Ash's Story (Part 6: Unova)

Chapter 48: Weather Signals

Route 6 began with rain clouds that had not decided whether to fall. After the buried heat of Relic Castle, the damp air should have felt refreshing, but the Weather Institute ahead made the sky feel like evidence.

Cheren waited outside the building with his arms folded and his eyes fixed on a stack of reports. He looked up as soon as he saw us.

"Oh, guys," Cheren said. "Can you come with me for a moment?"

"Sure," I answered, though his expression made the word feel heavier.

Inside, the Weather Institute was full of monitors, maps, and moving graphs. Scientists watched pressure lines crawl across screens, while machines hummed softly like the building itself was thinking.

Cheren led us to a display showing Unova's map. Three points were marked in blue: Lacunosa Town, Castelia City, and Driftveil City.

"No one really talks about it," Cheren said, "but the records show a sudden drop in temperature near Lacunosa Town. It only lasted for a moment, but it went as low as minus fifty-eight degrees Fahrenheit."

Iris hugged Axew closer at once. "Low temperatures. I hate low temperatures."

Eve gave her a sidelong look. "It is a good thing some of us were born where it snows all the time."

"That does not make freezing fun," Iris muttered.

Cheren tapped the map again. "Similar readings were recorded around Castelia City and Driftveil City. After the Frigate, I do not think that is a coincidence."

Golly leaned toward the display. "Those locations match recent Team Plasma movement windows."

"Exactly," Cheren said. "This needs investigation before something worse happens. I hate cold weather too, but someone has to follow the data."

He handed over an HM case. Golly accepted it carefully, already checking the label.

"Surf," Cheren said. "Teach it to one of your Pokémon, and you can travel across water. If Team Plasma is using hidden routes, you will need more than roads."

I took the case from Golly, feeling the weight of the word. Surf was freedom, but today it also sounded like responsibility.

Alice watched the cold marks on the map. "If the Frigate caused Driftveil's reading, then the Lacunosa reading could point to what Zinzolin meant."

"Legendary Dragon-type Pokémon," I said quietly.

Pikachu's meaning came tense against my shoulder. "Cold that bites from far away is not normal weather."

Cheren nodded as if Pikachu's unease had reached him through my face. "Investigate Route 6 first. The Institute has also recorded strange dream-mist behavior near the research paths."

"Dream mist?" Cilan repeated. "A weather dish with psychic seasoning. That is not a simple forecast."

Golly secured the HM case in her bag before giving it back to me. "Use it carefully. A water route does not become safe just because a move can cross it."

We stepped behind the Institute to the testing pond, where the scientists allowed us to practice before entering the marshy paths. Lapras came out first, lowering her head so the younger Pokémon could climb onto her shell without fear.

Lapras's meaning came calm as deep water. "Waves carry those who respect their weight."

I let Lapras feel the HM's rhythm through a practice Surf. Water lifted around her in a broad, controlled swell, not a wild crash. It carried us across the pond and back while the Institute staff checked the readings.