It didn't take long for them to return to the fieldlands to begin their exploration and capturing Pokémon for the Pokédex.
"Alright, guys! Let's do some Surveying!" Scorpia said. "To complete the Pokédex, all we gotta do is catch Pokémon, and-"
"It's not that simple, Scorpia." Perfuma said.
"She's right. There are even some entries requiring us to see Pokémon use certain moves several times. Some Pokémon entries even encourage us to catch certain Pokémon multiple times." Tsubaki said.
"So in the end, we must capture multiple Pokémon as well as see their moves." Hayase said.
"I get it. We gotta actually work a little harder to complete this Pokédex." Scorpia said. "Makes sense since this is a time period where they don't have anything electronic."
"Exactly." Perfuma said.
"But still…I don't think finishing each entry perfectly is required. The message from the device was…Seek Out All Pokémon." Hayase said.
"But nonetheless, we have to catch at least one Pokémon of each species to properly record them." Tsubaki said.
"Quite true." Hayase said as he looked off to the side as he saw a large white deer running through the fields and onto the large hill. "Such a majestic creature."
"Huh…never saw one like that." Scorpia said.
"It looked like a Stantler but…it was bigger and had larger horns." Rutega brought up.
"An evolution maybe? I haven't seen anything like this one before." Tsubaki said.
"Could it be possible that Hisui is home to Pokémon that you may not have seen before?" Hayase asked.
"Maybe. It's so weird that this Pokémon doesn't exist in our time." Tsubaki said.
"Or maybe it does. Just not in any known areas." Hayase said as they moved towards the hill.
"Halt!" a voice called out as there stood a black haired woman with a Munchlax. "You're standing on sacred ground. This hill is home to the noble Wyrdeer."
"Wyrdeer?" Perfuma asked. "Oh, you mean that Pokémon we saw before. Hmm… blue clothes, a diamond symbol of sorts… are you of the Diamond Clan?"
"This one…is not all that bright." she sighed.
"It's fine, Mai! They're friends!" a voice called out as a certain girl walked down.
"Wait…Ayase!" Tsubaki said.
"Tsubaki? When did you get here?" Ayase asked.
"A few days after you did, I'm assuming." Tsubaki said.
"Um…I've only been here for 3 days." Ayase said.
"What? But…" Tsubaki said.
"The Rift…it's possible we were all pulled in from different points of the present." Hayase said.
"Yeah, that has to explain it." Tsubaki said.
"Ayase….do you know them?" Mai asked.
"Oh, yes! Tsubaki is a friend of mine from back home. And I definitely knew Perfuma and Scorpia from an excursion a while ago. But… the other two, I have never seen before." Ayase said.
"Hey there, my name's Rutega." Rutega introduced with a friendly smile.
"And that is Hayase." Perfuma said. "It's so nice to see you again, Ayase."
"Look…you guys need to go. I'm trying to deal with this problem that…" Ayase said before a loud sound was heard. "Too late."
A large cricket like creature soon emerged with glowing red eyes.
"Is that…a Kricketune? But why is it so big?" Tsubaki asked.
"It's an Alpha. In short…this is a stronger version of Kricketune." Ayase said.
"Oh man… This guy seems really strong. I don't think we can take him on with the Pokémon we have now." Tsubaki said.
"Actually, I think you might be able to." Ayase said. "Work as a team."
"O-okay. Let's see, Kricketune is a Bug-type, so…" Tsubaki said. "Ah, screw it. Let's just send something out at this guy!" she said as she sent out Cyndaquil.
"On it!" Rutega said. "Starly, let's go!" Rutega yelled as she sent out Starly.
"Come, Oshawott!" Hayase said.
"You got this, Rowlet!" Perfuma said.
"Go for it, Happiny!" Ayase said, sending out a Happiny.
All five Pokémon ganged up on the large Kricketune as it was weakened.
"Now…let's make this a worthy hunt!" Hayase said, throwing a Pokéball at it. As the alpha was pulled inside, the ball shook for a bit before sparks came out.
"Nice catch, Hayase." Tsubaki said.
"Nice work…but thing was…that Kricketune was probably the weakest of the Alpha's in the Obsidian Fieldlands." Ayase said. "But catching them do help build up a good offense against wild Pokémon. Learned that the hard way. I tried to face an Alpha Infernape but ended up having to run."
"Yeah… These Alphas really are very strong, aren't they? Normal tactics might not work against them." Tsubaki said.
"That's where we have to get crafty with our tactics. Until we strengthen our Pokémon (or if I can safely use my legendary duo), we might want to avoid them or team up on them like we just did." Rutega suggested.
"Another method would be stealth. Just putting it out there." Ayase said.
They soon heard a loud bellow as the large white deer from earlier looked down on them.
"Hey! It's… uh, Wyrdeer!" Scorpia said.
"Was he watching us?" Rutega asked.
Wyrdeer looked them over for a moment before lowering its head before giving them a pink plate.
"The Mind Plate!" Ayase said.
"One of the things that brought us here, right?" Rutega asked.
"That's right…when we awoke, the plates that dragged us here vanished." Hayase said. "Seems they scattered upon arrival in this new land."
"Then I guess we track them down one by one." Rutega said.
"Until we have more info on these plates, it's best we hold off on such a goal." Hayase said.
"Plus, we won't be able to find them all here." Tsubaki said. "Probably best to continue our Survey Corps work so we can gain access to more areas."
"In that case, why don't we do some more exploring and catch more pokemon?" Perfuma suggested.
"Yeah, better idea. Speaking of that, anyone wanna help me find a Chimchar?" Rutega asked.
"Chimchar huh…I know where you can find it." Ayase said, pointing to a small island in the distance. "That is Ramaras Island. Chimchar live there…as does the Alpha I mentioned."
"...Well that kind of shoots that idea in the foot, doesn't it." Rutega deadpanned.
"Well…what about that one?" Perfuma asked, pointing to a Chimchar jumping across some trees on the hill.
"Ooh! One sec!" Rutega said as she quickly dove for some grass to hide, staying out of sight from the Chimchar, before throwing a Pokéball at it to snipe it in the tree. Sparks shot out of the ball as Rutega squealed in delight. "Yes! Always wanted one!"
"If you will capture a fire type Rutega, so shall I." Perfuma said. "Other than Chimchar, I believe there's one other fire type species that lives here."
"The fire aspect wasn't what I was goin' for but I'll help ya. Whatcha looking for?" Rutega asked after retrieving Chimchar's Pokéball.
Perfuma then smiled as she gave her answer. "Ponyta!"
"Ponyta are awesome too! Not fully my type but I know a lot about them." Rutega said as she flipped through some berries. "Got their favorite berries ready, let me know when ya see one!"
"Whoa…look at that one." Scorpia said seeing a Ponyta with a blue flaming mane.
"Oh my… is that what i think it is?!" Perfuma asked.
"...Are my eyes deceiving me right now or is everyone else seeing that awesome Ponyta variant!?" Rutega asked in shock.
"Oh, I'm seeing it alright." Tsubaki said.
"The others in the alliance told me about Shiny Pokémon. But I don't think we've ever seen one. This is a once in a lifetime chance!" Perfuma said.
"I don't know about once-in-a-lifetime." Tsubaki said.
"Let me set it up for you then! Just need an Oran Berry… a-ha!" Rutega said, pulling one out.
Pefuma led the group as they tracked the Shiny Ponyta to its species habitat, Horseshoe plains. Perfuma then signaled Rutega to throw the Oran Berry.
Nodding, Rutega tossed the Oran Berry as close as she could to the Shiny Ponyta, trying to avoid attracting normal Ponyta to the area. Surely enough, it noticed the berry and moved towards it.
"Perfect!" Perfuma said as she sniped the Ponyta and ended up capturing it.
Night soon fell as they sat around a new camp set up on the hill.
"Seems we've done well capturing new species today." Hayase said.
"Sure did. I even caught a Buneary on the way." Tsubaki said. "But still… Those Alpha Pokémon are really tough. I know a friend of ours might want some too."
"Knowing them…I bet they're trying to find a way here as we speak." Perfuma said.
"Yep. Definitely. But…with the Beijing Olympics on the way, I hope they don't get too worried. Especially David. He tends to lose his focus when he's flustered." Tsubaki said.
"Uh…the games are over actually." Rutega said.
"Really? Aw, dang it." Tsubaki said.
"And believe it or not, he did really well, so there was no need to worry." Rutega said. "His friends helped keep his focus through it all."
"But still. His birthday is coming up after the Games, so… I kind of want to get a few Alphas as a sort of present. Especially with the King of Fighters tournament coming up." Tsubaki said.
"Don't worry, Tsubaki. Knowing him, he'll be fine just knowing you're okay." Rutega said.
"Yeah…ugh…" Scorpia said, trying the craft table. "Dang, how do they…"
"Allow me." Hayase said as he started crafting Pokéballs with quick and incredible skill. "All done."
"How…did you do that so quickly?" Ayase asked.
"My family are born crafters. My father specifically. He and my grandfather from very young ages crafted an unbelievable series of blades." Hayase said.
"I've crafted a couple things in my life, but I still consider myself a novice…" Rutega commented.
"What sort of blades did your father and grandfather create?" Perfuma asked.
"It…was actually one series of blade. You may have heard of them…the Slayer Blades." Hayase said.
"Yeah, I think a guy named Tetsu uses them. Am I right?" Tsubaki asked.
"It's actually just one. The Magic Slaying Blade." Perfuma said.
"Yes…that is from the line." Hayase said. "This sword on my hip is another. The Mizu no goroshi. The Water Slaying Blade."
"From what I remember, Slayer Blades are designed so that they can cut through their designated element." Perfuma said. "Is your goal to collect them all, Hayase?"
"Yes. The Slayer Blades were made to slay through specific foes or elements or whatever else you can imagine. You are also correct in the second one. I am looking to gather all the blades my father and grandfather crafted." Hayase said.
"But…what if…they need those blades for some grand purpose?" Ayase asked.
"I do not care for any others' reasons for wielding them. I will gather them all." Hayase said.
Scorpia then thought about Wyrdeer. "Hey, that Wyrdeer was called a Lord, right? Is there more than one of those Pokémon like him out there?"
"Yes…there are. In fact, there's one that guards the forest we were close to. It's known as Kleavor." Ayase said. "However you can't get close to it since that Pokémon is protected by the Pearl Clan."
"Pearl Clan? Are the two clans having like a territorial dispute or something?" Tsubaki asked.
"It's because of who they believe is the true Almighty Sinnoh. The Diamond Clan believes it governs time but the Pearl Clan believes it governs Space. Those two clans have been at odds with one another for years." Ayase said.
"Yikes… Though in context with what we know now, it's kind of easy to see why." Tsubaki said.
Rutega had been absent for the conversation, but now could be seen walking back to the group. "Sorry bout that guys, what did I miss?" She asked, hiding two Pokéballs from sight, one engraved with a shield, the other a sword.
"Nothing major. Just a few things about the Diamond and Pearl Clans being at odds with each other." Tsubaki said.
"I heard the tail end of that conversation. Territorial war or something." Rutega said.
"Yeah… That bit was me." Tsubaki said. "But still, the fact that both clans have wardens in these areas really makes it more complex than we thought."
"Well yeah. The Noble Pokémon are said to be descendants of the 10 original Pokémon that the first hero of Hisui had. That's why it's important to have people attend to the lords." Ayase said.
Elsewhere in the Obsidian Fieldlands…
"Well…we made it to Hisui…but it looks like we got separated." Hope said, looking at Gus.
"Yeah, and I don't even have a Pokémon to call my own…" Gus winced. "Sorry, Hope. I guess we're going to have to find our way to civilization without getting too much attention."
"Least it's a forest. It's nice…tranquil and…" Hope said as they saw a large bug-like creature with axes for hands stand by a tree. "Huh…never…never seen that one before."
"It looks like… some sort of bug." Gus said.
"Yeah…and…it looks really pissed." Hope said seeing it brandish its axes.
Suddenly, a white dragon leapt down and shot blue flames as a warning.
"Phew… Glad I noticed the danger you two were in." A familiar voice said as Siege walked into view.
"Thanks Siege. But it doesn't look like that things backing down!" Hope said as the Pokémon rose back up without any damage at all.
"I'll buy you two some time. Reshina can take a few hits and dodge twice as many. Get some help and hurry." Siege said, taking a stance as he stared down Kleavor. "Alright you ugly bug! If you wanna be squashed, axes and all, come at us!" Siege yelled, as Reshina gave an affirmed and confident roar.
Kleavor jumped over Reshina and went chasing down Siege instead.
"It's ignoring damage caused to it. And it recovers quickly. It's like the thing's in some frenzy." Hope said.
"Well if that's the case and I'm it's target, it's making twice as much of a mistake this time!" Siege yelled as he landed a stiff uppercut, knocking Kleavor back some. "Come on! Hope! Gus! Run!"
"Sorry, Siege, we'll find a way to come back for you!" Gus exclaimed, as he held Hope tightly by the arm and sprinted for the clearing. "Just hold out until then!"
"Heh, don't worry about me, Gus. I've endured worse. Not my first round about sparring with Pokémon, especially Legendaries or whatever this is." Siege smirked as he taunted Kleavor. "You want some!? I'm right here!"
"Get over here! Now!" a voice called from the path. "Lord Kleavor will not pursue if you leave the arena!"
"Eh!? Then why the hell didn't you say anything sooner!" Siege exclaimed, quickly recalling Reshina and dashing away.
The three of them were grouped around a young boy in western themed clothing.
"Just what in the heck were you three thinking, standing around in Grandtree Arena? You were lucky to escape the Lord of the Woods." he said.
"Not my fault we wandered out right near the arena. I only acted on instinct to defend my friends, I had no idea it wouldn't give chase if we just left." Siege said, hoping like heck the guy never noticed Reshina.
"What my friend's trying to say is, we got lost in the woods and ended up in there by mistake. We're sorry we intruded." Hope said.
"It's fine. You're out of danger now. Lord Kleavor only stays in that area. My name is Lian. I'm a warden of the Pearl Clan tasked with caring for him." he said.
"What happened with that Lord?" Gus exclaimed. "It honed on Siege when I saw him intrude…"
"It all happened one night. Lightning struck the Lord as power overwhelmed him. Now he attacks anyone who wanders into his territory, be they human or Pokémon." Lian said.
"That's troublesome… it's almost like it's gone into a frenzy." Siege suggested.
"Can't you do something to calm him down?" Hope asked.
"Unfortunately I have no idea how to do that at the moment. For now…I must wait. The chief of the Pearl Clan will be going to the Galaxy Expedition Building tomorrow to seek their aide. Not that I can accept it. But…I can't stand seeing Lord Kleavor suffer like this." Lian said.
"Could we go on your behalf? Or at least accompany the chief of the Pearl Clan? As someone who's been around Pokémon, it pains to see them like this…" Siege said.
"Jubilife Village…that is where their base is." Lian said.
"Give us directions and we'll head there." Siege requested.
"I pray…that we settle this quickly." Lian said as a couple of eyes watched the trio from the shadows.