24. Ash's Hisui Story

Chapter 22 Preparation for the next goal

When they go into the Galaxy Hall to find Kamado, they find that he is still talking to Arezu. Kamado thinks and says, "Hrm...So it's come to Ursaluna as well...This suggests that even Pokemon that are not nobles can become frenzied... I have received no word from Adaman or Irida...But this is something we can simply ignore. In any case, you have my thanks, Miss Arezu. You did well to inform us of Ursaluna's situation."

"No problem! Adaman's got his hands full running our clan and all, and Ursaluna's warden wouldn't even give me the time of day...So the Galaxy Team are the only ones I could turn to about this."

"Ursaluna's warden is Mistress Calaba of the Pearl Clan, is it not?" Kamado asks. "Of all the wardens, she is the most narrow-minded - Ahem! Bound by tradition. She likely does not take kindly to outsiders meddling in her affairs."

As he notices Ash and Serena, he says, "I have a new mission for you, Ash, Serena. I order you to study Ursaluna in the Crimson Mirelands! I permit you to show your strength if necessary."

Ash and Serena nod as they are now going to Captain Cyllene about the news. "The next area you will be sent to investigate is the Crimson Mirelands. You will find the Pokemon living there to be more fearsome than those in the Obsidian Fieldlands. Even the landscape itself is harsher, with steep ravines and seaside cliffs. It is not welcoming. At your current rank, you should be able to handle the Crimson Mirelands on your own. Here is what you need to know. Your destination is a place within the mirelands known as the Solaceon Ruins. That is where you'll find Ursaluna's warden."

"Oh boy..." Ash mutters, as he knows full well that place is filled with Unown. And after leaving, Serena asks, "Ash? You don't seem to be happy at the fact we're going to Solaceon Ruins..."

"It is not like that, but I know too sure that Solaceon Ruins is filled with Unown, and they are very terrifying if you get to know them."

"Is that so..." Serena says.

And they decide to continue to do the requests, they find a woman named Paria near the bridge, and she says, "Hey, listen to this! I saw something out of the fields! Oh, it was incredible!"

"Come again?" Ash asks, as a lot of people really said the same thing.

"The thing I saw was...a will-o'-the-wisp! A ball of bright red fire!" Paria exclaims. "When I was walking on Windswept Run the other night, it leaped at me like woooOOOooo!"

A boy named Waka just walks past them, and he says, "At it again with this story, huh? Don't listen to her, mister. My big sis always gets carried away with her fairy tales."

"Oh for goodness' sake, I'm not making it up! I saw that will-o'-the-wisp with my own two eyes!" Paria says.

"Oh yeah? Then why don't you show it to me? Heh. Good luck with that!" Waka taunts as he runs off.

"It's SO frustrating he won't believe me...I honestly did see one!" Paria says. "Say...You're with the Survey Corps, right? And I hear you're quite the prodigy!"

"Well, we are..." Serena says.

"I beet you could easily catch a will-o'-the wisp! Do you think you could catch the one I saw and bring it back here?" Paria asks.

"Well, we do have some Pokemon from the Windswept Run...I wonder what kind of Pokemon are you talking about." Ash says as he looks at the Pokedex with Serena.

"Maybe it is the Chimchar that we found that was on the tree?" Serena asks. Then they go to the pastures and get the Chimchar. And he asks Chimchar to rush up to the tree, and Paria gasps, "Th-that's it! That's the will-o'-the-wisp I saw, all right! So it was a Pokemon all along...In any case, you caught it just like you promised! The Survey Corps really are a talented bunch."