Chapter Thirty-Three
She ran into Maylene again at the Pokémon Center. She had escaped the storm of Abomasnow due to being properly prepared. She hadn't known at all that she had left Amira behind until she had reached the city. She apologized profusely while Amira kept trying to reassure her that it wasn't her fault. The storm had made them both unable to see anything except what was directly in front of them.
Accompanying Maylene was another girl. She was a fashion conscious girl who, even in the brisk air of Snowpoint City, dressed lightly in a style that was popular in the warmer metropolitan cities of Sinnoh. She wore a white blouse with a blue bow tied around the collar and a beige miniskirt. The only clothing she had that might hinder the cold were slouched leg warmers and an oversized blue sweater tied around her waist. Her hair was tied in two bubble braids with a single flyaway bang, adorned by two diamond barrettes on each side.
"You! I like you!"
She rushed to Amira and enthusiastically grabbed her hands.
"I heard all about what you did! Walking through a herd of Abomasnow like that! That took some real nerve! I knew I liked you when I saw you battle Fantina but now I like you even more!"
"Thank you..." She sheepishly accepted her praise. She hadn't pulled that stunt on purpose.
"Candice gets fired up easily," Maylene explained.
"Wait, are you Candice the gym leader?"
"That's right," Candice exclaimed. "I was waiting for someone tough to challenge me and I'm glad it's you! But I should tell you, I'm tough too because I know how to focus! Whether it's Pokémon, fashion, or romance, it's all about being focused!"
It was clear from her every animated move that she lived by this philosophy. Although she seemed flighty, there was true merit in her words about facing challenges so directly.
"Let's both go all out!"
Their gym match was set then and there for the very next day.
The Snowpoint Gym was an ice rink covered in frost from floor to ceiling. It was kept only a few degrees warmer than the weather outside but the air conditioner never stopped running. Patrons bundled up in sweaters and coats, with piping hot drinks and food kept close.
Their match had all the pomp and pageantry of a proper contest battle. The gym was decorated all over with glittering banners and strings of twinkling lights. Rows of illuminated snowflakes hung from the ceiling and projectors gave the illusion of snowfall. A crew had even been sent from Jubilife to manage everything. In the early morning, when the gym should have been empty, it was fully awake and bustling with various stagehands immersed in their work. Amira wondered at the discrepancy of treatment between this gym and the last.
"Why is this being made into a big production all of a sudden," she asked as she and Liam were walking to the preparation room.
"Supply and demand," he answered. He only went into an explanation after seeing the confused look on her face. "Think of it like this. The more the public wants to see you, the more incentive there is for the studio to show you off in the best possible light. You'll be given better accommodations, a larger budget for necessary expenses, more opportunities for publicity work, and things like that."
"I'm a commodity," she said with an insincere gasp.
He looked at her in disbelief. So she knew the word commodity but not the concept of supply and demand?
"Hardly," he replied. "Just think of it as a reward for your work."
"So they're setting all this up to make me look good because I won my match with Byron?"
"Wrong. They're setting all this up to make your match look entertaining," he said with emphasis. "Of course, having the cooperation of the gym leader is a tremendous help as well."
She nodded in agreement, acknowledging Candice's eager participation. With her curiosity satisfied, Amira let the conversation drop.
A rack of clothes and numerous boxes waited for her in the prep room. Special consideration had been taken in preparing her performance outfit. It had to both keep her warm and hide her bruises. Her pink coat had been altered to do the job properly. A shearling lining was sewn inside and fur trim was added to the cuffs, hem, and collar. The front buttons were accented by gold clasps. A belt gave the coat a skirted shape. A frilled underskirt kept it in place. Thick black leggings patterned with white snowflakes would cover her legs. Even fluffy leg warmers were added to cover her ankle boots. Due to the cold weather both outside and inside the gym, her hair had to be worn in a protective style, tucked away in a crown braid so she could wear a white fluffy hat to keep her head warm.
Her Pokémon were given pink scarf-life collars with golden clasps and hemmed with white pom poms. They weren't allowed to wear their protective cold weather gear during the battle because of the unfair advantage it would give them. She only chose three Pokémon to go against Candice's four. Her other three would be held in reserve in case things didn't go according to plan. She arranged her Poké Balls in the order she would call them in if needed. Despite her finicking, her confidence began to waver.
She felt detached from the celebratory atmosphere in the gym. She was instead feeling the pressure of the studio's expectations. When she stepped out to take her place on the field, the uncertainty hit her fully with the gusts of cold air. Bits and pieces of Cyrus words echoed in her mind. Had she become just a spectacle for a crowd? Was her value only in what she could give?
She looked out into the stands searching for a face to either confirm or deny her fears. She found one person after another, both people and Pokémon, seated together and smiling. They began to blur together. The sounds of cheers became muffled and warped. She couldn't see beyond the veil of lights. She began to drift back into her memories as they slowly replaced the scene in front of her.
The flickering lights signaling Candice's entrance broke through her daze.
Although it was a gym battle, fashion was a sphere where Candice still refused to be outdone. She shined under the stadium lights in a short white dress embroidered all over with blue snowflakes and purple stars. The hem of her dress and its wide bell sleeves were dyed in a gradient to a darker blue. It was tied with a tufted yellow and red belt. Her hair was in a bun held by a waterfall braid and tied in place with a purple ribbon. Crystal barrettes pinned a cluster of red spider lilies in place. Her long stockings were capped in a silver finish. More snowflakes of various shapes and sizes adorned her white tabi boots with red bottomed heels.
The sight of Candice in her own performance outfit brought her back. She was taken by the bright smile on her face. Candice didn't have Byron's derision towards contests while battling. She saw them instead as going hand in hand. A contest was the natural extension of a battle's showmanship. Both were meant to be events that were enjoyed; by the trainer, the Pokémon, and the crowd.
"I've been waiting for you to show up here," she said. "You're the rising celebrity that beat not only Fantina but also Byron with some pretty unexpected moves! I can't wait to see what you'll show me! But I really wanna beat you so get ready for it!"
Amira closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Let's go!"
The call of the referee and the blast of a siren signaled the start of their match. Candice sent out her first Pokémon, Sneasal. Amira sent out the newly evolved Lucario. He made his entrance with slippery steps as he tried to find his footing.
"Don't think type-advantage just applies to the Pokémon," Candice warned. "Sneasel, use Aerial Ace!"
Unlike Lucario, Sneasel was at home on the ice. It skated around the rink, giving its already high speed even more of a boost. With a flashy jump, its claws came down hard across Lucario's chest. Lucario was knocked off balance and knelt down on all fours to keep from fainting. He was weak to flying-type moves no matter who delivered them. Its speed and the terrain were Sneasal's advantage.
"Luca, hang in there! Break the ice underneath you!"
Lucario made two quick punches into the ice but didn't even leave a scratch.
"Nice try," said Candice. Right away she had caught on to Amira's plan. "Pretty quick thinking but the rink here is far too thick for that!"
"Use Aura Sphere," Amira ordered.
Lucario puts its hands together and summoned a blue ball of energy and fired it. Sneasel dodged it with a smirk.
"Keep it up! Don't let it get away!"
Lucario fired off one Aura Sphere after the other. None of them were able to catch up to Sneasel's speed.
"You won't be able to beat us with a lack of focus like that," Candice called out.
Amira gritted her teeth. Firing blindly would tire out Lucario before they hit Sneasel.
"Sneasel, Aerial Ace one more time!"
"Wait for it, Luca!"
Lucario held on to Aura Sphere and let it grow in power as Sneasel skated near. It waited for the jump it knew was coming. Lucario may have been weak to flying-types but Sneasel was twice as weak to fighting-type moves. The moment Sneasel let its guard down to draw back its claws, it was met with Aura Sphere in full force. Sneasel was sent flying and limply landed on the ice.
"And Aura Sphere finally connects," called the referee, "taking Sneasal out of the match!"
"That's a nice start but let's see if you can keep it up! Go Piloswine!"
Candice's next Pokémon, accompanied with a shower of flower petals, was a wild boar with long fur that carpeted its body from its eyes to its feet. The only part that was visible was its pink snout.
Piloswine, the Swine Pokémon and the evolved form of Swinub. Covered by a shaggy coat, it is strong against the cold. Its tusks of ice thicken when it snows.
Unlike Sneasal, who barely weighed anything, Piloswine was too heavy to move as fast. This meant even with his wobbly stance, Lucario could hit first. But with Piloswine's size, could he hit hard enough was the new problem.
"Use Force Palm!"
Lucario's paws turned light blue. However, it didn't build the energy into a ball. Instead, it ran up to Piloswine, half sliding across the ice, and struck it with a vicious slap. It released the violent energy on contact. The result sent a shower of sparks across Piloswine's body.
"Piloswine, use Earthquake!"
Amira drew in a sharp breath. If Earthquake hit, it would be one and done. Piloswine tried to lift its legs to perform the attack but could only let out pained cries as its body stiffened involuntarily. Lucario's attack had left him paralyzed. Amira didn't waste time in taking advantage of the opportunity.
"Quicly! Use Force Palm again!"
Lucario heard the urgency in her voice. He got as close as he could to Piloswine then made a leap. The lack of resistance on the rink had been both an obstacle and a convenience. If he slid just right, he could put less effort into his speed and more power into his attack. While airborne, he gathered the energy he needed for Force Palm and let gravity do the rest.
His hand came down hard across Piloswine's head. The mammoth Pokémon was knocked out from the blast. It fell over onto his side with a heavy thud that resounded throughout the gym. Lucario landed in front of him, ungracefully swinging his arms as he tried to keep his balance. He finally stood still in an awkward position of his knees bent low and his arms held in front of him to catch himself should he fall.
Candice gritted her teeth, "I can sense your will to win, but I'm not about to lose!"
She recalled Piloswine and sent out her next Pokémon. It towered over Lucario in both height and weight. As soon as it was out of its Poké Ball, it began to whip up a fierce hail storm. Lucario put an arm over his head in an attempt to shield himself from the falling pellets.
'Abomasnow, the Frost Tree Pokémon and the evolved form of Snover. It whips up blizzards in mountains that are always buried in snow. It is the abominable snowman.'
"Abomasnow, Wood Hammer!"
"Lucario, use Force Palm!"
Her call came too late. Candice took advantage of the confusion that Abomasnow's hail storm had caused and used it as an opening to attack. Abomasnow swung one of its huge fist and caught Lucario in his midsection as he swung. Lucario had the breath knocked out of him and was thrown back to the other side of the field. The hit hurt more than the rough landing but it wasn't enough to knock him out of just yet.
"Now Abomasnow, use Focus Blast!"
"Force Palm!"
Abomasnow put its hands together to blast Lucario with a concentrated beam of energy. Lucario leapt at Abomasnow and with a push of his feet, used its bent arms as leverage to climb higher. The heavy jump and close range threw off Abomasnows aim and the attack missed. In an imitation of Double Slap, Lucario delivered Force Palm one right after the other. The first attack made Abomasnow stumble backwards. The second knocked him out completely. It stirred up a small storm from its body as its fell.
Lucario was delivering a stellar performance for his first gym battle. He had given Amira the lead but it hadn't come effortlessly. He had taken his fair share of beatings from each of Candice's Pokémon. Still, Amira held back on recalling him until she knew what else Candice had up her sleeve.
"Time for my last-resort Pokémon!"
'Froslass, the Snow Land Pokemon and an evolved form of Snorunt. The soul of a woman lost on a snowy mountain possessed an icicle, becoming this Pokémon. The food it most relishes is the souls of men.'
Lucario took a hesitant step back. It hadn't been long that he had encountered such a threatening Pokémon. Amira read it as her cue to switch out. She recalled Lucario and sent out Rapidash. It was right on time.
The hail storm Abomasnow had whipped up worked perfectly with Froslass's ability, Snow Cloak. With its body of ice, it could slip in and out of the snowy winds completely unnoticed. Candice called for Froslass to use Double Team, a move that further increased its evasiveness by crowding the field with ethereal clones of itself. If she continued doing so, Candice could turn the match by making Froslass untouchable.
"Aurora, use Flame Wheel!"
Rapidash's flames burned bright as it charged towards the horde of Froslass ahead. The heat from its body melted away the clones without it having to get close. But the slippery ice made it too dangerous for Aurora to turn suddenly in the right direction. Even if she had taken the precaution of having her fitted with special horseshoes just for the ice, she still felt uneasy at the thought of putting them under too much stress.
"Stay there," Amira yelled.
While Aurora skid to a halt, the real Froslass escaped the attack unharmed.
"Don't be too careful," Candice teased. "Froslass, use Shadow Ball!"
Amira knew that Froslass wouldn't move while preparing her own attack. That made it the perfect time to strike.
"Use Flame Wheel!"
With glowing yellow eyes, a black ball of energy formed between Froslass's hands. It fired it at Aurora, who couldn't even dodge in her current position. The attack hit but Aurora shook it off without even a wince on her path towards the opponent. Flame Wheel hit its mark and took Froslass health down to a sliver.
"Use Blizzard!"
The wind and snow that already dominated the field turned violent. The frigid air thickened and neither side could see across. Blizzard doubled in power with Abomasnow's remaining hail storm and pelted Aurora with pellets of ice. The entire field had turned into a shaken snow globe leaving neither Pokemon visible. There was only one way to clear it up.
"Fire Blast!"
Rapidash's body burned furiously in a beautiful blaze. It inhaled deeply and its red eyes glowed bright. It reared up and slammed down with a roar that spit a blistering wall of flames from its mouth. The blizzard was reduced to steam without a chance to even turn into a liquid. Fire Blast was the ultimate fire-type move that once started, could not be stopped. Froslass stood in the path of the wall of flames. It fainted before the flames had even finished passing over its phantasmal form.
"Froslass is unable to battle," announced the referee, "The winner is the challenger, Amira!"
Amira brought her fists close to her body and yelled, "yes!"
She cheered louder than she had meant to but didn't correct herself. There was no need to when the crowd had likewise erupted into celebration. The smile on her face didn't waver under praise. She looked toward Rapidash and nodded. Then she called out Lucario so that he too could accept his due accolades. Together they walked to meet Candice in the middle of the field. She and Lucario made unsteady glides. Aurora walked unhindered thanks to her careful gait.
"Ami, that was a great battle," said Candice. "You know what? I've warmed up to you!"
"Thank you. You too," she replied. "You're Pokémon are really powerful."
"Right back 'atcha! I think your focus and will bowled us over totally. Oh, that's right! I'm supposed to give you this!"
Candice turned and waved to an assistant behind her. They rushed over and handed her a cushioned box. Candice opened it and took out a blue pin shaped like two icy mountains.
"I present you with this! The Icicle Bage! It's proof that you beat me! Now you need one more badge and you can compete in the League Tournament!"
"Thank you so much!"
With broad smiles, she and Candice, surrounded by their Pokémon, turned towards the applauding crowd as they held the badge between them.