and waved her hands. The massive pile of snow glowed and lifted, showing the unconscious bodies of Mr. Rime and Mirae.
Ash sighed but smiled, returning his teammate to his Pokéball. He whispered his thanks and readied the next one. It wasn't the most refined battle, a bit graceless around the edges, but Mirae was still young.
"I've had Riff for three years now, that should have been an easy battle for me!" Wulfric shook his head in astonishment. "Shouldn't have underestimated ya." He huffed a laugh but readied an Ultra ball.
"3-2-1 Release!"
Ash and Castor glared at their opponent, but the hulking Mamoswine fucking yawned and shook out its fur, its two four-meter-long tusks whooshing with the movement.
This would be a tough battle. Mamoswine were covered in muscle and fat that dampened the damage it took from various attacks. They had to play this smart.
Castor winced when the renewed Hail struck his hide, the crystals detrimental to his cold-blooded circulation. He shook and if Ash looked closely, he could see some flame escaping his closed maw.
"Hone Claws."
"Aurora Veil!"
"Taunt!" Just the beginning dancing borealis appeared before Mamoswine abandoned it with a furious snort. Wulfric quickly pivoted, going on the offensive.
"Earthquake!"
"Sand Pit." Castor focused heavily and shook, his energy sinking into the frozen floor, sands falling and piling. As their enormous opponent reared up on its hindlegs and slammed back down, tremors sped towards Castor.
But the croc also stomped his feet, finishing his own defenses. Ash could only see his teammate's head and shoulders from where he sunk into the floor, but he could see the pit of sand.
As the Earthquake neared, it merely shifted the sandy pit within which Castor had hidden himself, leaving the croc safe from the seismic waves.
Sand Pit was a nice mixture of Sand Tomb and Dig, and although it took a large chunk of energy and focus to create, it gave the croc a space to retreat into. The sand would disperse Earthquake, Bulldoze, Earth Power, and High Horsepower and leave the denizen safe.
Something he had drilled into his teammates was that at any possible opportunity, use spare time to power up. Hone Claws would sharpen his claws into daggers.
Wulfric frowned at the failed attack, and Mamoswine was pawing at the field but holding itself back, well-trained enough to resist Taunt to a certain extent. Though Hail was weakening from its distracted state. "Ice Beam."
"Dive." Ash shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels as the overpowered Ice attack sweeped harmlessly over where Castor had buried himself. Yes, the top layer of sand froze, but Castor broke through it moments later.
Ash was playing a dangerous game here. He was giving Wulfric time to figure out a counter to Sand Pit, but he was hoping Mamoswine would waste enough energy beforehand, while Castor powered up with Hone Claws.
Finally, Wulfric growled. "Engage." Mamoswine shook its head and stepped forward, picking up speed until it was barrelling towards the sandy pit. Every step sent a quiver through the floor, racing up Ash's legs.
"Dive." Castor buried himself beneath the silky sand as Mamoswine loomed above the pit. Once again, the Ice and Ground type reared back, but as it slammed back down, Ash's eyes almost popped out of his head as rocks formed in the air from nothing and buried the pit.
See, Rock Slide was an interesting attack. A majority of Pokémon needed to have dirt or earth around in order to utilize the attack, exerting control over the material and shaping it into dense stone. But exceedingly well-trained Pokémon could create stone from pure energy.
Like Mamoswine just did.
Castor burst from the icy floor, knowing he would have been trapped otherwise. From his spot behind the Twin Tusk Pokémon, he fired off a Dark Pulse that had the heavy Pokémon stumbling and shivering. Ash was so proud.
But the Mamoswine still just looked annoyed. It didn't even have to turn around before a Stomping Tantrum made Castor trip in surprise, and the Ice Shard should have been expected.
The Krokorok hissed as the solid ice slashed his body, beige scales ripped from his skin. He leaned forward, falling on all fours to duck beneath the attack. Skittering forward, he clamped flaming jaws around Mamoswine's hindleg, needle-sharp fangs burning through thick fur to reach the flesh beneath.
Mamoswine squealed, frozen tusks sweeping down to slam into Castor and send him flying. At the last moment, the croc righted himself and landed on all fours, tail thrashing furiously behind him. His lips lifted in a fearsome snarl.
Ash bit his cheek. Mamoswine was too bulky, too large for any of their ranged attacks to do much damage. "Sand Tomb." The best they could do right now is a distraction as Ash thought. Castor knew this and darted forward as the wall of sand caused Mamoswine to sneeze.
Castor lashed out with his newly perfected Iron Tail, striking the Ice and Ground type's ankles and knees. He wove beneath the stomping mammoth, targeting joints with whatever he could.
Until Mamoswine stepped on him.
Castor wheezed and Mamoswine glaring heatedly at the croc trapped beneath its foreleg. "Shake!" Ash practically screamed. Castor heaved a breath and vibrated, sand and ice falling and breaking apart beneath his stomach until he was in a miniature pit of sand. Ash winced internally as he saw how exhausted Castor was. Having to create two Sand Pits in a single battle was pushing his limits.
Mamoswine lost its balance upon stepping into the shifting sands and had to quickly put weight on its other leg to keep from falling. Ash's eyes flashed when he saw the other foreleg buckle for a millisecond. He grinned internally.
"Ima, bury the pit!" Mamoswine snorted with gleeful agreement, a ball of ice forming between her tusks before shooting into the air. Directly above, the ball exploded, sending large icicles careening into the pit.
Ash gritted his teeth when he heard the cry of pain. But he had to hold back a shocked laugh when Castor's gaping maw shot out and caught the last icicle of the Icicle Crash between flaming teeth, melting it instantly, his body glowing red.
There went Anger Point again.
Ash held in his hysterical laugh. Castor was pissed.
The Desert Croc launched himself, with no regard for his safety, at the significantly larger foe and latched himself onto Mamoswine's face.
Ash really couldn't help it this time. He laughed deliriously as Castor clawed at the Twin Tusk Pokémon's eyes and snout. He wasn't even using attacks at this point and eventually Ash could only stare with open mouthed bewilderment. Even Mamoswine had no idea what to do in the face of such single-minded ferocity.
"Thrash!"
"Counter!" Ash really wasn't sure if Castor was even listening at this point, but, to his surprise, he found he didn't care. This was so entertaining.
Mamoswine swung her head around and caught the Desert Croc on a tusk, and soon the Krokorok was being batted between the two tusks.
But he was glowing orange.
Castor closed his eyes momentarily before they snapped open and he latched himself on one of the tusks, sharp claws creating gouges in the frozen protrusions. Taking a moment to balance, Castor bunched his hind legs and shot toward Mamoswine's face.
Fighting energy exploded from his body and the 2,000 pound mammoth was forced backward. Castor landed in a crouch, breathing heavily and bruised beyond belief as Mamoswine's hind leg failed her and she stumbled.
But to Ash's disbelief, she heaved herself back up, eyes blazing with her fury.
His mind raced a mile a minute and his eyes darted over the field. Biting his lip, his eyes caught sight of the Rock Slide-covered sand pit.
"Castor!" The croc whipped his head around and watched as Ash gestured toward the stones. The croc was confused but listened, racing over to the stones. "Weaken." The croc might not be his smartest teammate - far from it - but he had tapped into his Dark-side since joining Ash and knew what to do.
"Earthquake!"
"Keep going!" Castor gritted his teeth so hard Ash was worried he'd lose a few fangs. The Ground energy was seeping in through his feet, but Castor powered through, slamming Iron Tail after Iron Tail into the stones, but making it look like it was purely for balance purposes.
The Earthquake ended, and the Rock Slide stones were cracked and weakened. Perfect. "Taunt!" Ash squeezed his fists as the red glow around Castor took on a dark shade. Mamoswine bellowed at his impertinence and charged, exhaustion weakening her willpower.
Despite Wulfric's shouts, Mamoswine continued forward and just as she was on the edge of the covered pit, Castor dove to the side. Ima skidded to a stop, turning towards the croc and lifting her forelegs.
But that concentrated her significant bulk on the weakened stones.
The rocks beneath her crumbled like paper. Mamoswine's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she fell into the sand pit. Ash took advantage. "Sand Attack, Power Play!" The blast of sand blinded the Twin Tusk Pokémon as she struggled in the sand. Mamoswine weren't meant for desert settings.
Still powered by Hone Claws and Anger Point, Castor flared to life with the power of Power Trip and Foul Play. Even Ash's jaw dropped at the power behind the attack. Castor honest-to-Mew dislodged Mamoswine from the pit, sending her tripping over the edge and collapsing heavily on the icy floor.
She didn't move.
"Holy shit." Ash whispered to himself. "Holy shit, Castor!" The croc turned excited eyes on his trainer, vibrating with both exhaustion and victory. Ash laughed brightly at their success. He can't believe that worked.
Mamoswine disappeared in a flash of red light, Wulfric shaking his head once again. "Damn, kid. That was… that was something else."
Ash couldn't smother his grin. This was a huge victory for Castor. Three months of training and he'd managed to take down an experienced Mamoswine.
Obviously it wasn't a battle of strength. Castor utilized strategy and trickery and good ol' stubbornness to take down the behemoth. But it still counted. Ash beamed at his teammate, only to subsequently facepalm when the croc pitched forward in a dead faint. Even Wulfric released a surprised bark of laughter. "Honestly, I'm not surprised. That Anger Point must have taken a lot out of him."
Ash chuckled, not even upset as he returned the Desert Croc. He spoke words of praise to the Pokéball, knowing the pain of losing so many scales had sunk in now that the adrenaline wore off.
The perfect counter to Mamoswine would have been Artemis. Unless Ima had Thick Fat as her ability, she would overheat within minutes of battling the canine. Mamoswine, with their thick fur, large bodies, and frozen tusks, relied on the cold to stay fresh and energized.
Artemis could have melted those tusks without issue.
But this wasn't that type of battle. Ash was meant to be on the backfoot.
Unclipping his last Pokéball, Ash readied his toss as Wulfric clasped a Dusk ball. The referee looked bemused as she held the flags aloft. "3-2-1 Release!"
Ash and Sagitta grinned maniacally at their opponent. The lean Weavile had an unhinged glint in its eye, fangs glinting and hook-like claws ready to rend tendon from bone. Wiry muscle, much like Hemlock, gave the Dark and Ice type the illusion of meekness, but really it was an apex predator.
Just like the Togekiss, this Weavile had color variation.
Weavile had a white crest and collar as opposed to the more common red in order to blend into its environment of snowy mountains.
This would be fun.
Ash cast his gaze around the ruined field. Of course by now the Misty Terrain and Hail had ended, but the sandy pit and torn up ice was expansive. This would make Weavile's speed a bit easier to handle. Hopefully.
"Precaution."
"Agility."
Ash was sure his eyes were intense, but he and Sagitta had worked tirelessly to perfect 'Precaution'. She was the first Pokémon he'd ever taught Nasty Plot and it had been a long, long journey.
Precaution consisted of Safeguard, Double Team, and Nasty Plot, ensuring the beginning of a battle was utilized to its maximum potential.
Sagitta glowed with the energy of both Safeguard and Nasty Plot before her body split into a multitude of clones, surrounding the field.
Weavile was invisible, the Agility enhancing its already incredible speed to unspeakable levels. But Ash took a deep breath and let his mind focus. Even Ash couldn't lock on to the spark of light that Weavile gave off.
"Swift."
"Fury Swipes."
"Holy shit." Ash was cursing a whole lot during this battle, but he had never seen anything like the speed of this Weavile. Its claws were a blur as it sliced each and every one of the hundred stars that came at it. Something like that had to be exhausting, right?
"Whirlpool."
"What the fuck-" Once again, Ash was flabbergasted, which he really hated. What Weavile knew Whirlpool? Apparently this one did, because the weasel spun and water burst from its body, the icy floor around it lost its shine as water was pulled from it.
"Soar, Shock Wave." Ash watched as Sagitta electrified the water… but it didn't stop its progression. "Aw, shit." The water struck Sagitta, electrifying her with her own attack. The rest of the clones dissipated in the face of such a spacious move.
Double Team was really failing him today.
"Extreme Speed!" Sagitta clicked her beak, then promptly disappeared. Weavile certainly wasn't expecting a Pokémon to be faster, thus was taken by surprise when Sagitta slammed into the Dark and Ice type.
Its claws dug into the ground, stopping its backward trajectory. Baring its teeth in a hiss, Weavile charged up an Ice Beam in no time and thrust its hands forward, shooting the Ice attack towards the Fairy and Flying type.
But Sagitta had well trained reflexes. Tucking her wings, she barrel-rolled, narrowly dodging the beam before her wings flared out once again, swooping low over the ground and immediately crossing her wings, sending a blast of her new Air Slash speeding towards Weavile.
The Sharp Claw Pokémon was thrown back from the power behind the Flying attack. Sagitta was quite peeved at this point, and made sure to follow through, darting forward and glowing with pink energy.
Weavile crossed its arms and took the Dazzling Gleam head on, clawed feet sending shards of ice flying as it struggled to stay standing. Weavile lashed out, bubbling purple claws hooking into the Togekiss's wing and slamming her to the ground.
Sagitta screeched loudly, poison seeping into her, the Safeguard the only thing protecting her. In her panic she reacted, the Shock Wave catching Weavile in its abdomen. The Sharp Claw Pokémon snarled and winced, an arc of electricity shooting through its trunk.
Thank you, Serene Grace.
Sagitta snapped her beak together once again, her agitation obvious as she launched herself back into the air. For a moment, neither Pokémon advanced.
"Up and Claw!"
"Corkscrew!"
Ash watched with blazing intensity as Weavile launched itself into the air, claws gleaming with metallic energy. Sagitta shot skyward, tucking her wings and spinning as fast as she could as her wings took on a sky blue tint. Slices of Flying energy struck Weavile, but not before the opponent lashed out with one arm, Metal Claw sinking into Sagitta's underbelly. Gravity did the rest of the work, and Ash gave a soft cry when he saw the seeping gashes taint his teammate's stark white feathers with crimson blood.
"Aura Sphere!" It was a desperate call, but they needed to turn the tides. They've merely been a nuisance to Weavile this entire battle. The Togekiss's eyes hardened as she plummeted, and she had a decision to make.
She listened.
Instead of catching her fall, she shot off the dense blue sphere of light, which latched onto Weavile's life force to strike true. As their opponent shrieked in pain from the super effective, Nasty Plot powered attack, Sagitta landed on the ground with a horrible thud.
Ash held his breath as the two Pokémon laid still for a second. Both twitched, Weavile pulling itself to its feet much quicker than Sagitta. The poor avian struggled, both wings stiff and the gashes on her stomach littered with ice chips.
Taking a fortifying inhale, Ash nodded to himself. All or nothing.
"Single, Life Dew."
"Metal Claw."
It was like slow motion. Weavile sprinted forward, powered by the energy of Agility, claws poised and sheathed in metal. Sagitta was vulnerable, splayed out on the ground as her opponent slashed its claws downward.
But her timing was impeccable.
A clone sputtered to life directly in front of her, and Weavile's reflexes worked against it. Upon catching sight of this new target, it slashed down prematurely, destroying the single clone. Yet, it was unable to stop itself that quickly.
The healing water seeped into Sagitta just as she pushed into one wing, clumsily rolling away from the uncontrolled tumble of her opponent. The Togekiss ruffled her feathers with renewed energy, and shoving herself to her feet she glowed.
Her favorite attack wasted no time, stony arrows slamming into the weasel and sending it tripping backwards. Snarling, Metal Claws once again struck out, sending dust and pebbles into the air around it.
Baring his own teeth, Ash yelled, "Flamethrower!" Sagitta didn't even take to the air, instead stepping forward on short-taloned feet and sending the blaze of flames at the fallen Dark and Ice type. Its Metal Claw backfired, because as it slashed the last arrow, the Flamethrower was upon it, and everyone knows how metal conducts heat.
Weavile shrieked, its cries grating on everyone's ears. Then, much to Ash's shock and pride, Sagitta somehow found the energy for one more Dazzling Gleam.
When the flames and the light and the dust finally cleared, Weavile was unconscious, and Sagitta was barely awake. Her wings were splayed, her beak resting on the ground, her blood smearing the ground beneath her. But her eyes were open and focused on her downed opponent.
"Weavile is unable to battle! Since the challenger has one Pokémon left, Ashton Ketchum is declared the winner!" All the air rushed out of his lungs and he slumped. Making sure to grin at Sagitta, he quickly returned her, knowing the stasis would take away the pain of her injuries.
There were a few beats of silence before it was like time sped back up. Wulfric laughed, Ash gasped for air, and Nettle slammed into his head, almost sending him sprawling. Serena followed, latching onto Ash and shaking him.
"Oh my Xerneas, Ash! That was incredible!" Ash awkwardly patted Serena's shoulder before she stepped back with a teasing grin. Nettle settled down on Ash's shoulder, its unique, echoey voice trying to convey its excitement. The approaching Gym Leader was still laughing uproariously.
"My Legend! I haven't been so thoroughly upstaged in a while!" Wulfric stepped out of his trainer box and made his way over. Serena grinned at him, her excitement palpable. Once the leader was close, he thrust out his hand, which Ash only stared at for a second before he remembered he was supposed to shake it.
Wulfric's hand completely covered his own, but Ash noticed the man took care not to brush the scars. Releasing Ash, Wulfric crossed his arms. "I gotta say, I was expecting to have to take it easy. When I was told someone wanted to practice type disadvantages, a rookie at that, I didn't think I'd have to go all out, not to mention actually lose!" He harrumphed with a baffled twist to his lips. "You, Mr. Ketchum, are something else."
Ash was experienced in tamping down outward manifestations of his discomfort, but it was still a challenge not to shift awkwardly. "Thank you, sir. It was a wonderful battle."
"It sure was. Though I gotta ask, most trainers aren't prepared for Winnifred, my Weavile. You handled her like a champ. How?"
"It's obvious you're not used to training Dark types. You didn't take advantage of Weavile's natural stealth and diversion abilities. You kept attacking head on instead of tricking us."
Everyone was quiet for a moment, except for Nettle who was humming to itself. Ash stamped down on his worry that he stepped out of line. Dark types were one of his specialties, he wouldn't feel insecure about it.
Wulfric scratched his beard. "Huh." He frowned and nodded to himself. "Yeah I can see that. You got more Darks than that Krokorok?"
Ash nodded. "Four others, almost six total." It would be interesting to see how Polaris adapted to a secondary Dark typing when he evolved. He was very serious as a Frogadier and didn't like underhanded tactics. Though hiding and attacking from the smoke and shadows was fine. Ash wasn't sure how Polaris rationalized what he preferred versus not.
The Gym Leader 'huh-ed' again before clapping Ash on the back. He had gotten used to people much larger and stronger than him slapping him on the shoulder, so Ash barely stumbled when it happened as Nettle giggled. "Nice work. It's no easy feat training Darks. Now, I figured I'd give you the badge and the TM anyway." From his coat pocket, Wulfric withdrew the Iceberg Badge and a disc. "That's Aurora Veil. Usually I hand out Ice Beam, but I want to see what you do with this."
Ash, none too gently, snatched the TM out of the Leader's hands. "Dear Mew, I needed this."
Wulfric started in surprise. "Oh? What Ice type do you have?" Grinning, Ash released Orion, letting the Alolan Ninetales bark and snarl at the Gym Leader. He really couldn't find it in him to curb that particular tendency. He heard Serena gasp lightly beside him.
But the Ice Leader only gave a belly laugh in response. "You got a feisty one! My my, I haven't seen one of these since I worked with Lorelei." Orion snorted imperiously at the large man and turned away, instead looking around the demolished field with a glint in his eye.
"Oh, he's magnificent." Orion eyed Serena, tails swishing aggressively behind him. He gave another snort before trotting away, deciding to explore the area. Nettle chased after him, already well on its way to annoying the Ninetales. Ash returned the little Ultra Beast before it got impaled by a giant icicle.
Ash rolled his eyes. "Don't mind him." Serena laughed along with Wulfric.
"Well, Mr. Ketchum, that was a mighty fine battle. You've got more talent in your pinky finger than most trainers I see. Miss Yvonne, it was nice to see you again." Ash blinked in surprise and turned to see Serena beaming at the leader.
"You as well, Leader Wulfric. Tell Gaeric that Fawkes sends her regards."
Wulfric tilted his head back and laughed loudly at both Serena's words and her smug smile. "Oh I'll be sure to!" His statement was interspersed with more laughter. Waving once, Wulfric turned to return to his icy chair at the back of the field.
Ash turned and raised an eyebrow. Serena tried to smother her self-satisfied grin. "When I came through here just after making it to the Master Class for the first time, Fawkes was still a Braixen and we wanted to work on our battling skills. Wulfric agreed to a one-on-one and we battled his oldest Bergmite. They both evolved partway through the battle, and Fawkes ended up winning. Gaeric's almost on his backup team now."
Ash blinked, "She beat an Avalugg." Serena beamed and nodded excitedly. "Wow, nice work."
The two headed towards the exit, Ash whistling as a second thought, and a moment later Orion was trotting beside them.
"Seriously, Ash, that was an amazing battle. I think Ima and Winnifred are part of Wulfric's backup team."
Ash shrugged. "We had to play it smart. Wulfric outmatched us power-wise, but not so much that we couldn't damage them back. I'm proud of my team."
"I was half expecting him to release his Mega Abomasnow."
Ash glowered, halfway to petulantly crossing his arms but stopped himself at the last moment. "I wanted to battle it." Serena threw her head back and laughed. Ash was half tempted to turn around and demand one more battle.
He needed, and wanted, more experience battling Mega Evolved Pokémon, he needed to see what the change in power levels was like so he knew what to expect. If he and Artemis ever succeeded, that is.
Ash smothered a frown at that thought.
Over the seven months he's been traveling, he's changed very, very much. He's become more animated, more emotive, he talks more and he isn't as acerbic. He never thought he'd be the type to make friends easily, but he couldn't ignore that he's made some pretty damn good friends.
He couldn't lie and say he was entirely happy with the change. His former spiteful nature had acted as a layer of armor, of protection. Made him feel strong and competent. Now, he felt like that had been peeled away without his say-so.
Obviously he hadn't lost it entirely, his first encounter with Lance sprung to mind, but it still made him feel a little twitchy to be without it. Too vulnerable.
He worried how he'd fare back in Kanto without that protection. He's grown too lax in Kalos, a region never ravaged by Team Rocket. Galar would be the same, and Ash knew there would not be a warm welcome for him back home.
How could he be completely one with Artemis when his own home-region vilified her? When even Ash still held some fear of her species?
He bit his lip, the light pain clearing his thoughts enough to focus on the walk and the presence of Orion bounding beside him. Serena had an amused smile on her face when her eyes darted over to Orion every now and again, watching him crash into the large piles of snow on the side of the road.
The corner of his lips tugged into a smile as Orion destroyed yet another meticulously built snowman. The Ninetales lifted his head and looked back, a wolfish smile showing on his muzzle before his eyes caught his next target.
"He's certainly something else."
He looked at Serena for a moment before nodding. "I'm glad to see him like this again. His mother's death took a heavy toll on him."
Serena tilted her head back to look at him. "You had met him before?"
Ash nodded. "Yeah, I got trapped in a blizzard on Mt. Lanakila. His mother found me and helped me. She had three kits at the time, and that one," he gestured at Orion, "was just as much of a spitfire. Kept headbutting my leg and I would pretend to stumble and trip, even though he was the size of a Caterpie."
"I'm glad he's coming to terms with his grief. I never really gave it much thought that Pokémon have strong ties to their dams and sires. I just… I always assumed since they go off on their own, those ties weren't as strong. I guess I was naive in that way."
Ash tilted his head. "I don't think that's naive. Not every aspect of the universe can be given equal thought and attention. This is just one part that you didn't focus on because it never caught your attention before. There's nothing wrong with that."
They continued on in comfortable silence and watched some sun break through the overcast sky. He had to blink and squint as all the snow reflected the bright rays.
"Lunch?" He looked to the side and nodded at Serena's request, letting her point him towards a cozy bistro. He returned Orion at the last moment as he entered the warm entryway of the restaurant. They were led to a table and handed menus alongside their waters.
"So, of course I saw what happened on the news, and you also told me a little bit about how you caught Orion, but you made it sound like some other stuff happened." Serena leaned forward as she sipped her water, eyebrow quirked.
Ash sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, there were some things I couldn't tell reporters or Interpol." He bit his cheek and took a sip of water. "Met Xerneas."
Serena choked on her water, bringing up her napkin so it didn't drip. She coughed with as much grace as she could muster before she stared at Ash with wide eyes. "What?" It sounded strangled. Ash had never told her about Yveltal, the Legend of Death having a much more… negative reception especially after Lysandre.
He leaned back and rubbed his eyes. "Omen cornered me in a clearing with a single enormous white tree. After he… after he died, I touched it and suddenly I was frozen. It healed all my injuries and… Serena, my scars don't hurt anymore."
It was still such a relief to say and to feel.
She gasped almost imperceptibly. He straightened out his arms and pulled up his sleeves, showing the reddish, less swollen scars. He nodded at Serena's questioning glance before she rested a hand on his forearm. She glided her fingers along the winding scars, feeling the ridges and divots of the carved flesh. Serena released a shaky breath. "I'm so relieved." She whispered.
Ash smiled tightly. "That makes two of us." They were silent for a moment, Ash taking a sip of his water and Serena still gliding light fingers around his scars. He couldn't really feel the movements, his nerve endings were mostly fried, but he trusted Serena, to a certain extent.
He didn't know if he could ever trust another human fully. Unbridled trust seemed so dangerous.
She soon blinked rapidly a few times before looking at him. "I can tell there's more."
Ash nodded. "Yeah…" He frowned and bit his lip. He looked up when Serena removed her hand and leaned forward. He was about to say it. About to say, 'Omen knew my father', but he kept his teeth locked together. Serena might be the first person he talked to about his absent dad when they were children, but now… he couldn't do it.
"Artemis almost died. She got shot and it was just… a lot." He frowned down at his arms.
Serena was silent for a moment, eyeing him, before nodding. "When Nessa was a Feebas, we were training away from the rest of the team. We didn't know there was a Crawdaunt in the pond and she almost got… well. Anyway, I know how you feel."
Ash just hummed.
Their waitress must have been waiting for a gap in their intense discussion because she approached the table a few moments later. She got their orders and refilled their waters before excusing herself.
The two shared lighthearted conversation until their food arrived, and they ate in silence for a few minutes. Breaking the brief quiet, Serena talked about how she had created a new Pokévision video debuting her Mismagius's new evolution.
"I might have to make another video soon! Degas is close to evolving! His skirt had been getting a bit longer. He's really excited."
"How long do you think?"
Serena looked up in thought. "Maybe two months? I'm not very good at judging these things. I've also been thinking of trying to catch one or two new teammates. After seeing Aria's performance and your battle, I want to catch an Ice type. I also want to find a Skitty, Buneary, or even a Cufant for the shock factor."
"I say go for Cufant, they're like Spinda, each one has a different pattern which makes them very unique, and their coloring is bright and eye-catching. I've heard they're also great for traveling and getting out of difficult situations."
She nodded slowly as she tossed the idea around in her head. "Yeah that makes sense. Plus I have so many ideas for Steel techniques in my performances, think about light reflecting off of Iron Defense, or Flash Cannon encased in Nessie's water?" Serena's eyes were sparkling, the two were now leaning back in their seats, plates pushed away. Ash didn't even see the waitress return before Serena had snatched the check and stuck her tongue out at Ash. He huffed but couldn't even pretend to be annoyed.
They left and walked back to the center. "So, we see Master Champlain tomorrow. Are you ready?"
Ash shrugged. "I guess. I'm just hoping he's willing to teach Polaris before he's fully evolved. He's been working hard, and he's building up enough power to start on Hydro Pump."
"I know what you mean, even Fawkes only recently got Fire Blast down. We work with him for… what, nine days?"
"Yeah, from my experience with move tutors, it only took a few hours to get the gist of it. From there, it was a few weeks of training to master it. Nine days should be enough to get a little more than the basics down."
The sliding doors of the center opened up, and Ash made his way to Nurse Joy and handed over his three Pokéballs. Serena stepped up next to get a room for 10 nights. As Serena was doing that, Ash checked out the billboard of things to do in Snowbelle. A couple events caught his eye, there was a reptile-Pokémon grooming class, a workshop on making Sinnoh poffins, and…
Serena stepped up beside him and he gestured to one of the flyers. "What do you think?"
Serena was quiet for a moment before she looked up, smile wide. "Perfect! Do you need to wait for your Pokémon?"
Ash shook his head, his fingers running along the rest of his team attached to his belt. Castor, Sagitta, and Mirae wouldn't do well in Frost Cavern. Plus, the rules stated you could only use one Pokémon for the challenge.
The two took the chance to change into even warmer clothes, knowing the caves were much colder than Snowbelle.
Meeting back in the lobby, they set out.
A group would be Teleporting to Frost Cavern in a little under an hour for the challenge, and those partaking would be meeting in front of the gym. Ash tugged his gloves, not that he's really taken them off since Anistar. He'd need a new pair soon. His Dragons' scales had really done a number on the faux-leather.
"Do you know what Pokémon are in Frost Cavern? I never went during my initial journey."
Ash shoved his hands in his pockets before answering. "Lots of Ice types, naturally. With the rise in foreign challengers, some non-Kalosian Pokémon have made the cave their home. I know the Cubchoo line, Swinub line, Vanillite line, and the Smoochum line are pretty common. Obviously it's the only place Bergmite and Avalugg can be found. I think there's a small snowstorm of Cryogonal in the deeper parts. I heard there was an Eiscue found there a few months ago."
Serena hummed. "I'm not too surprised, honestly some Galarian Pokémon have been migrating through Paldea to get here recently. Though the Paldea League has been stopping most from crossing the border into Kalos."
Paldea wasn't part of the ULA, though trade had started opening up which usually preceded joining the League. It's what happened with Galar not too long ago. Galar's wool exports were in high demand, and Ash was sure they made a lot of money off of Duraludon sheddings.
"Isn't there a massive channel separating Galar and Paldea?"
"Most Pokémon can swim…" Though Serena didn't look too convinced with her own argument. Ash snorted and dropped it. Yet he did have to wonder why Pokémon were suddenly leaving Galar.
When the gym came into view, there were already a couple trainers gathering. All were bundled and carried supplies, and all had a partner Pokémon by their side.
One of the women from the group caught sight of them first, raising a hand in greeting before startling, eyes widening in realization. The others followed her line of sight and froze.
Serena was undeterred. "Hello! Are you all here for the Ice Catcher Challenge?" She held out a relaxed hand for the curious Talonflame on one of the trainer's shoulders to sniff. The bird's wings ruffled in contentment.
One of the younger trainers, probably around their own age, spoke up first. "Yeah! It's so cool you're both participating too!" Her long blue hair was held back with a headband that looked like a tiara. "I'm Evie from Anistar City, and this is Rose." Her Aromatisse waved cheerfully at the two of them, and Ash had to wonder if having a Fairy type as a teammate was more common in Kalos.
"I'm Serena of Vaniville Town. It's nice to meet you all." She waited a beat before elbowing Ash.
Frowning, he said, "Ash. Kanto." Serena just rolled her eyes and gestured to the person standing beside Evie.
"I'm Louis and this absolute beast is Petra." The Hawlucha was smug, flexing her arms and expecting the adoration Serena showered her with. Louis was a shorter guy with curly blonde hair and had to be almost 20. His goggles looked a little silly when there was only lightly falling snow, but they'd probably come in handy in the caves. "We're from Cyllage City."
"Manon. Serafina." The man was very clearly the oldest in the group, with stoicism carved into his face, but his Talonflame had her face pressed to his cheek and was cooing happily, her wing draped over his short pale green hair. "Geosenge."
Ash had to smile a little, with a name meaning 'Angel', he knew how much this guy loved his Pokémon. Though being from Geosenge…
The last of the little group was the teen who saw them first. She was still flushed and was refusing to look at either Ash or Serena. Wine red hair was pulled back into a Ponyta-tail and the Medicham at her side looked fondly amused even as it guided Grace around until they were on the opposite side of the circle from Ash. He tapped her waist, eliciting a high-pitched squeak. "O-oh! Yes, I'm Grace, this is Masaki. We're from Hoenn."
Secretly smiling to himself, Ash didn't tell anyone that her Medicham's name also meant 'graceful'. He did his best not to look at the protective Psychic type, trying to make him feel safer around him.
"So!" Grace winced at the volume of her voice. "Who are you going to choose as your partner for this?"
Serena raised a finger to her chin in thought before tapping the release on one of her Pokéballs. Degas appeared with a twirl, and Ash agreed that he was very close to evolution. He was also a smart choice, Psychic abilities and Hypnosis a boone in a catching competition. "This is Degas!" The Kirlia bowed in response to everyone's greetings, though the motion was rather jerky from Ash's influence. Evolution into a Gardevoir strengthened the line's Fairy typing, so Degas really must be close if he was already more resistant to Yveltal's influence.
Ash thought for a moment, his own hand lightly tapping each of his Pokéballs. Artemis would be good to ward off the cold, but she didn't have the kind of disabling moves he needed. Instead, Ash tapped the Luxury ball on his belt.
Orion burst from the ball, braced and ready for battle, looking half a second away from lunging at the closest Pokémon, that being Rose the Aromatisse.
"We're going to explore an ice cave and find some good opponents." Orion's wolfish grin made some of the trainers uncomfortable but Ash just scratched behind the fox's ear.
"Are you… are you an Ice type specialist?" Louis awkwardly raised his hand like he was in a classroom. Grace looked at Louis like he'd just asked if Lance was a Normal Master.
Ash shook his head. "I'm not looking for another teammate, just a fun challenge."
"I, on the other hand, am looking for an Ice type." Serena stepped forward, taking the attention off Ash, for which he was very grateful.
"For a performance?" Grace had her hands clasped to her chest, eyes practically sparkling. Serena laughed good-naturedly and nodded.
Ash rested a hand on Orion's head and listened with half an ear as the group chatted. Orion's nose twitched right before someone called out.
"Would you look at that! It's Serena Yvonne!" Serena stiffened before relaxing as realization crossed her face, turning to the approaching girl with a smirk.
"Miette, always a pleasure."
The new arrival had short blue hair that barely reached her chin, with bangs that extended into a sight peak between her eyebrows. Her eyes drifted to Ash and lingered in a way that had him frowning in confusion.
"Oh, this is your beau, yes?" Miette had her hands clasped behind her back and she leaned forward.
"Ash and I decided we were better off as friends." Serena shot him a smile that was so much lighter now that they didn't have to lie. Though he didn't like the way Miette's eyes brightened at the proclamation.
"Oh, what a shame. You two made such a striking couple." Grace in particular looked distraught by the news, shoulders slumped like she'd just heard the worst news of her life.
Before anything else could be said, their guide arrived.
"Hello challengers! Glad to see you all on time!" The guide removed their goggles and lowered their scarf to show an older woman beaming at them all. "My name is Clarisse and I will be your guide, judge, and host of the Ice Catcher Challenge in Frost Cavern!" She made eye contact with each person, pausing on Ash and Orion before she moved on. "Once I have everyone checked in, I'm going to go over the rules, safety measures, and then I'll log your chosen partner Pokémon."
One by one, each person handed over their Pokédex, Pokénav, Holo Caster, or whatever other device they had that stored their personal data. The fee to participate was barely anything, which was surprising.
She clapped her gloves hands together once everyone was done and took a breath. "Now, Snowbelle is the way it is because the depths of Frost Cavern actually reach all the way to Snowbelle City! This little challenge happens every week, and is so popular since Frost Cavern is so out of the way without Teleportation!
"Now, the rules are simple. You will have 90 minutes in Frost Cavern to catch three Pokémon. You will be given three Sport Balls. That's it. You are allowed one partner Pokémon to assist. You must catch the Pokémon without causing any harm. Burning or poisoning your potential catch is not allowed, but all other status conditions are." It was a good thing he hadn't decided on Artemis then.
"I have forwarded everyone the point chart of all Ice types found in Frost Cavern. Bergmite are the most common, so they are only worth one point. Jynx are rare, and worth five points. Cryogonal and Beartic are worth ten points. Naturally, there are more on the list. Whoever has the highest combined total of points will win. Anyone finding a Pokémon not on that list will automatically be awarded ten points. We had to add that little clause when someone found a Galarian Darmanitan a few months ago."
Clarisse gave everyone a few minutes to scan the document she shared. Ash was surprised by how many Ice types were found in the caves, it was almost like any except the rarest could be found in the icy depths. There was even a Lapras on the list. Lorelei's was an absolute monster and Ash got lost in thought for a moment, imagining battling it.
"At the end of the challenge, and after a winner has been announced, you will be allowed to keep one of the Pokémon you caught. The winner will receive the reusable TM for Blizzard." Ash perked up.
"Now, I'm handing each of you a tracker for safety purposes and your three Sport Balls." Each person was handed one of the bulky devices which were quickly stuffed in pockets alongside the Pokéballs. Clarisse also released a muscular Growlithe who stood patiently at her side. "Hugo here will also get a scent in case someone isn't back in time. Now, we'll go around the circle and I'll register your partner Pokémon."
Louis and Manon had to apologize to their Hawlucha and Talonflame and swap them out, obviously not realizing they wouldn't be able to battle their opponents. Louis brought out a Heliolisk and Manon released a droopy-eyed Hypno who shivered and put more distance between itself and Ash. Miette had a Slurpuff that swayed beside her. The Fairy type were fantastic trackers and had a range of support moves that would work well for this challenge.
Miette caught him looking and winked. He scowled back and ignored Serena's silent laughter.
Once everyone was done, Clarisse smiled. "Alright! Let's get going!" Two Jynx appeared on either side of her, hips swaying even as their frostbitten faces looked like they were gasping for air. They seemed rather indifferent to Ash's presence.
With a short countdown, they were all whisked away, the distance easy yet the number of passengers anything but. Ash was extremely impressed with the two Psychic types.
He really needed his own Psychic type.
Soon.
Though he had to temper his worry that there would be no Psychic type that could handle close proximity to the… effects of Yveltal's 'gift' and whatever the Cuff was.
The gaping maw of Frost Cavern was exhaling frigid air that immediately had Ash tightening his jacket. Orion growled in anticipation, striding forward before Ash pulled him back. Clarisse sent them a fond smile before she pulled up her scarf.
Taking a moment, Ash tried to mentally shut off the new sense that existed in the back of his mind. As he breathed and focused, he noticed the sparks of light slowly fade until he was left with just a light feeling of warmth alongside his regular old human senses. He didn't want any advantage. He'd either win working in tandem with Orion or not at all.
A nudge on his arm had him looking at Serena, a challenging glint in her eye. "May the best catcher win."
The fire of competition roared to life in his chest and he felt his own feral excitement flash in his eyes. "You're on."
Clarisse shouted, "GO!" and they were all off.
Dozens of Bergmite littered the open cave, and out of the corner of his eye Ash caught Evie and Louis stopping. He understood, there was no guarantee you'd actually catch a Pokémon, so getting one right off the bat would at least get you in the running.
But Ash wanted to win.
"Lead us deep!" He shouted to Orion, flying past Serena and laughing at her shouts of betrayal.
The Ninetales was hard to track in the snowy caves, his natural camouflage cloaking him. After a plea from Ash, the fox covered one tail in steel energy so Ash could keep track.
They raced past alarmed Smoochum and Swinub, and even a Sneasel. Which, yeah that was annoying because he had been looking for one on Mt. Lanakila, and now one shows up when he already had - admittedly the best - Ice type.
Ash ignored them all, only going for five point catches or higher.
Orion quickly cut left, down a narrow passage that had Ash grinning as he followed. At one point he had to squeeze through a portion but soon he came to a small area with a hoard of Swinub and one large Piloswine.
"Remember, no injuries. We have to be smart." Orion petulantly sniffed but nodded. "Disable, Confuse Ray." They were still tucked behind one large ice formation, so Piloswine hadn't noticed them yet. He didn't feel too bad about separating it from the herd, he was going to release it anyway.
The large Ground and Ice type froze, caught in Orion's sudden Disable. It only had a moment to panic before the ghostly wisps gathered around its eyes. "Imprison." A heavy blanket of Psychic power weighed Piloswine down, the collection of Ice energy fading immediately that had been gathering between its tusks. "Hypnosis."
The Swinub hadn't even noticed, and as the Piloswine fell into a deep slumber, Ash prepped the Sport Ball.
The moment Piloswine was sucked inside, the Swinub went wild.
The noise was awful, squealing and snorting. Orion lunged forward, grabbing the locked ball in his jaws before he and Ash took off down the corridor.
Ice Shards shattered against the wall right where Ash's head had been, but he laughed breathlessly as they made it out. Orion dropped the Sport Ball into his hand, and Ash wiped the cold slobber off on his pants.
"Six points." The two shared a grin before continuing on.
An hour and a half was not a lot of time, and it was probably so short so people wouldn't get lost. They had 45 minutes left.
It was plenty.
They came across a Dewgong, but Manon was already there, engaging it masterfully with his Hypno, lulling it into a deep sleep, as was the Psychic type's specialty. Stonewalling the mental 'what ifs' of Omen's Hypno, Ash didn't waste time, quickly passing and letting Orion lead him down the fifth passageway to the left.
Ash skidded to a stop at Orion's insistence, furrowing his eyebrows in question before he really looked. He gaped.
Three absolutely hulking Avalugg were resting, looking like nothing more than giant icy formations.
He grinned wildly, his expression mirrored on Orion's muzzle. Clarisse said they couldn't injure the Pokémon, she didn't say anything about them injuring each other.
"Mist, then Confuse Ray, Spite." As slowly as possible to seem natural, Orion's Mist crept into the cavern, and soon Ash couldn't even see his Ninetales. One Avalugg grumbled at the sound of a falling block of ice, barely opening its eyes only to be struck with ghostly wisps.
Avalugg's roar shook the cavern.
The other two startled awake, though speed was not their forte. They struggled to straighten their legs, and in that delay, the confused, scared Ice type rammed full force into the smallest of the three, though by no means was it small.
Avalugg #3 was knocked onto its side, and Orion took the opportunity to slink over and lull it to sleep. The Sport Ball went flying over the heads of the warring Iceberg Pokémon, landing solidly against the sleeping one's side.
The entire area was shuddering with the force of the fight, and Ash felt some uncertainty enter his gut. He really hoped the foundations of this place were solid.
The confused Avalugg wasn't fighting at its best, and was flailing too much to land a solid hit, so Avalugg #2 closed the distance, getting its head beneath the other's belly and roaring, flipping it onto its back. Icicles rained from above, and Ash had to protect his head to not get impaled.
Okay, they needed to end this.
Orion wasn't powerful enough yet to Disable an Avalugg for long, or even at all. But they had to try. The Ninetales was quick to put the confused Avalugg to sleep, but then he was seen by the last.
This Avalugg was the biggest of the three, and most likely the leader. Avalugg didn't form drifts often, but when they did there was always a hierarchy. The largest was always the head.
And this one was angry that its underling rebelled against it.
Ash shook out his hands and got ready.
Avalanche was already forming, but Ash was ready. "Extrasensory!" Orion's eyes flashed, and he dashed underneath the massive Ice type, glowing with more Psychic light to Imprison the opponent.
Avalugg dropped, Orion yelping when a few of his tails got caught beneath the behemoth. Snarling, more Mist flowed off his fur, and the wispy Spite had Avalugg groaning. It shifted just enough for Orion to escape, his face twisted in anger. His tails took on a steely sheen. "Orion, Disable!" Ash cut in, knowing the challenge of his order would overpower the anger. The metallic sheen faded from his tails.
The Iceberg Pokémon snorted and shook off the restricting technique easily, lowering its head and gathering energy.
Ash balked.
"Hold!" Orion growled nervously but listened, though he nervously looked to his sides and backed up. Then the Skull Bash was charged. "JUMP!" Orion howled and lept, Avalugg's attack ripping three claws off of Orion's hind foot.
The Ninetales skidded and fell as he landed on Avalugg's flat back, claws scrambling to hold on. He quickly found his footing, wincing as blood smeared on the icy flesh beneath him, but charged forward as Avalugg shook its head in confusion.
Front paws planted on the Pokémon's head, and Orion's eyes met his opponent's.
Avalugg collapsed, dead asleep.
Orion lept down right before the Sport Ball connected with the massive Iceberg Pokémon's back. The ball rocked like crazy against the icy floor before finally lying still.
The breath wooshed out of Ash's lungs, carrying just the barest hints of a laugh. Orion scowled but approached with his head held high, doing his best not to limp. His hindfoot was a bloody mess and probably broken from the momentum of his foe.
Ash rummaged in his back and sprayed a potion, shaking his head when the Ninetales refused to wince from the sting. He kept an eye on the still sleeping Avalugg #1, but placed a hand on Orion's muzzle to pet it lightly.
"Good job." Orion lifted his chin and trotted past him, but waited a split second to make sure Ash was following. Rolling his eyes, Ash grabbed the Sport ball and jogged after him, knowing they had to book it to get back to the opening.
The two had to dodge a group of Vanillish but made it back to the entrance with six minutes to spare.
Everyone else was back, and Clarisse released a relieved breath when he came into view, her eyes lingering on Orion's wrapped foot.
Ash headed for Serena and high fived her aloft hand. Her other hand clutched one Sport Ball to her chest like it was a precious gem. Raising his eyebrow, Serena pursed her lips and tucked it further into her chest. Degas giggled into his hand.
"So Ash, how'd you do?" Miette was suddenly beside him, looking up at him through her eyelashes. "It was so cold in there, I wish I'd had someone to keep me warm." She stepped closer and shivered a bit dramatically in Ash's opinion. He heard Serena slap a hand to her face, and he didn't know if it was her forehead or mouth.
He frowned down at Miette, though he was lucky enough not to have to say anything when Orion growls viciously and steps forward.
Miette gasped and scrambled back, her Slurpuff tilting its head, but the Ninetales was sitting quietly beside Ash, the picture of innocence. He flicked his tails imperiously, staring down his nose at the two.
Ash bit back a smile.
"Alright, that's time! One at a time, please step forward and I'll record the points!" Ash hung back, passing the time with Serena and Degas by throwing snowballs at Orion so he could bite them out of the air.
When it was his turn, Clarisse held up an odd tray that was connected by a wire to her Holo Caster. "Please set all occupied Sport Balls into the divots." Ash did as she asked, and watched Clarisse's eyebrows rise. "And you didn't injure these Avalugg?"
"You didn't say anything about them not injuring each other." He was surprised when she laughed. Her Growlithe wagged its tail slightly but stayed put pressed against her leg.
She gestured for Ash to step back, without the Sport Balls, and grinned at everyone. "I'd like to congratulate you all on completing the Ice Capture Challenge! Everyone here caught at least two Pokémon which is a rare event! But we may have some new records on our hands!" She shuffled some things and pressed a button on her Holo Caster.
"Now, tied for fifth place are Grace and Louis with seven points! Grace caught a Smoochum and a Vanillish! Louis caught a Bergmite, Snover, and a Cubchoo! Now which Pokémon would you like to keep?"
Grace grinned and said, "Smoochum!" Clarisse nodded and handed her the Sport Ball, pressing a couple buttons on her screen.
Louis chose to keep the Snover, his Heliolisk sniffing the Sport Ball and fluttering its collar.
"In fourth place is Evie with nine points! She caught a Bergmite, Delibird, and a Sneasel!" Ash nodded, impressed. Sneasel were tricky, obviously. Evie chose to keep the Sneasel, and he wondered if it would be rude to offer advice about the Dark type.
He didn't have to worry, since Serena leaned over to the girl and whispered, "Ash is part Dark type specialist if you want any tips." Evie beamed and nodded in thanks at him.
"Tied for third place are Manon and Serena with fifteen points! Manon caught a Dewgong and a Jynx! Serena caught a Castform, a Swinub, and was lucky enough to find a Pokémon never before seen in the caverns, a Snom!"
Manon kept the Dewgong, and Ash knew immediately who Serena would keep. The moment Clarisse had stopped typing in her Holo Caster, Serena released Snom and scooped the little Bug into her arms, cuddling it and eliciting a soft purr.
"In second place is Miette, with twenty points! Which would be a record if not for our first place winner. She caught a Glalie and a Sealeo, absolutely incredible! Which would you like to keep?" Miette brushed a hand across Ash's arm as she passed to collect the Sealeo.
"She's shameless." Serena sounded so entertained and Ash could only grumble to himself.
"And our winner, with a new record of twenty five points, is Ash! He caught a Piloswine, and two Avalugg! Which would you like to keep?"
Ash shook his head. "I already have an Ice type, I'm good." Orion's ears flicked but he did stand a little closer. Clarisse didn't look too surprised and nodded.
"I'll be releasing your catches back into the cave, but I'd like to congratulate you all on some incredible finds!" She handed Ash a packaged TM, which he carefully stowed in his case.
He smiled down at the Ninetales. "You're getting Aurora Veil and Blizzard as soon as we're back at the center." Orion swished his tails smugly.
Clarisse's two Jynx stepped forward as their trainer entered the cave with her Growlithe. The group were swept up in Teleport and deposited right back at the gym, the Psychics gone a second later.
"I'm so excited! Hoenn isn't really known for its Ice types, though you wouldn't know it with Elite Glacia!" Grace was holding her Sport Ball in a tight grip, her Medicham nodding along.
"Ash, I would appreciate any advice you have on Dark types!" Evie smiled at him and he nodded.
"Let's do dinner if anyone else would like to join?" Serena looked around. Miette was the first to step up, between Serena and Ash, smirking up at Ash with her hands clasped behind her back.
"No thank you." Manon dipped his head and left, his Hypno shuffling alongside. Ash could appreciate his bluntness.
"I have to get going too, thanks though!" Louis waved and walked off with Heliolisk.
Grace looked torn before slumping. "I can't either, I only have a few more days in Kalos and I need to get to Santalune."
"No worries! Have a safe trip." Serena smiled, waving as the four of them moved to look for a restaurant.
Ash slowed his steps to walk with Evie. "When it comes to Dark types, the most important thing-"
"Ash! My hand is cold, can you hold it?"
Here we respect our Lord and Savior, Snom.
Continuing the trend of type advantages meaning nothing to Castor.
Orion's old personality is coming back. He and Ash got to bond a bit in the cavern.
Miette is Miette.
Next chapter, a surprise appearance and a big battle!
Ash's Team:
Styx - Hydreigon
Hemlock - Morgrem
Bane - Zoroark
Mirae - Mytheon
Sagitta - Togekiss
Libra - Hakamo-o
Nettle - Poipole
Castor - Krokorok
Polaris - Frogadier
Artemis - Houndoom
Orion - A. Ninetales
Serena's Team:
Fawkes - Delphox
Hei Bei - Pangoro
Degas - Kirlia
Hedwig - Oricorio
Nessie - Milotic
Hela - Mismagius
Unnamed - Snom