Feng Che arrived at Four Island, also known as the Twin Island, atop his Aerodactyl. This was the home of Elite Four member Lorelei. However, the moment he landed on the sandy beach, he sensed something was wrong.
The concentration of Ice-type Pokémon was staggering. Seel, Shellder, Cloyster, and Dewgong were everywhere, with Shellder being the most numerous. Every few minutes, a Shellder would evolve into a Cloyster—a frequency that felt unnaturally high.
Shellder resembles a bivalve mollusk with a hard shell and two spikes on both the top and bottom. Its eyes peek out from a black soft body, and it always has its tongue hanging out. By rapidly opening and closing its shell, it can swim backward at incredible speeds, and its armor is sturdy enough to deflect almost any attack.
Something's not right. Has the Elite Four already begun their move? Feng Che grew wary. The Pokémon seemed to be patrolling the area like soldiers.
Suddenly, a Magikarp flopped onto the beach and instantly evolved into a Gyarados. The speed of the transformation was breathtaking. Just as the Gyarados prepared to let out a roar, a dozen Shellder simultaneously unleashed Ice Beam, freezing the massive dragon solid. The Gyarados could only roll its eyes in shock; it couldn't believe it had been taken down by such "weak" opponents.
A Cloyster crawled over and spat a Poké Ball from its mouth, capturing the frozen Gyarados.
I see. These Cloysters are operating under Lorelei's orders, capturing wild Pokémon to form an "Anti-Dragon Legion." And those Magikarp evolving... that must be Lance's handiwork.
He saw a Shellder open its shell, revealing a golden Dragon Orb. A swarm of Magikarp with high Draconic bloodlines were gathering around it, drawn by the bait. Lance's clan was providing the orbs to lure and evolve them.
With so many Shellder on guard, I'll have to use Teleport to get past. But I need a precise coordinate to avoid landing right on top of one and getting clamped.
"Come forth, Zeraora!"
"I need you to use your speed to dash into Icefall Cave before they can react. Once you're inside, wait for me. I'll use your signature as a spatial anchor to Teleport in."
After weeks of traveling together, Zeraora had moved past her initial hatred. She had begun to recognize Feng Che's sincerity, especially given how he cared for the "cloned" egg as if it were his own flesh and blood. She nodded and transformed into a golden streak of light, vanishing into the cave entrance before the Shellder could even blink.
Minutes later, Feng Che successfully Teleported into the frozen depths.
The interior of Icefall Cave was a world of eternal frost, filled with grotesque ice sculptures. The population of Pokémon here was even denser: Jynx, Seel, and Dewgong were huddled in groups.
Seel possess a thick layer of fat that allows them to thrive in temperatures as low as -40°C, though they are prone to heatstroke in warmer waters. Their hardened horns can shatter icebergs. Their evolved form, Dewgong, is pure white with a streamlined body that allows them to swim at speeds of 7 knots. They grow more active as the temperature drops.
Deeper in the cave, a more disciplined group was training. Lines of Dewgong and Seel were firing coordinated Icy Winds and Frost Breaths.
A woman in professional attire, holding a Spheal, stood supervising them. It was Lorelei. She wore high heels and a sharp suit, looking elegant yet intimidating behind her gold-rimmed glasses.
"Lance is still missing," Lorelei muttered, her gaze sharp. "If the Dragon Clan hadn't sent other representatives, I'd wonder if he regretted defying the League. Ever since Goodshow took power, the League has been rotting. His focus on heavy industry is destroying the Kanto ecosystem."
Suddenly, Lorelei stiffened. She sensed a disturbance in the traps she had set at the entrance.
"A little mouse has slipped in," she cold-snorted. "Spheal, use Blizzard at those coordinates!"
Spheal, a spherical blue Pokémon with white spots and a yellowish belly, opened its mouth and exhaled a gale of driving snow.
Crap, she found me! But how? Feng Che used his psychic sense to scan his surroundings. He found several strands of hair-thin, near-invisible Ice Silk clinging to Zeraora's fur.
I see. She set up a web of tripwires at the entrance. Zeraora's speed snapped them instantly.
"Go, Torracat! Flamethrower!"
Torracat leaped out, breathing a pillar of fire that incinerated the blizzard. However, the moment it landed, its paws were snap-frozen to the ground by a layer of absolute-zero ice. Even Torracat's intense heat couldn't melt it immediately.
"As expected of the Ice Queen," Feng Che said, clapping as he stepped out from the shadows. "Not even a Fire-type can easily melt your frost."
"You're a bold one, little mouse," Lorelei said icily. A Slowbro emerged from behind her, its eyes glowing with psychic power. In its hand, it held a small ice figurine that looked exactly like Torracat.
Slowbro is a bipedal pink Pokémon. Its tail is clamped by a Shellder, which serves as the "evolutionary catalyst" for its form. Because it stands upright, its limbs are longer, allowing it to use moves like Mega Punch and Ice Punch.
"Ice Puppetry," Lorelei commanded. This was her signature technique; her Pokémon could capture the "spirit" of an opponent to create an ice doll. If the doll shattered, the victim suffered the same fate.
"Use Icicle Spear!"
Just as Zeraora prepared to counter-attack, Feng Che signaled her to stand down. "I have no ill intent! I only wish to pass through. I am a friend of Lance."
The Slowbro's attack stopped an inch from Feng Che's throat.
"Lance is missing," Lorelei said, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "If you have proof of that friendship, show it, and I'll let you live. Otherwise..."
"I have the Inspector Badge Lance gave me," Feng Che said, reaching into his pocket.