Pryce brought Tetsuya back to Sheila's home. After explaining a few things to Sheila, he prepared to leave.
"You're heading to the League already? I say you're working yourself so hard… and it's all thankless! Why bother!?" Sheila said helplessly. In fact, anyone perceptive could clearly see how she felt about Pryce.
Pryce let out a sigh and said, "If I can contribute a bit, then that bit still counts. Hopefully it can change something in the League… You're my only friend in Mahogany Town, so you must take care of your own safety!"
"Humph! Don't worry. I don't even put those ordinary clowns in my eyes… Are you planning to take Tetsuya as a student?" Sheila asked.
Lorelei was also surprised. "Hmm? Are you planning to take a student?!"
"He is already a pupil of Matsuba, the Gym Leader of Ecruteak Gym. If I took him as well, wouldn't that be breaking the rules? I'm just having him help me deal with the Elite Four 'Challenge' two months from now," Pryce said.
Sheila completely disagreed. "Pryce, when did you become so conventional? As long as Tetsuya is righteous, what's wrong with passing your knowledge on to him!? Surely you wouldn't want your Ice-type raising philosophy to be buried with you after a hundred years."
Pryce nodded and said, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
'Righteous… me…?'
Tetsuya pondered quietly in his heart. It seemed to have nothing to do with him at all. Moreover, Pryce did not look like someone who trusted others easily. This was probably quite difficult.
"Lorelei, when you get the chance, give my regards to your father. This is also your first time officially traveling. Your first stop was Mahogany Town. Are you planning to challenge the Johto League?" Pryce asked.
Lorelei shrugged and replied, "I feel that with my current level, challenging the League is still too soon. So I plan to train for a year first and then see~
In a couple of days, I'm planning to go to Snowpoint City in Sinnoh. That place is also a paradise for Ice-type Pokémon, and it has a famous Ice-type Gym. I think I'll definitely learn something there."
"Oh? At such a young age, you've already planned your path so clearly. Your future achievements will be incredible," Pryce said in approval.
"I have a proposal!"
Sheila revealed a very mysterious smile.
The other three all looked at her in surprise.
"Ever since Pryce left Mahogany Town, Mahogany Gym has been closed, and the whole town has become much quieter. Today, we've gathered two… future stars! Why not let them battle and have a look?
Pryce, you can also give them some guidance. I haven't watched a Pokémon battle in a long time, and I'm itching for it!" she said.
In truth, Sheila just wanted Pryce to stay a bit longer and went around in such a big circle for that purpose.
"Oh~ That would be great. I was just wanting to test my Lapras's strength as well," Lorelei said.
"…I only just obtained Swinub today. I'm afraid it can't battle yet," Tetsuya said.
"It's fine. Just use your Pokémon from Ecruteak Gym. What matters is your battle level and tactics. It doesn't have to be Ice-type Pokémon," Pryce said.
Tetsuya nodded. He could just take this opportunity to see what level a future Elite Four member was at now, especially since Lorelei was about the same age as him.
"Alright! Let's go to Mahogany Gym~!"
---◓---
It turned out that there was a small door connecting Sheila's backyard to the backyard of Mahogany Gym, which could not help but make one suspicious…
Upon entering Mahogany Gym, although it had been closed for a long time, everything inside was spotless. The ice battlefield was also very well maintained. There was no need to think about it. This was all thanks to Sheila.
Lorelei and Tetsuya stood on opposite sides of the battlefield. Sheila stepped up to the referee's seat, while Pryce fixed his gaze tightly on the field.
"Lapras!"
"Haunter."
Lapras excelled at swimming, but it was also adept at gliding across ice. To move flexibly, Lorelei would inevitably freeze the small pool of water in the center of the battlefield at the first opportunity.
"Lapras, use Ice Beam on the pool in the center," Lorelei gave the first order.
"Hn." As expected!
"Shadow Ball, block it."
Tetsuya had to probe Lapras's strength first in order to determine the next offensive approach.
The crystalline beam of light and the spindle-shaped Shadow Ball collided fiercely.
Evenly matched!
As one would expected from Lorelei. For a Lapras to possess such offensive power was no small thing. After all, Lapras was not an offensive oriented Pokémon, but one known for its stamina. Facing a fast-attack Pokémon like Haunter, it could actually fight head-on to a draw.
With such ability, Lapras was practically invincible at its level. By dragging things out on stamina alone, it could wear Haunter down.
If this were on open water, Haunter would have no chance at all. But here, Haunter still had a finishing move against this type of Pokémon.
"Clear Smog."
Tetsuya's objective was very clear. First, he needed to obstruct Lapras's vision. A quick victory against Lapras was impossible, so the only option was a hit-and-run tactic.
Purple toxic smoke spread across the battlefield, and soon the sound of Lapras coughing could be heard.
"Trying to control me with that? Lapras, use Rain Dance!"
'So there was a plan after all.'
Tetsuya still could not determine Lapras's Ability. If it had Hydration, then even poisoning it would be useless. If it had Water Absorb, then its vitality/stamina would continuously recover under Rain.
The ideal case would be Shell Armor, but the odds were low.
Now he could only take advantage of the moment Lapras was using Rain Dance to poison it. By observing its reaction after being poisoned, he could infer its Ability.
"Lap...~"
Lapras let out a sharp cry within the Clear Smog, and the moisture in the battlefield immediately began to condense.
"Haunter, move! Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb, consecutive attacks."
During regular training, three moves were normally chained together. This time, Tetsuya only ordered two. With psychic power support, Haunter's execution of Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb in succession was flawless.
Tetsuya's goal was naturally to use the high damage of Shadow Ball to blast open Lapras's skin, thereby increasing the chance of poisoning from Sludge Bomb.
The black Shadow Ball and the purple Sludge Bomb, were it not for the slight difference in color, were almost indistinguishable, two spindle-shaped energy spheres whose moves could hardly be told apart.
Shadow Ball and Sludge Bomb struck Lapras's neck one after another, and Lapras revealed an expression of pain.
"Lapras, keep going with Rain Dance."
Lorelei did not have Lapras stop using Rain Dance. At this point, it could almost be ruled out that Lapras had the Shell Armor Ability.
Haunter's moves did not stop. Lapras's neck had already been blasted into a bloody mess, and the toxins contained within Sludge Bomb could be confirmed to have seeped into Lapras's body.
Lapras shook its neck. A light drizzle had already begun to fall across the battlefield, and under the patter of the rain, the Clear Smog completely dissipated without a trace.
Tetsuya quietly observed Lapras's reaction after the rain struck its body.