Alola. Melemele Island. Iki Town. Afternoon.
After learning about Volo's true intentions from Lena, Ash was made aware that Twilight was in grave danger. Volo was simply using Sci-Twi as a means to retrieve the shards and use their power to reach Arceus, threatening Time and Space.
At the same time, both were planning to find more shards over at Unova as attempts to contact Sci-Twi were cut off. Ash couldn't reach her at all, his Rotom Phone failing to gain a connection.
"Oh, man! I can't reach her!" He's tried calling her repeatedly but got nothing. "What gives?!"
"Volo..." Lena knew the answer to that. "He wouldn't want you to find out so soon. But there's no way he could've known we were talking about him right now. Could he?"
"Then I'm going to the other world!" Ash declared. "If he's really that dangerous, then I gotta tell Twilight right away! She needs to get away from him!"
"What about the shard here?" Princess Twilight said to Ash, referring to the Fire Shard at Akala Island. "Shouldn't you go for that first?
"I'll leave that to you guys. It'll be easier if you just search for it." Ash left that to his friends since they could cover more ground. "I don't know if he's gonna hurt her but..."
"Keep the shard here then." Lena approached her massive bag. "Volo shouldn't be anywhere near them and if we were to take it with us while searching for them, that could put them at risk. Maybe I should just-" But right as she opened it, a glorious and dazzling pink glow came from it.
"Woah. What's happening?" Sophocles was taken aback by the beautiful light coming from Lena's bag.
"The Fairy Shards are reacting? But I haven't used them at all." Lena gawked at this phenomenon, not knowing the reason for it. As the Fairy Shards reacted to something, Lena looked back at the table where the other shards were kept at. Obviously, they had their own reactions previously but that was only because they were brought close to each other. The Fairy Shards, however, were separate and yet they reacted all on their own.
Noticeably, Twilight Sparkle's body would start jittering a bit in reaction to the shards and only here. Her eyes flashed with a dazzling energy as she could feel herself connected to it. Much like how she felt a connection with the enigmatic Fairy Matter, it seemed that the Fairy Shards were no different.
"Is someone affecting them from elsewhere?" Lena picked up the shards. "Does Volo have some Fairy Shards I don't know of?" Even Lena herself couldn't understand it since it was starting to go against what she knew about these shards.
"Pass me those shards, Lena." Kukui requested. As the Professor, he was curious and wanted to examine them a little more since Lena couldn't figure it out herself, Kukui suggested a bit of science to try and figure to out, even if these shards were beyond that.
"Here. Please be careful." Lena handed the Fairy Shards to him, trusting in his abilities. Once placed on the table, the current technology was being used to analyze them.
Unova. Eindoak Town.
They had already arrived in Unova with the main location being Eindoak Town. Found somewhere in-between Castelia City and Nimbasa City, Sci-Twi and Volo passed through the gateway, entering the abundant world of Pokemon.
"You can sense where they can be, right?" Sci-Twi asked.
"With an item I picked up, yes. It saves up a lot of trouble since I always had to go off guesses. This thing is amazing." Volo replied, revealing something from his bag. Through his many collections, among one of the newest collected ones was a golden bracelet, appearing like a watch.
"What's that?"
"Your friend Sunset Shimmer may know if we asked her. But I quickly found out what it was when I put it on. I already tried testing all the other items I collected on the Dragon Shards but nothing was clicking. So when I tried this Bracelet on, I actually got a reaction out of it. Like this."
He then held up the Dragon Shards, connecting them with the Bracelet. As soon as the Shards were within its vicinity, the Bracelet glowed in a radiant purple and yellow color. It was responding to the Dragon Shards and only the Dragon Shards. Sci-Twi gawked as colour would then form into a pulse, showing her a certain direction.
"It's a compass. And it's pointing us in the direction of the Dragon Shards. Amazing, isn't it?" Volo grinned. "It can detect where a specific item is at, leading me to a whole bunch of treasures. I actually found where the next shards are because of this, but I just couldn't reach it at the moment. That's where you come in. You have a lot of Alpha Pokemon that can maybe get the job done."
"Really? Where are they then?"
"If we go North from here, we can find a large mountain pass known as Ventsone Path. It's on the more far north of Unova and it's not that easy to reach. I tried my hand at it not too long ago but...it didn't go so well. The shards there are the Rock-Type Shards. This bracelet was immediately able to deduce that the Dragon Shards have other variants, so it told me what other shards were nearby. The Rock Shards were among them."
"More than one shard? I thought it was just one shard you picked up on."
"That's right, but the Rock Shards seemed to be one in location. The other ones seem to be moving because of Venstone Pass's strong weather conditions. We'd be lucky to grab the Rock ones first. So, what do you say?"
"I'll do my best!" Sci-Tw said with enthusiasm. "I'll see what I can do when we get there!"
"Good. You're always a big help, Twilight." Volo gave her a thumbs up. "To think that you're still considered a new Pokemon Trainer. You don't really come across as one, honestly."
"Well...I've only been introduced to Pokemon for like 2 years now. But it's been fun. Dangerous, but fun." Sci-Twi said before walking with Volo. But as they were walking off, right behind them and keeping her distance was Sunset Shimmer. She was wearing a disguise, having a hat and sunglasses on as she already had a bad feeling about Volo. Hiding behind a tree, she continued to observe them while slowly walking.
Noticing this was Carlita, who was petting her Hydreigon. Not only did she recognize Sci-Twi from afar, but she easily recognized Sunset Shimmer, even with the disguise on.
"What are they up to this time?"
The Human World.
In the Human World, the girls were all gathered up at the park. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rarity were all sitting together, waiting for Sunset Shimmer. Since her, Sci-Twi, and Volo had gone ahead, the others wanted to keep each other company and stay updated.
"You said she went to Unova?" Fluttershy asked.
"She did. And without us." Applejack had a frown, being slightly disappointed. "And all because of that Volo fella."
"Why's she so suspicious of him? I thought he was cool." Rainbow Dash said, crossing her arms.
"Eh." The girls didn't really understand why Sunset Shimmer was so suspicious of Volo.
"If she's this cautious, then maybe there is something about Volo we're not seeing. But I just don't see it." Fluttershy added.
"I can't blame her." Rarity had her doubts as well. "Sunset Shimmer does have a tendency to jump to conclusions, but that doesn't mean she's wrong."
"Now what do we do? Do you think we could catch up with them?" Rainbow Dash asked, wondering if they could catch up to the three of them. They weren't even aware that Sunset Shimmer was being stealthy about it.
Just then, before they could decide on something, running past them was Ash who had shown up in this world. Leaving Alola, he went all the way back to Equestria, passing through the portal and entering the Human World.
"Ash? What're you doing here?" Fluttershy pointed at him, recognizing him instantly.
"You guys!" Ash stopped to face them. "Is Twilight gone?! Where is she?!"
"Yeah, she's not here." Applejack answered.
"Did she leave with Volo?!"
"Volo? Yeah. They left a while ago." Pinkie Pie answered. "I think like an hour ago or something. But they're probably in Unova already."
"Unova, huh? The gateway to Eindoak's not too far then." Ash quickly realized. "I gotta get there fast!"
"Huh? What's going on?" Rarity raised an eyebrow. In the corner of her eye, she noticed someone else approaching. Someone who strongly resembled Ash. Approaching here was Lena who swiftly followed her descendant, not wanting Volo to get an advantage at all. The girls were absolutely flabbergasted they were seeing. A woman who looked exactly like Ash.
Ash certainly wasn't going to explain it all since he was in a hurry. "There's no time! Just follow me!" He quickly ran off, with Lena and the girls following suit. They didn't even have time to properly greet themselves, but Ash knew Lena could explain it. Except she didn't, passing by them as well since they weren't going to slow down at all.
"Hold on! Who the heck is that!? Is that your sister?!" Rainbow Dash bellowed, needing answers.
"No time to explain! I'll be right back!" Ash yelled back before disappearing into the distance with Lena.
Unova. Blizzard Ridge.
Blizzard Ridge.
A formidable mountain range located somewhere up north in the Unova Region. Its towering peaks and jagged cliffs are constantly battered by fierce winds and heavy snowfall, earning it a reputation as one of the most treacherous and inhospitable regions in all of Unova.
The terrain of Blizzard Ridge is rugged and unforgiving, characterized by steep cliffs, sheer rock faces, and deep crevasses. The mountains are cloaked in a perpetual blanket of snow and ice, making footing precarious and visibility limited. Narrow pathways wind their way through the rocky terrain, often obscured by snowdrifts and ice formations.
"Hooh...You didn't tell me we'd be entering a cold area! I know the North is usually cold but...!" Sci-Twi started shaking.
"This is Blizzard Ridge. I passed by here before and it's just one area that can lead us to Ventstone Pass. If you're cold, I have you covered." Thankfully, Volo had something for Sci-Twi, giving her a thick white coat for her to wear from his bag. He came prepared, not wanting her to struggle when getting those shards.
"Ah! Thank you! I didn't expect the air to suddenly drop like this. I was caught off guard."
"My bag is all-purpose and it's constantly growing. I've been collecting a lot of things, including clothing. There's so much I can't keep track of." Volo explained as he and Sci-Twi kept walking through the cold, harsh mountainous area. Not too far behind was Sunset Shimmer, still keeping her distance and observing.
Thankfully for Sunset Shimmer, she had her own way of keeping herself warm. She sent out her Delphox, having it cast a fire spell that kept her and her Pokemon warm. With the fire constantly surrounding her and Delphox, she was as warm as a Magcargo.
Coming all the way here to Blizzard Ridge easily took a few hours, cutting through a good chunk of time. Already, the late afternoon Sun was in the sky, sending its orange lights through the cold sky and giving it a nice tint.
She took her steps with Delphox being right behind her, following their every move as her feet dug into the snow, leaving behind footprints of her boots.
"Where's she going?" Sunset was watching Sci-Twi and Volo, but at this point, she was beginning to think that there was no harm done. So far, it seemed that Volo was just helping Sci-Twi out, not really doing anything suspicious. Sunset didn't fully trust him after the battle she had with him before. She got a glimpse of his true colours back then, but Volo was so good at hiding that.
Suddenly, touching her shoulder was someone else, giving Sunset Shimmer a fright. Turning around, it was the familiar face of Carlita, who was also following her.
Sunset wanted to scream after being startled, but Delphox promptly covered her mouth before any noise could be heard. Carlita simply snickered, knowing how she caught Sunset off guard.
"So. How come you're out here spying on those two?" Carlita questioned.
"I could ask you the same thing. Are you following them?"
"No. Just you." Carlita shook her head. "I saw you back at Eindoak. Pretty easily through the disguise too and you were just eyeing those two down. Am I right?"
"Well...you're not exactly wrong. But it's because I'm not trusting of him." Sunset pointed at Volo, who was still walking with Sci-Twi. Carlita tilted her head to see Volo in the distance before facing Sunset once more.
"Him? Why? He seems fine. He's actually helping your friend. You don't seem to think so?"
"He's hiding something. Something that's beyond his own comprehension. I can't tell you why I know, but he's not someone we should fully trust." Sunset had a serious expression, having her eyes locked on Volo. "There's something about him I just can't figure out. A power of some sort. It's a feeling that's coming off him."
"Hmm. Well, that's pretty vague. I don't see anything. Not yet at least, but I get what you mean." Carlita wasn't writing it off yet "If you're supsicious of him...then it's a lot like my brother."
"Your brother?"
"Mhm. My brother Damon almost got away with something serious years back, trying to reactive the Sword of the Vale. Ash, Me and the others stopped him, but we didn't see it earlier. He meant well, but didn't quite go about it in the best way."
"Y-You have an evil brother?"
"Not evil." Carlita wagged her finger. "He just messed up that's all. Based on what you're saying...is Volo like that to you?"
"Well...I mean...I guess. I was suspicious of him when he revealed he's collected a lot of ancient items from Equestria. Tons of magical items from the past that belonged to many figures are just with him now because he's merchant. A lot of those items shouldn't really be sold off or taken so carelessly. I was wary of him but I didn't want to just outright assume anything. So I was gonna take this slow. And that's when we battled."
"You can tell me along the way. They're already out of view." Carlita pointed out how Volo and Sci-Twi had gone ahead. Thanks to all this chatter, they had managed to slip away while Sunset was telling her story.
"Ah! We lost them!" Sunset screeched, causing some of the snow to tremble.
"Not for long." Carlita grinned before running ahead. "Hurry up and don't fall behind!"
"Hey! Wait!" Sunset Shimmer was quick to follow Carlita.
Meanwhile, Sci-Twi and Volo continued their path through Blizzard Ridge, reaching a narrow path between two walls of rock. The blizzard was only getting stronger, making it hard to see and hear. It was only the two of them, not knowing they were being followed.
"You really think this is a shortcut?" Sci-Twi asked.
"Of course. It's the fastest route." Volo replied, using his compass to show them the direction. The light it emitted acted like a radar, showing that this ancient item was most likely the earliest version of a radar. At least from Equestria.
"It's not going to get us lost is it?"
"Oh, no, no, no." Volo shook his head. "As long as you keep an eye on the light, we'll be alright. Best be careful too. The Pokemon here aren't friendly, I promise you.
"Oh. Well, I have my friends. They can defend me." Sci-Twi was confident, having a few Pokemon to count on.
"Wonderful. Just look above you at all times. You'll find that an Onix can potentially drop from above." Volo pointed up.
"An Onix? From above? Isn't it too big for that? And why would an Onix be in such a cold area? It's a Rock-Type. This place is more fit for Ice-Types, no?"
"Rock-Types don't usually mind the cold. Not just because they're super-effective against them, but it they're so hard-bodied that most cold-based attacks won't do much. As for falling from the sky, Onix's body is hard enough that they can survive a fall like that. How it gets up there to begin with, no clue. It caught me by surprise by showing up at that cavern."
Up ahead was a cavern that was shaped like a wide archway. It was a small opening between two giant walls of rocks, allowing them to get through. However, the moment the two of them walked in, Sci-Twi immediately felt the difference in atmosphere.
As they passed through the area, the ceiling above gave off a reflective light that didn't resemble ice but mostly crystals. But the air was different. The air felt heavy and there was something in it. An odd feeling that was almost similar to a Poison-Type move, but not exactly. Volo was unbothered since he's been past here before, but Sci-Twi was experiencing this for the first time.
"What's this weird feeling?" Sci-Twi asked, feeling her skin starting to itch. She wasn't allergic to anything, but she was sure something was bothering her.
"They should be dropping at any point..." Volo said, his eyes on the ceiling. He had a smirk, looking at the crystals.
"Right now? Where?" Sci-Twi tried looking for the Onix but she couldn't see them at all. They couldn't be that hard to miss considering how large they were and how their bodies were the oppossite colour of the crystals here.
"Oh, yes. Just look above you. The Onix are coming." Volo said before pointing upwards. Right on cue, from the ceiling, large chunks of crystals were beginning to break off, revealing the presence of many large snakes, known as Onix. The Pokemon were hanging off the ceiling, blending in perfectly.
"What the?! Are those Onix made out of crystals?!" Sci-Twi gasped, seeing the Pokemon start falling towards her and Volo. Their sharp bodies were glowing a bit, being a little more menacing. When dropping, some of them caused shockwaves, sending across the cavern while some were beginning to fall in Sci-Twi and Volo's direction.
Sci-Twi screeched before quickly bolting in the other direction. Volo casually backed away as the Onix dropped like a Rock Slide going off, crashing into the ground. The entire cavern was shaking, making the walls vibrate a little.
"It's like a rock slide!" Sci-Twi was terrified as she was trying to dodge the falling Onix. "How'd they even get up there in the first place?!"
"You know how to defend yourself, right? This is the perfect chance to see how you handle this situation." Volo simply stood and watched, keeping a safe distance from the falling Onix.
"Right! Pikachu!" Sci-Twi called for her partner. From her bag, jumping out of it was Alpha Pikachu who was waiting the entire time, conversing with Hisuian Zorua and Spike.
"Pika!" The Electric Mouse emerged. Volo was rather impressed that an Alpha Pokemon was even able to fit inside of her bag, even if it was just Pikachu.
"Taking on a bunch of Onix with a Pikachu? Bold, but I can respect it. I can assume that you got that from that Ash fellow, right?"
"If Ash can beat Ground-Types with his Pikachu, I can try and do the same! Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"
"Chu! Pika!" Pikachu jumped up as his tail glowed a brilliant white. Swinging it at an approaching Onix, the force behind the swing was enough to send the Rock Snake flying across the cavern. This was just one Onix that was sent flying as there were multiple of them to deal with. After this one Onix was slapped to the side, the others would go on the offensive.
One of the Crystal Onix, after shaking its head from the previous Iron Tail, would charge straight at Sci-Twi. The young woman had a determined look, not backing down from the large Pokemon.
"Pikachu, use Dig! Get in and come out under it!" Sci-Twi instructed.
"Chu!" Pikachu went underground, moving beneath the Crystal Onix. Just as it was passing him, Pikachu came back up and delivered a swift Iron Tail to the underside of the Onix's face, hitting it with a solid and strong Iron Tail. This was enough to make the large Onix collapse in one go. Such was the power of an Alpha Pokemon. Naturally stronger than the average member of their species.
"We got another one, Pikachu!" Sci-Twi was starting to get the hang of it, having her Pikachu's attacks work in her favour.
"Pika-Pi!"
But the rest of the Onix would begin attacking in teams as some of them used Rock Blast, sending the projectiles flying straight at her and Volo. Volo remained relaxed as Sci-Twi screamed, seeing the boulders coming her way.
"Break them with Thunder Punch!"
"Pi-ka-CHU!" Pikachu punched the rocks, shattering each one in one hit. His fists moved with a flash of lightning, causing them to break instantly. Each strike was like a miniature bolt of electricity, easily breaking the rocks into nothing.
"Wow. You're doing well." Volo had his hands behind his back, loving what he was seeing. Sci-Twi's battle skills have very much improved over time as she was no slouch and very much quick on her feet.
"I have to! I can't let them get the better of me!" Sci-Twi exclaimed, but it wouldn't be that easy. The other Onix would slither back, leaving one Onix on its own. But for one good reason.
This one Onix would slam its tail on the ground, using Earthquake. It was a strong Earthquake that would cause a lot of the cavern to crack and break, even damaging the floor where Sci-Twi was standing. Golden lights would erupt from the ground, racing towards the Mouse Pokemon.
"Watch out, Pikachu!"
"Chu?!" Pikachu wasn't expecting the Onix to pull off a move like that, so he was caught off guard. But he had no chance to escape, getting caught up in the earthquake.
"Oh no! Pikachu!" Sci-Twi held onto her ears as she could see Pikachu struggling. But the Onix were relentless. Once Pikachu was sent into the air, they used Rock Blast once more, aiming their rocks at the poor Mouse Pokemon
"Pika!" Pikachu cried out as the rocks collided with his body. It was a fearsome barrage of rocks that would keep him airborne for a while, dealing damage over time. Being tossed around the air, the Onix would try and slam him down, trying to crush him.
"I won't let them beat us, Pikachu!" She dug into her shirt pocket, pulling out another Poke Ball to support Pikachu. "Go! Dusknoir!"
Coming from the Poke Ball was the Alpha Dusknoir, catching Pikachu as he fell. "Dusknoir!" Pikachu looked up, swiftly saved by his fellow Alpha Pokemon as he hovered before the Onix.
"Dusknoir! Use Shadow Ball! Send them flying!"
"Dusk!" Dropping Pikachu, Dusknoir would generate a blob of shadows in his hands before approaching the Onix with it. Quickly, the Onix would try and strike Dusknoir with Rock Blast, only for the Gripper Pokemon to zip to the side, flying over the rocks with impressive agility.
He approached two of the Onix, slamming the Shadow Ball into them as he expanded the blob to a size large enough to encompass them both. With them trapped, the explosion would send the two Onix flying.
"Follow up with Dark Pulse! Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"
The rest of the Onix would roar, trying to intimidate the two Pokemon. But it wouldn't work, not when they were working together. Dusknoir would then start using Dark Pulse, firing the blast from his hands and striking the other Onix. Some of them tried using Harden to block the attacks, but it wasn't enough to withstand the attack.
Pikachu and Dusknoir were starting to put the pressure on, using Iron Tail and Shadow Ball to send the Onix flying. Swift and hard blows from the two were bewildering the Crystal Onix, leaving them perplexed as some of them were fainting in just seconds.
The last Onix would soon fall by an overhead smash from Pikachu's Iron Tail. Pikachu promptly backflipped off the last Onix's head as there was now a pile of these Pokemon down for the count.
"Yeah! Great job, you two!" Sci-Twi cheered. Pikachu would face her with a smile while Dusknoir crossed his arms.
"Well. A nice showing." Volo applauded. "I suppose I wasn't needed for them. Well done, Twilight."
"Thank you, but..." Sci-Twi looked back and saw the cracks that formed, having a feeling they shouldn't stay. "Maybe we should go before something happens."
"Oh, something will happen. The last time I defeated them, a swarm of snow just came from the walls. It was quite the surprise."
"Snow?" Right on time, just as Sci-Twi repeated that word, the walls of this space would break, letting the cold air rush into the cavern. It was already freezing, but it was made worse thanks to the cold air coming in. Sci-Twi faces the walls before seeing a chilling air fly out, bringing something absolutely destructive very soon.
The blizzard's winds were so fierce that they began blowing the snow that fell off the mountains, bringing a heavy amount of it into the cavern. It wasn't just a storm, it was a snowstorm.
Sci-Tw's glasses became incredibly crooked at this sight while Pikachu and Dusknoir collectively gasped. Zorua zipped the back immediately, hugging Spike and squeezing him with her impressive strength.
"This is a bit worse than last time." Volo simply shrugged before grabbing Sci-Twi's arm, running off. "Let's keep going, shall we?"
"Wait, wait, wait, wait!" She frantically said while being pulled away from Volo. As Dusknoir was returned to his Poke Ball and Pikachu started running alongside Sci-Twi, the Snowstorm swallowed up the Onix, but caused them no harm. Their bodies were tough enough to handle this even when fainted but the same could not be said for those who defeated them.
Outside of the cavern, the cold weather would start affecting the entire Blizzard Ridge, making the place even more dangerous than before. But the real trouble would begin soon.
"Woah. I thought it was cold, but it's only gotten worse. We gotta hurry before it gets out of hand!" Sunset Shimmer and Carlita were rushing towards the cavern. But before they could, they could feel the ground rumbling underneath them.
"Woah. An earthquake?" Carlita wondered if this was a common occurrence in this mountain range.
"No. Something's coming. Something big!" Sunset was right as her pupils would shrink. It was incredbly close to her, specifically, right beneath them. As they stood in the middle of the path, a large hole would form below them, causing the two to scream as they fell into it.
The two girls held onto each other while screaming, caught off guard by the sudden hole that emerged. The Snowstorm was strong enough to cause such an event even if it hadn't reached the area yet. It wasn't even an earthquake and yet it pulled this off.
"Aaaaah! Delphox!"
"Hydreigon!" Carlita quickly raised her Poke Ball.
As they fell, the two of them would grab their partners, having them save them. As Sunset held onto Delphox's back, her Fire Pokemon would create a fiery wall, protecting them from the falling snow. As for Carlita, her Hydreigon easily caught them, preventing them from landing too hard.
"Thanks, buddy." Carlita thanked her Pokemon, seeing how quick he was to react. However, poor Hydreigon couldn't be out here for too long since he was a Dragon-Type. After catching Carlita, he quickly retreated back to his Poke Ball, not wanting the cold air to get to him.
"H-Hy!" Hydreigon was still glad to help, descending to the ground with Carlita's safety intact.
"Are you okay?!" Sunset asked Carlita.
"Y-Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Nothing I'm not used too." She chuckled before adjusting her hat. For a Dragon-Type Trainer like her, this was the one place she shouldn't be at. When looking at their surroundings, they saw that they were somewhere else in this area. Somewhere that seemed rather ancient.
On the walls, there were drawings and writing that appeared to be similar to how the Unown appear. This cold area located north of Unova wasn't just another cold place. It seemed to possess some history to it.
"Oooh. Look at these drawings. What do you think they are?" Carlita walked over, taking a closer look. She could tell that this area wasn't something she should just brush off.
"Who cares? We need to catch up to them!" Except, Sunset Shimmer would brush it all off, wanting to keep up with Volo and Sci-Twi. Carlita was rather curious but could stave her curiosity off for today. Now that she knows of this place's existence, she could always just come back. But first, the main objective was finding those two.
Ventstone Pass. Nightfall.
At last. After passing through a majority of Blizzard Ridge, Sci-Twi and Volo came across a summit in this area, leading to the entrance of Ventstone Pass. They would finally reach the end of this part of Unova. And there it was. Ventstone Pass.
It was an incredible area that was a massive and expansive pass between a set of mountains. The windy area would give way to a much cooler air, but that's not what was special about this place. What made this area so special was that the air was always moving, being so strong that it was impossible for most to traverse. Because of the powerful winds, the rocks in this place are worn away over time, creating many strange and bizarre rock formations.
And because of its ever-moving air, the area has been dubbed as Ventstone Pass, as the wind is constantly flowing through, messing with the stones and rocks of this place as if it were a playground.
"We've finally made it. Just in time." Volo had his magical compass, pointing at the direction of the shard.
"Woah...Look at that place." Sci-Twi looked all around the place, seeing the rock formations. Some of them seemed to resemble Pokemon while others appeared to be random. It was a fascinating and mystical sight. "It looks cool."
"And dangerous. But the wind doesn't really affect the Rock Shard, so we should be fine." Volo looked up, witnessing the Moon in the sky appearing as it was getting late.
"I don't wanna walk through here at night." Sci-Twi had a shiver, thinking about how cold the winds would get. Do you think we could slow down a bit, Volo? Just for tonight?"
"Just for tonight, you say? Well, the shards aren't going anywhere, so why not? This place is dangerous, but I know a spot that's safe. If you'd follow me."
Their journey would take a break as they approached the area they've been heading for, already feeling the chill. That blanket Volo gave her was starting to give out when coming face to face with greater conditions. She was hoping it wouldn't be too late for it to fail here. At least until the morning comes.
Elsewhere, Ash and Lena were searching everywhere, trying their best to see where Sci-Twi and Volo had gone. But they had no leads. No clue on where they would've gone. Ash was practically running blind at this point. "I should've asked Pinkie Pie to have her Slurpuff follow Sci-Twi's scent." Ash said, knowing he was too hasty. And since they were gone, he was too late to catch up with them when he got here, but not too late to try and find them.
"That was a good idea, but we can't turn back now. If we do, Volo might get even more time ahead of us, Ash." said Lena.
"We'll make it." Ash thought otherwise, surprising his ancestor. He then faced her with a serious look on her face, knowing what he was doing. "I promise. I'm not about to let anything bad happen to Twilight. No way. Even if it takes up some time, I'll find her and Volo. I'll save her."
"But are you sure? Heading back to Alola will take time and-"
"I'm not giving up on this." Ash shook his head. "You know how serious this is. Volo can't be trusted and he has Twilight with him. I have to get her away from him."
Unbeknownst to them, the two were taking a break since the Moon had risen. There was still time and no matter how far it may be, how much it's wasted, Ash wasn't one to slow down when it comes to scenarios such as this. Not when his friend was in the midst of someone dangerous.
Lena was rather surprised by what she was hearing as she opted to keep on going, but even she had to admit there was no lead. Time was definitely of the essence as it could lead to something catastrophic.
As the journey continues.
Chapter 455 End.