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As a Pokémon that naturally inhabits snow-covered mountain ranges, Abomasnow is widely distributed in certain regions but in Johto, it was practically unheard of. Seeing one here was a rarity, which meant Pryce must've done some serious traveling in his younger days to capture it.
"RRAAAHH!"
The moment Abomasnow appeared, it beat its chest and let out a thunderous roar aimed directly at Kai.
Its voice rumbled like an oncoming blizzard, full of raw, primal power. Even from across the battlefield, Kai could feel the chill crawl down his spine like the wind had shifted just from its presence.
'Oh? Feeling brave, huh?'
He smirked.
For a supposed final boss, it sure knew how to make an entrance. Just from the aura alone, Kai could tell this Pokémon was on a completely different level than Dewgong or Lapras. Stronger. Wilder. Meaner.
Still…
You think you can intimidate me? After all the time I've spent around Gyarados?
Compared to the pressure Gyarados gave off when it was angry, Abomasnow felt almost… cuddly.
Kai chuckled, shook his head, and focused.
Time to choose his final Pokémon.
He considered several options. Charizard would be the obvious pick. With a double-type advantage against Ice and Grass, Abomasnow wouldn't stand a chance.
But…
Out of respect for Pryce and to avoid humiliating him with a clean sweep Kai chose Gardevoir instead. It had no direct type advantage, but plenty of power in its own right.
The battle began.
Abomasnow moved first, unleashing a flurry of Powder Snow toward Gardevoir.
Kai's command came instantly. "Teleport!"
Gardevoir vanished just as the ice crystals struck where she'd been standing.
But Abomasnow wasn't fazed. It roared again and charged, skating across the frozen field with surprising speed.
Despite its massive frame, it glided like a pro skater legs angled just right, balanced perfectly. It gained ground fast, fists drawn back.
Gardevoir tried to launch a Psychic attack to stop it, but before the energy could be released, Abomasnow hurled a massive snowball from seemingly nowhere!
WHUMP!
The snowball grazed Gardevoir's shoulder, disrupting her focus, and exploded into powdery ice.
She turned sharply but it was already too late. Abomasnow was upon her.
Kai's eyes narrowed.
That thing is way faster than it looks. Smart, too.
Pryce had trained it well.
Seeing no other choice, Kai shifted tactics.
"Shadow Clone!"
Four illusions of Gardevoir appeared instantly, flanking the original.
Abomasnow stopped, momentarily thrown off by the sudden crowd of opponents. Its eyes darted between them, trying to determine the real one.
From across the field, Pryce folded his arms and spoke in a low, calm tone:
"Left side. That's the real one."
Kai blinked.
Whoa. Sharp.
Pryce's experience was on full display. Even with illusions, he'd picked out the truth in seconds.
Abomasnow lunged.
But before its icy fists could connect, Gardevoir teleported again this time to the far side of the arena.
The trick had worked.
It wasn't about landing a hit it was about buying time.
"Gardevoir Psybeam, now!"
Bright psychic energy surged forward and struck Abomasnow square in the chest.
The blast rocked the snow beast, and when the smoke cleared, its eyes had turned glassy and bloodshot.
It stumbled.
Then snarled.
Confusion.
Abomasnow roared and began thrashing at random smashing nearby ice pillars, punching the air, and completely ignoring Gardevoir's position.
"Now—Psychic!"
Gardevoir's eyes glowed as she launched another attack, this time a focused psychic blast that hit like a freight train.
Abomasnow staggered, fell to one knee, and then collapsed fully into the snow.
But… it wasn't down for long.
It grunted and slowly rose again, steam rising from its body. It was battered, bruised—but not finished.
That thing's a tank…
"White Mist!" Pryce ordered.
Abomasnow released a loud roar.
In an instant, a dense, freezing mist erupted across the battlefield, coating everything in a blinding blanket of white.
Visibility dropped to zero.
Gardevoir couldn't see. The cold bit into her skin. Footsteps echoed somewhere in the fog getting closer.
Thud… thud… thud…
She looked left. Right. But the mist was too thick.
She couldn't see but she didn't have to.
Outside the fog, Kai stood calmly, watching the blurred shapes. As the Trainer outside the battle, he had the full picture and he acted as Gardevoir's second pair of eyes.
Through their psychic bond, he shared everything he could see.
And she understood.
Even with no visuals, her instincts kicked in. Heartbeat slowed. Breathing stilled. She could sense it…
It's coming.
The thudding grew louder.
Then—crash!
Abomasnow lunged at where Gardevoir had been.
But she wasn't there.
She had already teleported—again.
Abomasnow's nostrils flared. It sniffed the air—and whipped around just in time to see Gardevoir behind it, palms glowing.
WHAM!
A direct hit to the back.
Outside the mist, Pryce watched, frowning.
He could barely make out the shapes moving inside. It was no use. Without a clear view, he couldn't give proper orders.
This isn't working…
He'd hoped the fog would give Abomasnow the edge to let it stalk its prey like it did in the wild.
Instead, it had become a self-inflicted trap.
I underestimated him… again.
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