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Chap. 68: Audience Participation

Like the rest of the crowd, Alex found himself caught up in the fervor of the crowd as the newest challenger, Chris, the man whose girlfriend he'd fucked in the field outside of Pewter City. The one whose Eevee had evolved into a beautiful Umbreon. Before, when Alex and he had made the bet that resulted in that (admittedly, pretty epic) public round of sex where he'd not only fucked Riina, but Elle had jerked Chris off in front of a small audience, Chris' team had been just five.

He could remember the Eevee, of course, a Natu, Vulpix, Marill, and a Pikachu. Since then, it seemed he'd added a sixth, because the first Pokémon the dark-haired young man released was… well, a trio of what looked like Magnemite stuck together. He'd seen one, in the distance, at the Steelworks but couldn't remember fighting against one at the moment. Magne… something. Zone? No, that was the third stage, if he remembered right. His knowledge of early generations was imperfect, of course, but…

Ton! Magneton, that was it.

Alex remembered a moment before the announcer called out, "And our Challenger, just the first to reach our Gym Leader today, sends out a Magneton! Sure, kid, Steel's effective, but those aren't known for having a lot of Steel moves! I hope you have something more up your sleeve!"

On the massive screen that now displayed a close-up of Chris' face, Alex saw the man smirk. But down below, on the field, he also saw his hands clenching and releasing nervously.

Did he? He remembered the Vulpix, of course, and that would no doubt be helpful, but Ice and Water went hand-in-hand in many types. Taking a pure-fire Pokémon into an Ice Gym was just as risky as taking a Steel, maybe even more-so. Still, he didn't seem that nervous, and he'd done pretty well just getting to Snøgrav. He had some skill, though Alex had already known that. Would it be enough?

"You can do it, Chris!" he heard a woman shout from the front row, a few below them, and maybe thirty seats to the left. Riina, he realized, the dark-haired Nipponese beauty still seemed to be sticking with Chris. Not that he could blame him, the man seemed nice enough, and he could hardly blame Chris for wanting to stick with her, either. She was really tight, and quite good looking, not to mention pretty good on the Battlefield as well.

"Yeah, Chris, you got this!" That call came from much closer, the petite young woman on his right.

Alex grinned and stood up too, "Do it, Chris! Show us how it's done!"

"Are we rooting for him then?" Robin asked, not quite loudly enough for anyone but Alex to hear over the roar of the crowd. A moment later, she joined in too, in the way only she could: Promising to fuck him if he won.

"Don't worry, Alex," she laughed afterward, when her loud yell made the man in question look up in surprise, scanning the mass of faces for who'd said it. "I'm not following through on that one. For now, you're gonna be my only one."

"I haven't even said I would," he muttered, "So don't go making promises like that, damn."

"Not with words," she agreed, then leaned up on her toes to press a kiss to his cheek, right there sandwiched between Megumi on her far side and Elle on his. "But your looks say otherwise. I'm just waitin' for you, stud."

He blushed, and was the first of their group to sit back down. Though Megumi and Kinta didn't even know Chris so far as he was aware, they kept cheering the longest. His cheek was warm… he was warm, suddenly, despite being in a very cold Gym. Maybe it was the body heat of so many people packed together…

Or maybe her kiss had done it. Something seemingly innocent, a quick peck of her mouth on his left jawline. He was obviously attracted to her, any idiot could see that. And Robin was, in fact, very attractive as she normally appeared. In fact, her half-Nipponese appearance with the pink hair she favored made her, at least in his eyes, one of the most stunning people he'd ever met, right up there with Elle.

Yet it was her overtly sexual nature, if anything, that made him even more suspicious of her motives. She was clearly the type who liked sex, yes, much like Maline Greengrass in fact. But, also like the Game Freak executive, Robin used her sexuality as a weapon. That kiss, though, the quick, improvised, girlish gesture… it had impacted him far more than he had expected.

It wasn't charged with lust, or an attempt to seduce him, and it hit Alex right where it counted, in the center of his chest.

Robin DeVerl might be a young woman with ulterior motives. She might be working directly for (and, somehow, against?) Game Freak, like they were(?).

But she was also a young woman, who was more than just passingly interested in him. Of that, Alex was now sure.

She didn't want to use him… well, maybe she did, but not just use him, or use her body to get things from him. Because that kiss made his cheeks tingle like Elle's did, and he was pretty sure his own suspicions should have kept that from happening if she really were just using him.

Alex sighed, then forced his emotions back to their normal neutral. More importantly, he forced his mind back to the task at hand: Finding a weakness. Snøgrav had to have one, no one was perfect. Right?

The Battle for the Gym Badge had begun while he'd been distracted, lost in figuring out his chaotic thoughts and emotions. Damn it, I wanted to watch the whole thing.

Below, on the Battlefield, Chris' Magneton was reeling from what looked like a tsunami of muddy water released by a white, seal- or manatee-like creature. "Oh, that had to hurt," the announcer, an excited-sounding man shouted, "the surprise Muddy Water always gets those Steel Types people think will have an easy time! Our Challenger's Magneton is still up, but what's he going to do when our illustrious Gym Leader does what he does best, and finish it?"

The last two words were followed by another cheer from the crowd, repeating the same words three times. "Finish it! Finish it! Finish it!"

But Chris wasn't out of the running yet. Clearly, Snøgrav allowed Item usage, because Chris pulled something off his belt and sprayed down the dazed Magneton. "That's his turn, bad move, kid," the announcer called, "He's just gonna Muddy Water again!"

The announcer was right, and the brown, gunky liquid lashed across the snow-covered field, leaving dirt and muck in its wake as Chris jumped back to his protected side of the now full-sized circle. It buried the Magneton once more, and Alex feared for the worst. Only this time, the Steel-Electric type floated up out of the sloshing water, mud, and snow. Sparking, clearly hurt, but alive. "Bought the Ground-Out Potion," Chris smirked, "I planned for your planning, Snøgrav! Magneton, I know you're hurting, but you can make him hurt more! Zap Cannon!"

The crowd gasped, along with Elle and Robin both. Alex felt he was the only quiet one in the crowd as the surge of electricity built in a sphere between the three Magnemites that made up the second-stage Evolution of the line. Then it shot outward like its namesake, blistering with arcs of golden energy lashing out against every peak in the rapidly-sinking water that still moved outward from the Seel.

"Seel, do- fuck!" Snøgrav snarled, prompting Alex to really look at him for the first time.

The man was, in a word, huge. A hulking mass, only some of which was due to the thick furs he wore. Alex was pretty tall at six-foot-one, but he estimated he would only come up to Snøgrav's shoulders. He was about twice as wide, and at least half again as thick, too. Thick golden-blonde hair was woven with beads and braids and feathers that hung in a long plait down to his mid-back outside the furs he wore, while two longer ones framed his face and merged with his intricately-braided beard.

The furs didn't cover him completely, but they may as well have. His already thick, muscled legs resembled tree trunks in the thick boots too, and while the man's shoulders and upper arms were bare, displaying thick, rippling muscle, scars, and a few Nordic-style tribal tattoos, half of which were marred by scars too, the torso and lower arms were covered in what might have been six or seven Seel's coats, or a Deerling, or some other thick-coated creature with fur somewhere between tan and white.

Of course, that didn't mention the beads, strips of leather, or the blood that spattered the outfit in several places, or the massive axe that hung on the man's back, probably longer than Elle was tall.

All in all, he was most impressive as a specimen of humanity, if you looked past the general unkempt, unwashed demeanor, and the clear expression of violence barely restrained.

The intimidation factor was intense, and Alex had to wonder how much of it was an act, and how much real. That sure did look like real blood, but actors and makeup had been able to simulate that since the profession had begun centuries, even a millennium, earlier. Still, Snøgrav snorted, his voice projected over the loudspeakers though Alex couldn't see a microphone on his person, "Well, you've brought down one of my Team, not bad, kid. You're even one up on me… for now. I really hope that Magneton wasn't your only trump, though. I'm going to go with Swinub for now. Be glad you've only got two Badges… at three, I can start using my Piloswine herd."

More oohs and aahs accompanied what looked to Alex like nothing more than a lump of brown- and umber-striped fur with a tiny pink, pig-like snout. Elle squealed too, "Ooh, it's so cute!"

"Pretty sure it's not, it's just fuzzy," Kinta shouted past the rest of the group, "I think it's ugly when it evolves!"

"Details!" Megumi told him, leaning forward eagerly as Snøgrav called out an attack called Icy Wind.

It, of course, did little to the Magneton, but the follow-up Thundershock did… nothing. At all. It didn't even singe the Swinub's fur. "This little guy may not be Ice/Ground-type yet," Snøgrav laughed, "but you aren't the only one that can use items, Challenger! He's got a Shock Absorber hidden under that fur! Now, Swinub, show him your power. Not with a measly Icy Wind, no… show him the strength of the frozen tundra! Mud Slap!

It shouldn't have been deadly. It shouldn't even have been all that dangerous, Ground being effective against Steel or not. Even the dual-type vulnerability of Steel/Electric should not have been enough to drown and trap the Magneton in rapidly-hardening, muddy snow and ice. But it was.

"Heh… Got you, twerp. Swinub's also a Technician. Makes moves with low power and high accuracy more effective, you know? Only reason why I'd use a little guy like him, even in a Gym Battle. That's one-one, right?"

Chris was visibly surprised, along with most of the rest of the crowd, but he shook it off quickly. His Natu, however, was made short work of by the same Icy Wind: a mere two blasts finished it off. While it did score two good hits against the little, furry pig, the same Swinub drowned his Pikachu with the same Mud Slap it had finished off the Magneton with in a single hit.

It went down a moment later, resulting in what was effectively a draw. The problem was, with two badges under his belt, Chris was expected to bring a full team of six against Snøgrav's five. He had six to start, but he was down three, with three left, and Snøgrav still had three as well. The odds were definitely swinging in the Gym Leader's favor.

"Marill," the announcer called, "I couldn't quite make out what our Challenger said, his mic must not be working right, but that's definitely a Marill, ladies, gentlemen, and Pokémon! What's Snøgrav going to use against it? It's his turn to choose second… and it looks like he's gone with a Shellder! Water against water! It should be a good fight!"

It wasn't.

Chris' Marill was definitely the faster of the two, but a series of Harden, and then Withdraw moves left the Shellder all-but unhurtable, and even with the Water Mouse's surprise Thunder Punch (how had he learned that, Alex wondered), it just wasn't enough to finish off the Molusc before it was dropped. The Shellder didn't last long against Umbreon that followed, at least, leaving it at two-all.

Alex found himself on the edge of his seat as Maven, Chris' Umbreon, dodged left and right, leaped over an Ice Beam fired from the strange, Ghost-Ice-like Castform that Snøgrav was using as his penultimate Battler. A Shadow Ball had smashed into the little thing twice, and it seemed almost on its last legs, but as Chris fired a third of the actual Ghost-type attacks, Snøgrav called out, "Forecast-switch, Castform! Go Clear Day."

A move Alex had never heard of, but the effects were obvious. Castform had definitely been Ice-type, though it had seemed almost like a miniature Cryogonal, a 'mon that had existed in a couple of the Generations of games Alex had played as a child, but as the Ghost move hit it, the black wisps of energy dissipated into nothing.

"It's Normal-type," Megumi and Robin shouted together, both pointing as the snowflake-like creature shifted to a gray, wispy, raindrop shape.

Chris didn't lose a beat, though. This time, the announcer called out the attack a moment too late as Maven jumped into the air and brought both of her rear feet smashing down into the smaller creature, slamming it into the dirty ice that now made up much of the arena floor. "Double-Kick! I wasn't expecting that! What a quick turn-around for our Challenger! His Umbreon's something else, isn't she, folks? Now the Challenger is up by a full Pokémon again as our Leader comes down to his last Pokémon! What'll it be, though? What powerhouse has Johann Snøgrav elected to carry him to victory today?"

Maven seemed quite prepared for whatever came out next, as Chris' Starter paced back and forth half-way through her side of the battle circle, her eyes constantly locked on Snøgrav himself. The creature's owner was still standing tall and proud. Which made sense, as Snøgrav was congratulating him loudly all of a sudden. "Well done, kid, well done! That was actually a surprise, I'll admit. An Eeveelution that's not ice, steel, water, or fire, coming into my Gym and doing well is pretty rare. She's well-trained, I can tell, and you obviously care a lot about her, and her, you. So good job, you've got my respect for that. However… if you want your Umbreon to stay healthy, you should withdraw. Because my last fighter is… not one for mercy. I choose… Lapras!"

This time, gasps of fear filled the stands rather than oohs and aahs. Alex actually turned around in his seat to ask the person back there, "What's so bad about a Lapras? I thought they were pretty docile."

"Most are," the older man, a retired Sailor if Alex had to guess judging by his portly belly but still muscled and tattooed frame, "but Snøgrav's… is different. She's a beast. At least, his three-four-and five-badge one. Her mother's a piece of work too, she was one of his first 'mon, and she's been with him long enough to pick up on his bloodthirsty streak. In this case, it's like mother like daughter. Watch. Snøgrav wasn't kidding, that poor Umbreon ain't gonna know what hit her."

"Detect!" Chris must have known something was up as the pleisosaur-like, blue shelled monster appeared in front of Snøgrav, because his first move of the new round was purely defensive. It was a good call, too, because the mystical barrier that appeared completely shielded Maven from an attack that flooded the entire field, and sent ripples along the otherwise invisible fields of force that protected the Trainers and the audience.

When the Hydro Pump had faded, the circle, no, the entire stadium floor was filled three feet deep, after a three-minute torrent of water that had gushed from the Lapras' mouth with the force of a bullet in a sustained shot.

"Holy shit," Alex whispered.

The rest of the crowd seemed speechless, too. The man behind Alex snorted a moment later, "That Chris guy's pretty good, then, if Snøgrav is taking him seriously after all that. Big guns, and all. Still, hope you guys are prepared for your friend to lose. Detect won't last forever."

Alex knew it. They all knew it, judging by the sudden strange, still silence in the crowd. No one moved. People barely breathed.

Certainly no one spoke, as Maven's floppy black ears, drenched now, crested the water a moment before her head did. It seemed she could swim, at least, as she started moving back and forth once more. "Give it a minute, Challenger," Snøgrav called, "We'll pause the Battle. Don't want an uneven playing field, that's not the intent of my style. Field crew! Drain this water, on the double!"

Six Trainers, each with a hose that led down into the passage dragging behind them, and six more Pokémon each dashed out in pairs around the field. Half the monsters were Fire- or Grass-types, which seemed incongruous, until they simultaneously used Sunny Day. The three Water-types, in turn, did something Alex couldn't see, which ended up siphoning water into themselves. Between the six moves and six massive hoses, it still took ten minutes or more to drain even most of the water the Lapras had jetted out in three minutes on its own.

Once mud and ice were revealed once more, Snøgrav waved them off, then gave a thumbs-up to the announcer, "Ready?"

"W- We're ready, Mr. Snøgrav! And we're back on, folks, after a magnanimous clear of the battlefield by our illustrious, merciful leader!"

"Mercy," Snøgrav snorted, "Just fair, that's all. Alright, Challenger, I hope you're ready. Try that Detect again, I dare you. For now it might work… maybe."

Whatever command he issued to the hulking Lapras, whose neck towered even over Snøgrav himself, it wasn't broadcast over the microphones. Chris's was as quiet as ever, though he was now looking visibly worried. Still, it was up to the announcer to call out what was happening for those that couldn't tell easily. "Dig! The Umbreon's used Dig, and it's actually working! I don't know if that'll help, though… looks like it is! An Ice Beam that could shatter buildings just got absorbed by the barriers, ladies and gentlemen, and I'm told it caused a localized blackout in northern Cerulean! Don't worry, the power only flickered a moment, but you might check your clocks if you live there! And Holy Arceus, would you look at that! Gym Leader Snøgrav's Lapras, his merciless slaughter-machine, has taken first blood! That Umbreon's something special, ladies and gents, look how fast she is, how graceful!"

Maven was, in fact, already back on Chris' side by the time the announcer finished calling out the results of the round. She had, somehow, clocked the Lapras' exact location and come up behind her. The Dig itself had missed, perhaps intentionally. It would not likely have done much, anyway. But the follow-up Double-Kick had broken a spike off the massive shell atop the larger Pokémon, and it had completely dodged the slower Ice Beam that followed the first.

Another Detect blocked the third Ice Beam… but there, Chris' luck ran out. Maybe he had grown overconfident. Maybe he'd just gotten lucky so far. But the Gym Leader's passive glower across the large Battle Circle betrayed nothing about his intention as he quietly gave another command.

Chris didn't have a chance, or didn't feel the need, to call out Detect. Maybe he could have, but either way, it was too late by the time he realized what was happening. "Time to stir up the North Wind, baby girl," Snøgrav shouted suddenly, reaching back for his axe and drawing it, then pointing the huge weapon straight at Chris. "North Wind's Call… down a mighty Blizzard!"

The effect was immediate, and happened so quickly that Alex wasn't sure if what he thought he'd seen was actually what happened. From all sides, every corner of the Arena, snow gathered in a raging storm that whited out the entire area within seconds. From the ceiling hundreds of feet overhead to the arena floor below, a column of white snow filled every section of the barrier that circled the battle floor.

But just for a moment, the briefest of moments, Alex thought he saw Snøgrav smirk, as if the battle was a foregone conclusion. Maybe it was. But the axe went onto his back again as he turned away, already walking to the edge of the field where he'd first strode onto the snow from. "Just finish him off, Lapras," came over the loudspeaker, barely audible over the howling wind.

When the snow at last began to settle and clear, it was obvious Maven was done. She'd suffered a few small wounds earlier, but that Blizzard had almost single-handedly dropped her to unconsciousness. She was laying in the snow, shivering, covered in ice, unable to move… maybe unable to breathe.

"I- I forfeit!" Chris' voice rang out over the loudspeakers, his microphone suddenly working for some reason, "I withdraw!"

Boos came sporadically from the crowd, but Alex understood why the man had done it. His last good fighter was a Vulpix. Against that Hydro Pump, there would be nothing it could do. It wouldn't survive the first hit… if Maven had. She still might die.

"And that's it I suppose," the announcer called, "I hope you guys enjoyed the show so far! There's another round coming up in a few hours, so stay tuned, and don't forget to check out the Icy Grave Bar and Grill if you're feeling a bit peckish- it's almost lunch-time, folks! If nothing else, it'll save you a trip topside and back! I've been Nolan Lambert, and thanks once again for coming to watch a thrilling round of Battles as competitors try again and again to earn the coveted Frostwind Badge!"

Alex sat in stunned silence as, all around their group, people began to stand and make their way toward the various exits of the arena. Frankly, he wasn't sure how they all rode the lift down… it must've taken hours. Either that, or there was another entrance meant for moving larger groups. It would make sense, if the entrance on the map they'd used was for Challengers, or even primarily them and their companions.

But that… that had truly been brutal.

And the strength of the Lapras! Just that one Pokémon had been devastating. It wasn't even the most powerful one the Gym Leader had, according to the old man! For the first time, he truly started to understand what Robin had meant when she said 'level a city'.

Without the protective barriers, either the Hydro Pump or Blizzard, and maybe even the weaker Ice Beams if aimed poorly, could have killed dozens or hundreds. Maybe everyone in the stands. To see a Pokémon at full power using moves like that would be terrifying… and yes, exciting, too.

"Come on, stud," Robin nudged him after several minutes of brooding, "We're gonna go eat at this Icy Grave, I think, then head back topside. We've… got a lot to talk about."

He could only nod. Yes… yes, the Ice Gym was going to be a challenge. But he had to remind himself that somehow Chris had two Badges. More than he did. He could… he could assume that his own fight would be easier, if not necessarily by much. Realistically, his own team was about as well-trained and practiced as Chris', so it might be enough. And if not, well… strategy helped. They needed a plan. He needed a plan. At least they had a few days (and lunch) to come up with one.