Pokemon: Psychic Master

"Oowoo~~"

A shimmering white body as pure as a snow lotus, sleek and elegant lines, and sapphire eyes that now held wisdom, shedding the innocence of the past.

This was the legendary Ice Ninetales, said to be the incarnation of a deity residing in snowy mountains. It was a perfect blend of speed, power, elegance, and beauty.

Nine flowing tails extended gracefully behind it, emanating an intense chill that formed icy flowers on the ground beneath its paws.

Johan gazed at the newly evolved Ice Ninetales, feeling a surge of pride.

For a moment, he thought to himself, She's grown up beautifully.

"Oowoo~~"

The Ice Ninetales turned toward Johan, its tranquil eyes still filled with trust and affection. It even gave him a gentle smile.

Johan couldn't help but recall that the top-tier Ice Stone had been crushed and "eaten" during the evolution. Hopefully, that doesn't cause an upset stomach, he thought wryly.

"So... beautiful," Chrysa muttered, her cheeks flushed as her eyes shimmered with admiration.

"It's not just beautiful," Ren commented, exhaling white mist and rubbing his arms. "I feel like I'm going to freeze just standing here."

Professor Cerise remained silent, lost in thought. Ice Ninetales' determination and Johan's unwavering trust were a testament to the bond between trainer and Pokémon.

To achieve such mastery of Ice-type power, the credit undoubtedly belonged to Johan's nurturing guidance.

"Go ahead—bring the snow," Johan said with a small smile.

"Oowoo~~"

With an elegant leap, the Ice Ninetales seemed to scatter glittering snowflakes in its wake, refracting the sunlight into iridescent hues.

The black clouds above churned and shifted as the electricity-filled storm dissipated. In its place, soft, pristine snowflakes began to fall.

As an Electric- and Flying-type, Zapdos was weak against Rock and Ice-type moves.

The plummeting temperature and swirling snow disrupted its rhythm, leaving the legendary bird visibly uncomfortable.

Johan's Pokédex updated its entry for the newly evolved Ice Ninetales. It now possessed two new moves: Dazzling Gleam, a Fairy-type move, and Freeze-Dry, a unique Ice-type move.

Freeze-Dry: Power 70. It's super effective against Water-types and has a chance to freeze the target.

Johan nodded to himself. Having another weapon against Water-types was an added bonus, though this wasn't the time for Freeze-Dry.

With the snowstorm set, the natural choice was Blizzard.

"Ninetales, Blizzard!"

"Oowoo~~"

The Pokémon's eyes shimmered with psychic energy, releasing unseen threads of power that coalesced into a ferocious blizzard.

"Ka-kah~!"

Gengar floated backward, shielding its face from the ferocious winds.

"Woah, she's gotten fierce after evolving!"

Tinkaton and Dragonair also stepped back. Tinkaton hefted its hammer, noting how much heavier it felt.

Perfect.

Dragonair, despite being a Dragon-type and not particularly fond of the cold, had grown accustomed to icy conditions under Johan's training.

Meanwhile, Kubfu's nose bubble had frozen solid and popped, waking it up. The sight of the evolved Ninetales left the little fighter impressed—it patted the snow off its fur and resolved to train even harder.

For Zapdos, however, the storm was a nightmare.

The biting cold and swirling winds slowed its movements, frost accumulating on its golden feathers and freezing its limbs.

"Screee!!"

But even in its weakened state, Zapdos wasn't going down so easily. It roared in frustration as frost coated its wings and snow covered the ground below it.

With the weather on Johan's side, the battle was finally tipping in his favor.

A thunderbolt struck the earth with less power, its impact dulled by the shimmering Aurora Veil Ninetales had set up.

Gengar capitalized on the moment, appearing silently behind Zapdos and charging up a massive Shadow Ball.

"Screee?!"

Zapdos turned, its crimson eyes widening at the sight of the attack.

The massive orb struck with precision, throwing the bird off balance and into the path of Dragonair and Tinkaton.

Tinkaton's mischievous grin widened as it leaped into the air.

"Cha!"

The hammer-wielding Pokémon spun around, its weapon crackling with frost as it came crashing down on Zapdos' head.

Dragonair followed up with a freezing Ice Beam, limiting Zapdos' ability to evade.

With a loud crash, the legendary bird was slammed into the ground, forming a deep crater.

"Ku~!"

Kubfu, now fully awake and ready, seized the opportunity.

Its Ice Punch struck repeatedly with growing force, each blow landing solidly.

Zapdos roared, attempting to rise once more, its body crackling with electric energy.

"Draaa~~!"

Dragonair descended rapidly, slamming into Zapdos and pinning it down again.

"Cha~?" Tinkaton smirked.

"Ever heard of the art of hammer-fall?"

With a resounding clang, the hammer came down one last time, pressing Zapdos further into the icy crater.

Ninetales landed gracefully beside the fallen bird, breathing out a stream of frosty air to encase it in a shimmering coat of ice.

"Did they really win?" Ren gasped, still rubbing his arms.

Kikuya glanced at the functioning cameras capturing every moment and murmured, "It seems like they might have."

"No, it's not over yet," Professor Cerise said, shaking his head.

Indeed, Zapdos still struggled within its icy prison, its electric energy radiating enough heat to melt the ice slowly.

Gengar floated close, sneering at the trapped bird while charging another Shadow Ball.

The other Pokémon tensed, ready to attack again.

Zapdos hesitated, its glowing red eyes darting nervously. What kind of team are these Pokémon?!

"Gengar, wait."

Johan's calm voice stopped the Ghost-type mid-charge.

Zapdos wasn't out of the fight yet, but Johan had seen enough. Despite everything it endured, the bird's determination was admirable.

He raised his hands, calling on the power of Aura.

As the glowing rainbow feather in his pocket began to shine, Zapdos paused, its gaze softening.

The gentle northern wind returned, washing over the battlefield and cooling the fiery anger in the bird's heart.

Finally, Zapdos relaxed, its hostility giving way to cautious curiosity.

"Let it go, Ninetales," Johan said softly.

The Ice Ninetales hesitated before releasing its hold, causing the ice encasing Zapdos to shatter.

Johan walked closer, locking eyes with the legendary Pokémon.

"Zapdos," he said through Aura, "I know you've been wronged. Let us help you take revenge."

Zapdos blinked, tilting its head in confusion.

Johan grinned and called out to his team.

"Gengar, Dragonair—time to give Zapdos a little charge-up!"

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Powerstones?

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