Chapter 53 Post Coronet Highlands Part 1
Ash and Serena are now in Jubilife Village with Adaman and Irida by their side, and they stop by the hair salon as Arezu needs help once more. "Hmmm...No, that's not quite right...It just needs that little extra something...Oh! Just the people I need!"
"What's the matter, Arezu?" Serena asks.
"I could use some help coming up with new hairstyles. I've hit a real wall here. A Pokemon would be great for inspiration, I bet. Right now I'm picturing...Yeah! Misdreavus!"
"Misdreavus?" Adaman asks.
"If I could study a Misdreavus up close, I'm sure I'd come up with some amazing new styles! If you manage to catch a Misdreavus, bring it here so I can have a look, 'K?"
"We do have a Misdreavus with us..." Ash says.
After showing her the Pokemon, she says, "You know, people are afraid of Misdreavus because of how it apparently wails at night. But getting a good look at it like this really gives me some fresh perspective. Look how it billows and sways and flows!"
She comes up with an idea and says "Wait. That's it! That's what I'll do! Wow, I just thought up some charming hairstyles! And an enchanting new palette of colors! All thanks to you and Misdreavus here. Come by anytime and try out my new ideas for yourself!"
Then she comes up with some hairstyles like Tied-back, Modern bowl cut (Modern bob for females), Sideswept, and Fancy, and colors like Clementine, Turquoise, and Violet. Ash and Serena manage to look at how she does haircuts with the other people in the village before continuing to do some requests.
They decide to do another request, and they find Miller the farmer, and he says, "Nice to see ya again, Mister and Miss Survey Corps! You got great timin', as always! I wanna make the fields even bigger, see, but there's some boulders sittin' right in the way. If you'd lend us a Pokemon that can smash 'em to pieces with Rock Smash, we'd be mighty grateful!"
"We have a Machoke that can use Rock Smash." Serena says as she shows the Pokemon. "Yer Pokemon'll sure be a big help in expandin' the fields. Might as well get started!"
After having Machoke smash the boulders, Miller is in awe and he says. "Wowee! Yer Pokemon pulverized those pesky boulders like they were yesterday's gravel! Now I'm all pumped up! Sit back - ol' Miller's gonna make the fields bigger than ever!"
After some while, they manage to get a fourth farm field. He says, "That was some fine work! Any crops we plant here'll do great - and it's all thanks to you three. We'll keep yer Pokemon here to help out with the field work a while longer. Just give it a holler if you wanna swap in a different Pokemon to do some rock smashin'!"
And the next request is from Choy, the shop owner, and he says, "Oh, it's my most valued customer. I was just hoping you'd come by!"
"Let me guess, Tao Hua is not giving you goods again?" Ash asks.
"Yes, it's the same business all over again. Tao Hua just refuses to supply any new goods to me. I suppose you must be wondering why he refuses anytime I try to deal with him directly. Well, let's just say he has his reasons..."
"What kind of reasons?" Serena asks, but Choy doesn't answer her question and he says, "Please speak to Tao Hua for me, would you? I imagine you'll have better luck if you bring him some Crunchy Salt as a gesture of goodwill. Perhaps three hunks, to be safe..."
"Adaman, do you still have some Crunchy Salt?" Ash asks.
"I do have some leftovers, we did make some for Electrode's balms." Adaman says.
"Good." Ash nods.
They get to the Supply Corps and find Tao Hua again, and he says, "Oho, if it isn't the Survey Corps recruits who quelled the Lord of the Isles! Has Choy sent you to do the negotiating for him again?"
"Yeah." Ash and Serena say.
"You're looking a little perplexed. Wondering why this old man gets so stubborn over selling the shopkeeper a few things? Well, maybe I'll tell you...if you bring me three hunks of Crunchy Salt first."
"We get some here." Ash says.
"Brought what I asked for already? No less than I expected of you. Wish I could persuade you to join my corps."
He hands over the Crunchy Salt, and he says, "Ah, Crunchy Salt! The Coronet Highlands' finest feature! If you see it in the wild, don't pass it over as if it were just another rock. This translucent mineral's great for making a potent Pokemon lure. You've got to break it up with a hammer, then get the chunks in a mortar and crunch 'em right up - grind 'em into a powder. Mix that powder with another ingredient and pack the mix together, and you'll get a crunchy cake that Pokemon love to munch on."
He notices that the group of four is looking at him, and he coughs, "Well, I can't send you back to Choy a failure, since you so kindly brought me this Crunchy Salt. Tell him I'll set him up with some new wares."
"But you still didn't tell us what happened between you and Choy." Irida asks.
"Well, that welp made off with my dearest treasure! I'll never let him live it down!" Tao Hua says in an angry tone.
Ash and the group are a little scared as they decide to quickly find Choy and ask him about this. He says, "We've got new goods in stock, thanks to you! But you seem troubled. Is something the matter?"
"Tao Hua told us that you made off with his dearest treasure, what does he mean by that?" Serena asks.
"That's one way to put it, but the story's not so simple. Please believe me for now that it's nothing you ought to worry about. Given what a fine customer you are, I imagine I'll end up giving you the full story at some point. In any case, we've got excellent new items on our shelves. Do buy some!"
After that, they get Leaden Balls, Wing Balls, Max Potions, and Bean Cakes in the store, much to their delight.
After getting back to Mt. Coronet, they notice the Space-Time Distortion at the Sacred Plaza, and they decide to head there. They get there just in time when the Space-time Distortion starts.
"You know...even though I have already come inside it once, but this is still weird..." Irida says.
"I know what you mean." Ash says as they spot a Jolteon. "But I mean, different locations must have different Pokemon...like that Jolteon over there."
"Yeah, we don't need to use our Thunder Stone to get it." Serena adds.
Jolteon's Research Tasks: Number caught:1,2,3,4,5 Times you have seen it use Baby-Doll Eyes:1,2,4,10,15 Times you have seen it use Thunderbolt:1,3,8,20,40 Times you've seen it use an agile style move:1,3,10,30,70
Hisui Dex Entry No.27 Jolteon: The Lightning Pokemon: Electric-type. Evolved from Eevee with Thunder Stone. Bristles its fur into sharp, needlelike points when enraged. One can hear electricity crackle in its breath when it exhales.
As they continue to walk, they are surprised to see that there are Cranidos and Shieldon in the distortion. Serena says, "No way...these are the ancient Pokemon that lives through a lot of years..."
"Yeah, to think we can find them here without reviving the fossils..." Ash says.
Cranidos' Research Tasks: Number caught:1,2,4,6,10 Number of large specimens caught:1,2,3,4,5 Times you have seen it use Ancient Power:1,3,6,12,25 Number you've evolved:1
Hisui Dex Entry No.208 Cranidos: The Head Butt Pokémon: Rock-type. An incredibly rare sight. They duel each other by ramming their heads together, and the resulting sound echoes throughout the area like the pealing of a bell.
Rampardos' Research Tasks: Number caught:1,2,4,6,10 Times you have seen it use Iron Head:1,3,6,12,25 Times you have seen it use Double-Edge:1,3,8,20,40 Times you have seen it use Head Smash:1,3,8,20,40 Times you've seen it use a strong style move:1,2,4,10,15
Hisui Dex Entry No.209 Rampardos: The Head Butt Pokemon: Rock-type. Evolved from Cranidos at LV:30. Very little is known about its biology. Can knock down massive trees by smashing its beautiful, pearl-like crown against them.
Shieldon's' Research Tasks: Number caught:1,2,4,6,10 Number of heavy specimens caught:1,2,3,4,5 Times you have seen it use Ancient Power:1,3,6,12,25 Number you've evolved:1
Hisui Dex Entry No.210 Shieldon: The Shield Pokemon: Rock- and Steel-type. Much remains unknown about this Pokémon, as few have ever seen it. However, we know that it is calm and dislikes conflict, and it enjoys polishing its face against trees and rocks.
Bastiodon's Research Tasks: Number caught:1,2,4,6,10 Times you have seen it use Iron Defense:1,3,6,12,25 Times you have seen it use Earth Power:1,3,8,20,40 Times you have seen it use Stealth Rock:1,3,8,20,40 Times you've seen it use an agile style move:1,2,4,10,15
Hisui Dex Entry No.211 Bastiodon: The Shield Pokemon: Rock- and Steel-type. Evolved from Shieldon at LV:30. Its face is sturdy—as strong as diamond—and this hardness offers a very stable defense. Much about this species is still unknown, such as its natural habitat.
"Just now we have two new Rock-type Pokemon." Serena says. "And look what I've found!"
"A Magmarizer. We can use it to evolve Magmar." Ash says. "Nice find."
Magmortar's Research Tasks: Number caught:1,2,3,4,5 Times you have seen it use Fire Punch:1,3,6,12,25 Times you have seen it use Flamethrower:1,3,8,20,40 Times you have seen it use Fire Blast:1,3,8,20,40 Times you've seen it use a strong style move:1,3,10,30,70
Hisui Dex Entry No.176 Magmortar: The Blast Pokemon: Fire-type. Evolved from Magmar with Magmarizer. Use of a strange item caused this Pokémon to evolve. Fireballs launched from the ends of its tubelike arms are hot enough to melt an iron pot in an instant.
And much to their surprise, a shadow quickly rushes to Ash, causing him to fall to the ground. The shadow is no other than Rowlet, Ash's own Rowlet. "Rowlet? Is that you?"
Rowlet coos, and Serena says, "Ash? You have a Rowlet as well?"
"Yeah." Ash says as the Space-time Distortion also ends. "How are you doing? Rowlet? I thought you were with Professor Kukui."
Rowlet then falls asleep for a little and he frowns, "Something hasn't changed..."
Ash decides to wake him up by showing his own Decidueye, which works as now Rowlet is fired up to see such an evolution. After that, he is recalled into the Poke Ball since they don't have backpacks to let him rest.
And then they decide to check out the Bolderoll Ravine, and they find an alpha Golem there. Ash says, "Alpha Golem looks really strong."
"But we can do this." Serena adds as they work on the Pokedex.
Golem's Research Tasks: Number caught:1,2,4,6,10 Number of alpha specimens caught:1,2,3 Number defeated:1,2,4,6,10 Number of you've defeated with Steel-type moves:1,2,3 Times you have seen it use Stealth Rock:1,3,6,12,25 Times you have seen it use Double-Edge:1,3,8,20,40 Times you've seen it use a strong style move:1,2,4,10,15
Hisui Dex Entry No.48 Golem: The Megaton Pokemon: Rock- and Ground-type. Evolved from Graveler with Linking Cord. The rocklike shell is shed each year. The cast-off shell then crumbles, reverting to a mass of soil, which can be spread across fields to promote crop growth.
Here is the first chapter of the Post-Coronet Highlands, and the Space-time distortion in this place has a lot of Pokemon to catch, it takes me several times to get them all. I hope you like this chapter.