PokeChasers: The Mystery of Route 8

Chapter 32: An Icy Welcome

Before visiting the gym, Chase showed the girls around his hometown. They met a weird family who put on a game show every time someone walked through the door, the Pokemon Fan Club (Chase was an official member), and many other people.

After meeting Chase's mom, the PokeChasers headed to the gym. As they walked, Sierra asked Chase, "We met your mom, but what about your dad?"

Chase's face darkened. "I never met him," he said, an bit of anger in his voice. "He ran off when my mom was pregnant with me."

"Oh," Sierra didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Chase said. Suddenly his face brightened. "Look, there's the gym!" he said excitedly. "Time to introduce you to my Uncle Brycen!"

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When they stepped into the gym, they found a maze of ice slides awaiting them. "C'mon!" Chase ran over to the nearest slide. "I used to play in here all the time as a kid. I know this gym like the back a Pokeball!"

He jumped onto the slide and slid away at a blazing speed. "Wheeeee!"

"He's such a child," Sierra muttered to herself, and she jumped onto the slide.
"Ahh! This is coldddddddd!" she screamed as she slid away.

Chris jumped on the slide behind Sierra, but her only thought was, "It's almost time."

Before she slid, she looked over to the side and saw a familiar man in a brown coat...

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As soon as he reached the bottom of the slide, Chase ran over to Brycen. He gave his uncle a quick hug and said, "We're here to challenge you to a gym battle!"

"Alright then nephew," Brycen told him. "Let's see what you got."

"Go Wott!"

"Let's see," Brycen rubbed his chin in thought. "I choose you Cub!"

Chase broke out in a huge smile as a Beartic appeared in a flash of red. "Is that who I think it is?"

"Yep. My first Pokemon, Cubchoo."

"When did he evolve?"

"The day you left to start your journey, actually."

"Would you battle already?!?" Sierra shouted. "You can have a reunion later, but there are others who want to battle! Namely me!"

"She's a feisty one," Brycen said, smiling. "But she's right. I'll be Uncle Brycen later. But right now, I'm Brycen, gym leader of Icirrus City!"

"In that case, I'll go all out," Chase said. "Wott, use Aqua Jet!"

"Cub, dodge and use Ice Fang!"

Brycen's Beartic tried to dodge, but Wott was too fast for him. He slammed into the ice type with tons of power, knocking him down.

"Now, use Razor Shell before he can get up!"

Wott's scallchops were in his hands immediately, blue blades and all. He swung the blades at Cub, but he got too close to the monstrous fangs. Cub bit down hard on Wott's arm, causing him to drop a scallchop.

"Now, Ice Beam at close range!" Brycen had a huge smile on his face. He was obviously enjoying battling his nephew.

Chase's smile was equally huge. "Shake it off Wott! Use Hydro Pump"

Cub opened his maw and beams of energy shot out, cold enough to freeze a Magmar. Wott opened his mouth and let loose an equally powerful blast of water.

The two attacks met in midair. The Ice Beam started pushing towards Wott. Chase knew if the attack hit, it was over. "C'mon Wott! You can do it!"

Wott wore a determined look on his face, as he let loose another wave of power. The Hydro Pump pushed all the way back to Cub an hit him, knocking the Pokemon across the room and into a wall, where the Beartic slumped, unconscious.

"Well then," Brycen said with a twinkle in his eye. "I guess I owe you a badge.

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After Chase received his badge, Sierra stepped up to challenge Brycen.

"I can't say no to a challenge," he told her. "Go Cryogonal!"

"Go Flare!"

"Let me warn you," Brycen said to Sierra. "Cryogonal is my most powerful Pokemon."

"Well, Flare's mine, so this should be fun."

"Cryogonal, use Blizzard!"

"Flare, use Flamethrower"

Cryogonal launched a blast of cold air at Flare, but she simply blasted it away with Flamethrower.

"Now, Tackle!"

"Cryogonal, use Ice Shard!"

Flare ran at Cryogonal as fast as she could, but the shards of ice slammed into her hard, cussing her to tumble across the field.

"Cryogonal, finish this with Ice Beam!"

"Flare, dodge and use Flame Charge!"

The Ice Beam was quick and powerful, but Flare was on her feet and running before it could hit her. As she ran, she was in enveloped by flames. She crashed into Cryogonal, and with a THUMP, the Pokemon was knocked out.

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Sierra had just enough time to receive her Freeze Badge before she heard a muffled crash.

"That came from Dragonspiral Tower!" Brycen exclaimed. "I'd better go see what's going on."

"We'll come with you," Chris volunteered the three of them.

"Okay then. C'mon!" Brycen and the PokeChasers ran across the gym, climbed some stairs, and arrived outside the gym.

What they saw was chaos.