Battle start!
Clair's cape snapped as she raised her whip with a sharp crack. "Dragonair, use Dragon Breath!"
"Rooar—!!"
Dragonair, slender and majestic, let out an ethereal cry. The blue gem on its forehead shimmered as it unleashed a breath of fiery blue-purple energy toward Vulpix.
At the same time, Johan's Pokédex confirmed what he had anticipated: Dragonair's ability was Shed Skin.
"Keep moving, Icy Wind," Johan instructed calmly.
With his composure, Vulpix mirrored his confidence, darting through the swirling snow on its short legs. Despite its stature, Vulpix moved with surprising agility. Enhanced by the Snow Warning ability, its Icy Wind seemed stronger than usual.
Boom!
The fiery breath clashed with the frosty wind, erupting into a cloud of steam.
"Thunder Wave," Clair commanded.
It was clear Clair had predicted Johan and Vulpix's strategy, even anticipating their dodging pattern. As the steam dissipated, sparks of golden electricity danced from Dragonair's gem.
"Rooar..."
Dragonair's breath showed its discomfort, the falling snow and dipping temperature unnerving it. As a Dragon-type, it had an instinctive aversion to cold. While Dragonair could change the weather under normal circumstances, doing so in battle required concentration and energy.
"It's rare to see someone predict Johan's moves," Lance murmured from the sidelines.
Cynthia, her cheeks faintly flushed, propped her chin on her hand. "The Snow Warning needs to play its role to create an advantage..."
Lance glanced sideways, noting Haunter's innocent look and Cynthia's slight pout.
What's going on here?
His thoughts shifted back to the battle as snow thickened, reducing visibility. Multiple images of Vulpix appeared in the snow, much to Lance and Cynthia's surprise.
"Could it be... Snow Cloak?"
But Vulpix's ability was Snow Warning, making it impossible to have Snow Cloak as well. A Pokémon couldn't have two abilities.
[Snow Cloak: Boosts evasion in snowy weather.]
Cynthia squinted, realization dawning. "It looks like... Substitute?"
Substitute?
Lance blinked, watching the multiplying Vulpix figures. Could Vulpix really make so many substitutes?
Then he pieced it together.
The snow?
It was using the snow to build decoys. Lance and Cynthia exchanged glances, trying to fathom Johan's strategy.
Is this... a game of snowy hide and seek?
Zzzt!
Golden arcs from Thunder Wave struck one of the decoys, scattering harmlessly.
Johan's lips curled up slightly. "Vulpix, Nasty Plot."
Vulpix stopped exhaling frost and its eyes darkened with a calculating gleam.
Building snow figures was something Vulpix often did for fun. Johan never discouraged it; instead, he incorporated it into training and tactics.
"Dragonair, use Twister!" Clair ordered.
"Rooar—"
The gem on Dragonair's tail glowed as it twirled, summoning a swirling tornado. Snow was lifted and churned, clearing the field and revealing Vulpix's silhouette.
The move seemed to push back the snowstorm, but in truth, the tide had already turned.
Weather teams thrived on seizing the initiative. Although Vulpix's Snow Warning only affected itself, minimizing its impact, the advantage was now Johan's.
"Vulpix, help it out—Aurora Beam."
"Oowu—"
Vulpix opened its mouth, releasing a silvery beam of light.
Crack, crack, crack—
The icy Twister solidified, its frigidness forcing Dragonair to shudder from the cold.
"Dragon Dance and ascend!" Clair shouted.
"Rooar!"
Dragonair's body glowed as its inner power surged, its temperature rising while it performed a graceful, powerful dance, then lifted into the air.
Taking flight? Johan thought, narrowing his eyes.
Even a novice could see what Clair intended.
"Vulpix, Baby-Doll Eyes."
"Oowu~~"
Vulpix's whine was soft and pitiful, drawing Dragonair's attention momentarily. Its wide eyes blinked, evoking a brief hesitation in the graceful serpent.
"Dragonair!" Clair called out, snapping it back to focus.
"Dragon Rush!"
A bright blue aura enveloped Dragonair, taking on the shape of a fierce dragon as it charged downward. The sheer power cleaved through the snow, aimed squarely at Vulpix.
The pressure was palpable.
Johan's eyes tightened as he watched the attack. Clair's strategy mirrored Lance's—overwhelming force to crush any defense.
Yet the synergy between Clair and her Dragonair fell just short compared to Johan and Vulpix.
"Jump!"
"Oowu!"
Without needing to say more, Vulpix's body shimmered as it leapt back, leaving an exact likeness behind.
Substitute!
Boom!
Dragonair's attack struck like a comet, shattering the substitute as snow sprayed everywhere.
Even in mid-air, Vulpix was jostled by the impact.
So strong... Vulpix's eyes narrowed in focus.
"Aurora Beam," Johan called out.
"Oowu!"
A silvery beam erupted once more, coating Dragonair with frost.
Crack, crack...
Ice formed on its scales.
"Rooar..." Dragonair's voice faltered, cut short as another Aurora Beam followed, freezing it completely.
Vulpix unleashed one more blast for good measure, ensuring Dragonair was encased in ice.
"Enough, Vulpix," Johan said, noticing the layer of ice had grown a few meters thick.
Cynthia and Lance exchanged looks of disbelief.
He won?
When had Johan seized control of the match so decisively?
Both recalled the turning point: when Vulpix played its game of snowy hide and seek, shifting control away from Clair.
A single Pokémon wielding both Snow Warning and the benefits of Snow Cloak—how could they counter that?
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Powerstones?
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