The Pantheon

Elite Four

The next morning came earlier than Ashley would've liked. Not because of an alarm—she hadn't set one—but because Mercury decided to use her arm as a pillow heater. Between the static and the weight of a half-asleep Jolteon, she figured resistance wasn't worth it.

By the time she got herself moving, the Plateau was already alive with its usual hum. Trainers passed in and out of the halls, technicians checked screens, and somewhere far below, she could hear the echo of battles from one of the domes. It was strange to think she'd be part of that rhythm now—officially.

After breakfast, she met Lorelei at one of the indoor domes, which turned out to be less of a "room" and more of an arctic ecosystem someone had decided to trap under glass. Even with the thermal padding in her borrowed coat, Ashley's breath fogged as soon as she stepped inside. The walls shimmered with faint blue light, and the floor glistened under a thin sheen of frost.

"I feel like I should've brought hot cocoa," Ashley said, hugging herself.

Lorelei smiled from where she stood at the center of the field, her usual poise completely unbothered by the temperature. "You'll warm up once we start."

"I doubt that," Ashley muttered, tugging her hood tighter.

Venus padded forward first, her sleek body glimmering under the lights. Neptune floated behind her, giving a low, melodic hum of greeting to Lorelei. And then there was Chione who stepped gracefully onto the ice like she was born for this.

Which, technically, she was.

Ashley carried the Pokémon Egg carefully in its small heated carrier, setting it on a padded stand near the benches before joining the others. Janus stood nearby, arms folded, watching the field like he was already analyzing everything Lorelei might say.

Lorelei's training dome was built like an igloo from the inside—smooth curves, thick layers of reinforced ice, and just enough open space to accommodate a battlefield. It even sparkled faintly under the ceiling lights. Ashley had to admit, it was beautiful in that sharp, crystalline way that fit Lorelei perfectly.

"So," Lorelei said, clapping her hands lightly to get everyone's attention. "Today we're focusing on Ice-type energy control. Neptune, Chione—you'll be leading. Venus, you'll be assisting."

Venus gave a small chirp, totally unbored by the cold.

Lorelei's Jynx crouched, placing a hand on the ice. Frost bloomed beneath her palm, radiating outward like a slow breath. All while; her training started her lesson. "Ice energy relies on harmony between temperature and humidity. You're not creating ice; you're drawing it from the air around you."

Ashley blinked. "Wait, seriously? That's how it works?"

Lorelei gave her a faintly amused look. "You thought we just... froze things out of nowhere?"

"I mean... kinda?" Ashley admitted. "You make it look effortless."

"That's because it should be," Lorelei said. "When an Ice-type is in sync with the environment, the ice responds like an extension of them."

Ashley whistled softly. "Okay, I feel like I just walked into a college lecture. Then again, the explanation is similar to how my Pantheon manipulates the weather."

"Good," Lorelei said smoothly. "Because you'll be tested afterward."

"You sound more like a professor than I ever did in Alola," Ashley grinned.

Lorelei smirked. "I take that as a compliment."

The next hour felt less like a battle session and more like a science experiment crossed with meditation. Jynx guided Neptune through various patterns, tracing frost circles on the ice, adjusting the humidity with subtle waves of her hand as if conducting an invisible orchestra.