The following morning, the crisp air of Snowpoint City felt less like a threat and more like a challenge. After a night of being used as a high-temperature space heater for a clingy human, Growlithe was practically bursting with stored thermal energy. Julian, on the other hand, felt remarkably refreshed, his mind clear and his stomach—blessedly—no longer staging a protest against Togetic's culinary experiments.
They reached the Snowpoint Gym just as the morning sun began to hit the frosted glass of the entrance, turning the entire building into a shimmering, crystalline palace.
"Morning! Julian, checking in for the 9:00 AM slot. We had the reservation under 'Sandgem Town' yesterday," Julian said, leaning against the polished reception desk and sliding his Pokédex toward the attendant.
The receptionist, a young woman bundled in a thick fleece vest, took the device and slotted it into the system. A few rapid-fire clicks later, she looked up with a professional smile. "Everything is in order, Julian. You're our opening act for the day. If you'll follow the assistant here, he'll lead you straight to the main stage."
"Awesome. Let's go, crew."
Following the assistant through a long, quiet corridor was like transitioning between worlds. The muffled sounds of the lobby faded, replaced by a low, humming silence. Then, they stepped through the final set of double doors, and the sheer scale of the Snowpoint battlefield hit them.
The arena wasn't just big; it was a masterpiece of glaciology. The floor was a solid sheet of reinforced, translucent ice, broken up by jagged pillars and small, snow-capped mounds that acted as natural obstacles. The air here was even colder than outside, kept at a precise sub-zero temperature to maintain the integrity of the field.
Standing on the opposite platform was a man who looked like he'd been carved out of the mountain itself. Jira, the current stand-in for the Snowpoint Gym, had salt-and-pepper hair and a sharp, analytical gaze that seemed to peel back Julian's layers before the match even started. He wore a heavy, dark-blue overcoat draped over his shoulders, looking more like a university professor than a brawler.
"So, you're the one from Sandgem," Jira said, his voice echoing in the vast, hollow space.
"That's me," Julian replied, adjusting his gloves. "Ready when you are, Gym Leader."
"I hope so," Jira said, his tone dipping into a serious, almost gravelly register. "People come to this city thinking the cold is just a minor inconvenience. They find out too late that the ice doesn't forgive mistakes. If you aren't here to give me everything you've got, I won't be handing over the Icicle Badge. I don't give participation trophies."
"I wouldn't want it any other way," Julian countered, his competitive fire starting to spark.
The referee took his position on a raised platform between the two trainers. "This is an official Snowpoint Gym match between the challenger, Julian of Sandgem Town, and the Gym Leader, Jira! The rules are as follows: this will be a four-on-four total battle!"
Julian blinked. "Wait, four?"
The referee paused, looking over his clipboard. "Is there an issue, challenger?"
"Oh, no, no issue," Julian said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I just... I think I was so distracted by the 'pre-battle nerves' yesterday that I missed the part about it being a 4v4. Most of the lower-tier gyms are 3v3, so I just assumed. My bad. Four is fine. Four is great."
Jira's eyes narrowed, a flash of irritation crossing his face. "You didn't even bother to confirm the format? Unbelievable. You come into my Gym, one of the most technical arenas in the Sinnoh region, and you treat the briefing like background noise? If you think you can breeze through this on raw power alone, you're in for a very rude awakening."
Julian felt a sting of embarrassment, but he forced a grin. "Hey, I might be a bit scatterbrained about the paperwork, but I promise my Pokémon are more than ready. Let's just see if our 'unserious' prep holds up on the ice."
"Hmph. We'll see about that," Jira snapped. "Let's see how you handle the basics. Snover, front and center! Teach this boy the importance of paying attention!"
With a flash of light, a small, pine-like Pokémon appeared on the ice. Snover looked like a grumpy little snow-covered tree with brown, branch-like arms and a determined scowl. The moment it landed, the temperature in the room seemed to drop another five degrees as its Snow Warning ability kicked in, causing a light flurry of snow to begin falling over the battlefield.
"Snover, huh? Grass and Ice. High utility, but a lot of weaknesses," Julian muttered. He grabbed a Poké Ball from his belt and gave it a quick kiss for luck. "Alright, Growlithe! You've been itching for this since last night. Show them the heat!"
"Woof-woof! (Finally! It's go time—whoa, okay, this floor is basically a Slip-and-Slide!)"
Growlithe skidded as he landed, his claws scratching frantically against the frozen surface. He quickly adjusted, digging his paws into the frost to gain traction. The ice hills around him looked like miniature mountains, reflecting the gym's harsh white lights.
"Don't think a simple type advantage is a 'Win' button here, kid," Jira called out. "I've defeated plenty of arrogant Fire-type trainers who thought they could just melt their way to a badge. Snover, let's start with a reality check. Icy Wind!"
Snover exhaled a powerful, swirling blast of frigid air. The wind wasn't just cold; it was heavy, carrying shards of ice that threatened to drop Growlithe's internal temperature and sap his mobility.
"Don't let it pin you down, Growlithe! Use that wind as a fuel source! Fire Spin, let's go!"
"Woof!"
Growlithe stood his ground, his fur glowing with a deep, orange radiance. He opened his mouth and unleashed a swirling vortex of flames that spiraled outward, meeting the Icy Wind head-on. The clash created a thick mist as the ice turned to steam, the heat of the fire completely negating the slowing effect of the wind.
"Decent reaction," Jira admitted, though his expression remained cold. "But can you keep up with the rhythm? Snover, Ice Beam! Freeze him in his tracks!"
Snover gathered a ball of crackling, azure energy between its hands and fired a jagged bolt of pure frost. The beam lanced across the arena, turning the air itself into shimmering crystals.
"Not today! Growlithe, activate the 'Flame Cloak' and move! Don't just run—carve the ice!"
Growlithe didn't just use a move; he channeled his internal fire into a thin, intense layer over his entire body. As he sprinted across the arena, he didn't slide. Instead, the heat from his paws melted the very top layer of the ice, giving him perfect grip as he veered around the Ice Beam. Behind him, he left steaming, wet tracks that cut through the frozen floor like a hot knife through butter.
"Now, the counter! Flame Charge into a full-speed tackle!" Julian shouted.
"Woof-woof! (Coming through!)"
Engulfed in a shimmering red aura, Growlithe picked up speed, his heat intensifying as he blurred into a streak of crimson fire.
"Meet it head-on! Ice Beam, maximum output! Encore!" Jira commanded, his voice sharp.
Snover pivoted, its eyes glowing as it fired another blast of frost, trying to predict Growlithe's path. But Growlithe was faster. Just as the beam was about to hit, the pup leaned his body into a sharp, drifting turn—a move they had practiced for hours in the hotel hallway. He skipped over a small ice mound, used the momentum to launch himself into the air, and soared right over the beam.
CRASH!
Growlithe slammed into Snover with the force of a falling meteor. The impact was loud, the sound of Fire meeting Grass echoing through the rafters. Snover was thrown backward, skidding across the ice until it hit a pillar, leaving a spiderweb of cracks in its wake.
The referee moved in, checking the fallen Snover. "Snover is unable to battle! Growlithe is the winner!"
"Yeah! Great job, buddy!" Julian cheered, punching the air.
Growlithe stood over the unconscious Snover, his fur steaming as the falling snow evaporated off his back. He looked back at Julian with a smug, wagging tail.
Jira sighed, recalling Snover into its ball with a quiet 'well done.' He looked at Julian, his gaze slightly less frosty than before. "I'll admit, that 'Flame Cloak' trick was clever. You've obviously spent some time thinking about the friction of the ice. Most trainers just try to run and end up falling on their faces."
"We've done our homework," Julian said, though he felt a bit of heat rising to his own cheeks. "We might be a little disorganized with the rules, but we never slack on the training."
"Hmph. You've passed the first test," Jira said, reaching for a second Poké Ball. "But that was just the warm-up. Snover is a scout. Now, let's see how you handle something with a bit more... weight. This next one won't be so easy to push around!"