~Third POV~
[Sinnoh Region, Days Later, Route 216]
*Wooooo-shhh*
Route 216 was a sprawling expanse of treacherous ice and deep, powdery drifts. The transition from the temperate center of Sinnoh to the frigid north was jarring. Above them, the sky was a pale, icy blue, and the wind whipped through the mountain passes with a mournful howl—whoooooo-shhh.
A few yards away, two Sneasel were engaged in a spirited snowball fight. One hissed as it ducked behind a rock, while the other used its sharp claws to lob a perfectly spherical projectile with terrifying accuracy.
*Thwack*
It connected with a surgical precision that made Platinum wince. She stopped for a mont, adjusted her heavy winter cloak, and watched a group of professional skiers glide across a distant slope.
Their movents were fluid, graceful, and seemingly effortless. A soft sigh escaped her lips, condensing into a cloud of mist. Platinum murmured, "It looks so... efficient. A perfect utilization of montum and gravity."
Azure, who was walking through the knee-deep snow with the ease of soone who had traversed far worse, looked back and asked, "It's the best way to move in this terrain. Thinking of trying it out, Platinum?"
Platinum groaned softly, her regal composure slipping just a fraction as she replied, "I have read three different manuals on the physics of skiing, Azure. I understand the theory of the 'snowplow' and the 'parallel turn' perfectly."
She paused, then added in a smaller voice, "However, my practical application... leaves much to be desired."
She looked at him curiously. She couldn't help but ask curiously about him skiing, "Where did you learn? I recall you ntioning you haven't spent much ti in Sinnoh's north before this journey."
Azure chuckled, the sound muffled by his scarf as he explained, "I spent a good amount of ti on Mount Lanakila back in Alola during a vacation. And before that... well, let's just say ho was a place called Mt. Silver. It was always snowing there, and the wild Pokémon were so aggressive that you either learned to move fast or you beca a permanent part of the landscape. Skiing wasn't a choice; it was a survival skill."
Pikachu chirped in agreent, mimicking a skiing motion with its paws, "Pikaaa… (Yeah. Damn those Delibird bomb squad…)"
Azure said calmly, reaching into his bag and pulling out a pair of collapsible skis he'd kept for her, "Books are a good start. But muscle mory beats theory every ti. Here. Give it a shot. Widen your stance, lean forward—not too much—and just relax your knees."
Platinum took the equipnt with a look of grim determination. She strapped in, her movents precise. She took a deep breath, visualizing the diagrams from her books. She widened her stance, leaned forward, and felt the first exhilarating pull of gravity…
*Shhhh*
She declared, her eyes widening as she began to slide down the gentle incline, "I am... I am doing it! It is all about the experience! I feel the—"
Azure shouted, "Platinum, look out!"
In her excitent, Platinum had failed to realize she was heading straight for him. Her speed was increasing, and her 'theoretical' knowledge of braking was failing to translate to her legs as she exclaid, "I cannot stop! Azure, move!"
Azure didn't panic. He reached for a Poke Ball at his belt as he commanded, "Gallade, step in to assist!"
*POP*
In a flash of light, the elegant Psychic/Fighting-type appeared. With a calm nod, Gallade sensed the trajectory. Just as Platinum was about to collide with Azure, Gallade's eyes glowed with a faint blue light.
*Voom—pop*
Using Teleport, Gallade vanished along with Platinum, reappearing thirty feet away on a flat patch of snow. Azure let out a breath of relief, but it was short-lived, "Whew, that was too – oh god damn it…"
A shadow flickered beneath him. Out of the snowy ground rose an incorporeal form—his Gengar with a mischievous, toothy grin chuckled, her voice raspy and dripping with sarcasm, "Heh... talk about a 'downhill' performance. She's got the grace of a Rhyperior on roller skates."
Platinum, who had regained her balance after the teleport, glared at the ghost as she yelled back, "I liked you better before you taught yourself how to project your voice through telepathy, Gengar."
Gengar retorted, cackling in joy at Platinum's dismay, "Truth hurts, princess! Maybe next ti, Gallade can just teleport you directly to the bottom of the mountain. Save us the suspense of the crash."
Gallade, sensing the tension, didn't wait for instructions.
He tapped Platinum's shoulder again.
*Voom—pop*
Teleported again, Platinum was suddenly dropped onto a much steeper slope. She scread as she began to pick up dangerous amounts of speed, "Wait—Gallade! Not here! NOT HERE!!!"
Azure sighed, rubbing his temples as he muttered under his breath, "Gallade, you're too literal when you're trying to help."
*ZOOOOM*
Down the slope, Platinum was a blur of blue and white. She told herself, "Brakes! Use the brakes!"
*Thump*
She tried to dig her poles into the snow, but the montum was too great. With a muffled thump, she tumbled forward, disappearing into a massive, fluffy snowbank.
Azure and Gengar hurried down after her.
Azure called out, "Platinum! You okay?"
*Crunch*
The snowbank shifted with a crunch sound. Platinum popped her head out, looking more annoyed than injured. She admitted, surprised, "I... I felt no pain… The snow is remarkably absorbent."
She reached out to grab her ski pole, which had been flung a few feet away, landing on what looked like a rounded, grey boulder. But as her hand touched it, the 'boulder' shifted. Two grumpy, jagged eyes snapped open.
"Graaaa-veller!"
The Pokémon let out a rocky roar of indignation. It had been having a perfectly lovely nap under the snow until a ski pole had poked it right in the eye. With a crunching sound, the Graveler grabbed the pole and snapped it in half like a toothpick.
Azure muttered, coming to a halt beside her, "Uh oh. You woke up the neighbors."
Gengar floated nearby, crossing her arms, and stated, "Man, wild Pokémon just love attacking you, don't they? It's like you're wearing 'Hit ' perfu. You know you have a 'Repel' for a reason, right?"
Platinum snapped, scrambling to her feet, "It is not my fault! I am sorry, Mr. Graveler! It was an accident!"
The Graveler didn't care for apologies. It let out a high-pitched whistle, and from the surrounding snow, three more Graveler erged, their rocky bodies grinding together with a sound like a landslide.
Azure noted, his tone deadpan, "They brought friends. Platinum, handle this. It's good practice for the cold."
Platinum threw her Poke Ball, declaring, "Understood! Empoleon, to the front!"
*POP*
Her regal starter erged with a defiant cry, "Em-pooooo! (You shall fall under my iron flippers, mongrel!)"
The first Graveler lunged forward, its massive rocky arm glowing with orange energy. Azure eyes narrowed as he thought, 'Hamr Arm!'
Platinum commanded, "Empoleon, withstand it!"
*CLANG*
The heavy blow landed squarely on Empoleon's tal-like fins. The penguin Pokémon gritted its beak, its feet sliding back a few inches in the snow, but it didn't fall. Platinum said, her scholarly mind analyzing the move, "Now, wait for it! Hamr Arm lowers the user's speed. He's sluggish now! Empoleon, prepare to—"
*RMBL*
Suddenly, the other three Graveler began to roll, picking up speed as they turned into literal boulders of destruction. Azure sighed, grabbing a Poké Ball, stating, "We don't have ti for a slow grind. Tangela, let's wrap this up!"
*POP*
He tossed a ball, and the mass of blue vines appeared, its large eyes blinking at the sudden cold. Azure commanded, "Vine Whip, let's go! Use them like yo-yos!"
Tangela's vines shot out with the speed of snapping whips!
*Thwack-thwack-thwack*
The vines ensnared the rolling Graveler, halting its montum instantly. With a surge of strength, Tangela swung the heavy Rock-types through the air, knocking them into one another before tossing them back into the deep snow drifts.
Gengar cheered, drifting over to high-five a vine, "Nice work, Tangy."
Platinum erged from the snow again, brushing off her coat as she said shyly, "Perhaps that was a bit... excessive? They were only frustrated."
Azure replied bluntly, heading towards Platinum, "In this kind of weather, frustration turns into a blackout real quick."
*Shiver*
He looked at Tangela, who was suddenly shivering. Azure asked, suddenly concerned, "You okay, buddy?"
Tangela didn't answer...
*FLASH*
Instead, a brilliant white light began to emanate from its body. The vines began to thicken, growing longer and more nurous. Its stature increased, its body becoming a massive, hulking forest of blue tendrils.
Platinum whispered, her eyes wide, "He's evolving!"
The light faded, revealing a Tangrowth. It let out a deep, resonant rumble, feeling its newfound power, "TANNN!! (I'M… COLD!!)"
Azure noted with a grin as he quickly grabbed Tangela's Poké Ball, "Ancient Power! You finally mastered it during the trek. Great job, Tangrowth. You've earned a rest."
He recalled the large Pokémon to its ball as he added sheepishly, "Grass types and ice storms don't mix well."
But he couldn't help but be proud of his Pokémon. He checked his Tangrowth's new status info and Pokedex info.
[Tangrowth, the Vine Pokémon. Tangrowth is unfazed if one of its arms is broken off, as it will easily grow back. It hunts by disguising itself as a shrub, then grabbing prey with its vines. However, Tangrowth has been known to consu fruit as well. Predators have been known to eat Tangrowth's vines. When the climate is warm, its vine growth is accelerated to the point where not even its eyes can be seen. If its vines grow too long, Tangrowth shortens them by tearing bits of them off. Tangrowth is very rare in the wild, though it can be found in temperate grasslands and swamps.]
|Na: Tangrowth (Vine Pokémon)
|Type: Grass
|Tera: Grass
|Level: 38
|Gender: Male
|Held Item: [Leftovers]/[adow Plate]/[Binding Band]
|Ability: Regenerator (Hidden Ability)
|Nature: Relaxed
|Moves: Protect, Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, Poison Powder, Growth, Ingrain, Absorb [A][S], Vine Whip [A][S], ga Drain [A][S], Giga Drain [A][S], Energy Ball [A][S], Constrict [A][S], Bind [A][S], Confusion [A][S], Knock Off [A][S], Acid Spray [A][S], Double-Hit [A][S], Shock Wave [A][S], Ancient Power, Cut [A][S] (HM), Amnesia (IM), Rage Powder (EM) (0 Moves left to learn)
Just as he finished checking he blinked. As if on cue, the wind picked up…
*Whirrrrrrrr*
The light snowfall turned into a biting blizzard within seconds. The visibility dropped to less than five feet. Platinum let out a violent sneeze as she said, stunned, "Achoo! It... it is becoming quite chilly."
Azure said calmly, agreeing, "Chilly is an understatent."
He imdiately went into survival mode, grabbing 2 Poke Balls as he declared, "Magmortar, Arcanine, co out! Give us so heat!"
*POP*
*HISSSSSS*
The two Fire-types appeared, their very presence causing the falling snow to hiss and vaporize into steam before it could touch the ground. Magmortar's arm cannons glowed with a low, orange ember, acting like a portable heater, while Arcanine's thick, fluffy fur radiated a comforting warmth.
Azure instructed, "Stay close to them."
*Crunch*
Through the veil of white, a figure began to erge. It was a silhouette accompanied by a large, hulking form. A female voice called out, sounding remarkably chipper for soone standing in the middle of a literal death-storm, "Who goes there? Not many people make it through 216 when the Diamond Dust is kicking up!"
The figure stepped into the circle of warmth provided by Azure's Pokémon. It was a young woman with dark hair tied in long pigtails, wearing... a mini-skirt and a light scout-like uniform. Beside her stood a massive, frosted Abomasnow.
Gengar blinked, stating, "You're... not wearing a coat."
The girl grinned, her cheeks rosy from the cold as she replied, "Focus! If you have enough spirit, your blood stays hot! I'm Candice, the Snowpoint City Gym Leader."
She paused, her eyes landing on Gengar before asking, "Wait... did that Gengar just talk? And why do you have a Magmortar that looks like it could lt a glacier?"
Gengar floated forward as she replied with an amused tone, "I'm a ghost of many talents, kid. And my boss here is a big deal. You might want to show so respect to the Champion of... well, everywhere."
Candice's eyes widened as she looked Azure up and down, and she exclaid, "Azure Sky? The guy who took down the Battle Frontier? Woah! I heard you were in Sinnoh, but I didn't expect to find you escorting a girl through a blizzard."
Azure explained casually, gesturing to Platinum, "I'm her bodyguard. And we're on a deadline. We need to get to Lake Acuity. It's a matter of regional security."
Platinum stepped forward, her regal bearing returning despite the shivering, and explained, "It is a pleasure to et you, Gym Leader Candice. I am Platinum Berlitz. As Azure stated, we must reach the lake. Team Galactic intends to—"
Candice held up a hand, her expression shifting from cheerful to firm as she said, "I'm gonna have to stop you right there."
*Woooosh*
The wind howled between them as Candice said bluntly, "Lake Acuity is under my jurisdiction. Being a Gym Leader isn't just about handing out badges. We're the guardians of our cities. Normal folks—even high-profile ones—can't just waltz into the sacred areas like the Lake or the Snowpoint Temple without permission. And right now? My permission is a 'no'."
Platinum gasped, exclaiming, "But the bomb! The legendary Pokémon!"
Candice said sternly, her Abomasnow letting out a low, rumbling growl, "I know about Galactic. But I also know that if I let just anyone in, the chaos gets worse. If you're as serious as you look, and if you've got the skills to back up that talk, then prove it. Beat in a Gym Battle, and I'll personally escort you to the Lake."
Azure stepped up beside Platinum, adding, "And the Temple? I need access to the Snowpoint Temple as well."
Candice narrowed her eyes, asked cautiously, looking at him up and down, "The Temple? There's nothing in there but old rocks and a legend that hasn't moved in ten thousand years. Why do you care about that?"
Azure didn't flinch. He knew what slept in the basent of that temple—Regigigas, the Colossal Pokémon. If Team Galactic was moving on the lakes, the balance of Sinnoh was at stake.
He needed to see if the titan was still secure, as he stated, "Let's just say I have a standing appointnt with a certain legend. I'm an Ace Trainer, Candice. I'll take an Ace Gym Match—no holds barred."
Candice laughed, a bold, ringing sound replying, "I like you! You've got guts. And the girl... she's got that look in her eyes. The 'scholarly' type usually folds under pressure, but you? You look like you're ready to freeze out."
Platinum nodded resolutely as she declared, "I accept your challenge, Gym Leader Candice. I will earn my way to Lake Acuity."
Candice pointed down the path as she explained, "Good! The Snowbound Lodge is just ahead. It's a rest stop for travelers. Go there, get so hot cocoa, and let your Pokémon recover. I've gotta head back to the city to prep the Gym and et up with a friend—Maylene's in town for so cross-training. We'll be waiting for you."
With a wave, Candice and her Abomasnow vanished back into the white curtain of the storm…
/////
[Sinnoh Region, Route 216 – Snowbound Lodge]
The Snowbound Lodge was a haven of cedar wood and the sll of burning pine. Inside, a massive fireplace crackled, casting a golden glow over the cozy common room. Azure sat on a rug, ticulously cleaning his Poké Balls.
Pikachu was curled up near the fire, snoring softly, while the Pichu(w) poked its head out of its jacket to sniff a bowl of warm Pokémon food. Platinum sat across from him, a notebook open on her lap.
She was staring at the pages, but her mind was clearly elsewhere. Azure said calmly, not looking up from his work, "You're thinking about the battle…"
She corrected, though her voice lacked conviction, "I am thinking about the cold. How does she do it, Azure? Walking in a skirt in a sub-zero blizzard?"
Azure quoted with a smirk as he explained, "Focus. Candice is an Ice-type specialist. They're a different breed. They don't fight the cold; they beco part of it. If you want to beat her, you can't just use Type advantages. You must understand the environnt. Ice is fragile, but it's also sharp. It's about control."
Platinum looked at her Empoleon, who was resting near Arcanine, as she whispered to herself in a doubtful tone, "Empoleon is part Steel. We have a defensive advantage. But Candice seems... unpredictable."
Azure agreed, leaning his back to his chair with a subtle nod, explaining, "She is. And she's fast. But you've co a long way since Twinleaf Town, Platinum. You've got the mind of a strategist and the heart of a trainer. Use this night to rest. Tomorrow, we cross Route 217. That's where the real test begins."
Gengar floated over, appearing from the shadows of the rafters, stating, "And don't worry, princess. If you fail, I'll be there to laugh at you."
Platinum said dryly as she rolled her eyes, "Thank you, Gengar… Your support is, as always, overwhelming."
Azure stood up, stretching his limbs. He looked out the window at the swirling vortex of snow. Sowhere out there, Team Galactic was moving. The clock was ticking. But for tonight, they had the warmth of the fire and the steady resolve of their partnership.
*Crackle-pop*
The fire popped, sending a shower of sparks up the chimney, as the two trainers prepared for the frozen trial that awaited them in Snowpoint City.
/////
A/N: Hope you like the chapter!
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