Ash's Story (Part 6: Unova)

Chapter 74: Frigate Password

Hugh reached the cliff path just after we stepped outside Seaside Cave.

The Plasma Frigate waited in front of us, dark and huge against the open water. Its metal sides looked wrong beside the sea, like someone had dragged a fortress into a place that should have belonged to waves and Wingull cries.

Hugh stopped beside me, breathing hard. His eyes locked onto the ship, and every part of him seemed to sharpen at once.

"You found them!" he said. "I knew you could do it! But... how do we get in?"

Hugh was right about that.

The Frigate towered over the water without a clear way up. No stairs reached the shore. No gangplank waited for challengers. Team Plasma had built their new base to move, hide, freeze, and keep everyone else below them.

I clenched my fists. "There has to be a way."

Alice stood beside me, watching the ship's edges. "They would not leave it unreachable for themselves."

Golly studied the hull like she was trying to turn anger into a diagram. "Access points may be concealed or controlled from above. Forcing entry from here would expose us."

Hugh looked ready to try anyway.

Then a familiar voice called from above. "Hold up!"

All of us looked up together.

Marlon stood on top of the Frigate like he had stepped out of the ocean and onto Team Plasma's roof just because the sea had allowed it. He waved, grinned, and touched something near the rail.

A mechanism groaned. Metal stairs unfolded from the Frigate's side and lowered toward the shore until they struck the ground with a heavy clang.

Marlon walked down them as if he had only opened a beach gate. "Eh, this should do it!"

I stared at him. "I thought you were not going to fight Team Plasma."

Marlon scratched the back of his head, still relaxed but not careless now. "Hey, friends! Team Plasma's not botherin' me. They could be up to no good for reals, and it's not my style to go around decidin' Team Plasma's bad without thinkin' 'bout it just 'cause everyone says so."

Hugh's jaw tightened, but he did not interrupt.

Marlon looked at the stairs behind him. "But, eh, you're havin' trouble, so I've got to help out. That's what I want to do!"

For a moment, Hugh looked like the word thanks had to fight through everything else inside him. "Thanks."

Marlon nodded, then looked at all of us. "Listen, 'kay. Believe in somethin'! Searchin' for stolen Pokémon is fine. Keepin' Unova from bein' iced over's fine too. It's all good. But think 'bout why you're doin' that."

His eyes settled on Hugh, then on me. "The strength of your beliefs is what gives you and your Pokémon power! I made some noise, so some people came out! Hey, be careful, 'kay!"

Then he turned, dove from the side path back toward the water, and disappeared with a splash.

Hugh stared after him. "What was that? The guy sure doesn't follow through."

Hilda stepped closer to him. "He opened the way."

Hugh exhaled sharply. "Yeah. I guess he was being kind in his own way." His eyes snapped back to the stairs. "All right. I'm going in!"

I caught his shoulder before he could sprint alone. "We go together."

Hugh looked like he wanted to argue. Then he remembered Opelucid, his sister's stolen Purrloin, and how many times Team Plasma had used anger against people who ran ahead.