22-23

Chapter 22: The Flexening

A mist had settled over Mahogany Town like a layer of custard: thick and viscous, like nearly drinking in the air. Buildings vanished and appeared from the edge of Thad's vision. The dirt path of Route 42 gave way to well-worn paved stone. Even the temperature dipped just enough for Thad to notice his breath vapor as he exhaled.

"So, here we are, though it's not much," Jasmine said. "Pryce should be at his gym, but he's generally pretty cranky." She turned toward Thad and Marley. "Mind if I go by myself? It should be easier that way to get the quick scoop."

"Whatever floats your boat, Jazzy."

"I'd like to restock on travel supplies anyway," Marley said softly. She tilted her head upward toward Thad, her lips thinning. "I suppose you'll do squats or something in the meantime?"

Thad shrugged and let out a small chuckle. "You 'fraid I can't be a normie? Or is this," Thad struck a pose and flexed his biceps, "a bit too much for lil' miss serious?"

Marley raised a single eyebrow. "I believe you answered your own question."

Jasmine let out a high pitch, nervous laugh as she patted each of the trainers on the shoulder. She flashed a toothy smile, the corners of her mouth twitching a bit. "Can't we just find common ground and play nice?"

"We share a love of Pokemon, but scarcely little else," Marley dryly remarked.

"Oh, girlie, you just gotta—" Thad swooped around Marley and hoisted her into fireman's carry, "lighten up! Haha!"

Marley pounded her fist against Thad's bulky lats. "L-let me down! I'm not some Togepi for you to tote around!" Marley craned her neck around, making eye contact with Jasmine. Her voice lightened up; fragile like glass. "Help?"

A thin smile spread across Jasmine's lips as she took a step backward. "Uh, I should really check on Pryce. Be back soon, okay?"

Thad waved to Jasmine as she trotted off into the mist. "Have fun, Jazzy!"

"Traitor," Marley mumbled under her breath.

Thad paid no mind to the younger girl's dour comments. He shifted her on his shoulders to make sure his grip was tight and marched onward into the main drag of the small town. After a few weak attempts at trying to swat at Thad's back, Marley slumped onto his shoulder and let out a large sigh. Thad chuckled and slowed his pace a bit.

"Ya know, if you asked nicely, this could be a piggyback ride."

"You're such a child."

"Children don't generally carry other children," Thad said. "You're all of five-foot nothin' and weigh about as much as a sack of taters."

"You're unbelievable. At least the townsfolk won't see this mockery easily in this mist…"

Thad shifted Marley a bit on his shoulder. "Yeah, kinda why I did that. Didn't need ya flashing your panties to the world."

Marley's body went stiff as a board. "What!?"

"Kidding!" Thad threw his head back and let out a hearty laugh. "Jeez, ya think I'd do ya that dirty? Please." Thad squatted and let Marley roll off his shoulder. "See? Nobody is around. Plus, I know ya ain't that loose of a girl to wear nothin' underneath."

Marley unruffled her black and white dress, checked her black tights, and then finally shot a glare toward the towering jock. "Don't do that again. And what did you mean by 'that loose of a girl'?"

"Ya know," Thad gestured his hand in a rolling gesture, "the way hoes be. I can tell."

"How are you so confident?"

"Ahh." Thad tapped the side of his head and smirked. "Frat bro sense, Marls. It's like my seventh sense."

Marley counted on her fingers quickly, whispering to herself. She stopped at six and looked up to Thad with squinted eyes. "You only have five senses, Thad."

"Nah fam, my sixth sense is I can tell how much protein something is packin'."

"But that's—" Marley closed her eyes and bit her tongue. "Nevermind. Let's just go to the general store."

"Lead the way!" Thad struck a pose, pointing both his arms toward the town. "Let's get the goods!"

Marley didn't offer a quip or retort to the jock and kept a quick pace. Or so she thought, as Thad's long strides easily matched her fast walk. She ground her teeth and clenched her fists, but remained stoic and held her head high.

As the duo tread deeper into the rustic town, they passed the Pokemon center, noticing a line going out the front door with several trainers propped outside. Many trainers from teenage age to young adults were leaning against the building; a few even sporting bruises or covered in a layer of filth from life on the road.

"Ya know, Water-types seem like a good idea for showers and whatnot," Thad said, nodding toward a few of the dirty trainers. "Like, kids livin' out in the wild and camping with a bunch of critters? Seems…uh…"

"Harsh?"

Thad nodded. "Yeah. Tell me, Marls, why do people let kids go out and do this? I can understand an adult wanting to do their tour of Europe kinda thing, but some of 'em look like middle schoolers."

"It's certainly a difficult path," Marley said, her tone suddenly becoming very tired. "Not all do it by choice, but many do. Glory. Money. Wanderlust. Those are the most common reasons." She raised a finger as if to illuminate her point. "That, and many cities have labor tasked to Pokemon specifically, creating shortages of jobs. Hence why someone may want to leave to hone their own Pokemon, enhancing their job options." She lowered her hand and looked at the ground, lowering her voice. "And sometimes for other reasons. To each their own."

"Still, they're just kiddies," Thad whispered. "That's…I dunno, less cool than I was hoping."

"People live in harmony with Pokemon, and sometimes concessions must be made to not disrupt the natural order. Be it from Pokemon or people. That is the way."

Thad shrugged and continued to follow Marley, his eyes lingering on the huddled up teens outside the Pokemon Center an extra moment. His throat and mouth felt as if he'd swallowed a swab of cotton. Looking out for number one wasn't anything new for the jock, though seeing it on such a rampant scale gave him pause.

No wonder there are so many dudes out on the road wanting to battle.

A little further down the path, an illuminated sign cut through the mist flashing in golden lights the words 'General Shop & Inn'. Thad brushed past Marley and raced up to the entrance of the wooden building, peering inside the open door. Rows of knick-knacks, traveling tools, and Pokemon equipment laid organized on neat racks. A few cold storage fridges lay at the back of the store.

"Inn, huh? Doesn't look like no hotel," Thad murmured.

"Because I take it you don't read the news," Marley said, slightly out of breath. Her cheeks were red and her chest heaved a bit. "Team Rocket once used this as a hideout a couple of years ago. It was busted, naturally, by Lance. It made headlines across all the major regions."

Thad's face scrunched up a bit, and he rested his fist underneath his chin. "Oh, of course."

"You have no clue what I'm talking about, do you?"

"Nada, girlie, except that some sad boyband used to use this for a hideout? That code for underground concerts or somethin'?"

Marley's jaw dropped. "Y-y-you what? Concerts? Are you—" Marley took in a deep breath, composing herself. She exhaled and relaxed her muscles, holding her hands together in front of her waist. "Just look it up, Thad. You have a PokeNav."

"Right, right. Reading and stuff on the web, gotcha," Thad dismissively replied.

Marley opened her mouth to retort, but Thad brushed past her to enter the rustic Pokemart. His eyes were immediately drawn to the meal prepping section near the back corner of the store, where raw materials for cooking and Pokemon care were stored. The faint greeting from the clerk fell on deaf ears as Thad's full attention went to the labels on the protein containers. Even Marley's voice calling out to Thad felt like it was underwater to him; no more than a blip at the edge of his subconscious.

Gotta get somethin' beefy, Thad pondered as he held up two different brands of protein canisters. Both say they're for Pokemon, but protein is protein. If I get more bang for my buck, I should just snag the most nutrient-dense one. Our muscles need preemo fuel.

Thad snatched a container with a blue label and the silhouette of a great quadrupedal camel with hollowed-out back humps. He tucked it underneath his arm and meandered toward other goods. Potions, restorative herbs, and an assortment of differently colored Pokeballs lined the rows.

Marley's whispy voice carried through the vacant store, carrying on a conversation with the elderly clerk. Thad peeked over the racks to see her still at the front counter with a few snacks in hand. The clerk had a great big smile that stretched his leathery face and eyes that looked sunken in due to the skin around his brow beginning to droop down.

"Well, she seems to be talkative," Thad whispered. He looked down and grabbed a few potions, making his way toward the clerk. Shoulda grabbed a basket too. Damn.

"Ah, welcome sir!" The clerk announced, waving a bony hand at Thad. "You were so quick I didn't get to greet you. Find everything you might need?"

"Sure did." Thad spread his find across the countertop. "All this to go, please. And I don't need a bag," Thad nodded toward the travel sack slung over his shoulder, "got my own."

The elderly clerk let out a low whistle. "Quite the haul, young lad. Looking to keep your Pokemon healthy much like yourself?"

"Well, we share, so it's all good." Thad dug into his pants pocket, unfurling a wad of cash. "I ain't so hot on math, so just gimme the change, yeah?"

Marley grumbled something unintelligible in a low voice as Thad pushed the crumpled Pokedollars across the counter. The clerk slowly unraveled and picked through them, muttering the numbers out loud in a hoarse voice. Thad tapped his foot and idly looked around as the transaction progressed at a Shuckle's pace.

"Might have to get out my abacus…"

"You would need those bills there," Marley said as she pointed to the counter. "Should bring your total to meet the bill."

The clerk gave her a toothless smile. "Excellent eye young lady!" The man scooped up the remaining currency, and Thad stuffed the extra bills into his pocket. "Now tell me, youngsters," he cleared his throat, "what brings you to Mahogany Town? Are you here to challenge Pryce?"

"Something like that," Thad said. "Plus, we heard of some skeezy Pokemon up by yo lake causing some damage. Might go check that out."

"Ahhh, I see." the clerk hummed. "Well, if it's the return of the Red Gyrados, then I'd mind your business. Let the Elite Four take care of it, or when Pryce is feeling up to it."

Marley tilted her head and frowned. "Why hasn't the local gym leader addressed the problem?"

"He's been sick lately, poor guy. Known him for quite a while, and this is the first time in ages he's come down with a cold. Guess we're just getting a bit older than we used to be, eh?" the clerk said as he placed Thad's goods in a bag. He pushed it across the counter with a large smile. "I wouldn't worry though. Pryce is quite tough despite his appearance. No man's more stubborn than him."

"Well, thanks for the stuff and information, old guy."

Marley shot a brief scowl toward Thad, then gave a slight bow toward the elderly clerk. "I appreciate your hospitality and tolerance. Thank you."

Thad and Marley gathered their belongings and strode out of the small mart. The fog cover had lifted ever so slightly, where the dirt road was visible. Thad's head swiveled left to right, noticing off to the side of the mart was Jasmine, focused on her PokeNav. He elbowed Marley in the side, earning an irritated growl followed by an 'ah'.

"Yo, Jazz! Ya found us!" Thad saddled up beside Jasmine. Her eyes went wide and she nearly dropped her PokeNav at the jock's sudden intrusion. "So, what's the deets?"

Jasmine white-knuckled her PokeNav and quickly shoved it into her bag. "Oh! Yeah, it wasn't that difficult. Pryce is very curt and quick. Not too keen on visitors."

"But do you have information on the dangers near the Lake of Rage?" Marley asked.

"I do. Pryce is willing to give a badge to whichever trainer is the first to solve the problem," Thad perked up a bit, "and we can use the small cafe that doubles as a fishing cabin near the lake as a sort of staging place. It's not shut down yet, just on high alert."

Marley narrowed her eyes. "A fishing cabin that doubles as a cafe? That sounds… weird."

"It is a bit odd, but after the publicity, the man who owned the cabin expanded his house into a sort of restaurant. A tourist trap, I think," Jasmine said. "I haven't personally been there, but I do know the food is alright."

"So, we go up there, I clap some wild Pokemon booty for that sweet, sweet badge." Thad rubbed his hands together quickly. "I'm down for this. I'll wrap up before y'all are ready to order dessert."

Marley gave Jasmine a sideways glance. "He's awfully confident."

"I'd be shocked if he wasn't." Jasmine gave an earnest shrug. "No matter, shall we progress up to Lake of Rage? The journey there has some of the most beautiful sights in all of Johto."

Thad clapped his hands together and nodded approvingly. "Well with two cute ladies with me, I wasn't worried about the sights," Marley rolled her eyes as a slight bit of red crept up on Jasmine's cheeks, "so let's dance. I got a date with the Loch Ness monster or whatever."

Through a maze of lush trees, the chirping of Flying-type Pokemon, and the slight electric tingle of the humid air from a nearby herd of roaming Mareep, the group had arrived at the threshold of the Lake of Rage. The trees parted and the tall grass gave way to an open and slightly rocky beachfront where a large sprawling lake with several small fishing docks jutting into it lay. Only the absence of any swimmers and local fishermen made the place feel like an empty nest.

Only a small cabin nearby with smoke pluming out of the chimney was a sign of any non-wildlife present. A simple white sign hung on the door reading 'Wesley's Cafe' and 'Open' right below it.

Gives me the vibes like the Salton Sea from back home. Thad strode forward, taking the lead, taking a moment to stretch out his back. Well, whatever boogieman that's been clappin' homies should be around here somewhere.

"Should we seek shelter?" Marley took a moment to stare at the cafe, before looking back to Thad. "Or have you changed your mind about wanting assistance?"

"I said what I said, girlie," Thad gruffly replied. He began to pull off his travel bag but paused mid-way through. His nose twitched and Thad looked immediately to the Western treeline. "They're here."

"How can you tell?" Jasmine asked. "I didn't hear anything. And the Pokemon are still chirping."

Thad sniffed the air again. "It's my six-sense. There's a slight hint of sweat, protein, and I don't know how to explain it, but I know it's there here. Like I can psychically feel their muscles or something."

"I still thought you were lying..." Marley scoffed. "Still. That's… just very hard to believe."

Thad threw his hands up. "Bruh. I dunno but they're right over there, walking this way." He swallowed hard. "I've only felt this raw power and presence once before from another lifter."

"Who?" Jasmine whispered.

"When I looked in the mirror—"

"Okay, that's it. We're going to the cafe." Marley grabbed Jasmine by the hand and began to pull her away. "Let us know when it's over, or just yell loudly if you want some help."

Thad chuckled and nodded at the two ladies, winking at Jasmine as she mouthed out 'good luck' to the jock. She turned around and walked side by side with Marley to the little cafe, and Thad returned his full focus to the shrouded treeline.

Sunlight pierced through the cloud cover, bathing him in a golden light that shined against his tanned skin. He quickly stripped off his compression shirt, letting his abs and sculpted pecs room to breathe. Next, he knelt down and picked up two of his Pokeballs, and clicked them open.

Chad burst forth first from the red light, stretching his arms out and striking a lunging pose with his biceps flexed. Beside him, materializing through an elegant front flip was Nacho, the recently acquired luchador bird from Marley. Looking at the brightly colored and flamboyant creature, Thad immediately knew why she was so desperate to trade away the specimen for Trouble.

Jokes on her though, this dude is gonna be an all-star on Team Thad. No offense to Trouble, though.

"Alright bros, huddle up real quick," Thad motioned over his chosen duo, and they quickly formed a triangle. He crouched down and lowered his voice, drawing in the dirt with his finger. "So, here's the game plan guys. I'll approach head-on, let me handle the introduction as you both flank from the sides. Don't get involved unless I give the signal." Chad nodded but the Hawlucha squealed in confusion, and Thad slapped his forehead. "Duh. The signal. Alright new guy, just look to my boy Chad over here. Copy what he does and then pounce on them with some sweet acrobatics or some flying body press. Use your best judgment, cause I'll be going for a grapple unless it's made of lava or some shit."

Chad tapped his chest with a closed fist. "Macho!"

"Luchalucha!" Nacho flexed his wings. "Haaaaaa!"

Thad thrust his fist in the middle of the group. "Alright dudes, let's go out there and show this bully who's boss. Break on me. Three, two, one, go!"

As the team huddle broke, Chad motioning over to Thad's right side and Nacho to his left, a hulking black and crimson figure emerged from the trees. About a full foot taller than Thad, the large insectoid anthropomorphic Pokemon with fists the size of hundred-pound dumbbells, a large black proboscis jutting from its face, and patches of swollen muscles covered every inch of its bulging body.

That is one big motherfucker… damn!

The creature was the first to act, immediately dropping its center of gravity; pushing out its enormous pecs, and flexing its biceps at Thad. He reacted instinctively, flexing his own wondrous muscles back at the creature, his body tensed up from his quads all the way up to his traps. They exchanged a few poses, cycling through the most popular stances from professional bodybuilding, almost in a sort of rhythmic pattern or testosterone empowered dance.

I think the big guy is communicating with me. Thad's eyes darted to his two Pokemon, whose heads swiveled and watched with awe between the two titans of muscle. Both my guys have recognized mine and the other guy's strength. Time to settle this.

The flexening had come to an abrupt stop as Thad and the mosquito-like Pokemon both straightened their stances and began to slowly walk toward one another. Thad gave a side nod for Chad to approach, who followed without so much as a complaint or stumble in his step.

"Go ahead and get on all fours, buddy. We need a table," Thad instructed, and Chad followed suit, but only after lifting an eyebrow. Thad gave Chad a playful slap on the back. "Thanks, bro."

Thad spread his legs and bent his knees. He rested his elbow on Chad's back at an angle, and then looked up to beckon forth his alien opponent. "C'mon. We settle this like any meathead. Arm wrestling. You understand that, don't ya?"

Muted chittering came from the Pokemon's elongated mouth, and after a moment of pause, it too mimicked Thad's stance by planting its pointed feet into the ground like tent stakes. With a heavy thud, it rested its arm on Chad's back. They clasped hands tightly, but not uncomfortably so. The Pokemon's hand felt like a taut sack filled with warm water.

Its beady eyes met Thad's dark brown ones, neither blinking nor looking away. With one last deep breath and flex of his brow, Thad tightened his grip and the Pokemon returned in kind.

The game was afoot. No words were needed to set the stakes, as to each competitor, no matter how primal or advanced, it was obvious: for the glory of being the alpha. The one chosen by muscles.

"Alright, bug brain. Let's see if you actually got some strength in those muscles or if it's all for show!" Thad smirked and clenched his jaw. "Let's go!"

The fresh smell of pancakes and Oran berry syrup permeated the air as two plates were placed in front of Jasmine and Marley. They sat in the front half of the wooden cabin, sectioned off into small little booths with tables made of carved wood; little symbols of Magikarp and Remoraid swimming dotted the sides. The air in the cabin was a bit stale, though warm and vaguely smelling of fish bait.

The server, Wesley, was a stout fellow wearing red and white fishing gear with an apron on with the picture of a Bellossom on the front. He gave a curt nod and ambled back toward the remodeled kitchen that cut a path through the center of the cabin.

Jasmine was the first to pop a section of the fluffy pancake into her mouth. The flavors were rich, almost too rich, but it was better than any travel rations she'd had recently. She savored the bite for a moment before washing it down with a glass of fresh lemonade, then gently dabbed her mouth with a napkin. Marley hesitated, and then quickly followed suit, her eyes widening at the first bite.

"Well, it's apparent why he's kept business out here," Jasmine said, placing her fork down. "Still, this might be a bit too rich for me."

Marley held up another chunk of pancake with her fork, eyeing it curiously. "Still think we should leave Thad to his own devices?" She looked past her fork, giving Jasmine a skeptical look. "He's a capable trainer, though I believe you overestimate him."

Jasmine made a fist, nearly slamming it on the table. Only at the last second did she flatten her hand out and delicately grab her fork. "He's fine. As you know, I'm a gym leader, and I've got an eye for exceptional talent. Just trust me on this, okay?"

"I do, though my trust for Thad is meager at best, no matter if he shows promise as a trainer."

"Can't we just enjoy the pancakes?"

"A bit difficult when we both know there is a rogue Pokemon roaming the wild hurting the other denizens and has sent countless trainers bruised and battered to the Pokemon center." Marley popped in another bite of pancake. "Perhaps you didn't see the line to the Pokemon center, but I've never seen it so overpacked. Didn't you also think it was odd there were no trainers on the journey up here?"

Jasmine shrugged. "I figured they'd evacuated due to Pryce's orders. That's what he told me."

"Or that's what they told Pryce after trying their luck with whatever angry Pokemon," Marley challenged, pointing her fork at Jasmine. "You know how most trainers can be; like that fool in Mt. Mortar; overeager and narrow-minded as a Tauros."

"Indeed, though you say that as if you've given up on people and turned only to Pokemon." Marley wrinkled her nose and looked off toward the kitchen. Jasmine clasped her hands together and leaned forward a bit over the table, lowering her voice to a whisper. "You're not the first one, but people still deserve a chance. It's about harmony between Pokemon and people, not simply ignoring one of the parts."

"I'm not here for a lecture, Jas-"

"And neither am I here to lecture you," Jasmine said. She paused, collecting herself by taking in a deep breath. "You may be right. Perhaps those trainers were foolish." Jasmine glanced over her shoulder at the door. "But they aren't him. He's built different."

Marley raised a finger. "Certainly, but-"

A thunderous crash came from outside. The ground rumbled like an angry Heatran had awoken, so much as that the plates rattled on the table and a syrup container toppled over. Jasmine and Marley locked eyes for a moment, and then promptly stood up from the booth and raced outside. Jasmine took a moment to dig into her dress pocket to leave some cash on the table for the lunch.

The door swung open, the hinges squeaking as it slammed into the adjacent wall. Jasmine raced out the door, not even bothering to check if Marley was behind her. The days of squats and lunges with Thad had tightened her leg muscles; no longer was the permanent aching and soreness, but a subtle power had begun to form as she strode like a speed boosted Rapidash, leaving Marley in the dust.

In the distance walking across the grassy waterfront was Thad with Chad and Nacho by his side. Behind him, a monstrously large red Pokemon Jasmine didn't recognize followed him dutifully. Thad's shirt was off, to nobody's surprise, but as Jasmine got closer, she noticed how prominent his veins seemed to bulge and even his breathing was a bit labored.

"Thad!" Jasmine dashed up to him, nearly barreling into him if it wasn't for Chad bracing her skid. She took a moment to catch her breath as she leaned into Chad's supportive shoulder.

"Easy there, girlie." Thad's voice was gentle and deep, though it lacked the usual pep Jasmine was accustomed to. "I did it. Meet the new member of Team Protein." He gestured lazily with his head to the towering mosquito-man. "I'd like you to meet King."

"Like the king… of muscles?" Jasmine warily gave the creature a once over, unsure where it was exactly looking as it idly buzzed behind Thad. "D-did you use a Pokeball to capture it after a battle? I'm pretty sure that's a Buzzwole."

"I know the dude's swole. And I tried, but dude flexed right outta it." Thad shrugged and gave the large Pokemon a playful slap across its pec. "But yeah, he's King, but here's the secret," Thad leaned in toward Jasmine's ear, hardly able to contain a wide smile, "even kings have daddys, and I owned his ass. All because I followed the golden rule of lifting. The first one I taught you, Jazzy."

Jasmine's lips thinned and she tilted her head. "Always do push-ups in the morning?"

"No, the other one. Never. Ever. Skip leg day."

"Ahhh," Jasmine nodded along, though her smile was a bit plastic. She heard the faint pitter-patter of Marley finally arriving. "Marley," Jasmine's wide eyes zeroing in on the goth, "Thad made a new friend. Without even having to catch them."

"Yeah, just had to arm wrestle 'em real good after we talked it over," Thad said matter of factly.

"Did you flex at each other?" Marley dryly commented.

"Well, yeah. It's what bros do." Thad shook his head and rolled his eyes as if the answer were obvious. "But, anyway, he's coming with us. I figure we go back to town, snag that badge, and then be on our way. Ya know?"

Marley folded her arms across her chest. "What about all the trainers and Pokemon injured by your new friends' rampage? Will there be atonement? Restitution?"

"Uhhh," Thad looked between Chad and King, both of whom simply flexed. "How about… a free fitness trial with team Protein?"

"Let's not try to finish the job and murder them with your routine?" Jasmine said, waving her hands. "I think we can stay the night at the inn and then be onto Blackthorn in the morning." She gave a knowing look to Marley. "Right?"

"Fine, fine. I suppose they've learned their lesson." Marley turned on her heel and planted her hands on her hips. "Let's go then. I'd like to get to the Ice Path. It's a great training ground for Trouble."

Thad pumped his fist in the air. "Then it's a plan. Let's go get some grub, get our sleep on, and then go train!"

"But could we walk?" Marley asked. "I'm not down for all the running around."

Thad flexed his bicep at King, and the large Pokemon brushed by him. It looked down at Marley, nearly poking her with its proboscis. In one fell swoop, King plucked Marley off the ground and held her bridal style. She struggled for a moment before giving up against King's iron grip. Jasmine giggled softly as she walked closely beside Thad, noticing Chad and Nacho strike poses at each other as they began to walk.

One behemoth and badge down, and only one more major stop before the League. Primetime lingered on Jasmine's mind; the World's championship and what it would bring in-store. Or more importantly: what Thad would eventually bring to the world stage as he continued to grow as a trainer.

Chapter 23: Deli Service

The fog from the day prior had lifted as Thad stepped out of the Pokemon Center. He ran a hand over his waist, thumbing over his array of Pokeballs, including a new Ultra Ball Jasmine was kind enough to pick up for him as he and King waited outside of town last evening.

The trainers that had lined the area around the Pokemon Center yesterday had dispersed, either back on the adventuring path or sent on their way home to lick their wounds. King only knew how to flex on people, and that's exactly what the behemoth Buzzwole had done. A simple Mareep or Rattata would be no match for the interdimensional bodybuilder, as evidenced by the trail of bruised Pokemon and emptied potion bottles along the route to the Lake of Rage.

Route 44 was laden with rolling hills and grassy little inlets where grass and water typed Pokemon frolicked about. A small path to the north led up to Maroon Town, but Thad and company had their sights on something grander: a clash with the last gym leader in Johto, Clair.

"So…we just gotta go through frosty nips cave, right?" Thad asked as he pointed to the icicle entrusted cave entrance. He held his hands underneath his armpits and shifted his weight side to side. "I mean if we're fast, should be pretty chill. Ha. Chill."

Jasmine and Marley made their way up the cave entrance, not nearly as energetic as their boisterous companion. That, and someone had to look out for potential threats on the road. After they'd battled the few trainers on the route, Thad's attention span had dwindled as Jasmine and Marley immersed themselves into a conversation revolving around Pokemon Contests.

"Thad, would you please not run too far ahead?" Jasmine asked, resting her hands on her hips. "We're meant to travel together. Especially if we're to travel through Ice Path. It's one of Johto's most treacherous places."

"Ya don't need to tell me, Jazzy. My balls are well aware we are just standing outside the rocky popsicle stand."

Marley's face curled in disgust. "Too much information, Thad."

"So, we gonna speed run this bizzy or what?"

Jasmine let out a deep sigh. "No, we aren't. Ice Path has several floors, and we must be careful due to the Ice-types making the floors slick. Thankfully," Jasmine hefted her traveling backpack off and tossed it to Thad. "Inside is some collapsable heat lamps and repels. We'll be having Marley's Arcanine. We're sorely lacking in a proper Fire-type."

Marley gave a smug and flipped out her Pokeball, the red light releasing a great canine with a fluffy fur coat. Pokemon let out a celebratory howl and pranced around their trainer. Marley winced as the Pokemon large, rough tongue gave her a lick up the side of her head causing her well-combed black hair to stick up.

"This is my Arcanine," Marley said, furiously running her fingers through her slobber encased hair. "He's playful, but we'll stay warm inside the Ice Path."

Thad whistled, drawing the Arcanine's attention. The Fire-type and he locked eyes for a moment. Thad then slapped the top of his thighs and made a clicking sound with his mouth, which drew out another howl from the Arcanine as it charged right into his arms.

"Who's a good boy?" Thad gave the Pokemon some rough head scratches right behind the ears. "Yes, that's you. Good dog!"

Jasmine stifled a giggle, hiding her hand in front of her mouth. "Seems like Arcanine made a new friend."

"He's always been one for attention, no matter who," Marley lamented. "Part of what makes Arcanine so admirable. Wild and free as they come, but also tamed and serious when needing to be."

Thad let go of Arcanine and brushed some of the strands of fur from his shorts. He gave his arms a few windmill-like swings to stretch them out and then pointed at the rest of his traveling party. "Alright, let's do this. Why didn't you tell me you had such a cute doggo, Marls?"

"Perhaps I didn't want bad habits to rub off on—" a puff of air wheezed from Marley's mouth as Jasmine gave her a quick elbow to the ribs. She mustered up a smile and let out a deep sigh. "Bad habits from all the new and wild Pokemon. Still in the midst of Arcanine's proper training."

Thad nodded. "Dope. Makes sense to me."

As Thad trotted off and into the icicle encrusted cave, Marley and Jasmine held back for a moment. Both women watched Thad's silhouette until it vanished into the foggy darkness.

"Remember," Jasmine whispered, "a good trainer builds not only good relationships with their Pokemon but their fellow trainers."

"Right… I've just made so much progress with Arcanine. Don't want to see it undone."

Jasmine smiled and hefted her travel bag into a better position. "And it won't be. A little trust goes a long way." Jasmine began to walk, yet Marley's feet remained still as cinderblocks. "Come along, Marley. Thad's already probably encountered the first ice puzzle. He'll need our help."

A loud groan echoed from the cavern; icy stalagmites and stalagmites threatened to snap off from the reverberations. Jasmine picked up her pace and Marley's legs finally kicked into gear with Arcanine beside her. They entered the Ice Path, and while the frosty wall and cracks in the ceiling let enough residual let through, they still squinted around the sprawling tunnel paths. The soft crunch of hard-packed snow underneath their shoes gave them a reminder not to tread too quickly or risk slipping.

"You little piece of— no come back here you—"

Jasmine blinked and took a deep breath before breaking into a light jog. Her pack jostled around on her back as she marched through the dirt path. Once around the first corner where light began to fade, she pulled out her flashlight from her bag's side pocket and flicked it on; ice refracting the yellow beam all over the tunnel like a kaleidoscope.

"Thad? Where are you?" Jasmine called out. The thumping of Arcanine's paws thundered through the cavern behind her. She poked her head around another bend in the path, revealing a large skating rink with a few boulders jutting out of the ground.

Jasmine swept her flashlight left to right searching for the jock, settling on Thad sliding on his butt aimlessly between the rocks. His shoulders were slumped and he had a clump of something white and fuzzy in his left fist.

"Are you okay? Do you need help?"

Thad simply groaned, finally stopping as he softly collided into a rock. He held up his balled-up fist and let go of what appeared to be feathers.

"Damn Santa's little helper bird snatched my balls and stuffed it into its ass-bag or whatever," Thad bemoaned. He shook his head quickly and tried to bounce up to his feet, only to land back on his butt and groan. "I always hated hockey. Why do people think sliding around is a sport?"

A large woof echoed through the chamber as Marley had caught up with her trusted Arcanine by her side. She glanced at Jasmine who put a finger to her lips and motioned for Marley to stand back.

Jasmine cleared her throat, softening her voice as she bent down to a crouch. "Thad, was it a little red and white bird-like Pokemon?"

"...Yeah." Thad perked up a bit and raised an eyebrow. "They some kind of legendary guardian of these parts? 'Cause, that'd make a lot of sense why Santa's little helper got the jump on me."

Marley leaned over to Jasmine's ear, cupping her hand around her mouth. "Do we tell him? Think he'll figure it out?"

"Not yet," Jasmine said. "Ice Path is dangerous without Pokemon, even if it is him. The Delibird most likely has a nest on the lower levels. We just need to keep him focused."

"What's the whispering about ladies?" Thad called out. "Also, y'all got a rope or something? Or a stick? I need to get outta this place."

"Just talking about how we are going to get you out and face the dangerous Delibird!" Jasmine said through her teeth. A forced smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "But you're okay, right?"

Thad gave her a thumbs up. "Oh, I'm okay. Just a bit scuffed and wantin' a rematch with that legendary chicken. Gonna clap that birdie's ass and get my homeboys back."

"I agree with you," Marley said under her breath, "we don't tell him. A determined Thad is better than a mopey one, although just barely."

After deploying the rope thanks to Jasmine's Skarmory, Arcanine pulled in the jock who quickly nestled up the fire dog and breathed out a sigh of relief. He buried his face into the plush orange fur and gave a few playful back scratches, earning a few howls of approval. Marley frowned at the display while Jasmine sorted through her own Pokeballs and recalled her Skarmory.

"Now, I think we can navigate through here effectively with Trouble in the cramped pathways, and we can ride on my Metagross on the large ice patches. Arcanine will keep us from freezing," Jasmine said, taking out an Ultra Ball. Marley gave a curt nod while Thad shrugged. "Once we get into the lower levels, we can scout with Trouble and my Excadrill. No matter how secure the Delibird's nest is, it won't be able to hide from those two. We just need to watch out for Piloswine and Jynx."

"Why not just use the big rock snake, eh?" Thad asked.

A small laugh slipped past Jasmine's lips, but she quietly recomposed herself. "Thad could work, but remember what happened in the forest?" Thad nodded and rolled his hand for her to continue. "I don't want to destroy the paths other trainers and Pokemon use here. We'd need the correct spot to do such a maneuver. Part of carrying a restricted Pokemon is letting them out responsibly in the right environment."

"For sure," Thad said, seemingly content with Jasmine's reasoning. He tilted his head and narrowed his head. "Wait. You said restricted, like a license or something? Does that apply to King since, ya know, he clapped a bunch of dudes?"

Marley stepped in between them, motioning for Thad to give her Arcanine some space. He backed off easily enough and began to stretch out his arms. "You're sponsored by a gym leader, so you should be fine. Right, Jasmine?"

"Exactly. Still, you are liable for any damages that may happen in the future," Jasmine noted with a hint of warning. "So, remember it's your responsibility as the trainer."

"Fo show. King may be strong, but even kings have daddys, so ain't no trouble to worry 'bout." Thad jabbed a thumb into his chest and grinned. "Thanks for the deets, but let's get a move on. My nips are cold as shit."

Jasmine released her Metagross from its container with a quick pitch, and a burst of radiant red light flooded the cavern for a brief moment. The large steel quadraped landed on the ground with a dull thud; its tri-pronged legs cracking the icy earth. Thad tentatively stood off to the side as he whispered 'big robot' under his breath. Jasmine tenderly patted the behemoth's right foreleg, looking into the Pokemon's large reddish eyes.

"Gosh, they're such a cutie!" Jasmine gushed. She gave two pats on the Metagross' leg and a pinkish aura surrounded her, then lifted her from the ground and placed her on its flat back. "Come aboard! They're really friendly!"

Why does Jazzy think the fucking terminator is cute? Thad wondered as he carefully climbed the Steel-type. He hummed under his breath as the metal was slightly warm to the touch like hot oil or fluids were pumping within. Girl sure didn't lie about being a metal trainer. Goddamn.

Marley and Thad quickly boarded the Metagross, with Arcanine quickly being recalled into their Pokeball. Jasmine sat with her legs criss-cross and smiled wide at each of them as they carefully sat down.

"Okay, use Magnet Rise!"

Thad braced himself as the Metagross slowly lifted into the air, pulling in their legs underneath them. He peeked over the edge to see that the strange robotic Pokemon was now hovering a good foot off the ground.

"Okay, so how do you drive this? I don't see a steering wheel, Jazzy."

"Oh, that's easy. We have a telepathic link, so Meta here can navigate off my directions. Just gotta focus a little bit. A benefit of the dual typing of psychic and steel!"

"I've actually never seen a Metagross in person," Marley mused. "It's impressive. I've only heard about Steven Stone's."

Jasmine laughed and looked away, trying to hide a blush. "Y-yeah, he's kinda the face of all Steel-type specialists. Not too surprised there, though I think I'm pretty decent."

The Metagross floated silently above the icy terrain and without a word or movement from Jasmine, Thad and Marley watched with rapt attention as they weaved past the rocky obstacles and over to the other side of the maze. Marley laid down on her back, seemingly unbothered by the method of transport while Thad's head whipped from left to right, scanning for the possibility of seeing the dastardly Santa bird.

Only the sound of a faint whir from the Metagross and the occasional icicle breaking echoed out as they floated along the path. The group reached a ladder encrusted with frost, barely held together as it trailed down into the icy abyss. Dismounting from the Metagross, Thad helped both women off after leaping off. Jasmine recalled Metagross to his small home inside the Ultra Ball and they descended into the depths.

Thad dug into his pack and pulled out two small strips of cloth. Normally, they'd be used for drying up sweat after a long workout. He quickly wrapped them around his hands and tested the ladder first with a kick, and then a brief shake.

The ladder did not budge and he gave the ladies a wave over and began to climb down first. Jasmine shined the flashlight over Thad's head as he tested each bar carefully with a tap of his foot. The path was short, maybe a fifteen-foot drop by Thad's estimations, but he didn't get greedy and try to leap off partway through. He'd had his fill of overestimating slick sheets of ice.

The ground was hard and crunchy as Thad reached the bottom. He pulled out his own flashlight and glanced around, noticing the lack of snow in the lower level and no air current, yet the drop in temperature caused his arms to have goose pimples. He waited patiently for Jasmine and Marley to descend, although he began to tap his foot and shift his weight side to side as they took their sweet time.

"There we are," Jasmine dusted off the skirt portion of her silver dress. As he wiggled around and knocked off the dust, Thad noticed shortened black leggings underneath near her mid-thigh going up. "First floor down, now we must be on the lookout for the Delibird's nest."

"He's not chilling with Santa, is he?" Thad asked. He rubbed the back of his rubbed and let out a single, mirthless chuckle. "Cause, uh, is Santa real? I always thought that was kiddie stuff until, ya know," Thad gestured widely around him, "all this and whatnot. So?"

Marley released Arcanine back from its Pokeball and gave him an appreciative pat. She looked over to Thad with a slight scowl. "What are you rambling on about?"

"Santa! You know, the big guy who goes into people's houses and stuff, leaving presents." Thad said. "You know what I'm talking about, right, Jazzy?"

"Most believe Santa to be real, but it's only rumored, and I'm certain he doesn't live in the Ice Path," Jasmine said with a hint of skepticism. "Though I'm surprised you know about such a person."

"Well, everyone knows who Santa is from where I am—" Thad paused and snapped his fingers. "Wait. Do you think it's the same Santa? Maybe that's how I can get back to Cali!"

Marley snorted. "Could we discuss hunting down mythological trainers when we're not freezing to death?"

Thad nodded, placing his rampant thoughts of Santa aside. Despite being in Johto for well over a month, he'd never really taken in the culture at face value or what had been directly explained. Back in California, he'd known all he needed to: eat, sleep, and flex with the occasional study session sprinkled in, which would quickly devolve into more working out.

The walls of the subterranean floor were narrow and filled with rubble. Tucking his shoulder, Thad charged through the smaller rocks while teaming up with Arcanine to shove the larger boulders aside, secretly thankful to not call upon the forbidden thoughts to activate 'Strength'. He shivered, thankful that neither Marley nor Jasmine would immediately blame it on the cold.

The trek led to another icy ladder, and the process of testing the bars and descending commenced once more. Midway through the climb, Thad looked up at the ladies, squinting as the flashlight above nearly blinded him.

"So, uh, if there are a bunch of ladders, how do the Pokemon get around? Since not all of 'em got hands."

Marley knelt down to the opening at the top of the hole. "Ice-types usually have ways of manipulating ice, thus creating pathways. Either through moves or physical force. Trying to find these constantly changing pathways is risky."

"But that's where bird-man has my balls, right?"

"Not necessarily, Thad," Jasmine said. "Delibird tend to favor cliffs if I remember correctly. It'll probably be in a large cavern up high somewhere."

"Righto, Jazzy."

Thad climbed as quickly as he could down to the bottom without risking injury and quickly took out his light to explore the area. The air felt stagnant and burned his throat with each breath. The light from his light flashed across the floor and walls, illuminating a wide-open cavern; a few eyes flashing in the distance immediately scattered.

"Wow." Thad let out a low whistle. He placed one hand on his hip as he did a full rotation around, taking in the underground ice rink. "Think we found the place. It's gotta be somewhere around here."

Despite squinting in the darkness, Thad didn't see any differences in the sheer walls of the cavern. Marley and Jasmine reached his position, and with Arcanine back out and Jasmine bringing out her Metagross once more, no wild Pokemon dared encroach upon their position.

Jasmine discreetly opening a repel and spraying it in the air created a thin misty barrier around them. Nearly invisible thanks to the flashlights and poor residual light, but it clung around them like a neutralizing gas to unwanted feral attention.

"So, I don't see any little hidey holes," Thad mused, still tracing his beam of light over the walls. "Place would make a sweet battle arena if the floors weren't all slick as hell."

"Think, Thad," Jasmine said in a stern voice. "It's probably covered the opening with some form of thin ice to keep out others. We just need to find a weak point in the wall."

"So, how do we do that?"

Jasmine grinned and pulled out two more Pokeballs, bringing out Skarmory and Excadrill. The steel bird immediately shivered, huddling near Marley's Arcanine who spit a small ember of fire onto the ground. Jasmine gave Excadrill a sharp nod of her head toward the wall, and the mole-like critter hopped into action, immediately tapping its horn against the wall and then shifting a few feet over to the left.

"Uh, explanation why you bringing out the homies, Jazzy?"

Jasmine opened her mouth and clasped her hands together. "O-oh, right! You see I'm having Excadrill here search for a hollow point in the wall, and with his claws, he can climb all around the cavern. Once he finds the point, Skarmory here will swoop in and drill in with their beak, and grab your Pokeball belt."

Marley nodded sagely to Jasmine's plan. "It's better than what I could do. Trouble still needs discipline and training before doing something like that, and if any of the other Pokemon out there get cold, they can come by Arcanine's Ember that he's keeping stoked."

"Nice!" Thad pumped his fist in the air. "This is that big brain shit I love. Flexing them thoughts."

Jasmine pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to hold in a laugh as Marley simply shook her head and went back to petting her Arcanine. Thad watched the Excadrill do their work, scuttling around on the cavern walls, tapping their head, and then moving along to the next section.

Then, a hollow thud echoed throughout the cavern. Jasmine's Skarmory sprung into action, spreading its wings with a sound akin to wind chimes blowing in the breeze. Skarmory zipped through the cavern kicking up a gale of frosty dirt, forcing the trainers to cover their faces.

An angry squawk came moments later, Skarmory swooped down with Thad's belt, all five Pokeballs accounted for. Thad let out a large sigh of relief as he gently plucked the belt from the Steel-types beak and wrapped it around his waist.

"Alright, now we rocking. No Santa turkey is gonna get the jump on me again!"

Jasmine recalled both her Pokemon to their respective containers and wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. "Nice, now we can just—"

"Deli!"

With a plop, a cube no larger than a lunch box with a cute red bow tied on the top landed between Thad, Marley, and Jasmine. Marley scrunched her face in disgust at the object while Jasmine took a tentative step back.

Thad charged forward and punted the box right back into the icy ring, right back in the direction of the squawk.

"You tryin' to give me shit after taking my shit! I know a scam when I see one, bro!" Thad said. An explosion, much like a vacuum bag being opened too quickly, sounded off in the darkness of the icy arena followed by a few meager cries. "Yeah, whine it up ya dirty bird!"

"I believe we should depart now before any other wild Pokemon arrive and my repel wears off. Arceus knows that we've probably attracted the attention of every wild Pokemon in the nearby subterranean area," Jasmine rattled off, pulling out a Pokeball. "We're close enough to Mt. Silver to where I wouldn't want to disturb a slumbering Tyranitar by chance. Ice Path is a former mountain system; Tyranitar's natural lair."

"That would be… unfortunate." Marley wrinkled her nose and clutched herself tightly, shivering a bit. "Jasmine? You have our exit strategy?"

Thad pumped his fist in the air and nodded his head excitedly. "Oh yeah, I remember this one. It's big snake time."

"Only because we're near the bottom, and if we take the right angle, we should be right outside Blackthorn City," Jasmine said, maintaining a serious face. "I just talked about not bringing down the cavern on top of us due to Pokemon. Let's not get overzealous."

"Screw that, I feel like I'm smuggling raisins up in this icebox. You know I'm all gas and no breaks, Jazzy." Thad hopped from side to side, trying to keep warm. "So, we ready to bounce?"

Jasmine rolled her eyes, yet couldn't quite snuff out a smile as she unleashed her prized Steelix in the cavern. A small quake reverberated, shaking some icicles loose from the ceiling, but the fanfare was over quickly.

"Alright, next stop, Blackthorn City. The last stop until Indigo Plateau. You prepared to fight some dragons, Thad? Some claim it's the mightiest challenge the Johto region has to offer," A faint blush appeared on Jasmine's cheeks as she turned away, boarding her mammoth Steelix. "That's just some though. Still a great challenge."

Thad gave his chest a meaty slap. "Born ready. Let's do this."