Chloe rubbed her mittens together. Snowpoint was way too cold. She wasn't built for this weather. It was unfair!

  She could see her breath as a fine white mist in the tunnel. She was going to die. She was going to freeze and die before she even made it to the stage. How did anyone battle in this weather?

  She shuffled and shivered. She was trying to be excited. She was about to go and face Candice for her second badge, but all she felt was cold. This had to be on purpose.

  “It's time,” the man beside her said. He was dressed in just a plain suit, despite the nightmarish cold of the gym.

  Chloe took a deep breath. It was time to focus. She waddled forward, shuffling awkwardly in her three jackets.

  “Introducing our challenger,” a voice boomed from the tunnel up ahead, “Hailing from Kalos, will this Ace Trainer receive her second badge, or a defeat at the hands of Candice? Give it up for Chloe Bellamy!”

  Chloe shuffled into the arena, blinking as the floodlights blinded her.

  It was snowing.

  They were supposed to be inside!

  Madness.

  She made her way carefully up to the stage, taking her position, and trying not to shiver.

  She could hear the crowd. Some were cheering, others were laughing.

  “You look like a burrito!”

  Chloe turned to see Fiona in the front row, heckling her.

  “I’m cold, okay?” Chloe called back, pouting.

  The crowd laughed again. Chloe blushed.

  “Here’s a challenger with the right idea,” the announcer said.

  “Because it is about to get cold up in this gym. Introducing the Queen of the North, the Mistress of Blizzards, the woman herself, CANDICE!”

  The crowd cheered as Candice emerged, dressed in a gorgeous, figure hugging white dress, completely ignoring the cold.

  “Not fair,” Chloe muttered. She had to be cheating. Still, she had to admit that Candice looked amazing.

  “Well well well, a pretty little challenger who can't handle the cold,” Candice announced regally.

  “I’m built for beaches!” Chloe replied, “Not… whatever this is.”

  Candice laughed.

  “Well my dear, you are in for a struggle, because I am about to bring the cold.”

  Chloe reached into her jacket.

  “I’m glad I brought an extra scarf then,” she said, wrapping the length of wool around her neck.

  Candice blinked.

  Then she burst out laughing. Not the stage laugh she had done last time, but a genuine belly laugh.

  “Okay, well played,” she said, wiping her eyes, “Are you ready?”

  Chloe nodded.

  “Yes, let's do this so I can go warm up.”

  Candice nodded to the announcer.

  “This will be a three on three battle, with the challenger allowed one substitution. The Gym Leader is to release first. You may begin!”

  “Sneasel,” Candice said smoothly, releasing her first Pokemon without hesitation.

  Chloe reached for her own Pokemon. She fumbled with the ball, her mittens in the way. She got it free, dropped it, and fumbled to try and pick it up.

  She gave up, removed a mitten to the chuckles of the crowd, and released her Pokemon.

  “Mimi, it's showtime.”

  The little Mawile appeared in a mass of sparkles and love hearts, courtesy of the ball capsule that Chloe insisted on using.

  Mimi yelled her challenge to the Sneasel while Chloe got the ball back onto her belt, and her mitten back on. She rubbed her hands together. So cold.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “And it’s Mawile against Sneasel!” the announcer began, kindly ignoring Chloe's embarrassment.

  “You may begin!”

  “Mimi, Princess, you know the plan,” Chloe called, as Candice issued her own order.

  “Sneasel, move.”

  Mimi stomped her foot, activating Swords Dance as Sneasel rushed forward. It charged, stance low, arms spread. Mimi finished her Swords Dance as it arrived, and moved to meet it.

  “Fake Out.” Sneasel changed direction instantly at Candice's order, slashing into Mimi. The Mawile staggered, Sneasel quickly dashing out of reach.

  Mimi recovered, growling with frustration. She charged at her opponent, face set in a determined scowl.

  “Agility.” Sneasel dashed backwards, then blurred, streaking past Mimi, clipping her on the way past.

  Mimi stumbled and fell to sit on the ice. She began to cry.

  “Mimi! Are you okay?” Chloe called. She didn't get an answer.

  “Metal Claw,” Candice instructed, sensing the victory. Sneasel charged, claws glowing, closing on Mimi. It got within reach, preparing to slice. Mimi stopped crying. She blurred forward with an uppercut, connecting with a vicious Sucker Punch that had Sneasel staggering. She followed by clamping her upper jaw around its torso. Vice Grip.

  Chloe grinned. Mimi loved her Fake Tears combo.

  “Alright Princess, end it.”

  Mimi didn't hesitate. She lifted Sneasel with her jaw, then slammed it into the ice.

  “Break free!” Candice instructed pointlessly, Sneasel already struggling. But the Ice Type was built for speed, and was helpless against Mimi’s strength. She lifted and slammed it again. And again. She mercilessly pummelled Sneasel, slamming it repeatedly into the ice, as well as working a few punches in.

  Chloe winced as one made impact. Play Rough was certainly an accurate name for the move…

  The crowd watched the beating in silence, Mimi having thrown aside the veil of innocence to reveal pure Fairy Type violence.

  She flung the still struggling Sneasel at the wall. It sailed through the air, crashing into the side of the arena. Her follow up Iron Head cracked the stone behind it. She didn't give the poor Pokemon a chance to recover, immediately scooping it up and throwing it again. It tumbled across the ice, bouncing helplessly.

  “Get up!” Candice ordered. Sneasel attempted to rise, then crumbled.

  “Sneasel is unable to battle, first victory goes to the challenger!”

  Mimi roared her victory as the announcer made the call.

  Candice recalled her pokemon. She was a little taken aback by the display. So was Chloe, she had to admit.

  Candice deliberated her next move for a moment, before deciding.

  “Beartic.”

  A huge Pokemon appeared, causing Chloe to refocus. It looked strong. She let Mimi enjoy her moment a bit longer, before issuing her order.

  “Good job Princess, Baton Pass please.”

  Mimi pouted a moment, but complied. She vanished in a beam of light to be replaced by Mochi.

  “It looks like we have Jigglypuff against Beartic,” the announcer said, “Can Candice make the comeback?”

  Candice snapped into action.

  “Aqua Jet.”

  Beartic darted forward in a jet of icy slurry, charging at Mochi before she could react. It made contact, shoulder charging Mochi.

  Candice didn't wait for the move to complete before she issued her next order. “Low Kick.”

  “Inflate!” Chloe shouted.

  Mochi sucked in a breath as Beartic swept out with one of its large feet and punted Mochi, sending the much smaller Pokemon flying into the wall. Mochi however, simply rebounded like a beach ball, turning the bounce into a spin, and countering with Rollout. She crashed into Beartic, who staggered.

  “Slash.”

  Beartic swiped with a large paw, smacking Mochi aside. The Jigglypuff bounced once, spun, and inhaled.

  “Puff!”

  A Hypervoice blasted Beartic, sending a shower of ice and snow into the air that blocked everyone's vision.

  “Snowscape.”

  The snow began to swirl around Beartic as it responded to the command.

  “Fairy Wind?” Chloe suggested, and Mochi agreed, firing off a gust of pink wind. Beartic growled, covering its face as the snow was blasted aside.

  “Icicle Spear!”

  Beartic pulled an arm away and clawed a shard of ice free from the arena ground, hurling it at Mochi.

  “Jiggly!” Mochi squeaked, ducking out of the way, ending her attack in the process.

  “Aqua Jet.”

  Beartic charged once more, taking advantage of the opening. It bounced off a barrier as Mochi responded with Protect at the last moment, halting Beartic’s momentum.

  “Frost Breath!” Candice instructed.

  Beartic roared, blasting Mochi with a jet of cold directly from its mouth. It was met with a Flamethrower, cutting through the ice and engulfing Beartic in flames. It stumbled, patting at the flames with its paws while Mochi inhaled.

  “Puff!”

  Another Hypervoice smashed into Beartic, sending it stumbling. Mochi followed up with a Bodyslam, smacking into Beartic with her full body.

  Beartic though, was tough. Scary tough. It recovered as Candice issued another instruction.

  “Ice Punch.”

  Beartic clubbed Mochi out of the air, sending her bouncing across the ice of the arena once more.

  “Finish it, Focus Blast,” Candice called calmly. Beartic held its paws together, forming an orb of energy that it hurled at Mochi who was just recovering from her bounce.

  “Take it, Endure!” Chloe called.

  Mochi planted her feet and inhaled. The Focus Blast hit home, sending her sliding backwards with a grunt, but she didn't stagger or shift.

  “Pay it back, Mimic!” Chloe shouted again.

  Mochi copied Beartic's movements, firing a Focus Blast of her own.

  “Endure as well!” Candice ordered, Beartic planting its feet and facing Mochi’s Focus Blast head on.

  Chloe grinned.

  “Gotcha,” she thought to herself. The Focus Blast hit home, detonating in a puff of smoke.

  “Sing!” Chloe called.

  Candice's eyes widened. “Interrupt it! Icicle Spear!”

  It was too late. By the time Beartic recovered to respond, Mochi was already singing.

  “Jiiigglypuff!” She sang. Beartic managed to fling one Icicle, but it went wide, the large Pokemon’s eyelids drooping and its limbs going limp. It slumped to the floor, snoring.

  Mochi kept singing for a few seconds longer before stopping. The arena was silent. They all counted the seconds.

  “Beartic is unable to battle, second victory goes to the challenger. It's now two to zero!”

  Chloe pumped the air with her fist as Mochi flexed and posed. She had to have gotten that from Troy.

  Candice recalled Beartic, considering. After a moment, she chose her final Pokemon.

  “Abominasnow.”

  Abominasnow appeared in the arena to face Mochi.

  “Alright Mochi, time to Baton Pass,” Chloe called, “I’m withdrawing you!”

  Mochi froze.

  Chloe looked up to the announcer.

  “I’m withdrawing!” She repeated, making sure that she was heard.

  Mochi whirled to face her, pouting.

  “Puff!”

  Chloe met her Pokemon's glare.

  “Mochi, we talked about this, it's your sister’s turn. You need to Baton Pass.”

  Mochi shook her head in a stubborn refusal, turning her back and facing Abomasnow once more, while Candice looked on, bemused. Chloe was having none of it.

  “Mochi Arabella Snugglepuff Bellamy!” She said in her best Mum voice, “You Baton Pass right this instant, or you won't battle for a week!”

  “JIGGLY!?”

  Mochi whirled, indignant eyes wide.

  Chloe met her gaze.

  Mochi pouted.

  Chloe raised a Pokeball threateningly.

  “Puff…”

  Mochi grumbled, but she obeyed. She activated the surliest Baton Pass Chloe had ever seen, and disappeared in red light to a chorus of chuckles.

  Then, another flash announced the arrival of Chloe's final Pokemon and the chuckles faded.

  Reinette appeared mid air, twirling as she made her entrance. Her long, hair-like Sepals swirled as she landed gracefully on the ice, her balance perfect.

  “Holy shit.”

  Chloe heard the mutter from Fiona and smiled.

  Standing on the ice was not her bratty little Steenee, but instead a tall, regal Tsareena, posture perfect, eyes cold.

  It was time for Reinette to make her fully evolved debut.