Chapter 5 Start the Tasks
After changing into the uniforms, they still keep their hats on as they walk towards the hall, Akari is waiting for them in the hallway as she says, "Look how well our Survey Corps uniform suits you! It's almost as if the captain had it tailored just for you."
"Yeah, we are surprised that it is comfortable as well." Serena adds.
"I see you've changed." Cyllene says. "Regarding your accommodations, you may continue to use the room you slept in last night. Now present yourself to the commander!"
Ash and Serena nod as they climb the stairs to the third floor, and they are surprised to see that the commander looks just like Professor Rowan except that he has black hair.
"I have been waiting for you!" He suddenly roars, causing them to be surprised. "I am Kamado, commander of the Galaxy Expedition Team! Hrrrm...So, you are Ash and Serena."
"Yes, sir!" Both of them exclaim.
"Hrrrm! I've been briefed on your situation - including how you fell from the rift in the sky. Now then..." He suddenly opens his arms. "Let's see what you're made of! Face me in combat!"
"What?" Ash and Serena can't believe what they hear, but they try to charge at him, only to be blocked easily and he throws them to the wall, and they fall to the ground with pain.
"Hrrrm! You've got vigor - I'll give you that! You need to work on your sumo technique, but I do see some potential..."
After managing to get back up, Kamado adds, "Don't expect a warm welcome from everyone! Naturally, some will be slow to trust an outsider who literally fell right out of the blue. The superstitious among us might see your arrival as a portent of disaster!"
"I guess you're right." Ash frowns.
"But you passed the trial that was put to you." Kamado says. "No matter how odd you may seem, you're part of Jubilife Village now. Dedicate yourself to the work of the Galaxy Expedition Team, and complete the Pokedex! But I warn you, Ash and Serena...Pokemon are terrifying creatures. Keep your wits about you as you work!"
"Okay." Ash and Serena say.
Once they get back to Cyllene's office, she says, "So the commander has also accepted you. But understand this...You begin as a No Star recruit among our ranks. In other words, you have to have no rank at all. Perform well as a member of the Survey Corps, and you will move up through the ranks."
Laventon says, "Indeed! You see, the more you add to the Pokedex, the higher rank will become. And working on the Pokedex will also, of course, bring you closer toward that goal of yours...to seek out every last Pokemon!"
"Here. You will need this." Cyllene gives them a recipe, and they notice that it is the recipe to craft Poke Balls. "And $3000 as well. You will have to buy the necessary materials."
"Okay...So we have to make our own Pokeballs as well..." Ash says.
"Akari. You are an expert at crafting, yourself. Teach our new recruit what he needs to know." Cyllene orders.
"Of course, Captain Cyllene. Now, as the experienced craftsperson here, let me explain a bit to start with. Crafting means making items with your own two hands. You can buy some items at the general store, but self-sufficiency is worth striving for! You can even make our most valuable tools: Poke Balls. Think where we'd be if we couldn't do that! Let's head to the craftworks."
"Just great...this is getting harder and harder." Serena mutters.
"I mean, we haven't crafted a Poke Ball before." Ash adds.
But as they walk out of the hall, they find a woman walking towards them, "Well done earning a place in our team. My name is Anthe. I'm the local clothier. The professor asked that I ready you a change of clothes, so here you go! I do hope they fit."
They receive the Everyday Kimono and Trousers, and she continues, "I hope you'll avail yourself of the village's humble shops!"
After she leaves, Akari rushes to them and says, "This way to the craftworks, Ash, Serena!"
She grabs them by the arms as they arrive in front of the store. "You can use the workbench here at the craftworks anytime you need to make an item in the village. And I'll supply what you need to make your first Poke Balls once you're ready to begin. Call it my way of saying congratulations on joining us! Just spend the money you got from the captain on clothes - or whatever you think is best. Go up to the workbench, and watch me how to make a Pokeball."
Then they see how Akari makes it and he also tries to do it, at first they think it is hard to make, but it turns out that it is not that hard as they used up 20 Apricorn and 20 Tumblestone to make 20 Poke Balls for use.
"I guess this is simpler than our own Poke Balls in the future." Ash says to Serena.
"Yeah." Serena says, "Maybe we can try to show everyone the key to make Poke Balls once we get back to the future."
"Oho! Now that's some fine craftsmanship! Hard to believe this was your first time stepping up to the workbench, my boy and girl!" Laventon walks towards them again and says. "You'll recall, of course, that Pokemon possess the odd power to shrink themselves down. With the Poke Balls we craft, we can make sure of that power to catch them! All so that more Pokemon species can be duly recorded in a Pokedex. And on that note, here you are!"
Laventon takes out an empty book for Ash and Serena, with the cover saying Pokedex. Ash says, "I guess this is still the past, so we have to write things down on our own."
"But that sure is a way to do it." Serena adds.
"I prepared this volume just for you two! I hope it aids you well in your aim to seek out all the Pokemon there are in this grand region!" Laventon says.
"You'll have to complete lots of research tasks to help the professor fill out the Pokedex. The same goes for me, of course. I've also got Pokemon to research, as a Survey Corps member." Akari says.
"I'd be all too happy to explain more about the research tasks I could use your assistance with. Come join me at the Fieldlands Camp whenever you are ready, my good Ash and Serena." Laventon says as they are about to walk towards the Obsidian Fieldlands, but they are stopped by a guard named Beauregard.
"Hey, excuse me - I couldn't help but overhear...If you're going to the Fieldlands Camp, would you mind taking care of a request for me?"
"That depends, what is your request?" Ash asks.
"I'm staining guard, so I can't leave my post, but I'll be here at the headquarters if you want to talk about it." Beauregard says. "So there's this Pokemon called Wurmple. Have you heard of it?"
"We do have heard about it." Ash says.
"Well, you see, I was having a chat with Professor Laventon, and he told me that after a Pokemon gains a certain amount of experience through battling and the like, it will sometimes change its appearance and becomes stronger. He said it was a phenomenon called Evolution. And so I decided I want to raise a Wurmple myself and have it evolve. You're part of the Survey Corps, aren't you? If you catch a Wurmple, could you let me have it? There'll be a reward in it for you, I promise. Just get me a Wurmple if you can."
"Sure, so he needs a Wurmple. That will be our first side quest..." Serena says.
"But for now, we have to go to Obsidian Fieldlands." Ash says as they walk out of the village along with Laventon and Akari.
"Righto. Let's get to it, then, shall we?" Laventon asks after arriving at the Fieldlands Camp. "In order to complete this Pokedex of ours, there are a great many research tasks I'll need your help to carry out. The details of these tasks can be found in the Pokedex for you to reference anytime. You must catch and battle diverse Pokemon species and carry out plenty of research tasks. Do so, and you'll gain research points and other rewards for your work!"
"One last piece of advice, Ash, Serena." Akari says in a serious tone. "If you see a wild Pokemon's attack coming your way...dodge like your life depends on it!"
"Wait, dodge?" Ash asks.
"Here - watch closely, and remember what I do so you can do it later." Akari takes a breath and starts to do some somersaults. "That beautiful, flowing bit of gymnastics is what we call a dodge! If you're light on your feet, you can dodge out of the way of wild Pokemon's attacks. That way, hopefully, you can avoid taking a beating and blacking out in the wilderness."
"Black out? We?" Serena asks.
"The Security Corps had to collect me when I got the business end of some Shinx's Thunder Shock. But don't you worry! I've got lots of experience to draw on, and I'll teach you plenty!"
"That will be nice." Ash nods.
"Now look into your Pokedex, you might've noticed that you have a research task to do with how many Bidoof you've caught. Catching one isn't enough, you need two, then four...then more and more!" Akari says.
"That sure is hard..." Ash sighs.
"And there is a task that is to catch Starly without being spotted, right?" Akari says. "Not to mention there are also some Pokemon like Buizel who is aggressive as they will attack you no matter if you're a Pokemon or human. One of the tasks is to see Pokemon using certain moves, to be precise, you have to see it use the move in battle."
"That sure is a lot to take in." Serena says. "But I'm sure we can do it."
After bidding farewell to Akari and Professor Laventon, they finally decide to do things first, that is to call Delia through the Arc Phone. And after a while, they manage to get in contact with Delia.
"Ash! Serena! Is that really you?" Delia asks after seeing the two of them.
"It is us, Mom. How are you?" Ash asks. "I really hope that our deaths back in the world you're in don't affect you much."
"Thanks to Arceus, we manage to learn that you two are now here in the Hisui Region thousands of years ago from now." Delia says, "Right now all of your Pokemon and I are in the Aether Foundation. We have decided to abandon the house considering those murderers will find us there."
"We also read the letter, so you can come to our world to see us, right?" Serena asks.
"We can, but according to Arceus, we can't do anything to mess with time, that means, Lillie and I can only interact with you two and we can't be seen by the others. So we will be meeting you in your own room, for other times, we will be watching you and give you some advice from the Aether Foundation."
"That will be nice, thanks. Mom. And please tell Lillie that we say hi." Ash says as he ends the call with Delia as they start with their work.
And I'll end the next chapter here, Ash and Serena finally get in contact with Delia and I hope you like this chapter, the next chapter will be full of capturing Pokemon.