"Not enough, faster!"
Amidst the vast, snow-covered landscape, Paul's voice echoed sharply.
"Viree—!"
"Wooo—!"
Ahead in the snowy field, Electivire raised both arms defensively, maneuvering its two newly grown tails to engage in close combat with Ninetales.
Unlike their past battles where Ninetales had overwhelmed it, this time, they were restricted to using only their tails to attack.
With nine tails and mastery over Iron Tail, plus frequent sparring with Dewott, Ninetales had a wealth of experience in tail-based combat. It dominated the exchange, relentlessly striking at Electivire who struggled with only two tails.
This training was twofold: refining Electivire's control over its tails and learning Iron Tail through repeated exposure.
After enduring countless Iron Tail strikes, the logic was simple—if it kept getting hit by the move, it wouldn't take long before it learned it itself.
Fortunately, Ninetales' experience proved invaluable. Its relentless aggression made every strike hurt, but the actual damage was kept within a manageable range, making it an ideal sparring partner for Electivire's training.
The other Pokémon weren't idle either, each immersed in their own rigorous training, striving toward their respective goals.
As time passed, at a certain moment, a metallic sheen finally coated Electivire's tails.
With a powerful swing, its Iron Tail deflected several incoming strikes. Twisting its tails with precision, it wrapped around the others, successfully blocking the remaining assault. For the first time, it had perfectly countered one of Ninetales' attacks.
"Viree—!"
Having tasted success, Electivire grew bolder, repeatedly unleashing Iron Tail to trade blows with Ninetales.
Their battle became increasingly intense, with Electivire gradually holding its ground. At times, it even seemed to be pushing Ninetales back.
Seeing Electivire's rapid progress, Paul was pleased. As a reward, he commanded:
"Ninetales, attack with all your strength. Don't hold back."
"Wooo—!"
A flicker of apology flashed in Ninetales' eyes before its attacks took on a new intensity.
In an instant, its nine tails no longer resembled simple whips but transformed into nine metallic spears, striking from all directions.
The assault was overwhelming, far beyond anything before. Two iron whips against nine spears—the result was no defense at all!
In the blink of an eye, the battle turned one-sided again.
As their training intensified, the cool sky suddenly darkened, and delicate snowflakes began to fall.
A ghostly figure flickered in and out of sight, swiftly approaching from the distant sky.
"Woooooh…"
A chilling, eerie voice whispered through the air.
Before Paul could react, a presence materialized behind him, wrapping cold arms around his neck.
"Eeno~"
"So, you've arrived. Have you made your decision?"
Hands in his pockets, Paul glanced sideways at the figure—a Froslass, floating like a spectral snow maiden. His voice remained calm yet serious.
"Eeno~"
Drifting in front of Paul, Froslass placed its icy hand on his face. Its pure, untainted eyes reflected his image.
Releasing him, it floated backward, bowing slightly.
As it did, an illusionary "Nurse Joy" appeared beside it, speaking solemnly:
"I wish to follow you, to walk alongside you."
With those words, the illusion vanished, leaving only Froslass.
"No need to follow—just move forward together."
Paul shook his head slightly.
"Eeno~"
Froslass giggled, drifting to his side.
"I don't have an open spot right now. I'll capture you later. For now, go assist Drapion and Dewott in their training."
With a full team of six, Paul wasn't in a hurry to capture Froslass. Since it had come to him willingly, there was no risk of it leaving. Instead, he wanted it to be useful right away, helping Drapion and Dewott train.
"Eeno~"
Froslass' body faded into the falling snow. The next moment, it reappeared above the two Pokémon.
As the snowflakes swirled, its form split into dozens of identical copies, encircling Drapion and Dewott.
Utilizing Snow Cloak and Double Team, it made itself nearly impossible to track, presenting a formidable challenge for Drapion and Dewott, both of whom were working on learning Foresight.
Pokémon Center – Evening
"Judging by your surroundings, I'd say you've reached Snowpoint City. That Froslass next to you—is it a new capture?"
Reggie, appearing on the communication screen, eyed Paul's winter clothing and the floating Froslass beside him.
"Eeno~"
Froslass smiled and gave Reggie a polite greeting.
"I've arrived, but I haven't caught it yet. First, let's handle the Pokémon transfer."
Paul was as concise as ever.
"Go ahead, send them over. Which Pokémon do you need?"
"Gabite will do."
The icy environment wasn't ideal for Grotle's current stage of training. Paul had no intention of putting it through resistance training in this weather. Instead, he wanted it to focus on growth and mastering Ground-type moves first. Once they left Snowpoint, it could resume its resistance training.
As they spoke, Paul transferred Dewott and Drapion back to Reggie.
"All set. Good luck with your next Gym battle."
Reggie smiled, then turned to Froslass.
"Froslass, I'll be counting on you to take care of Paul."
"Eeno~"
Froslass gave a small bow, accepting the request.
"I will. By the way, how's the Acupressure training coming along?"
If Drapion still wasn't free to mentor Paul's Drapion, then he would consider keeping it by his side for further training alongside Dewott.
"It's quite going well. The most difficult basic courses have been taught almost completely. Now we can move on to advanced training, and I can free up time to coach your Drapion."
Reggie chuckled.
"Alright, then please have Drapion train Dewott as well. It'll benefit its current development."
The ability to perceive an opponent's acupoints would clearly aid in mastering the move Foresight.
"No problem..."
As they spoke, Froslass stood silently beside them, resembling a loyal attendant.
After a brief exchange, Paul hung up the call, reached into his pocket for a Poké Ball, and extended it toward Froslass.
"Let's do our best together. I'm counting on you."
"Eeno~"
Froslass smiled softly and reached out, gently tapping the Poké Ball's button. A flash of light enveloped her as she was drawn inside.
Without a single shake, the Poké Ball remained perfectly still in Paul's grasp.
Froslass
Type: Ice, Ghost
Gender: Female
Ability: Snow Cloak (Evasion increases in hail or snowy weather, making it harder to spot.)
Moveset: Double Team, Snowy Terrain, Blizzard, Psychic, Fake Tears, Aurora Veil, Will-O-Wisp, Confuse Ray, Hex
This was the information Paul had observed about Froslass earlier.
The Next Day – Snowpoint City's Gym
Paul stood at the edge of the battlefield, his gaze fixed across the frozen arena at the young woman standing opposite him. She wore a school uniform, her distinctive triple-braided hair swaying slightly—this was Candice.
"The upcoming battle will be a Gym Challenge, with challenger Paul facing Gym Leader Candice!"
The referee, a middle-aged man, announced the battle rules:
"Both trainers may use up to four Pokémon. The battle ends when all Pokémon on either side are unable to continue."
"Additionally, only the challenger is allowed to switch Pokémon mid-battle."
"Alright! Time to get fired up!"
Candice grinned, full of energy as she slipped off her coat and tied it around her waist, ready for battle.
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