At that moment, a sound like silver bells ringing echoed through the icy halls. A phantom-like Pokémon, appearing as if draped in a white kimono, flickered in and out of sight.
"As I suspected, a Froslass."
Froslass has no feet and floats in the air like its counterpart, Glalie. Its body resembles a kimono, complete with a red circular belt around its waist. Its arms, which look like ears, hang from its head, and the light-blue patches on its elbows add to its ethereal beauty. Through the holes in its crystalline head, its purple skin is visible.
Froslass can freeze its enemies with its $-50^\circ\text{C}$ breath. It wanders through blizzards to find unsuspecting humans, turning them into ice sculptures to display as trophies. Usually found on snowy mountains, it is not uncommon to find them in deep, frozen caverns like this.
As the Froslass locked eyes with Feng Che, her expression shifted into one of pure, unadulterated hatred.
Pokémon: Froslass
Potential: Exceptional (Yellow)
Ability: Snow Cloak
Level: 48
Type: Ice / Ghost
Status: Enraged
Evaluation: This Froslass was once abandoned by a human trainer, leading to an extreme hatred for mankind. She takes pleasure in freezing trainers into ice blocks to add to her "collection."
[Froslass: Trainers must die... they all must die... I will freeze them and make them mine forever.]
"Zeraora, use Thunder Shock," Feng Che commanded calmly.
Zeraora took a sharp breath, and a violent surge of electricity erupted from her claws. The current tore through the frosted air, locking onto Froslass's position and encasing her in a cage of lightning.
[Froslass: No! Trapped in electricity?! I need backup!]
Froslass let out a high-pitched, piercing shriek that rattled the icicles on the ceiling.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
A heavy, rhythmic sound approached from the darkness, like a massive weight repeatedly slamming into the floor. A dark silhouette burst into the light: a Glalie.
Glalie is a spherical Pokémon made of a black rock core covered in a layer of hardened ice. It has two large black conical horns and piercing blue eyes.
Glalie: Green Potential, Level 57 (Gym Leader Tier)
"A Gym Leader-level opponent, but Zeraora is no ordinary Pokémon," Feng Che mused, watching the aggressive Glalie.
Zeraora lunged, her claws weaving a web of lightning. The Froslass she struck shattered into fragments of ice—it was merely a Substitute.
"Zeraora, stay alert! Watch for Froslass's ambush!"
Meanwhile, Glalie unleashed a massive Blizzard directly at Feng Che.
"Directly targeting the trainer? You must be the ones responsible for the frozen 'statues' I saw earlier." Feng Che smirked and used his telekinesis to manifest a psychic barrier. The blizzard struck the shield, dissipating into harmless snowflakes, though it began to drain his mental reserves.
Zeraora pivoted and slammed into Glalie with a barrage of Plasma Fists. A hundred lightning-fast strikes hammered the ice Pokémon, sending it crashing into the cavern wall and leaving deep fist-prints in its armor.
"Good! Zeraora, Thunderbolt!"
As a Mythical Pokémon, Zeraora is a child of thunder, capable of discharging millions of volts. However, just as she prepared the attack, her body stiffened. Froslass had materialized directly in her shadow, a triumphant smirk on her face.
"A bit too careless," Feng Che muttered.
Just as Froslass leaned in for a Draining Kiss, Zeraora let out an angry growl. A massive discharge of electricity erupted from her entire body, turning the nearby ice into steam. Froslass was struck point-blank, her body crackling as she was blasted back, charred and unconscious.
Glalie, seeing its partner fall, turned a deep shade of red with fury. [Glalie: I'll take this human down with me!]
"Crap! Zeraora, it's going to use Self-Destruct!"
Feng Che could have used Teleport to escape, but an explosion of that magnitude might disturb Lorelei's training or cause a cave-in. Zeraora blurred, appearing instantly beside Glalie. She unleashed another surge of high-voltage current, short-circuiting Glalie's energy and knocking it unconscious before it could detonate.
"These two must be the local lords of this depth." Feng Che tossed two Poké Balls, securing them. The surrounding Pokémon, sensing the raw power of the Mythical cat, went silent, their rustling sounds vanishing into the dark.
"Let's move while they're still stunned."
Guided by Koga's detailed map, Zeraora carried Feng Che deeper into the labyrinthine tunnels, bypassing the confusing mirror-walls and heading for the heart of the mountain.
The Poseidon Grotto
A giant submarine suddenly breached the surface of the hidden waters. A bearded man wearing a blue bandana emerged onto the deck, followed by a disciplined squad of sailors.
Archie, leader of Team Aqua, stared at the sea-caves of the island. "So this is the Sea God Island, the place of our ancestors. Legends say the Sea God's blessing remains here. I wonder if the Alpha Sapphire is hidden within."
"Find the ruins!" Archie commanded his men. "We are the People of the Sea. We must return to our destiny—expand the oceans until they swallow the land!"
Team Rocket Laboratory
Giovanni visited the lab daily to check the progress of the Triple-Bird project. Dr. Fuji's focus had shifted entirely away from Mewtwo. No one noticed that the "weak and unstable" Mewtwo in the central tank had already grown to full adult height...