Et Tu, Unova? Chapter Sixteen, a pokémon fanfic

Chapter 16

The thing about castles, Caitlin thinks, is that they're so much easier to defend than attack. When Shauntal brought Team Plasma's activities to the attention of the Elite Four, each of them took on a different task in defense of Unova. Shauntal, of course, continued her journey through the region, hoping to work against Team Plasma at a local level. Grimsley made a point to steal away what Team Plasma desired before they could find it. Marshall acted as their strategic leader in addition coordinating with Alder as only Marshall could. Her job was simple: find out Team Plasma's location, be it a base or a form of transportation. And she didn't even have to leave the Elite Four Castle to do so. One of Sigilyph's flights through the area revealed that Team Plasma had their own castle in a prime position to attack Caitlin's home.

As one of Unova's top Pokémon trainers, battling the forces of Team Plasma inside their castle wouldn't even be a challenge for Caitlin in a straightforward fight. But the castle fortifications complicate matters and on her own she can't quite get through. One sage or another is always around with Pokémon that, combined with the castle fortifications, are strong enough to keep her out. Until today, that is. Very much unlike its trainer, Hypno doesn't sleep, so it makes an excellent watchman for Team Plasma's fortress. And today it reported that the sages in residence have suddenly departed. So Caitlin takes her opportunity: the grunts left in the castle can't hold the line against her full force and Team Plasma's main base falls.

The contents of the castle are disturbing on several levels. It appears that a child was raised inside, which can only do horrible things to their development. And Caitlin should know about the effects of a challenging upbringing - part of the reason for her previous lack of control was the need to be a prim and proper girl of society. Then there are the stolen Pokémon. Caitlin will have to call Pokémon Association staff to help return those. But the main issue is the set of plans left behind. They're incomplete, but Caitlin can fill in enough of the picture to know that something big is about to happen at Driftveil's Cold Storage. And the frigate is floating somewhere off the coast, which means that Milos Island may be involved. Caitlin isn't familiar enough with the legends of Milos Island to know for sure what Team Plasma would need to do there to cause trouble, but she can't take the risk that it's possible. Shauntal will be the closest, so Caitlin calls her first. But she doesn't stop there - she has a feeling this may warrant calling in everybody.

After Caitlin's call, Ash, Jessie, and Shauntal take a ride on the rocket that is Golurk and reach the southern edge of Driftveil City in a tenth of the time it took to reach the Seasonal Institute. They move into the Cold Storage area carefully, but nothing seems off. Each of the three trainers have their flying Pokémon take to the skies, but their search comes up empty as well. Even peeking inside a warehouse doesn't reveal any members of Team Plasma. Until Jessie and Woobat enter. Woobat takes one sniff inside the building and fires off an Air Cutter into the empty room. The illusion covering the room breaks, as a black bipedal fox Pokémon winces. The room is actually filled with grunts, kidnapped workers, a sage of Team Plasma, and to Ash's surprise, N.

Ash asks about N's presence, "N? Why are you with Team Plasma? Did you manage to get yourself free from being tied up with everyone else?"

"No, Ash," N replies, "I'm here with Team Plasma because they answer to me: I am Team Plasma's king. I had hoped you could be an ally to our cause, but after your hurtful and baseless accusations in Nimbasa City, I knew any attempt would be futile. Today I am going to show Unova the true power of Pokémon and then they'll learn that keeping them like slaves or even pets is wrong. And if you try to stand in my way, I'll have to go through you."

Both trainers know that Ash will try to stop N and prepare for what comes next.

Pikachu leaps towards Zoroark while Jessie sends out her Pokémon to handle the grunts. Shauntal releases Chandelure and Drifblim to render aid, but is stopped when a ring of ice seems to form around her. Chandelure blasts it with Flamethrower, but it goes through the wall without damaging it.

"I presume that you are Shauntal of the Elite Four," a voice calls from beyond the ice, "I know that Rood and Bronius both fell to your might and that some of Team Plasma's mightiest Pokémon couldn't stop you on the Battle Subway. But I think you'll find that I, Zinzolin, am not a trainer to be trifled with. Even your Chandelure will fall to my icy powers. Now my Pokémon: Icy Wind!"

A blast of cold air comes at Shauntal and her Pokémon from all sides and Shauntal realizes that the ring is actually several Cryogonals rotating around her team. She can't determine how many, but it appears that they've augmented their power with a combination of Reflect, Light Screen, and Double Team. Breaking through will not be easy.

Drifblim has taken serious damage already from the blasts of Icy Wind, so Shauntal silently apologizes to it for her next action, but the action is the best way out of the ring. Drifblim flies up and uses Explosion, blasting each of the Cryogonals at full power. The doubles fade away and the real ones are pushed back (there appear to be four of them), but they withstand the hit and call back their doubles before Shauntal and her team can move. They glow with the light from Recover, rendering Drifblim's sacrifice for naught.

"Now, now," Zinzolin's voice sneers, "That just won't do. I expect better than indiscriminate attacks from a member of the Elite Four. I don't think I'll let you keep using them."

After his speech, some hostages - both people and Pokémon - are pushed just inside the ring of Cryogonals. If Shauntal tries to attack them all at one again, she'll have no way to avoid harming the hostages. It's a clever, if underhanded, play and Zinzolin has already used five attacks, so it's clear that Pokémon Association battle standards have no place in this match. Shauntal calls out Banette, Golurk, and Jellicent to join the fight, as it seems it may be a long one.

Meanwhile, Ash and Pikachu charge into battle against N and Zoroark. But N will not allow himself to lose this time, so he has Carracosta and Klinklang join the fight. Ash sends out Krokorok and Tepig in response. Carracosta attempts an Aqua Jet on Krokorok, but it's expected after their last fight, so Krokorok dodges and traps Carracosta with Sand Tomb once it lands. Pikachu aims a Thunderbolt at Zoroark, but with an Agility, Zoroark moves even faster than Pikachu and dodges. As if by teleportation, Zoroark appears in front of Pikachu and blasts him with a close range Dark Pulse, sending Ash's Pokémon flying back. Tepig uses Flamethrower on Klinklang, but the Steel-type uses Shift Gear to raise its Speed along with its attack power. It follows Tepig's hit with a Charge Beam, boosting its Special Attack in the process.

Carracosta shoots a Hydro Pump at Krokorok, who barely manages to duck. Pikachu tries to hit Zoroark with Quick Attack, but misses after Zoroark clouds the area with a Night Daze. The low visibility also allows Carracosta's next Hydro Pump and Klinklang's next Charge Beam to hit their targets without being dodged. Pikachu attempts to use the Signal Beam he's been practicing against Zoroark, but hasn't mastered the move well enough and is hit with Dark Pulse before pulling off the attack. Tepig uses Flame Charge to leap between Klinklang's gears while Pikachu just jumps into the air to avoid the Earthquake that Krokorok unleashes on the battlefield. Klinklang takes advantage of Tepig's new position to use Bind and catch Tepig between its spinning gears. Tepig fights back hard and heats those gears up with Flamethrower before using Rock Smash to bash his way free. Zoroark intercepts Pikachu's leap with a Shadow Claw, but Pikachu meets the attack with Iron Tail and manages to land safely. But Carracosta starts its own Earthquake now, though Zoroark Detects it coming and avoids damage while Klinklang levitates with Magnet Rise. Klinklang attacks Tepig with another Charge Beam at the same time as Tepig uses a Blaze-boosted Flamethrower. The two attacks pass each other and both hit their targets, leaving both trainers with two Pokémon standing.

Back in Shauntal's trapped position, after Golurk is immediately frozen by its foes, Banette and Jellicent have combined Will-o'-Wisp and Psychic to leave the flames in places that the rotating Cryogonals are sure to pass through, but it appears they've added Safeguard to their defensive mix, so the attack fails. Chandelure attempts to boost its power and warm its trainer with Sunny Day only to have the Cryogonals take advantage to blast Jellicent with four Solar Beams. But the Cryogonals aren't the only defensive Pokémon in this battle and Jellicent is able to withstand the hits and use Recover. Banette, meanwhile, uses Screech in an attempt to jar the Cryogonals from their movements. It seems to work for a moment before a Weavile jumps into the ring to fight too. Chandelure is Shauntal's best option to defeat Weavile, but it is also the most likely to break free of the wall. Shauntal knows that Banette has no chance of winning in a direct fight with a strong Weavile, but Shauntal didn't get where she is only through brawn. Other types of fighting will let Banette keep that Weavile's attention off her other Pokémon.

So Banette plays dirty: it turns the space inside the ring into a Trick Room and then proceeds to use the disadvantage now imposed by Weavile's speed to unleash a bevy of its most annoying attacks. Weavile has moves sealed away by Imprison. Its Night Slash is met by a Sucker Punch and then Disabled. Left with only Punishment as a Dark-type move to use against Banette, Weavile soon finds the energy to use it drained away by Spite. So it resorts to its other moves. Banette is assaulted by Ice Punch and Metal Claw, attacked with Aerial Ace and X-Scissor. And it is soon defeated. But Banette has one final annoyance ready to use and brings Weavile down alongside it using Destiny Bond.

The battle between Ash and N is increasing in its intensity. They've each switched which of the other's Pokémon their partners are targeting. Pikachu avoids a Hydro Pump from Carracosta and bats an Electro Ball at it, hitting it quickly and with high power. Carracosta attempts to continue its ground assault with Earthquake, but Pikachu targets its legs with Thunderbolt whenever it tries. While Carracosta is occupied, Krokorok tries to hit Zoroark with Dig, but as it breaks ground, an emerging root trips it up. Zoroark follows the super effective Grass Knot with Flamethrower. But Krokorok emerges from the flames and strikes Zoroark with a Rock Smash. It tries to repeat the attack, but Zoroark blocks its sight with Night Daze and gets some distance. Carracosta, meanwhile, has gotten tired of Pikachu's constant attacks and has started lobbing Ancient Power attacks at the small Pokémon. Because of Ancient Power's side effect, Carracosta's stats are gradually increasing. Ash knows that the longer this goes on, the harder the battle will become, so Pikachu calls a bolt of Thunder down on Carracosta. As Carracosta reels from the damage, Pikachu surrounds himself with electricity and attacks with Volt Tackle. Carracosta goes skidding across the floor as Pikachu cringes from the recoil damage. But before anything else can happen, Zoroark sends a Focus Blast from across the room and knocks Pikachu unconscious.

Carracosta struggles to its feet as it joins Zoroark in facing down Ash's lone Krokorok. Despite the events occurring behind them with Shauntal and Zinzolin as well as Jessie and the grunts, neither Ash nor N seem to be willing to break a trainer's code of honor and use more Pokémon than their opponent, though like with Shauntal, the ancient custom of holding to four moves in a battle has fallen by the wayside. Krokorok attacks its two foes with Stone Edge, but Zoroark adeptly slides to the side while Carracosta counters with Hydro Pump and shatters the stones. Krokorok shakes the room up with Earthquake, causing Carracosta distress, but Zoroark interrupts the attack with Focus Blast before it can last long enough to defeat Carracosta. And Krokorok is a valiant fighter: it beats Zoroark back with Rock Smash while attempting to hit Carracosta from afar with Stone Edge and Earthquake. But in the end, Krokorok battles best up close, and as it dodges out of the way of Zoroark's Focus Blast, it steps into the path of Carracosta's Hydro Pump. Ash calls back his third Pokémon.

"You fought well, Ash," N admits, "But the battle is over now and I'm not going to risk you trying to follow me."

Carracosta uses a series of Rock Tombs to encase Ash and Pikachu in a hollow tower of stone. Ash isn't strong enough to move the rocks aside himself and he can't risk his Pokémon trying for fear of collapsing the tower inward. With his foe temporarily stymied and entombed, N walks around the area where Jessie's Pokémon hold off those of half a dozen grunts, walks around the rotating wall of Cryogonals that marks Shauntal and Zinzolin's battle, and walks out the door. Carracosta has enough energy to carry him to the frigate, and he'll be able to heal his Pokémon there for what comes next.

Shauntal is getting frustrated. She defeated Weavile at a high cost, but even though she's landing the occasional blow on a Cryogonal, the various protections that are active decrease the damage and Recover keeps Zinzolin's remaining Pokémon healthy. So she needs to get rid of the protections, but for that she'll need a distraction. Golurk is her only Pokémon capable of doing so, but if Zinzolin and his Cryogonals notice her defrosting them, they'll hit with stronger Ice-type attacks than the occasional Icy Wind chilling the pseudo-room Shauntal is trapped in. And for a distraction, Shauntal thinks of the flashiest person she knows and bemoans when she remembers a winning strategy that can be adapted here. Jessie must never find out that she helped Shauntal win this battle. So Jellicent floats upwards, as high as it can without one of the Cryogonals becoming a roof (the flaw in the walls was obvious - Shauntal tried escaping upwards right near the start of the battle). And Chandelure shoots a Flame Burst straight up.

"Really, Shauntal," Zinzolin taunts, "Trying to get around the hostages by aiming high? But there's no way a Flame Burst has enough power to do much to my Cryogonals."

And he's right on both counts, but not in the way he thinks. Instead of the Flame Burst exploding outwards onto the Cryogonals, it bursts downwards and strikes the Sludge Wave Jellicent is using. A sea of flaming ooze flows up against the Cryogonal wall. It's not strong enough to defeat them, but the shock value and the time needed to Recover give Shauntal the opportunity she needs. Chandelure uses Flamethrower on the frozen Golurk, who before more than an arm is defrosted, strikes a Cryogonal with Brick Break. Reflect and Light Screen both shatter, as a super effective attack hits against Cryogonal's weaker type of defense. One down, three to go. And with Light Screen gone, Jellicent's Psychic has enough power to hold a Cryogonal in place, letting an Overheat from Chandelure strike true. Halfway through now. The wall has clear gaps with only two Cryogonals remaining, so Golurk starts spinning in a Gyro Ball which Chandelure coats in a Fire Spin. The rotating vortex of flame and steel strikes the remaining Cryogonals for plenty of damage to end the fight. Shauntal smirks at Zinzolin just as the Hydro Pump hits and knocks out Chandelure.

Of course: four Cryogonals and a Weavile leave Zinzolin with one remaining Pokémon. And it's clear that Cloyster has spent the time Shauntal was trapped wisely. It strikes with more power than Shauntal has ever seen a Cloyster use and uses multiple attacks in blindingly quick succession - Golurk falls to an Icicle Spear before Chandelure is all the way back in its Poké Ball. Shauntal deduces that Cloyster has used Shell Smash three times, allowing it to maximize its attacking power and speed at the cost of its defenses. It will go down in one hit so long as Shauntal can hit it, but that's no trivial matter.

And so Shauntal calls out her sixth Pokémon as well. But unlike Zinzolin, she hasn't saved this one as a trump card - she hasn't used it yet because she caught it just before she met Ash and hasn't trained it up enough for a fight like this yet. But in this case, two Jellicents are definitely better than one, so the blue Jellicent Ash faced in Pallet Town joins his pink counterpart on the field. Both Jellicents try to strike Cloyster with powerful attacks, but Cloyster's break through them. Few of Cloyster's moves pose a real threat to Jellicent, but both of Shauntal's remaining Pokémon are forced to dodge so many Rock Blasts that it looks like they're dancing. And then Shauntal thinks of one type of attack that Cloyster can't destroy. Shauntal's newer Jellicent starts singing a Round, and Shauntal is unsurprised when Cloyster uses Protect. But Protect can't work too often in a row and Round is an attack made for Pokémon to share. Shauntal's female Jellicent ends the battle with a high-pitched aria, sending Zinzolin fleeing. Given Jellicent's water-bloated form, Shauntal can't help but somewhat guiltily think that the fat lady has sung.

The constant battles going on in the Cold Storage were neither stealthy nor quiet and were bound to draw some attention. And in this case, the attention comes from Cheren, who has decided to investigate and help where he can. He finds a downed Trubbish with a Beheeyem hovering above it. Beheeyem's multicolored lights flash as Cheren chases it inside the maze of freezers. He catches up with the Pokémon just in front of a strange piece of machinery, which starts to light up and

Now that Shauntal has won her battle, she observes the rest of the room. N and Ash are nowhere to be seen but Jessie's Woobat is slowly removing rocks from a tower of stone in the middle of the room. Shauntal realizes what must have happened and has her Jellicents assist with Psychic. Within minutes, Ash and his Pokémon are safely free. The three trainers take a moment to catch their breath and take stock of their Pokémon's conditions. Ash has three Pokémon who have yet to battle, while Shauntal's two Jellicents have restored their energy with Recover. Of Jessie's Pokémon, only Joltik has been knocked out, but Woobat and Frillish are too tired for further strenuous activity for the day. But all of them know that with N's escape, the day isn't over yet.

N shudders when he thinks about how close he came to losing that battle right before his vital mission. But his Pokémon are now healed and he rides Carracosta to Milos Island. When he reaches the island's center, he lays down the Reveal Glass and calls for Vanilluxe. From directly above the mirror, Vanilluxe uses Mirror Shot, which is split in three by the powers of the Reveal Glass, each bit bursting to a corner of the island and cracking an obelisk. Triplet roars sound out from the skies. Soon Unova will see the true power of Pokémon and people will begin to rightfully doubt that they are capable of containing it. Three shapes quickly approach the island and the Reveal Glass shines. Where before all three shapes were quite similar, they are now different as can be.

Iris, Georgia, and Trip are all in Driftveil City to challenge Clay. They're not traveling together and are in fact not even in the same parts of the city as the others. But when the hair on the backs of the necks rises, they all look towards the sea at the sky simultaneously and see a hurricane, a lightning storm, and a sandstorm all bearing down on Driftveil as one. They stop what they're doing and run towards Driftveil's closest point to the sea: the Cold Storage.

Author's Note: I'm making steady progress in writing, so you get a new chapter! This is essentially part one of a two-parter, so I'll upload the next chapter a week after this one regardless of writing progress. I don't have much to say about this chapter because it all needs to wait for the next one. So instead I'll mention that I listen to the Pokémon anime theme songs on a loop while I write this and OH MY ARCEUS, the tonal shift between the last Gen VI theme song and the first Gen VII one is jarring. Startles me every time even though I know it's coming. See you in a week!