Chapter 13 Diamond and Pearl Clans
"Here we have it - our new base camp upon Deertrack Heights! I'll call it...the Heights Camp!" Laventon smiles, "From now on, when you set out from the village, you can ask to be escorted to this base camp to start your excursions directly from here."
"Having another base camp to start from will be a great help on our surveys!" Akari says.
"I know." Ash says.
"Nice work today, everyone. What say we all head back to the Wallflower?" Akari asks.
Serena says, "Of course, Pikachu can try out the Potato Mochis there, they are very great."
Pikachu is now drooling at the thought of delicious food, and Professor Laventon decides to check out the progress of both of them. They earn a lot of money for capturing Pokemon, and then they are going to get the second rank once they meet Captain Cyllene.
But before doing so, they take a stop at Wallflower as Laventon yells, "Beni, old chum, the usual potato mochi, please! And make it for four today as well!"
Beni nods as he takes out four plates of potato mochi, and Ash decides to have Pikachu try one, and Pikachu takes a bite and squeals.
"I guess you really like it, huh? Buddy?" Ash smiles, he really misses the mouse a lot.
Serena says, "Pikachu sure loves the mochi after all."
Beni asks, "Have you all heard the grave news? The frenzied Kleavor from the rumors...It ended up mauling some of our Galaxy folks who went out to investigate it this morning. The Medical Corps has had a hard time getting all the injured back on their feet..."
"Ah. This is the Kleavor that was reportedly struck by powerful lightning, yes? I did hear he's been behaving most erratically since then..." Laventon says, "Still, if further investigation is in order, the Survey Corps will, of course, step up to the task. A certain amount of danger is inevitable when researching unfamiliar Pokemon, but I'm sure Ash and Serena here can handle things just fine!"
"Are you certain? I've heard Kleavor's so mighty, even alpha Pokemon don't compare to him..." Akari stares at the Professor.
"Now now! You forget that the strengths of Pokemon are key items of information that we of the Survey Corps are duty-bound to research. And since this perilous work of ours calls for a clear head and fighting-fit physique...I do believe a good night's sleep is in order after this fine meal."
Ash and Serena are still confused, as they haven't heard of a Pokemon called Kleavor, so that night, Ash decides to call Lillie again and asks her about Kleavor.
"According to the book that we found a few hours ago, Kleavor is the other evolution of Scyther." Lillie says. "By trading Scyther with a Metal Coat, it becomes a Scizor. However, by trading Scyther with a Black Augurite, it becomes a Kleavor instead. Its typing is Bug and Rock, and Black Augurite is listed as one of the rarest items to find in the modern times."
"Black Augurite...never heard of this item as well." Serena says. "And what about the Wyrdeer that we sent to the Aether Foundation? Do you think he can teach those other Stantlers the move Psyshield Bash?"
"It was not that easy, but only a few Stantlers are doing it." Lillie says. "I just hope everything will go smooth."
"Me too." Ash says as they end the call to get some rest for the next day.
"Good morning, Ash, Serena!" Akari's voice causes the two of them to wake up, Ash says, "Can't we just try to sleep so more..."
"Yeah, we were tired yesterday..." Serena mutters.
"You should hurry to the commander's office before he decides to use you for sumo practice!" Akari says, and this causes both Ash and Serena to quickly wake up as they don't want to be like that.
"Okay, okay..." Ash yells as they start to dress up and then rush outside. Akari says, "There you are. Let's hurry to the headquarters."
"Look who's being punctual! Finally realized you're wasting almighty Sinnoh's precious time by bowing to a sham?"
They turn around to see two people arguing. The first one is a boy with grey hair and blue streaks, and he is wearing a heavy blue outfit. He has a Leafeon with him. The other one is a honey-blonde-haired girl with a red suit and white shorts, and the heavy red outfit is tied to her waist. She has a Glaceon with her, and Serena is surprised to see that the girl really looks like her for some reason.
"No way...she was my ancestor?" Serena thinks.
"There you go again, insisting on your false image of almighty Sinnoh as a ruler of time!" The girl says. "My people follow the true almighty Sinnoh - the font of all creation and ruler of space!"
"Hah! You could have all the space there is and still not know what to do with it." The boy mutters.
"Excuse me? Are you really suggesting that you make better use of your time than we make of vast Hisui's space?" The girl retorts.
"Better than some! It's a miracle you showed up on time, oh mighty leader of the Pearl Clan. I worried you'd get lost in the pointlessly vast space you're so fond of and never show up." The boy shakes his head.
"Me, get lost? In almighty Sinnoh's great gift to the Pearl Clan - in our world's very basis? You wish!" The girl waves her hand with disdain.
"I wish that I hadn't let myself get dragged into arguing with you. Almighty Sinnoh forgive me - what a waste of time!" The boy turns to the Galaxy Hall's door. "I'm off to Commander Kamado's office!"
"I believe it was you who started this!" The girl retorts again as they enter the hall.
Ash and Serena are stunned at the two of them, and Akari says, "You can feel the tension when those two show up. You haven't met them, have you? The woman with the reverence for space is Irida, leader of the Pearl Clan. The man who was going on and on about time, Adaman, leads the Diamond Clan."
"So there is also a Pearl Clan..." Ash says, "But what is going on with those two?"
"The Diamond Clan and the Pearl Clan grudgingly coexist at the moment. Apparently, things used to be less peaceful. But the boss - I mean, the commander - is waiting. We should save this conversation for after you report to him."
As Akari leaves, Ash looks at Serena and she is still in a shocked face. "Hello? Earth to Serena?"
"Huh? Ash?" Serena asks. "Is there something the matter?"
"Why are you spacing out like that?" Ash asks. "I mean, we just saw the two leaders of the Diamond and Pearl Clan."
"But don't you see that the leader of Pearl Clan, Irida, right? She looks just like me..." Serena says. "So I was thinking..."
"If she might be your ancestor? That might be the case." Ash sighs. "I already met mine, so it shouldn't be a surprise to see yours as well. After all, before Sinnoh was formed, a lot of people came from the other regions such as Alola, Unova, and Kanto."
"I guess you're right." Serena says as they enter the hall.
As they enter Kamado's office, they hear that Adaman and Irida are talking to Kamado. "What do you intend to do about that Kleavor, Commander Kamado?" Adaman asks. "He may be descended from a warrior of almighty Sinnoh, but look at the mess he's causing." Adaman asks. "We can't sit back and let him rage on!"
"You do get right to the point, Adaman..." Kamado nods.
"Time wasted is lost." Adaman nods.
"Well, tell me - what would you have us do? Kleavor is a precious lord of the Pearl Clan, is he not?" Kamado asks.
"That's the point. My clan can't intervene directly where a lord of the Pearl Clan's concerned. If my people were to do something, our two clans might end up back at each other's throats-just like we used to be. But even folk of the Galaxy Team have been wounded, haven't they? Seems someone's got to do something here..."
"Who, then?" Irida asks with worry. "Would the Diamond Clan have the Pearl Clan bring down one of its own honored nobles?"
"I don't believe I said that. Thought it, maybe." Adaman shrugs.
"You might as well have said it, you fool!" Irida yells. "Look - we don't even know what drove Lord Kleavor into such a violent frenzy."
"I'd like to know that myself. This is a first as far as my clan knows, too." Adaman holds his head with frustration.
Kamado notices Ash and Serena at the doorway as he says, "Hrrm. I see you'd arrived."
The two clan leaders turn around and see Ash and Serena, with both of them surprised to see how Serena looked like Irida. Kamado says, "This is Ash and Serena, the newest members of our Survey Corps."
Adaman is the first to get out from shock and says, "Aha, I hear from Mai you earned Wyrdeer's favor. Good to finally meet you two, strangers from the rift! I'm "Adaman, leader of the Diamond Clan." if you want to be formal! But that's a mouthful. Just call me Adamn."
Irida also recovers from the shock and says, "If you came from beyond the space-time rift...could you be from the space where almighty Sinnoh is said to reside? I'm Irida, leader of the Pearl Clan! Caution and foresight are my watchwords. This is why I have trouble believing such a tale. Could you really have passed through that rift?"
"We did come past from the rift." Serena says, and Adaman looks at the girl, "Not only does she has the same look but also has the same voice..."
Kamado cuts them off and he says, "I have a proposition. Why not send this one to study Kleavor before deciding what must be done?"
"You'd send these strangers, who supposedly fell from the rift, to study Kleavor? These newcomers with no experience?" Irida asks.
"Says the leader with almost no experience." Adaman mutters.
"Being a good leader isn't a matter of time - it's a matter of embracing Hisui's vastness without fear!" Irida says.
"Well, then, there you have it. If how new you are doesn't matter, then let's give these kids their chance." Adaman retorts back. "I'm sold, Commander. Let's try this your way!"
He turns to Ash and Serena, "This should be fun. I'll get to see how good you Galaxy folk really are, with all your weird ways-putting Pokemon in those strange balls and what have you."
"The whole practice bothers me!" Irida says. "Almighty Sinnoh made Hisui vast so Pokemon could live freely throughout. We're meant to stand alongside Pokemon, not count ourselves above them!"
"We do not use Poke Balls from a desire to control our Pokemon. Only so that we can live together. Allow us to show you what we can do!" Kamado turns to Ash and Serena. "This is your mission now. Ash and Serena. I order you to study Kleavor and help us find the truth of this situation!"
"We accept." Serena says, and Ash nods.
"Remember that you are strangers who appeared one day out of the very sky above us. People are naturally suspicious of your presence here. If you wish to be fully accepted and trusted, you must work hard. Work yourself to the very bone."
"We will!" Ash and Serena exclaim.
"Well, that's settled. And there's no time like the present!" Adaman says.
"The Lord of the Woods - Kleavor - is descended from a Pokemon that was blessed with almighty Sinnoh's own power. No other Pokemon you've yet encountered can compare to his strength. Be warned." Irida says, and both of them leave the office.
"The Galaxy Expedition Team has come to the Hisui region as a group of outsiders. Some might even call us interlopers. We mustn't do anything to threaten our relations with the Diamond and Pearl Clans. Understood?" Kamado asks.
Ash and Serena nod when Cyllene enters the room. "Join me downstairs, Ash, Serena. We'll cover the details of this new mission."
Then Ash and Serena follow Cyllene as they leave the office.
I'll end the chapter here, and I must say, I feel that Serena and Irida are looking very similar, that's why I decide to put it into the story. I hope you like this chapter.