An Embrace and the Ice Empress's Careful Guidance

Chi Hong stared at Charizard, sprawled on the floor and snoring away, and fell silent for a moment.

His plan had fallen through.

Professor Oak had sent word that Charizard only needed to swallow one to reach the ten-thousand-year level, but digesting it would require a long sleep.

During that time, the Source of Life would strengthen the bloodline within Charizard.

Only then could Charizard withstand the power of Mega Evolution.

Chi Hong put the Key Stone and Charizardite X in his backpack, then returned Charizard to its Poké Ball so it could sleep undisturbed.

"Greninja, Lucario, I don't know when Charizard will wake up. The next battles are up to the three of us."

Chi Hong turned to them as he spoke.

Greninja gave a slight nod, maintaining its cool composure.

Lucario pumped a fist in confident agreement.

The Ice Empress lay on the hotel's large bed, her slender pale legs crossed, and said casually:

"If things get too difficult, you can ask me to come out and help you once. It's no great matter."

Chi Hong patted Lucario on the head.

"Don't worry. I believe in my two partners. Besides, I have a strategy."

That strategy, of course, was to ignore every fancy trick and stack Swords Dance. If he stacked it enough times, his opponent was going down in one hit.

For some reason, the Ice Empress seemed displeased. She gave a huff.

"Charizard falling asleep is a good thing. I've figured out how to help your Greninja master Ultimate Ice."

"Really? How?"

Chi Hong raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

The Ice Empress said softly:

"Greninja's understanding of ice has been deepening, but it still hasn't truly felt Ultimate Ice. Mastering it will be difficult. And you're the key to that."

Chi Hong pointed at himself.

"Me?"

The Ice Empress nodded.

"That's right. You need to serve as a medium so Greninja can feel Ultimate Ice, and you need to fight alongside it to deepen your bond."

"That will also fire Greninja up. Right now, it's a little too calm. It doesn't have enough killing intent."

Chi Hong and Greninja looked at each other.

"It's true. I've never actually fought alongside Greninja before. Just thinking about it gets me excited."

A spark of fighting spirit lit in both their eyes as they looked forward to their next battle.

"But does that mean you're agreeing to let me draw on your Soul Power?"

Chi Hong turned to ask her.

The Ice Empress wrinkled her cute nose.

"Idiot. Of course not. I told you that would set back my cultivation. We'll do what we usually do when you help me cultivate, except this time I'll transfer the Soul Power of Ultimate Ice to you."

Realization dawned on Chi Hong.

"Dual cultivation, then. No problem."

The Ice Empress gritted her teeth and glanced at the two Pokémon.

"Put them away first."

Greninja and Lucario stared with wide, innocent eyes as Chi Hong mercilessly returned them to their Poké Balls.

"Come on, then."

Chi Hong approached the bed, about to climb onto it and sit cross-legged as he usually did when cultivating.

The Ice Empress folded her arms, suddenly flustered.

"W-what are you doing?!"

Chi Hong looked puzzled.

"What's wrong now? Isn't this what we always do?"

The Ice Empress paused, then lowered her voice.

"If I'm transferring power to you, touching palms won't be enough. We'll need closer contact."

Chi Hong tilted his head and hesitated for a moment.

"Contact? What kind of contact?"

"Hmph. Idiot. A hug, of course."

The Ice Empress turned her head away, not daring to look at his face.

Chi Hong found it amusing. The Ice Empress was usually so proud and aloof. Seeing her like this was rare.

With a soft laugh, Chi Hong spread his arms without hesitation.

"Then we'll do it your way. Come here."

She felt Chi Hong's body draw closer, along with the warmth radiating from him.

The Ice Empress gritted her teeth.

"Idiot, I haven't prepared myself yet. You should be grateful enough that I signed a contract with an idiot trainer like you and have worked so hard to strengthen your Soul Beasts."

She kept grumbling and complaining, but her actions told a different story. She obediently opened her arms, her delicate face flushed pink.

Yet no matter how much she grumbled, the moment Chi Hong embraced her, she fell quiet and buried her head against his chest, afraid to look up.

So close to a human, surrounded by his scent, she felt light-headed. For a moment, she seemed to forget what she was supposed to do.

Chi Hong was taking it in, too.

The Ice Empress was petite enough for him to hold close with one arm, though her whole body was cold.

But as time passed,

Chi Hong felt for himself just how warm a Soul Beast could become.

He gently stroked the Ice Empress's emerald-green hair, feeling rather pleased.

After all,

Greninja's skin was damp and sticky, Charizard was rough and hot, and while Lucario felt the nicest to pet, it left his hand smelling like dog.

Not one of them made a decent pet.

The Ice Empress was entirely different. She felt wonderful, and she smelled lovely, too.

"Ahem. Bingbing, when can you start?"

Chi Hong pulled his wandering thoughts back and forced himself to ask calmly.

His voice brought the Ice Empress back from her daze. She froze for a moment, then tucked her blushing face even farther out of sight. Her arms tightened around him without her realizing it.

Crack—

Chi Hong's eyes went wide. His lower back suddenly felt strangely loose, as though he could no longer feel his spine at all.

"Ice Empress! You're getting back at me!"

Chi Hong grimaced in pain.

The girl in his arms was no helpless maiden. Her true form was a four-hundred-thousand-year-old Ferocious Beast!

If Chi Hong hadn't had the constitution of a superhuman from Pallet Town, that little squeeze would have sent him straight to heaven.

The Ice Empress loosened her grip but still did not dare look up. She forced her voice to sound cold.

"Sorry. I... I'll help you cultivate now."

Phew—

Chi Hong breathed a sigh of relief. A four-hundred-thousand-year-old Ferocious Beast really wasn't someone just anyone could handle.

She was terrifying!

Their conversation ended.

The two gradually immersed themselves in the flow of power.

The Ice Empress calmed her mind and slowly channeled the Ultimate Ice she commanded into Chi Hong's body.

Unlike Chi Hong, who could only wield the Plate's power with a heavy hand,

the ice the Ice Empress controlled was both precise and powerful.

Every wisp of icy power was applied exactly where it belonged, without wasting a trace.

Chi Hong focused on the sensation.

His mind gradually began to merge with the Ice Empress's.

It was a strange feeling, as though their souls were tightly connected and could not be pulled apart.

Step by step, the Ice Empress guided Chi Hong through sensing and wielding Ultimate Ice, like a patient, attentive teacher.

Chi Hong studied with an open mind.

He also understood why the Ice Empress could not teach Greninja directly. Only his contract made this level of mental communion possible.

Later, he would not be able to guide Greninja the way the Ice Empress was guiding him.

But the resonance between them in battle would surely let Greninja grasp the Ultimate Ice within him.