Chapter 58 Alabaster Icelands
The next morning, Ash and Serena meet up with Adaman and Irida at their quarters, and Adaman says, "Isn't it nice getting up early?"
Irida groans, "Is it? It's not as if getting up early changes what you can do with the day."
"Yes, it does! It opens up possibilities...such as responding to Commander Kamado's invitation today in a timely manner!" Adaman says.
"Well, I got that same invitation, and I had to wake up even earlier than you to run all the way here for it!" Irida says.
"Come on. No need to grouse so much over a nice little early wake-up." Adaman says as he turns to Ash and Serena, "Are you coming, too? I'm sure we all can guess what the commander wants with us."
"Yes, do come. Galaxy Hall is quite close anyway." Irida says.
Ash and Serena nod, and Serena asks, "Big sister Irida, we did get to see the Diamond Settlement, but where is the Pearl Settlement?"
"Oh, it is a really far away place from here." Irida says. "You'll know it soon."
Ash and Serena are still confused, but they decide to see what Kamado is up to. Kamado says, "You've now quelled the frenzy of four nobles."
"Yeah...it wasn't easy..." Ash mutters, "I guess there is a fifth one?"
"When word of these frenzies arrived from all over Hisui, I feared what would become of us." Irida says. "But here we are, already preparing to quell the final noble."
"Yeah, who would've dreamed some strangers who tumbled out of the sky would be our salvation?" Adaman asks. "Life never does stop surprising you."
"The only lord left to be quelled is Avalugg, which lives in the Alabaster Icelands." Kamado says.
Ash and Serena widen their eyes as they know for sure that Avalugg is also one of the Pokemon from Kalos, and Serena remembers how Ash struggles to defeat Gym Leader Wulfric's Avalugg for the first time.
"He is also the largest of the nobles, according to what Irida told me." Kamado says. "Your mission is to quell Avalugg, the final lord! And perhaps in doing so, we may trigger some change in the space-time rift as well!"
"You bet." Ash and Serena nod. Adaman says, "Avalugg may be the Pearl Clan's noble, but my clan and the Galaxy Team will have to step up to resolve this, too - for the sake of a brighter future!"
"Then let us all go to the cold reaches of the Alabaster Icelands." Irida says as Kamado asks to speak to Ash and Serena alone.
"No matter how many of these frenzied Pokemon you may quell, the fact remains that you are strangers to our world. No small number of people still regard you with suspicion and distrust. The most you can hope for is to gain the trust of as many as possible, and to do that, you must prove yourself through your actions."
Ash and Serena nod as they leave the office, but just as they meet up with Adaman and Irida on the second floor, they hear a scream on the first floor.
"That's Captain Cyllene!" Ash says as they rush to their office, only to see that she is on the ground as a Wurmple crawling past.
"A-Abra! Teleport this Wurmple outside! At once!" Cyllene says, and Abra manages to teleport the bug away. After noticing the shocked faces of four people, Cyllene quickly rushes back to her seat and says, "Ahem. So. You're to survey the Alabaster Icelands next. This is the most treacherous clime you'll face in all Hisui."
Then she stands up and says, "But you have made progress. It seems you have earned yourselves a star." Cyllene gives them their seventh star, and they also get the recipes for Gigaton Ball. Un Ultra Ball version of Heavy Balls.
"It would not be an exaggeration to say that you might be the only ones among the Survey Corps I can task with surveying the Alabaster Icelands. You know your orders. See your mission through."
Ash and Serena nod as they go out of the Galaxy Hall to the Alabaster Icelands. But before heading there, they find Lavevnton and Akari in front of the gate. "So, we're to make for the Alabaster Icelands?"
"That's right." Ash says.
"I see...Of course I'm all too aware of the injuries done to some of our own good people because of the frenzies of the other nobles. There seemed little choice but to intervene...But this Avalugg out in the Alabaster Icelands hasn't harmed a soul, as I hear it. Does it really behoove us to go out of our way to subdue him?" Laventon asks.
"If Avalugg's as great and mighty as they say, he could very well cause avalanches..." Akari says.
"Avalanches don't require any Pokemon's help. They occur perfectly well on their own, you know." Laventon replies. "I confess I still have my doubts whether we should even be getting involved in this case. No damage has been done so far, but if we send Ash and Serena out there, we'll be putting them in danger of real harm!"
"But if the lord is suffering in its frenzy like people say, then wouldn't it be kinder to quell it?" Akari asks.
"There's simply so much we don't yet understand when it comes to the noble Pokemon..." Laventon says. "We don't know whether their frenzies truly are causing them to suffer, nor do we know why they enter these states in the first place or if this is all connected somehow to the space-time rift. What is it, I wonder, that the commander hopes will come about from our quelling the nobles? Or, indeed, from surveying any of the Pokemon of this land? What is it he hopes to achieve?"
"Maybe a way to coexist?" Ash asks.
"I certainly hope so. The goal of my research is to help build a future where everyone gets along with Pokemon." Laventon says.
"Professor Laventon?" Serena asks after seeing his thoughtful face.
"Ah! Nothing to bother yourselves about! Doubtless, I'm just being a silly sausage." Laventon says. "You've got a mission to carry out, haven't you, Ash and Serena? Then we will support you in it."
"The best support I can offer you now is another chance to practice your battle skills." Akari says.
"You bet." Ash says as they battle once more. Akari says, "I'm glad just to get the opportunity to battle you. The fact that I've been able to grow so much as a Survey Corps member and work together with Pikachu is due to you joining us."
Then she goes with Mr. Mime first, and Ash goes with Bronzong to battle. Bronzong's Shadow Ball manages to knock out Mr. Mime with ease, and Akari goes with Pikachu and damage Bronzong with Thunderbolt, Ash switches to Gliscor and goes with the Earth Power to knock it out. And finally, the Staravia goes with Double-Edge, but Gliscor uses Rock Slide to knock it out.
"There's something so...natural about the sight of you and your Pokemon fighting together." Akari says. "About your mission in the icelands...Well, it will be a challenge. Be careful out there."
Laventon says, "As for me, I'll set off for the Alabaster Icelands forthwith! See you there, my boy!"
After arriving at the Alabaster Icelands from Jubilife Village, Ash and Serena feel the cold from the area, but they are not too frozen to move on the spot because of their outfits.
"Wow..." Ash says as he looks around the sight.
"My word, it's rather chilly here, isn't it? Glad to see you guys made it safe and sound, in any case." Laventon says. "Very few venture to these Alabaster Icelands - apart from Tao Hua leading the odd Supply Corps excursion to gather materials. But the Survey Corps, of course, must go anywhere that Pokemon are found! From what I gather, Icepeak Arena - where you'll find Avalugg - is rather far off, I'm afraid! Doubtless this mission to tackle Avalugg will be another dangerous one. Learn all that you can from Irida and Adaman to try to keep yourself safe."
"Indeed. Brisk out here, isn't it?" Irida says, and then Ash and Serena realize that Irida doesn't wear some sort of coat or other things, just her regular outfit.
"How aren't you freezing? Big Sis?" Serena asks.
"Freezing? I'm practically sweating. If you think this is bad, just wait. This is nothing compared to where we're headed." Irida says.
"You know, I'm beginning to think the problem between us isn't a Diamond Clan thing or a Pearl Clan thing. It's just a you-and-me thing." Adaman says. "We'll never see eye to eye on anything, will we?"
"I don't see how we could, as long as you and your clan cling to your vision of an almighty Sinnoh that reigns over time. Forgive my bluntness, but if such a being even does exist, it's certainly not almighty Sinnoh." Irida says.
"Yes, yes. Believe what you want. Just tell us where we have to go." Adaman sighs, not wanting to fight with Irida anymore.
"We're headed to see my teacher. And he's only ever found in one place." Irida says.
"Big sis' teacher?" Serena asks with surprise.
"Which is?" Ash adds.
"You're talking about that Gaeric fellow, right? Where do we find him?" Adaman asks.
"At Avalugg's Legacy, obviously! Where else but a great mass of ice could I have meant when I said we'd be headed somewhere even colder?" Irida asks.
"Where else, indeed." Adaman nods as he starts to leave. "Ready to go? Ash? Serena?"
"Sure! Stomp off without me!" Irida yells as she chases after them. "This is why I can't stand people who only care about whether the time is passing them by!"
"And don't forget that we also need to survey some Pokemon as well." Ash says. "Like that Snorunt here."
Snorunt's Research Tasks: Number caught:1,3,6,12,25 Number of light specimens caught:1,2,5,7,10 Number you've caught without being spotted:1,2,5,10,20 Number defeated:1,3,6,12,25 Times you have seen it use Ice Fang:1,3,6,12,25 Times you've given it food:1,3,5,7,10 Number you've evolved:1
Hisui Dex Entry No.205 Snorunt: The Snow Hat Pokémon: Ice-type. Arrives alongside the first snow. It's thought that homes Snorunt visit will prosper for many generations. By tradition, one might offer a lump of ice made from pure water at one's front door.
But as they walk forward, they notice the high valley and Ash asks, "So there are no bridges around here? How are we going to across this?"
Irida says, "Don't worry, we just use Sneasler's help to climb down and go to that cave over there."
As they do what she said, Serena says, "So this is where the Pearl Clan lives? It sure is interesting."
"I'm glad you think so." Irida says.
And they also stop by to research som Bergmite, which Serena is surprised to see them in the Hisui Region.
Bergmite's Research Tasks: Number caught:1,3,6,12,25 Number of light specimens caught:1,2,5,7,10 Number defeated:1,2,4,10,15 Times you have seen it use Ice Shard:1,3,6,12,25 Times you've given it food:1,3,5,7,10 Number you've seen leap out of ore deposits:1,2,4,10,15 Number you've evolved:1
Hisui Dex Entry No.215 Bergmite: The Ice Chunk Pokemon: Ice-type. Lives on mountains blanketed in perennial snow. It freezes water vapor in the air to make the ice helmet that it dons for defense.
Here is the first chapter, and we get into the final place: Alabaster Icelands. The next chapter will be more Pokemon capturing and meeting Gaeric, the Pearl Clan Warden.