Pokemon Ranger: Savior

Chapter Fifteen: Frosty Treks

     I searched around and found a Poliwrath to spray a heavy burst of water at the Steelix's face. He woke up with a roar, then retreated back into an adjacent cave. Chris went ahead again and I followed, heading downwards. I didn't get why I had to do the work. Chris seemed like a perfectly capable Ranger himself.

     Deeper into the cave, I could hear the sound of water. Pretty soon we were in a cavern with freezing waterways and waterfalls. I'm surprised they weren't frozen over, but it sure was absolutely freezing now, and I was shivering as I walked. My fingers were so cold, my captures were slower. Following Chris down yet another flight of stairs, the floor was now completely covered in ice and I had to be careful to keep my balance or slip and fall.

     "Leader. Brought the guest." I wasn't sure who Chris was talking to, but when I got closer and stood next to him on the ice I saw her. She was a tall and cool looking woman with pretty purple hair and a nice warm dress coat on. She looked like someone to look up to and admire, and the way she carried herself commanded respect.

     "You're Serena? I'm Elita, the Leader of Wintown. You've already met Chris. I call him 'Silent Chris' for obvious reasons." Heh, just the nickname I was about to bestow upon him. "You don't have far to go to the Wintown exit. But there's a problem..." I wonder who is going to solve said problem?

     Apparently a litter of Piloswine was rampaging in the way, making the corridor to Wintown unusable. A baby Swinub got separated from the litter due to the recent unexplained tremors. the Piloswine were fierce, and looked like they wouldn't take no for an answer. Elita was investigating the tremors, so it was left to me to fix the issue with the Piloswine.

     Chris spoke up before we parted ways. "Leader...On the way, there was a rarely seen..." That was it. That was all he said, but Elita gasped and knew what he was trying to imply.

     "There was a Steelix?! That must be causing the tremors. Chris, guide me there, please!" So the two of them left me alone in a frozen cavern, where I was chased relentlessly by Glalie while on a hunt for a Swinub. Did I mention I love Pokemon yet?

     Lucky me, I got to have a little fun with this one. There was a slide naturally formed out of ice, and I could take it down to the ledge the Swinub was trapped on. I kept missing the hole and landing elsewhere, but that just meant I could slide again and again. It was exhilarating, but still damn cold.

     Returning the Swinub to its family, the Piloswine calmed right down and left. I was able to climb up the rest of the stairs to the other side of the cavern that was previously unreachable due to the freezing waterways.

     It seemed like there wasn't much left for me to go. Of course, its my life we're talking here, and things are never going to be that easy. Close to the exit, a huge tremor commenced, and right before me the wall exploded! Out came an angry Steelix and it charged right for me! "Capture on!"

     This angry fella was itself a danger. Just touching the Steelix caused massive damage! It kept slithering in a wide loop, and my Line wasn't long enough to get around it when it did that. I needed Plusle's help with this one, and I was able to capture it soon enough. Soon after, I hear footsteps, and Elita and Chris are coming up right behind me.

     "You captured the Steelix? Really?" I nodded, smiling. "I'd received many reports about a Steelix going wild in the cave, so I was conducting an investigation. I don't think there's any question that Steelix caused the tremors. I just don't understand why." The Steelix went off then, quaking the ground as it did. Then a certain annoyance comes walking in its place.

     "I come check on the Steelix and I'll be darned, what do I find? A brat, some lady, and a stone-faced guy fouling up our perfect plan!"

     Oh boy, here we go again.