Chapter 40:
The Frozen City
Location: Opelucid City Pokémon Center
"BOOM!"
"What was that?!" I shouted. It not only woke me up, but the rest of the Trainers in the Pokémon Center. I could tell because when I ran out my room, everyone else came out. Everyone was chattering.
"What was that?"
"Mummy? What's going on?"
"Can't I just have a sleep in?!"
Hugh rushed towards me. "I think we might have a problem," he said. "Come on."
Location: Opelucid City
The two of us ran out of the Pokémon Center in a panic. Everyone was running towards something, and that something was very noticeable; it was a large chunk of ice that had frozen some buildings.
"No!" Drayden yelled in front of the chunk of ice, trying to keep everyone away. "This is not a tourist attraction! It could be dangerous!"
"What could have caused this?" Hugh thought, just as a large shadow loomed over us. We looked up, and that was the answer to Hugh's question; it was the Plasma Frigate. It was now equipped with a giant cannon.
"Oh crap, this is not good," I said. "Hugh, could you thaw out that house with Emboar?"
Hugh nodded. "I'll try."
As he was about to go off, we saw the cannon above us charging.
"Everyone!" I yelled. "Get inside to either your residence or the Pokémon Center!"
Everyone screamed as they all went inside different areas, including me and Hugh.
BOOOOOM! An even louder one occurred.
Me and Hugh forced open the automatic Pokémon Center doors to find a beautiful, but nonetheless deadly, sight.
The whole city was frozen over.
"What is this?" Hugh asked.
"You two!" Iris ran up to us. "I'm as shocked as you. Could this… this be what Team Plasma are planning to do?"
Drayden joined us. "Let's try and remove it. Haxorus, go!" he shouted.
"I'll help you. I choose Emboar!" Hugh sent out his Fire Type.
"Haxorus, Slash!" Haxorus swiped at a piece of ice, but it did nothing. "But… how could that be?"
"Let me try!" Hugh said. "Emboar, Flamethrower!"
"Growlithe!" I shouted. "Use Flamethrower to!" Instead, Growlithe sent a large wave of heat that covered a greater range than Emboar's Flamethrower. "Growlithe! That's Heat Wave! Amazing!" But despite that, it still didn't melt the ice.
"It can't melt by brute strength or fire." From out of the mist came Zinzolin.
"You!" Hugh shouted. "You and your goons are the worst! Stealing my Sister's Purrloin is one thing, but this. This comes pretty close to that. Unfreeze Opelucid this instant! You froze it, I presume you have an antidote?"
"I will do that, but…" He pointed to Drayden. "Give them to me."
"No," Drayden said. "I know what you plan on doing with them, and I won't allow it."
"What are you talking about?" I asked Drayden.
"Well," Zinzolin said. "How about we put on a little bet. A battle. If I win, you give me the DNA Splicers."
"I'll do it!" I said. "I… want to battle you so you don't receive… whatever these Splicey things are!"
"So be it," Zinzolin mentioned. A Grunt appeared before me. "Attack!"
I readied my Pokémon.
Rosa Vs. Plasma Grunt M
"Watchog, I choose you!" the Grunt shouted, sending out the Normal Type.
"Serperior, go!" Even in the cold, Serperior was ready. "Leaf Blade!" Serperior swiped Watchog with its tail.
"Slam it Watchog!" Watchog slammed its tail onto Serperior's head.
"Use another Leaf Blade!" Serperior swiped at Watchog again, taking it out.
"Okay then. Muk, go!" The Grunt sent out essentially a Grimer, but bigger.
Muk (ベトベトン)
065
Poison Type
Sludge Pokémon
3'11" (1.2 m)
66.1 lbs (30 kg)
It's so stinky! Muk's body contains toxic elements, and any plant will wilt when it passes by.
Grimer Lv-38- Muk
Already, I could see all the flowers that somehow weren't killed by the ice wither in Muk's presence. I knew that Serperior would probably wilt to if I used it against Muk to, so I exchanged it for Vibrava. I completely forgot that Vibrava hated the cold. "It's just for a bit," I said. "Earth Power!" Vibrava made a large crack in the earth that hit Muk.
"Sludge Wave!" Muk created a wave of purple goop that crashed onto Vibrava. Thankfully, it wasn't very effective.
"Another Earth Power!" Vibrava made another seismic burst of energy that finished of Muk.
"PLLAAAASSSSMAAAA!" shouted the Grunt.
"Okay, that's it!" I said. "Unfreeze the city!"
Zinzolin felt his short-white beard. "Hmm… I don't think our business is finished here. Grunts, spread out! Find those DNA Splicers and when you find them, report back to me."
Whilst the Grunt I beat went away, the other Grunts went separate directions.
"Make sure the people are okay," I told Drayden, Hugh and Iris. "I'll go track down those Grunts."
"Aye aye!" Iris said. "We need to hurry to. As a Dragon Type Trainer, I hate the cold, and so does Drayden."
I had to slide around the city because walking was impossible to do. That was how icy it was. Whilst I was doing this, I realised just how nefarious Team Plasma were. Freezing a city to get their way. Zinzolin was right when Hilbert talked to him.
Whilst I was lost in thoughts, I spotted another Grunt. She was looking into the window of a house.
"Hey!" I said. "Leave the residents alone!"
"Great," she said. "You come along and mess everything up."
"And you haven't?" I asked. "That's it. You're finished!"
Rosa Vs. Plasma Grunt F
"Vibrava, go!" I shouted. This time Vibrava was fine.
"Golbat, go!" the Grunt shouted. "Use Acrobatics!" Golbat flipped and turned everywhere, then kicked Vibrava, revealing it to be Zoroark.
"Night Slash Zoroark!" Zoroark sliced at Golbat for a Critical Hit.
"Now use Poison Fang!" Golbat's teeth turned purple, and it chomped down on Zoroark who became badly poisoned upon impact.
"No!" I yelled. "You are skilled, I'll say that. Zoroark, Night Slash again!" Zoroark slashed at Golbat once more, this time taking it out.
"You annoying little… Garbodor, go!" the Grunt yelled.
"Zoroark, Night Slash again!" Zoroark gave another dark strike to Garbodor, who was fine.
"Garbodor, Venoshock!" Garbodor fired a small-purple missile at Zoroark, who took lots of damage. Venoshock does more damaged to poisoned targets. Zoroark was down.
"Great job Zoroark," I said, recalling it. "Okay Cinccino, go!" I shouted. "Use Tail Slap!" Cinccino slapped Garbodor with its tail five times.
"Garbodor, Toxic!" Garbodor fired a purple bubble at Cinccino, badly poisoning it.
"Cinccino, try another Tail Slap!" Cinccino thankfully did, and Garbodor was getting weaker.
"Venoshock!" Garbodor used another Venoshock, and Cinccino was almost taken out.
"One more Tail Slap!" Cinccino got five more hits in. But it didn't quite knock out Garbodor.
"Body Slam!" Garbodor jumped up and onto Cinccino, who fainted.
"Urgh. Serperior, go!" I yelled. "Slam!" Serperior slammed its tail onto Garbodor, finishing it off.
"PLAAAAAASSSMAAAAAA!" the Grunt yelled.
After that Grunt was dealt with, I slid back to the Pokémon Center where Drayden was waiting.
"Let me heal your friends," Drayden said, getting out some items and treating my Pokémon.
"Much obliged," I said. "Say, I need to ask. What are the DNA Splicers?"
Drayden scratched his beard. "My apologies. In the rush I didn't have time to tell you. The DNA Splicers has the power to merge Kyurem with either Reshiram and Zekrom. If they fall into Team Plasma's hands and they find either one of them, it could mean danger."
"That won't happen!" I said. "Zekrom is with Hilbert and Reshiram is with N! Everyone knows this, but no one knows where they are. They would have to find them first."
"And that's why they want to track you down," Drayden warned me. "They know about your quest, so they believe you will lead them to Hilbert."
I stopped for a minute. "I'm… putting Unova at risk?"
"I wasn't saying that, but I understand the misunderstanding," Drayden explained. "Our best bet is to take down Team Plasma and keep them away from the DNA Splicers." He then came up to my ear and whispered in it. "They are in the Opelucid Gym."
I nodded and did a zipping motion with my mouth. But I decided I needed to go to the Gym anyway to look for the next Grunt.
Just my luck; the next Grunt was in front of the Gym!
"Hey!" I said. "That's enough!"
"Brilliant," the Grunt said. "Guess I have to take you down now. Where are the Splicers?"
I needed to come up with something. "They are at… Twist Mountain?"
"Nice try!" he said. "I saw Drayden whispering in your ear! Spit it out!"
"You'll have to beat me first!" I said.
Rosa Vs. Plasma Grunt M
"I choose Azumarill!" I yelled, as I sent out my Water Type.
"Seviper, go!" the Grunt shouted back. "Use Poison Jab!" Seviper jabbed Azumarill with its sharp tail, thankfully without poisoning.
"Azumarill, Rain Dance!" Azumarill summoned rain clouds and it started pouring.
"Another Poison Jab!" Seviper used another Poison Type move on Azumarill, this time poisoning it.
"Oh no," I said. "Okay, use Aqua Tail!" Azumarill hit Seviper with its glowing blue tail. It was knocked out.
"I'm not done! I choose Weezing!" The Grunt sent out a two headed Koffing, with one head being a lot bigger than the other.
Weezing (マタドガス)
047
Poison Type
Poison Gas Pokémon
3'11" (1.2 m)
20.9 lbs (9.5 kg)
Inhaling toxic fumes from trash and mixing them inside its body lets it spread an even fouler stench.
Koffing -Lv 35- Weezing
"Sludge Bomb!" Weezing fired a purple blob at Azumarill, and that finished it off.
"Come back," I said. "Go Zoroark! Night Slash!" Zoroark's claws went dark, and it slashed at Weezing.
"Sludge Bomb!" Weezing used another Sludge Bomb, doing quite a bit to Zoroark and also poisoning it.
"One more Night Slash!" Zoroark swiped Weezing in the face once more. A Critical Hit, it took down Weezing.
"PLAAAAASSSMAAAAA!" shouted the Grunt.
With that done, I slid my way back to the Pokémon Center. Zinzolin was waiting for me.
"That's it," I said. "All your Grunts have been defeated. Leave this place. The DNA Splicers are nowhere to be found."
Zinzolin clenched his fist; the cold didn't seem to affect him. "You childish little brat! What game are you playing?! I know that the DNA Splicers are here! Why must you ruin everything?! That's all you are good for!"
Rosa Vs. Zinzolin
"Serperior, I choose you!" I shouted.
"Cryogonal, go!" replied Zinzolin.
"Serperior, Coil!" Serperior coiled itself up, and it rose its stats.
"Cryogonal, Reflect!" Cryogonal made a wall that would half the power of Physical moves.
"Leaf Blade!" Serperior sliced Cryogonal for about half damage.
"Ice Beam!" Cryogonal fired a cold beam at Serperior that did a lot of damage to it.
"Another Leaf Blade!" Serperior sliced at Cryogonal again, defeating it.
"I must say, you are strong. But this ends. Weavile, I choose you!" Zinzolin sent out a black Pokémon with a red feathery head.
Weavile (マニューラ)
253
Ice/Dark Type
Sharp Claw Pokémon
3'07" (1.1 m)
75 lbs (34 kg)
They communicate by clawing signs in boulders and work together to surround enemies.
Sneasel -Lv up at Night-time holding Sharp Claw- Weavile
"Ice Shard Weavile!" Weavile created a chunk of ice that it flew at Serperior. If it wasn't for the Defense boost, Serperior would be done for.
"Giga Drain!" Serperior fired a beam at Weavile and drained some of its HP. I thought I had this, but I was sadly mistaken.
"Ice Shard again!" Alas, this Ice Shard was a Critical Hit. Serperior went down.
"NO!" I yelled. "Okay then. Growlithe, you're up!" Out came my Fire Type.
"Weavile, Night Slash!" Weavile's claws went dark, and it scratched Growlithe across the face.
"Use Heat Wave!" Growlithe let out a wave of heat that Weavile was caught in. It was finished.
"Have you gotten stronger since Lacunosa? Such a brief amount of time…"
"Now will you unfreeze Opelucid City?" I asked.
Zinzolin started laughing. Quite maniacally in fact.
"Something funny?" Iris asked, catching up to us. "You made a deal!"
"Made you look," Zinzolin said. There was an explosion.
"That came from the Gym!" Iris said. "And Drayden is over there! We need to go!"
"What about Zinzolin?" I asked.
But it was too late; Zinzolin was being beamed up to the Frigate.
"No time! We need to find Drayden!"
We slid over to the Gym to find Drayden laying on the floor. He was wounded.
"What happened?" I asked.
"They attacked and… took them…" he said, before collapsing. I looked around and saw a member of the Shadow Triad.
"You take care of Drayden," I told Iris. "All his training has led to this."
Iris gulped. "I won't let him down."
I slid to a point where I came face to face with a member of the Shadow Triad.
"You have them don't you," I said.
"Yes," the member replied. "The Shadow Triad have the DNA Splicers."
I grabbed a Pokéball. "Then I think you know the drill. It's time to beat you!"
"You're wasting your time!" he said.
Rosa Vs. Shadow Triad
"Growlithe, go!" I yelled.
"You're up, Pawniard!" the Shadow Triad shouted.
Pawniard (コマタナ)
223
Dark/Steel Type
Sharp Blade Pokémon
1'08" (0.5 m)
22.5 lbs (10.2 kg)
Ignoring their injuries, groups attack by sinking the blades that cover their bodies into their prey.
"Okay Pawniard, Slash!" Pawniard skated over to Growlithe and swiped it on the leg.
"Flamethrower!" I yelled as Growlithe shot a flame at Pawniard. It almost knocked it out.
"Use another Slash!" Pawniard attacked again, this time dealing a Critical Hit.
"Use another Flamethrower!" Growlithe spat more fire at Pawniard, this time knocking it out.
"Urgh. Absol, go!" The member sent out a white Pokémon with a black horn.
Absol (アブソル)
216
Dark Type
Disaster Pokémon
3'11" (1.2 m)
103.6 lbs (47 kg)
It appears from deep in the mountains the warn people about upcoming disasters it has sensed with its horn.
Absol has no known evolutions.
"Use Night Slash!" Absol's horn went dark, and it slashed Growlithe, dealing the final blow.
"Growlithe!" I yelled. "Serperior, go!" My partner was sent out.
"Use another Night Slash!" Realizing that Night Slash was a bit of a running theme today, Absol use a Night Slash on Serperior.
"Coil!" Serperior coiled up, raising its stats. "Now Leaf Blade!" Serperior swiped at Absol for a Critical Hit, and it was down.
"PLAASSSMAAAAA!" shouted the Grunt.
"Enough games!" I yelled. "Where are they? You said you had them!"
"I did say the Shadow Triad had them, but I'm not the only one! Ta tah Rosa!" With that, he disappeared.
"No," I said, teary eyed. "Did… we just lose?" I watched the Plasma Frigate float of into the distance.
Just then, Hugh started calling me oh the Xtransciever.
"So," he asked. "What's next?"
"I'm… not sure," I said. "Where are you?"
"Driftveil City," Hugh said. "I'm talking to Clay to see is excavation can be done on the ice, not that I'm entirely sure that there is…"
"Okay," I said. "I'll meet you over there."
I cut the call and took out Hilbert's Journal. This thing had caused me nothing but trouble. Maybe Drayden was right; I am a magnet for Team Plasma. "Good riddance!" I sobbed, throwing the Journal onto the ground and leaving it there.
Location: Driftveil City
"You what?!" Hugh said. "But… that's why you started this journey! You wanted to find Hilbert! You can't just give up here!"
"I am!" I said. "For two reasons. No.1. I am nowhere closer to Hilbert than I was when we left Aspertia City. No.2. Team Plasma are following my every step so if I do end up getting closer to Hilbert, that's where Team Plasma will strike. And newsflash, they have the DNA Splicers! If they find Hilbert and Zekrom, or N and Reshiram for that matter, we're all doomed!"
"Calm down!" Hugh said. "Okay, I can see why you've done it. But giving up isn't the right word. For now, our efforts should be on Team Plasma and taking them down."
"I want to be prepared," I said, getting out my Heart Scales and heading towards the PWT. "Where shall I meet you?"
Hugh got out a device. "There are some signs of cold coming from Humilau City. That's where Team Plasma might be. The Marine Tube has just opened, so I'll head there now. There is a Gym there to. I'll give you time to prepare."
With that, he hopped on Unfezant and flew away.
A lot has happened today, but yes. My task of finding Hilbert has come to an end. That's all I'll say.