To say that Alfred was excited by this would be a severe understatement, as he gives an earsplitting shout of sheer joy, launching into a rapid string of how they simply have to go there, like, right this second.
Arthur sighs, "Alfred, are you forgetting how far Snowfell is? There's no way we could walk there in a couple of days."
That stops the ranting, but not for long.
"Well, that's not a problem." Iakovos smiles at the pair, "We have a small seaplane we use to make deliveries up to those mountains."
Heracles joins in, adding, "And it just so happens, we were planning to head on up there tomorrow. Your both free to tag along."
"Seriously?!"
"Yes, of course."
"Woooo!"
"Ah..." Arthur, despite Alfred's loud shouting, is somehow heard clearly as he shift from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable, "I think I'd rather stay here."
That breaks Alfred's joy entirely.
"What? Artie, your not coming?"
"Well...um, I mean, I...ah...it's just..." He stutters out, stopping and starting his way through as he tries to explain.
And Alfred knows something must really be up, since Arthur didn't react at all there to the nickname, a clear sign to Al when something is bothering the blonde.
"But...it wouldn't be any fun without you..." He mumbles, wanting to argue, but not wanting to upset Arthur by forcing him.
Luckily for Alfred, even though he's not very good at reading people, Heracles is.
The older man drops a hand down on Arthur's shoulder, smiling softly at him.
"It'll be fine, I promise you, our plane is very sturdy. There's nothing to fear. Plus, it's a short flight, only a few hours."
It takes a moment more of gentle arguing the safety and benefit of the plane to walking, before Alfred finally realises what's up.
"Wait, Artie, are you scared of flying?"
"...well...um, I...it's..."
"It's quite alright." Heracles continues to reassure.
Looking at Arthur now, acting so meek and unsure, Al kind of feels like an ass for trying to force him. It's just so odd for him to see Arthur like this, he's not sure how to act around him when he gets like this.
So Alfred decides to do the best thing he can, leave the decision up to Arthur and Heracles' reassurance.
XoxoxoxoxoxoX
Heracles must have finally convinced him, as by the next morning, Arthur is climbing on the plane right along side them, though looking incredibly pale while doing so.
"Hey, it'll be fine. You'll see." Al tries to comfort the blonde as he shuffles his way in to sit.
The seaplane, painted black with a red strip down the sides, is much smaller than Alfred imagined it, only having two passenger seats directly behind the cockpit, which also only seats two, pilot and co-pilot. The roof is quite low too, making it hard to stand up in, so Alfred pulls Rufflet into his lap to sit for the flight.
Behind them, Iakovos is busy putting the last of the cargo onboard and securing everything in place, while Heracles is outside checking that everything is good to go.
"There. Everything is ready here Herc."
"Hmm, Good. The plane's ready to go now too."
Al watches excitedly as the pair climb into the cockpit, going over their checklist. When everything is in order, Heracles turns to look back at the pair.
"Alright boys, we're going to head out now, so quick safety briefing. Fasten your seatbelts, and in the unlikely event of an emergency, there's a lifejacket under your seat, if we land in water, don't inflate it until your outside the plane. If we say brace to you, pull your legs and head in like we showed you, got it?"
Alfred nods readily, while Arthur moves much more stiffly.
"Don't worry so much," Iakovos adds, turning round to look at Arthur, "He may not look it, but Herc is actually a brilliant pilot, you won't find anyone safer to fly with than him."
As reassuring as the pair are trying to be, it's clear that Arthur isn't going to be convinced, so they turn back around and start the plane.
Alfred is practically bouncing in his seat as he watches the propellers spin faster and faster, until they blur and the plane starts to move forward along the beach. He doesn't notice how pale Arthur has become until the light of a pokeball opening makes him look over.
"Pum, Pum?"
Of her own accord, Pumpkin his come out, and the second she appears Arthur grabs her, burying his head in her and holding on to his partner for dear life. As the plane tips up and they finally lift off into the air, Arthur is practically shaking with fear.
He stays like that through the whole ascent, and as much as Al want's to help, he knows there's not much he can really do.
It's when they've levelled off at their cruising altitude that Heracles suggests they look out the window.
"Whoa..."
Al gasps at the sight, the sun shining and reflecting off of the endless blue of the open sea makes it sparkle like a jewel. This is the first time Alfred has ever been flying, he's never seen anything like it before.
It takes a bit of coercion, but finally he manages to get Arthur to lift his head enough to look out too.
"See?" Al grins at the awed yet still fearful look on the blondes face.
"...It's beautiful..." he whispers.
Both Pumpkin and Ruffy join them to look, crying happily at the sight as the plane turns to fly back over land.
For the next two hours they flew back over Dream Dew Town, around the National Park —as it's air space is a no fly zone to protect the bird Pokemon living there— and up over the largest feature of the Eprus region, the Avsel Lake, heading north to the mountains of Snowfell.
The weather turning from clear skies, to cloudy, to snowy the further north they got, encountering some turbulence as they enter into the mountains, making Arthur tighten his hold on Pumpkaboo.
"Hey boys, look out the right side." Iakovos calls back to them.
Squinting through the snow, Al can just about make out some buildings. It takes him a moment longer, as they get closer and the sight becomes clearer, for him to realise what he's looking at.
"Is that Snowfell City?" He asks excitedly, back to bouncing in his seat.
"That's it Alright."
"Artie look, look, look!" He cries, shaking his friend to look out at the city.
Grey stone buildings, both large and small, sit nestled in a seamless blanket of snow, all across different levels of the hills, with paths weaving about between them all.
"You see that big building up on the highest hill? That's where the tournament is being held." Iakovos grins back at them, "It's also this cities gym."
As the plane turns, Al catches a glimpse of a stadium and stalls lining a plaza before they move out of view.
"So they have a gym here too." Now Alfred want's to get down there more than ever.
Sitting back as now all he can see is snowy hills again, Al listens in on Heracles as he speaks into the radio.
"Come in Snowfell, this is Umbra One on final approach, over."
There's a pause of static before a voice answers back, "Copy that Umbra One, you are cleared for landing, over."
Alfred can't help bouncing in his seat as he feels the plane descend more, while Arthur buries his head back in Pumpkin.
Iakovos wasn't kidding when he said Heracles was an amazing pilot, the landing was so smooth Alfred barely even noticed they had touched down until they started to brake.
As soon as the plane has stopped Al is undoing his seatbelt and making for the door, waiting impatiently for Heracles to open it and let them out.
But he regrets his haste as soon as he does, as the freezing cold air blows in and blasts him in the face, making him shiver.
"Buuuuurrrr! It's freezing!" He complains.
His jacket is not nearly enough to protect him, climbing back in to try to get away from the cold. Rufflet too, whines at the sudden cold, fluffing up his feathers and burrowing into Al's chest to try to stay warm.
"We are in the mountains, in the north, in a place called Snowfell, what did you expect?" Arthur sighs tiredly as he pushes past Al to climb out, even as he shivers.
Alfred just blinks as he watches Arthur stand outside, holding Pumpkaboo to himself, now for warmth than comfort, while Heracles just shakes his head as Iakovos climbs back to the cargo and shuffles about. A second later a heavy winter coat is tossed at his head.
"You'll need that if you don't want to freeze out there." He chuckles at the blondes surprised face, climbing back out to hand one to Arthur and Heracles before pulling one on himself.
The coats are, blessedly, much warmer than what they are currently wearing, and the pair hurriedly pull them —and the gloves they find in the pockets— on, closing them up with their Pokemon inside.
Now more protected from the cold, they trudged after the gym leader into the only building in sight, the small airport.
"Hey Herc!" A man with spiky blonde hair calls loudly as he charges to greet them as soon as they walk in.
"Hello Mathias." Heracles sighs as he's caught in a crushing hug.
"Don't be a pest." Another blonde sighs as he appears behind them, looking disinterested as he smacks the loud man on the head.
"Lukas! Still being dragged around by Mat?" Iakovos laughs as he carries in one of the boxes from the plane.
"Someone has to stop him causing an avalanche everywhere he goes." The man sighs, holding the loud one back by his coat hood to stop him from grabbing Iakovos too.
"Hmm, " Heracles hums in agreement, turning to gesture to Alfred and Arthur, "Anyway, we brought you some more guests for the tournament. Alfred, Arthur, meet Mathias Køhler and Lukas Bondevik."
"Ohh, more contenders?" Mathias whistles, coming to look over the pair, eyes widening when they land on Arthur.
Heracles just shakes his head, looking to Lukas, "Can I leave these two with you?"
"Sure." He agrees.
Still looking just as disinterested as he did walking in, Lukas takes the box from Iakovos as Mathias opens his mouth to speak, and pushes it into his chest and let's go, forcing his friend to take it before he can say anything.
"Help unload." He orders before walking away, leaving Alfred and Arthur to trail after him.
Once they're back outside, Lukas leads them to a car, not saying a word as he gets in, waiting for the pair to join him before driving off down the snowy road.
He's silent for some time before he finally says, "Since your friends with Heracles you can stay with us. The Pokemon centers are all full anyway." Before falling back into silence.
Alfred's not sure what to say, other than a mumbled thanks, remaining quiet as he feels incredibly awkward with this man. But he's more interested in why Arthur is also being so quiet.
At first he thought it was because they had just got off the plane, but now that he's looking, he notices that Arthur hasn't once looked that Lukas, keeping his head down and saying nothing.
Twenty minutes later of the most awkward car ride Alfred has ever been on, and they arrive at a large villa at the outskirts of the city, perched on the edge of a cliff.
"Whoa..." Alfred is certainly impressed by the five story building, stopping dead in the snow to gawk at it, before hurrying after Arthur and Lukas.
"Guest rooms are on the east wing of the third floor." Lukas tells them before disappearing off somewhere in the house, leaving the pair to find their way around.
Since they've been left to there own devices, Arthur makes the suggestion that they split up and explore the house, which Alfred happily agrees too.
Not a second later Arthur disappears, leaving Alfred to find his way around on his own.
XoxoxoxoxoxoX
Arthur sighs as he wanders silently through the house. It doesn't take him long to find his way to the second floor library.
"Hello Lukas," he greets as he pushes the door open, the blonde sitting at the small table waiting for him, "It's been awhile."
Authors notes: Ah Arthur, he's not as perfect as he seems. Though, given what stories I know about plane maintenance, I wouldn't blame anyone for being scared to fly. Meanwhile Alfred is every fearless child ever, overly excited to fly for the first time.
And now Denmark and Norway join the ever growing cast.
What's next for our heroes? Stay tuned to find out!
R & R people.
Till next time stay awesome!