[3] The Daughter of Nurse Joy: Johto Journeys

The Lost Piloswine

After the trouble at Lake of Rage had been cleared, the gang had arrived at Mahogany Town. They spent the night at the Pokémon center and had all of their Pokémon healed, and now Cora was looking up the Mahogany Gym in the guidebook.

"What does it say, Cora?" Misty asked.

"Well according to the book, the gym leader is a man named Pryce and that he uses ice type Pokémon. It also says that Pryce is as cold as ice." Cora replied.

"What does that mean?" Ash asked.

"It means that Pryce has a cold personality." Brock explained.

"I hope that Pryce will be nice enough to let me battle him." Cora prayed.

"Who will you be using?" Mairin asked.

"That's easy, I'll be using Lozen and Mulan because Fire, Steel and Fighting types beat Ice-type Pokémon." Cora replied.

{A/N: Hitmontop - Lozen, Mulan - Mienshao}

Alain smiled, "Knowing what to do as usual."

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When everything was ready, the gang headed to Mahogany Gym. The Mahogany Gym looked like one of those ice-skating rink buildings. When the gang got there, they realized that the gym leader wasn't there.

An elderly woman came up to the gang.

"Hello there," she greeted, "I'm Sheila, Pryce's friend. Are you here for a gym battle?"

"Yes, ma'am I am," Cora responded, "Do you know where Pryce is?"

"Pryce will be up at the mountains, meditating underneath a waterfall. He does that every morning." Sheila answered.

"Oh really? Do you think you can lead us to him please? I wish to challenge him for a gym badge." Cora requested.

"I wish to challenge him too." Ash added.

"Certainly." Sheila accepted.

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So Sheila showed the gang the way to where Pryce was. Apparently, Sheila was very full of energy and athletic for an elderly woman. She had no trouble at all of walking up the mountain and climbing over rocks. Ash and his friends were surprised yet somewhat tired at Sheila. They soon found an old man meditating under a waterfall. Cora knew that the old man was Pryce the Mahogany Gym Leader.

"Hey Pryce, you have a challenger." Sheila announced.

"Pleasure to meet you, Pryce. I'm Cora Joy and I'm here because I wish to have a gym battle with you." Cora requested.

"I'm Ash Ketchum and I wish to battle you as well." Ash added.

Pryce stopped meditating and noticed Kilala by Cora's feet and Pikachu on Ash's shoulder.

"Why is that Espeon and Pikachu not in their Pokéballs?" Pryce asked, sternly.

"It's because Kilala is my partner and my best friend." Cora replied.

"Pikachu is my best buddy." Ash smiled.

"Humph," Pryce scoffed, "Having a battle with you two will be pointless."

"What? Why?" Cora questioned, angry at what Pryce said.

Ash growled angrily at that.

"Humans and Pokémon being best friends is ridiculous," Pryce stated coldly, "being all emotionally with your Pokémon is not going to make you a great Pokémon trainer."