"Go, Cloyster! Freeze the entire pool into a block of ice!" Lorelei commanded.
"Cloyster!"
The Bivalve Pokémon immediately unleashed a powerful Ice Beam, turning the Cerulean Gym's aquatic battlefield into a solid, frozen tundra. Ash watched the terrain shift to his opponent's advantage and didn't miss a beat.
"Build the ultimate defense! Defense Curl into Light Screen!"
"Lucky!" Chansey chirped, her aura shimmering as she prepared her fortifications.
"You think I'll just let you set up?" Lorelei countered with a sharp grin. "Cloyster, Spike Cannon!"
Dozens of white-hot stingers launched toward Chansey. Just as they were about to impact, Chansey took the initiative herself; curled into a tight ball from her Defense Curl, she began to spin across the ice with surprising speed, weaving through the projectiles like a professional skater.
Ash followed up immediately: "Close the distance! Rock Slide!"
"Cloyster, evade!" Lorelei called out, knowing full well the devastating physical power of Ash's Chansey.
Cloyster slid across the ice with practiced ease, refusing to let Chansey get into melee range. "Keep the distance and kite her with Spike Cannon!"
The gym was filled with the sounds of shattering ice as Cloyster used its mobility to pepper Chansey with attacks. Chansey was forced to keep her barriers up, absorbing the brunt of the assault.
Ash narrowed his eyes. This was becoming a stalemate of attrition. "Fine then—destroy the terrain! Chansey, use Bajiquan!"
The audience was dumbfounded. They had been watching in stunned silence; even though both trainers sounded relaxed, the destructive power on display was terrifying. Cloyster's Spike Cannon was shredding the arena, and Chansey was showing speed and defensive reactions that defied her species' reputation.
"Is that kid really a rookie?!" Someone in the stands shouted. "He's going toe-to-toe with a member of the Elite Four! Is this a prank?"
"Idiot! Look at those attacks! That Cloyster isn't holding back, and that Chansey's speed is insane!"
"Bajiquan? What kind of move is that? Is it a new TM?!"
Before anyone could figure it out, Chansey displayed a level of violence that contrasted sharply with her cute exterior. She slammed her palm into the frozen surface. Fissures spider-webbed out from the point of impact before the entire ice sheet shattered into fragments.
"Cloyster, dive into the water!" Lorelei commanded.
Seeing Cloyster submerge, Lorelei let out a small sigh of relief. She couldn't risk a close-quarters brawl with Chansey. However, she noticed a slight smirk tugging at the corner of Ash's mouth.
"Oh no... Cloyster, get out of there! Now!"
"Too late," Ash said. "Chansey, infect the pool with Toxic!"
"Lucky!" Chansey hurled a concentrated glob of purple venom into the water. Within seconds, the pool turned a murky, poisonous violet. Cloyster, unable to breathe the contaminated water, leapt back onto a floating shard of ice, looking visibly distressed.
"Finish it! Egg Bomb!"
Chansey pulled an egg and hurled it with the force of a professional pitcher. Lorelei tried one last desperate maneuver.
"Withdraw into your shell!"
The egg impacted just as Cloyster clamped shut. BOOM! When the smoke cleared, Cloyster lay on its side, its shell slightly open and its eyes spinning in circles.
"Cloyster is unable to battle! The first Pokémon of Lorelei has been defeated!!" The referee announced.
The crowd exploded. This wasn't just a win; it was a tactical masterclass. From shattering the ice to poisoning the water, Ash was playing at a level most trainers couldn't even dream of.
"Come back, Cloyster. That was my mistake," Lorelei said, recalling her Pokémon. She looked at Ash. "I forgot your Chansey was a master of status conditions."
"So, what's your move? Freezing the pool again won't work. Chansey is just getting warmed up."
Lorelei frowned. She knew about Chansey's legendary stamina, but seeing it in person was another thing entirely. "Fine. Dewgong, you're up!"
"Safeguard!" Both trainers shouted simultaneously.
The two Pokémon shimmered as they protected themselves from status effects. Ash and Lorelei shared a knowing look; they were thinking on the exact same wavelength.
"Dewgong, Ice Beam!"
A pale white beam shot toward Chansey. Ash remained calm. "Layered Light Screen."
Chansey deployed multiple shimmering walls, refracting the Ice Beam until it dissipated harmlessly. But Lorelei wasn't done.
"Ice Shard followed by Take Down!"
A cloud of jagged ice particles obscured Chansey's vision, followed immediately by Dewgong's massive form slamming into her.
"Lucky!"
The crowd gasped. Chansey hadn't budged. She had caught the charging Dewgong with her bare hands. Lorelei stood frozen in shock.
"Throw it! Then give it a Solar Beam!"
"You taught a Chansey Solar Beam?!" Lorelei cried out. "How many TMs did you shove down its throat?"
Ash pulled out a Black VIP Card and flashed it with a shrug. "Money can solve a lot of problems."
While they spoke, Chansey unleashed a searing pillar of solar energy—performing a pose that looked suspiciously like a Kamehameha. Dewgong was blasted back, unconscious before it hit the water.
"Come back, Dewgong. Honestly, Ash, you're being quite mean today. I didn't think you'd take this so seriously," Lorelei pouted, her voice sounding more like a teasing girl than an Elite Four member. Ash felt a literal shiver go down his spine.
"Alright, who's next? Or are you going to let my Chansey sweep your whole team?"
"I wouldn't be so sure. Look at her," Lorelei pointed out.
Ash looked closer. Chansey was dripping wet, her fur matted with water from the previous exchanges. Ash's heart sank. He knew what was coming. It was a move he and Lorelei had developed together—a move that was guaranteed to hit if the target was wet.
"No way... Chansey! Use Fire Punch to evaporate the water! Fast!"
"You're too late this time, Ash! Lapras, Frozen Purgatory!"
"Laaaa-pras!"
With a haunting cry, the temperature in the gym plummeted. A domain of absolute zero expanded from Lapras, instantly flash-freezing the battlefield—and Chansey along with it. The Fire Punch flickered out as she was encased in a pillar of deep blue ice.
"There it is! Master Lorelei's ultimate technique! The move that even Lance, the Dragon Master, has struggled to overcome! What will Ash do now?"
Ash stared at Lorelei, who was smiling triumphantly. "You really used that move on a Chansey? Talk about overkill."
"Well, your Chansey is a walking fortress," Lorelei chirped. "If I didn't lock her down in one hit, she'd just keep using Soft-Boiled to heal, wouldn't she?"
"Tch. This is why I hate fighting people who know me... Sorry, Chansey, I'm pulling you back."
Ash stepped onto the field and released Growlithe and Charmander. "Guys, use Flamethrower to get her out of there."
While the two small Pokémon carefully thawed out the shivering Chansey, Ash wrapped her in a thick blanket. "You did great, Chansey. That move is a guaranteed hit combo; there was nothing you could do. Go rest up. Misty, could you do me a favor and make Chansey a cup of hot chocolate? Thanks."
Misty snapped out of her daze. "Oh! Right! On it!"
Ash then turned to Meowth and patted him on the shoulder. "Alright, Meowth. It's up to you now."
"Leave it to me, Boss," Meowth said, polishing his new gold coin one last time before stepping onto the ice to face the Lapras.