Chapter 26:

Cold Storage Wars

Location: Driftveil City

It was a weird feeling being in the lit up Nimbasa City one day then the next day being in the brownish Driftveil City. There was a market selling all kinds of food, so I stocked up on berries. In Nimbasa City these would be stands in Pokéland selling food in packaging that would take about 5 minutes to open and would cost three times as much as a normal grocery store. Here, food was laid out and quite cheap.


As I came out of the market, I was greeted by a large man in a brown outfit with a cowboy hat. He had a brown business case with him. None of what he was wearing looked cheap.

"You wouldn't happen to be the Trainer that's been stopping those Plasma Grunts would ya?" he asked.

I nodded my head. "That's me."

"Yes, Elesa told me about you. Let's get down to introductions. My names Clay, the Gym Leader of Driftveil City. I'm a Miner originally from Oreburgh City in Sinnoh and am now a businessman to."

"My name is Hilbert. I'm from Nuvema Town. Hey, my friend Bianca wanted to battle you today. Could you do that?"

He shook his head. "No can do. I've been looking for you. Remember those Plasma Grunts I told ya about? Those no gooders are causing trouble at the Cold Storage. All the stuff in there gets shipped out all over the world. If they spoil everything, it could mean trouble for Unova's trade."

I mean, why shouldn't I? Oh yeah, because I made a promise. Now may I ask. How many times had I broken that promise? I decided to tag along.

"Hilbert!" Cheren said, running towards me. "Oh, my goodness, it's the Driftveil Gym Leader!"

Clay smiled. "Ya would happen to be Hilbert's friend, would you?"

Cheren adjusted his glasses. "You are 100% correct. I overheard that you're planning on taking down Team Plasma. Mind if I tag along?"

From his briefcase, Clay got out a pickaxe. He swung it hard, and it almost hit Cheren's face. It stopped mere inches away. "More the merrier. Come on, the Storage isn't going to save itself, unless those Plasma tyrants freeze ta death!"

Freeze to death?


Location: Cold Storage Ext.

All around us were multiple concrete buildings and giant cranes that were unloading giant freights from ships. One was apparently from the Hoenn region as it had the Devon Corp. logo on its side.

"I must warn ya," Clay said. "It gets mighty chilly in there."

"Clay!" A man wearing large clue and orange clothing walked over to us. He was wearing mittens; he looked like a mountaineer. With his was a woolly Pokémon with a large cream coloured moustache. Its fur was black underneath.


Stoutland (ムーランド)

014

Normal Type

Big-Hearted Pokémon

3'11" (1.2 m)

134.5 lbs (61 kg)

It rescues people stranded by blizzards in the mountains. Its shaggy fur shields it from the cold.

Lillipup -Lv 16- Herdier -Lv 32- Stoutland


"The Grunts are still in there. We have them cornered, but who knows what they're doing."

Clay straightened his hat. "Don't worry, we've got em. Everyone, this is Jared. He's one of my workers. Coming with us?"

Jared petted Stoutland on the head. "Sure thing. I'll show you the way."

Jared led us round the corner to one of the buildings. He opened the door slightly, and I shivered. It was like I got blasted in the face by Icy Wind. "I'll need warmer clothes," I said.

Clay got out his pickaxe once again and swung it down. It stopped near my nose. "No time, your fighting spirit will keep ya warm! Okay, let's go stop them!"


Location: Cold Storage Int.

"How do you work in this?!" I asked through shivers. "Oh yeah, because you have a coat!"

Clay didn't seem to mind either. "Quit ya yapping. We need to get to the end and beat Team Plasma." He looked around and saw that one of the blue freights was open. "That's where they are. We're gonna need to go up and around."

"Pansear, come out!" I shouted. A Fire Type would keep us incubated.

"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!" shouted Jared. "We don't want any of these goods to unfreeze. These are being shipped, and they'll only accept them fresh."

Sighing, I recalled Pansear.

We walked up some steps onto a green freight with a flat top. On top of it was an icy floor. I knew I needed to be careful. Slipping on the ground was painful enough, imagine slipping and landing on pure metal.

I stepped on the floor and went zooming of in the direction I stepped. I was stopped by a box.

"Careful!" Cheren shouted.

I slid back to the metal surface and needed to think strategically. So, I sat down. "What are ya doing, we need to get a move on!" Clay said.

"I got it. I slide into that box, then go right. I'll slide down to the other box the left which will give me passage to the other side."

"Gurdurr, come out!" Cheren yelled. "Chip Away!" Gurdurr started chipping at the ice, making a path that we could walk across. "Or we could just walk!"

I much preferred that strategy, so we walked through.


We walked by some boxes. Unfortunately, they had been opened.

"Oh man, these won't stay fresh," Cheren said.

"Yeah, they will!" said Jared. "Go Vanillite!" Jared sent out the Pokémon that was on the Castelia Cone sign back in Castelia City.


Vanillite (バニプツチ)

088

Ice Type

Fresh Snow Pokémon

1'04" (0.4 m)

12.6 lbs (5.7 kg)

The temperature of their breath is -58֯ F (-50 ֯C). They create snow crystals and make snow fall in the areas around them.


"Icy Wind!" Vanillite breathed on the food with some cold air, freezing them again. "That'll keep them frozen for now. I'll seal them up later."

When we got to the freight, we all got ready to charge on in.

"No," Clay said, putting his pickaxe in front of me. "We need to think of a strategy."

"Take two out each," Cheren suggested. (He was on a roll today!)

Clay smiled. "Yer a smart one. Okay, let's do this!"

Well, the freight was even colder. I was at least wearing my everyday jumper, but still. But sharing the cold with us, were eight Team Plasma Grunt and another Sage. He was wearing all purple, including that hat and he had a winter coat on.

"Well, our little promise breaker is at it again," he told us. "And he brought friends."

"I'll take the ones to the right," I told everyone. "Jared, you're on the left with Cheren. Clay, want to go with me?"

Clay once again got out his pickaxe and hammered it down inches away from my face. If he wasn't careful my nose would be no more. "I like ya spirit. Excadrill, come on out!" Clay sent out a Pokémon that was bigger than Drilbur, had red stripes on its belly and a steel horn on its head.


Excadrill (ドリュウズ)

036

Ground/Steel Type

Subterrene Pokémon

2'04" (0.7 m)

89.1 lbs (40.4 kg)

More than 300 feet below the surface, they build mazelike nests. Their activity can be destructive to subway tunnels.

Drilbur -Lv 31- Excadrill


I went over to one of the M Grunts. "Even in the cold, my Pokémon are burning! Well, I won't be using Pansear but still."

"Try me!" the Grunt shivered.


Hilbert Vs. Plasma Grunt M

"Gothita, I choose you!" I shouted.

"Trubbish, you're up!" the Grunt replied, as Gothita hit it with a Faint Attack! It had learned a new move!

"Trubbish, Toxic Spikes!" Trubbish threw some purple spikes onto the ground.

"Gothita, Psybeam!" Gothita fired a pink beam at Trubbish for massive damage. One more would do it.

"Trubbish, Sludge!" Trubbish fired some brown goo at Gothita. Gothita didn't like it but handled it very well.

"Psybeam again!" One more beam and the trash was taken out.

"Sandile, go!" the Grunt said.

Deciding that a Psychic Type against a Dark Type was a horrible idea, I recalled Gothita for Dewott. The problem was I forgot about the Toxic Spikes. Dewott became poisoned.

"Sandile, Dig!" Sandile dug underground making a hole in the freight, meaning Dewott's Water Pulse missed. It then took damage from the poison. "Now Sandile!" Sandile came above ground and tackled Dewott."

"You okay?!" I asked, as I saw Dewott getting angry. Clay took a break with his Excadrill to witness the event.

"It's learning Revenge!" he told me. "It's double times stronger if the user was hurt that last turn! Plus, it's a Fighting Type move! It's Super Effective on Dark Types!"

Dewott punched Sandile, and it was finished in one.

"PLLLAAASSSSMMAAAA!" the Grunt yelled, still shivering.

I gave Dewott the thumb up, then swapped by party to take down the other Grunt, a Grunt F.


Hilbert Vs. Plasma Grunt F

"Drilbur, I choose you!" I shouted.

"Go Scraggy!" replied the Grunt.

"Drilbur, Slash!" Drilbur ran up to Scraggy and slashed it.

"Scraggy, use Faint Attack!" Scraggy then came up from behind Drilbur and punched it.

"Drilbur, return with another Slash!" Drilbur did just that. Scraggy was finished.

"I choose Watchog!" the Grunt replied. "Use Super Fang!" Watchog bit down on Drilbur, taking away half its HP.

"Drilbur, Dig!" Drilbur was about to use it, but then I changed my mind. "Wait! Don't want to damage this anymore. Use Slash instead!" Drilbur slashed Watchog.

"Crunch!" Watchog bit Drilbur, taking it down.

"Scraggy, you're up!" I said.

"Super Fang!" Scraggy had half its HP taken away to.

"Use Brick Break!" Scraggy chopped Watchog, finishing the match.

"PLLAAAAAASSSSSSSMMMMAAA!" the Grunt shouted, also shivering.


"We've taken them down to," Jared said, Stoutland panting from exhaustion. "You did well boy," he told it, petting its fuzzy hair wildly.

Zinzolin gritted his teeth. "You don't know when to quite do you. Unbelievable! Team Plasma, dismiss. I need a talk with Hilbert. That means you three to."

"Better do what he says," Clay said. "Hilbert may have gone against Team Plasma's demands, but we shouldn't."

Everyone cleared out. "PLASMA WILL PREVAIL!" the Grunts shouted.

Zinzolin turned his back to me. "I won't battle you, but what do you think of this place?"

I shrugged. "It's cool. Could we hurry this up? I want to go outside again."

Zinzolin felt the rim of the freight. "Many years ago, we were in the Ice Age where snow fell constantly. Tell me, do you like the cold?"

I mean, it depended on what he meant. Playing in the snow, building a snowmon and going sledging? Going skiing, going up the chairlift and zooming down the slope? I love that. Being in a cold environment where food is supposed to be kept cold when you don't have the protective gear? Nah, I hate it.

"Interesting. Tell me, if all the world were all cold, would you like it?"

Well, no. I like warm holidays. Don't get me wrong, I don't like global warming, but leave the constant cold to the poles and mountains.

"Fair enough. Well, I've taken enough of your time. I'm going."

As he walked out, I stood there wondering what he meant…

For about 10 seconds before I realised, I need to get out.


Location: Driftveil City

"They got away," Cheren said sadly. He pointed out to sea at the same boat that they took to Liberty Garden.

"Never mind that. What about the freight?" I asked Clay and Jared. "You can't use it anymore."

"I'm rich, I'll buy a new one! No sweat. And thank ya for not using Dig either."

Yeah. I think I learned my lesson after I basically demolished my bedroom on day one.

"I need a hot bath," I said. "That was too cold."

Well, okay I had another thing in mind.


Location: Driftveil Pokémon Center

I sat in the Sauna in my dressing gown, letting the heat wash over me. It made sense why Driftveil was the only Pokemon Center in Unova with a sauna; the workers need to get warm again. In fact, that's who I was sharing the sauna with. Workers who had had a long and frigid day.

What was Zinzolin's deal anyway? What is it with the cold he was so obsessed about? Me on the other hand, I like the heat. I'm not all for a global freeze; everything needs to be balanced. Heck, years ago there was an incident in Hoenn where the seas and land were unbalanced due to some awakening, but it was sorted.

I told Cheren I would meet him in the sauna, but for the half an hour I was in there (before the heat really started to get too much), he didn't come. So I went to check on him after getting changed.

I knocked on the door. "Cheren!" I shouted. "It's me, where were you?" I put my eye through the peep hole; Cheren was laying on his bed.

An elderly Janitor walked by wearing green. "What's the problem dear?" he asked.

"I'd like to see my friend. He's not sleeping."

The Cleaner got out a special card that opens all the doors, and let me in.

"Cheren?" I asked. He was laying silently, slowly breathing. I walked up and felt his head.

He had a fever.

"I think I have a cold. Must have been because I was without proper wear. Why are you fine?"

I told him that I had the sauna trip, but I also kept warm with some of the spicy Tomato Berries I brought from the Market. "Cheren, you need some rest. I'll check on you again tomorrow."

Cheren smiled as I made him a hot water bottle. "Tell Nurse Joy please." He then gave me his room key. "Take this for a bit. I won't be leaving and I won't get out of bed so come and check on me in your own time.

I nodded and went out.


I'm worried about Cheren, but a bit of quiet is what he needs. Bianca told me she'll be doing her battle tomorrow, whilst I look after Cheren for the day. And once again, what was up with that Zinzolin dude? What are his ambitions?