Pokémon: Ad Astra Abyssosque

| ELEVEN

MEA LIBERTAS MEUS CANOR

. . .

"So Miss Alyson can't join us today?" Ophelia asked him as she forced a whole bunch of food containers into her small bag. The night prior, she requested the cooks to make extra servings of food in the morning. They would be busy the whole day and she didn't want to return to the winery for lunch.

"Yeah." Ash replied munching on an apple, his other hand easily packing their snacks into a much bigger bag. She was in the kitchen while he picked through the pantry. Pikachu was on the shelves helping him. 

"There was trouble at the Academia and it needed her attention." He replied. She sent him a notice in the break of dawn saying she had more important matters to take care of in Sumeru, apologizing in advance for not being able to make the trip. 

"I hope Venti's available though..." She wished, then giving a satisfied clap after fitting everything in the carrier. "He is the Master of Brightcrown after all, it's his home turf. If we have his help we might find something sooner than just us." She finished setting up her things. "But that green gremlin's never stayed in a place for more than a few minutes. If were lucky, chances are that we'll reach the dome with him in the middle of battling a trainer."

"Well, we can't waste time now, can we?" "Pikapi" He left the room and joined Ophelia out the kitchen. Pikachu decided to walk with his own legs for the day. "Well then, let's go!"

He wore a simple white T-shirt, plain dark-bluish pants, and black hiking shoes with black socks. His keystone dangling from his neck as well as his pin displayed on his right chest, his Z-ring in its container in his sling bag. Ophelia in a cream colored long-sleave and brown pants with matching boots. Her constellation pin was tucked on her hair, custom made into a hair tie.

They left the premise of the manor and Ash admired the river on their walk, glistening under the fair morning's light. A school of Goldeen passed by them and Pikachu ran off to say hi, he couldn't see its evolved form anywhere though. He saw a family of Alomomola enjoying their day, a shiny jumped out of the water, flaunting its color. 

They reached a sandy area which was occupied by cryo slimes, a large crowned one in the middle while three small ones bounced around happily. They kept a long distance from the icy bunch, walking a little past the dirt path and on the grassy area. Slimes are technically harmless, but being targeted by the larger ones can cause much inconvenience, and occasionally harm. They wanted neither.

"C'mon, Ash. The entrance is just over there." She pointed at an old archway built on a gentle slope. He skidded up to it and saw that it's an entrance to a ravine that led to the olden city. 

Passing the gate, he saw the place to be far too destroyed to be fixed nor replaced. The place was greatly unmaintained, letting nature overtake the olden pathway. Despite it being morning, most of the ravine was pitch black.  Fireflies lit up from within the thick shrubbery by the side of the road, lighting up a part of the eerie darkness. He saw some nocturnal Pokémon taking a nap not far from them and tried to quiet his steps, trying not to wake them. 

He found the place to be quiet, peaceful, and oddly beautiful.