ClanLeaderShipping

ClanLeaderShipping
GENERAL
Pokémon
Character	Adaman
Character	Irida
Canonical?	Fanon
Status of Relationship	Fellow Clan Leaders, Frenemies to Friends/Rivals (Pokémon Legends Arceus) Former Clan Leaders; Close Friends/Rivals, Stranded in the future together (Pokémon Masters EX)
IN FANDOM
Type (?)	Het
Also Known As	SekiKai, SeKai, SkKi, Travelers from a Distant Past, Diamond and Pearl, セキカイ, 💎🐚, 🩷💙, 🍃❄️
Tropes	• Back-to-Back Badasses • Battle Couple • Belligrent Sexual Tension • Can't Live with Them, Can't Live without Them • Coordinated Clothes • Everyone Can See It • Fell First, Fell Harder • Finishing Each Other's Sentences ("We Should Battle!" event; PokéMas) • Forbidden Love • Frenemies to Lovers/Friends to Lovers • Hair Contrast Duo • Like an Old Married Couple • Not So Different • Oblivious to Love • One Head Taller • Opposites Attract • Pink Girl, Blue Boy • Please Don't Leave Me - Irida hates when Adaman doesn't wait for her • Red Oni, Blue Oni • Rivals to Lovers • Ship Tease • Slap Slap Kiss • Star-Crossed Lovers • Stuck Together (Pokémon Masters EX) • Soulmates • True Companions • Tsundere • Unresolved Sexual Tension • When He/She Smiles • Will They or Won't They?

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Time can not be severed from space, nor space from time.

— Cogita, about the two's beliefs (Pokémon Legends Arceus)

ClanLeaderShipping is the het ship between Adaman and Irida from the Pokémon fandom.

Canon

Pokémon Legends Arceus

The two are first introduced arguing in front of the Galaxy Team headquarters with nothing but hostility in the tone of their dialogues. As Rei (or Akari) points out to the player, the two arguing in public over whether their version of the "Almighty Sinnoh" is real (Palkia or Dialga) is quite commonplace.

The two clan leaders continue to insult each other openly before proceeding to the commander's office to speak about the Pearl Clan's Kleavor's ongoing rampage.

After the two arrive at his office, Commander Kamado introduces the player to the two clan leaders and shortly suggests the player to help the two's dilemma, as Adaman and his clan can not interfere as Kleavor technically belongs to the opposing clan.

Irida comments on her doubts, as the player, at the time, is seemingly a child with no experience in such situations, to which Adaman snidely snaps back at her, calling her "a leader with almost no experience". She defends herself, saying how being good at something does not reflect on the time spent, to which Adaman indirectly confirms to Kamado, and makes Irida agree, to give the player a chance to pacify Kleavor's rampage.

Before the player leaves, Adaman tells the player that there's no time [to do it] like the present, with Irida giving them a stern warning about Kleavor's powers. Before the player could leave the building, Adaman stops them again and tells them how one of the Diamond Clan's Noble Pokémon are also causing a rampage by the mountaintops - where the Pearl Clan's settlement is, voicing his concern as to hopefully not exacerbate the tension between the two clans and that he'd rather the two clans work to tackle the problems they share together.

During the Noble Lilligant arc, Adaman asks Kamado what the latter's plan would be if ever conflict arrises between the two clans yet again, to which the commander responds to remain neutral, as showing support for one clan would put them at odds with the other, noting how the Galaxy Team only started because they wanted to create a land that people could share in peace, and not to tear each other apart. To which Adaman sheepishly agrees, confirming how Kamado has indeed done a lot to keep the peace between the two clans, and that it was no surprise he would not take sides.

It is also worth noting that the two clan leaders will ask the player for a battle each time the player sets out to confront one of their rampaging Noble Pokémon.

After the player calms down the Noble Electrode, Adaman and Irida pay a visit to the player just as soon as they wake up and get out of the home the Survey Corps gave them. Adaman comments on how nice it is to wake up early, to which Irida questions, claiming how she had to get up earlier than him to even get there in the first place. Adaman then tells her to chill out a bit and invites her and the player to see what Kamado asked them in for. Irida echoes this sentiment, with the two leaders noticeably being on better terms.

In Kamado's office, they discuss how the last Noble left to quell is Avalugg, one from the Pearl Clan. Adaman voluntarily decides to join the player and Irida, as proof of "wanting to step up for a brighter future". Irida bids the two farewell and tells them to meet up at the Icelands. Though, later on it is shown the two clan leaders have arrived together, yet again.

With Irida all smiles, she asks the player their thoughts on the cool breeze of the mountaintops, with Adaman looking over her, asking her how she's not freezing in her get-up. Irida fans herself with her hand, saying how she's practically melting and that he's not ready for the summit.

Adaman then concludes how their differences are most likely something "more personal" and isn't just a "Diamond Clan thing" or " Pearl Clan thing", and that it's more of a "you-and-me thing", half-sarcastically asking if they would ever see eye-to-eye. Irida responds saying how could she, as long as Adaman and his clan clings to their version of who the true Almighty Sinnoh is. Adaman smiles and tries to pacify her before they start bickering again and asks her where they're all headed. She says they're off to find her teacher who's only ever seen in the mountaintops. The two continue to throw sarcastic quips for a while before Adaman goes ahead without her, much to Irida's chagrin. She bids the player farewell before rushing after Adaman.

At Avalugg's quarters, the two are standing by Irida's teacher, Gaeric. Adaman sarcastically comments on how they both did a good job at climbing through the ongoing blizzard. Irida snaps back telling him to show her teacher some respect, to which he nods his head off to.

After the player battles Gaeric, Adaman offers to get Sabi's Braviary's help to get the ingredient they need for Avalugg, Irida scoffs at him and tells him to tell the whole story as no one has time to figure out what his riddle-esque suggestion was. He snaps back reminding her how the Avalugg is one of the Pearl Clan's lords and doesn't see why he needs to do the talking, but decides to explain it, anyway.

Just before they head off to look for Sabi, the girl in question shows up much to the three's surprise. After the player completes Sabi's quest and quells Avalugg, Adaman and Sabi regroup with Irida and Gaeric, asking what the player's next move is. Adaman looks over to Irida, voicing his concern of the region's safety. Adding on, saying how they'll be alright as long as they have the player with them, to which Irida agrees.

Adaman then faces Irida, with the two finally seeing eye-to-eye for the first time, and confesses how the Pearl Clan aren't actually that bad. Irida softly chuckles, saying how he's finally began to see reason.

Back at Kamado's office, the atmosphere has turned tense, matching that of the ominous color the sky just drastically changed to, which the commander suspiciously comments on. With the two clan leaders, the player, and Cyllene behind him, Adaman snaps Kamado back to reality, with Irida asking what he called them in for.

Kamado then outright accuses the player of causing all the calamities and frenzies, calling them out on their strange origins and how omens seem to tail their every move. Adaman and Irida don't hesitate to defend the young corps member, saying how they've done nothing but help the two with the frenzies as well as mend the clans' relationship. Kamado shoots back, asking how the two can be so confident as to prove the child's innocence - which the two deem impossible. The two's arguments are superseded, with the player being banished as a result.

Adaman and Irida voice their obvious disapproval, causing Kamado to grimace and tell them to not intervene. After separating with the clan leaders for a while, the two later regroup with the player and reassure them they gave a heads up before leaving their clans to follow them. Though, Irida notes how it isn't going to be easy for them to openly support the player without people getting suspicious. The two leaders see eye-to-eye and makes the player choose who should accompany them. It is worth noting that despite this, the leader the player doesn't choose will still tag along regardless, shortly after the player goes to the lakes.

Before they part ways, Adaman and Irida look over to the other again one last time and reassure and remind the other about taking their role seriously.

After the player finishes catching the Lake Trio, they regroup with the two clan leaders at Mt. Coronet's summit, where the three are ready to face off Kamado and the Almighty Sinnoh. The three confront Kamado yet again and plead for the commander's cooperation. With Adaman and Irida's words finally getting through him, Kamado fully bows down in front of the player, asking for their forgiveness and help to quell the Legendary Pokémon.

As the four enter the ruins at the summit, whichever clan leader the player chose to follow them beforehand will say they are being telepathically spoken to by the "Almighty Sinnoh", telling the player to catch them, with the other clan leader in disbelief, asking if they're hearing the Almighty Sinnoh right. Later on, also depending on the chosen clan leader, the Legendary Pokémon reveals itself to be Palkia (if the player chose Irida) or Dialga (if the player chose Adaman) saying how there is another. Kamado yells for them all to retreat, with the two clan leaders telling him that it would be unwise to leave the remaining Legendary on its own. Kamado snaps back, saying how they'd be as good as useless if they both died in any potential impact trying to fight it unprepared. Looking at their current circumstances, the group is forced to retreat to a nearby camp.

Back at the camp, Irida and Adaman voice their disbelief and surprise at how both versions of their Almighty Sinnoh simultaneously existed and listen to Professor Laventon's suggestion as to what to do next. The chosen clan leader then chimes in, saying how they'll all be fine as long as Dialga/Palkia is by their side, and that it taught the chosen clan leader the solution to their problem. The group pieces together that they need the remains of the Red Chain, and a special type of Poké Ball, but are still clueless as to what the "Stone of creation's beginning" meant.

After reading the text inscribed on the back of the Earth Plate, Professor Laventon suggests that Warden Lian from the Pearl Clan might know a thing or two about it. Adaman looks over to Irida, smiling and says how he recalls Volo asking about the rest of the Plates as well, to which Irida smiles in response at how they finally got a lead.

After Warden Melli unceremoniously barges in uninvited, he starts picking a fight with Warden Lian as soon as the latter is fetched by Irida. Annoyed at Melli, Adaman warns him to play nice with the Pearl Clan for once, as they were all facing a grave situation.

The player is then escorted by Warden Lian and the two clan leaders to Primeval Grotto, where the Origin Ore could be found growing in. The group are then ambushed by the Bandit Sisters, with Adaman remarking how he hasn't seen Clover since she informally resigned, with Irida trying to reason with the sisters, saying how they need the treasure more than they do. Coin then looks over to Irida in response, saying how the latter being such a goody two-shoes made her leave in the first place.

Angered by this, Adaman tells them all to shut it and says he does not care for the reasons why two of them turned into bandits and says he won't let them get in their way. Adaman tells the player to take on their leader, Charm, while he and Irida take on their respective former members.

After the battle, Adaman tries to recruit Clover back, but to no avail. As he heals everyone's Pokémon, he is annoyed at how the three even bothered to get in their way at such a time. Irida glumly responds, saying how, Coin used to be such a valuable member of her clan, so she suspects it's the sisters' way of worrying about them. Adaman scoffs, saying how they should've just said so.

With the Origin Ore in hand, the team returns to Professor Laventon's lab back at the headquarters. Adaman and Irida can be seen waiting together by the lobby during the creation of the Origin Ball, with Adaman commenting on how he can't bear to wait any longer, with Irida voicing her suspicion as to him using how much he values time as just an excuse to cover for his impatience. He then tells her if it actually helped, he would just sit down and wait, however long. The two then marvel at the Origin Ball resting in the young corps member's hand.

The chosen clan leader then says how Dialga/Palkia spoke to them again, to which the other clan leader smiles and asks if it was Dialga/Palkia. The chosen clan leader says the Legendary Pokémon is willing to lend its support in the ultimate battle, much to the joy of the opposing clan leader, even complimenting the opposing clan's revered Legendary.

On the way to the town's entrance, the three are stopped by Cogita, reminding them how Time and Space can not be severed from the other. After being met with a brief silence, Cogita walks past them and casually comments on how she'll be windowshopping throughout the player's return to the summit, Adaman questions her in a flabbergasted manner, to which she responds saying how she won't really have the time to do so anymore if the world ends, Adaman sees her point and he and Irida chuckle in response.

Back at the summit, the player, the two clan leaders, and the commander are at the ruins' entrance. Irida tells the player that "In all of vast space, your place has found you." Adaman then asks what that meant, to which Irida explains how it's a saying of her clan, he then pieces together that she's basically telling the player to not be nervous. To which he once again compliments the Pearl Clan on, before slightly backtracking, adding "in some situations, anyway". If the player chose Adaman from before, he'll tell them "Let's meet tomorrow together", which is a Diamond Clan saying which means "hope you'll stay safe". Irida smiles, saying how perhaps it's worth listening to the Diamond Clan after all, "sometimes".

After the player catches Dialga/Palkia, the sky clears and the clan leaders are in disbelief. After noticing how the commander is holding back tears of joy, the two clan leaders chuckle to themselves saying how they never thought they'd see the day, which Kamado responds by sumo-throwing Adaman, much to Irida's delight.

Kamado then declares for everyone to celebrate. Adaman verbally thinks it over, as he adds on, saying how their bickering is ancient history now, seeing as how they were both right in their own way. Irida smiles, adding how she's sure how both their ancestors would be shocked at how they're getting along nicely, saying how she's glad that was the path they took towards protecting the space they all share. Kamado loudly echoes his suggestion of a celebration again as the two clan leaders can be seen smiling at each other beside him.

After the festival, as well as the Regigigas and Heatran postgame arcs, the two clan leaders then challenge the player to battle them one last time. The player also gets the option to take commemorative photos with the two in the local photography shop in Jubilife Village, either with or without the player themself.

Pokémon Masters EX

Official Audio Drama

The official audio drama takes place in Pokémon Masters EX, just after the two alongside their Pokémon are transported to the artificial region of Pasio. They ask themselves about their unfamiliar surroundings, commenting on how they're no longer in the Hisui Region. They both then jump to the conclusion that it is the work of the Almighty Dialga/Palkia, much to the other's grimace.

Forgetting how they made up in the main game, Adaman exhales through his nose and stops them both from adding on to their pointless bickering. Irida agrees, saying they should figure out where they are first.

Irida begins to observe the surrounding landscape and climate, while Adaman notices a nearby building, saying how there's no way Hisui would have the available technology to build it during their era, inferring that they are in the future. The two gasp in disbelief at each other again before Adaman stops the two from fighting a second time. Irida then suggests for the two to cool off a bit.

Adaman then confirms that they're definitely in a new and unknown place, but then wonders what their next move should be. Irida suggests to scout out the entire area to familiarize, Adaman then asks her how she plans on doing so as the entire area might be even bigger than they're expecting, and reminds her how time is precious. He then gives her a heads up, saying how he's decided to just ask the locals instead. Irida then tells him to do as he pleases, with Adaman telling her to join him.

As he turns his back on her, he notices how she's now sitting on the ground, and asks why she stopped. Irida tells him she needs to "think things over some more" before joining him, and asks her Glaceon to come closer. Adaman pieces things together immediately and slyly asks her if she's "hot and bothered". With a flustered Irida denying his claims, saying how he's just not willing to wait for her a bit.

After a while, the two are back on their feet and are carefully examining their surroundings. Irida comments on how the ecosystem seems both natural yet simultaneously artificial. Adaman dismisses her suspicions, saying how anyone else would think it's weird if they were put in a similar situation. He then notices a hill they can both climb to scan the area going forward, he excitedly runs over as Irida exhaustedly catches up to him.

She spots an ocean, a glacier, and even a volcano. Adaman then says how the land is not that different from Hisui, after all. Irida then stops him in his tracks, and tells him how it's weird they haven't been seen much less get attacked by a single wild Pokémon yet. Adaman thinks it over and catches on, as well.

Irida then wonders if it's a test by the Almighty Palkia, for them to be trapped in an island alone together. Adaman almost immediately dismisses the idea, saying how he'd be fine if it were only happening to her, but doesn't believe so since he's also a part of it.

Adaman's Leafeon then calls over to him, to which he rushes by his Pokémon's side. He then immediately calls Irida over, who, according to herself, was just "getting over [herself]" as she walks over to him, annoyed, before the two are greeted by a village not far from where they're standing.

Adaman excitedly tells her Leafeon found a village, and that there should be people there they could ask about their whereabouts. They both run closer, and confirm to themselves that they're not just seeing things. Adaman excitedly tells her to come along while Irida pouts and whines, telling him to wait for her as she calls him an idiot (baka).

"Travelers from a Distant Past" event

Apart from continuing the plot from where the official audio drama left off, The "Travelers from a Distant Past" event also comes with the as the two limited-time sync pairs players can summon for in their respective banners in the game's gacha system.

Dawn and Lucas are alerted by Professor Bellis of a weird rift appearing in the sky earlier before in the Pasio Region, the former two then go to town to investigate as they hear rumors of two strange people causing a commotion.

The two strange people are then revealed to be none other than the Diamond Clan leader, Adaman, and the Pearl Clan leader, Irida - two prominent characters from the ancient region of Hisui, what the Sinnoh Region was formerly known as.

The two are seen bickering with each other on whether or not Palkia or Dialga was the one responsible for sending them to a land unknown to them, which happens to have attracted a small crowd.

The two then notice Dawn and Lucas and excitedly run up to them, mistaking the two for Akari and Rei from the Hisui Region. Irida then stops him and exclaims how the two seem different, to which Adaman slowly realizes as well.

The two proceed to introduce themselves, and are then told they were sent to the future somehow, much to Adaman's excitement and Irida's chagrin. The two then exclaim how they have no clue what happened to them before arriving in Pasio, and that they did not expect the "same thing" to happen to them, either.

When asked what happened, the two respond, saying how some kid from a distant time [Akari or Rei] also got sent to Hisui through a rift in the sky. The two then invite the clan leaders to meet with the professor.

The professor shares her findings, confirming how it's exactly the same phenomenon the two were familiar with that sent them there. The two then suggest to get Dialga and Palkia's help. Much to the two's surprise, Lucas casually calls out Dialga from a Poké Ball, which excites Adaman. Irida then chimes in, wondering if asking for Palkia's help would be possible, too. The two kids then say it would not be impossible but would be quite difficult. Confused as to what they meant, the two clan leaders follow them to Team Galactic's underground hideout.

The clan leaders meet the three Galactic admins, mistaking Saturn for Coin, Mars for Arezu, and Cyrus for someone familiar [Cyllene], respectively. The group then pleads Cyrus to get Palkia to help, with the two clan leaders even being encouraged telepathically by the legendary Pokémon to get Cyrus' help. Cyrus agrees, but only because he has noticed that the space-time distortions not fading would affect Team Galactic negatively as well.

After the distortions are forced to disappear by the two legendaries, the clan leaders and company start celebrating, unbeknowst to them that Cynthia, with the help of Giratina, helped the gang behind the scenes, just a few feet away from them. Cyrus silently takes note of this but decides to stay silent about it.

As the commotion dies down, the two comes up to Dawn and Lucas and tells them that they have decided to stay together in the future in the Pasio Region, and to prove how serious they were, they even decided to let their Leafeon and Glaceon (alongside their other Pokémon) stay in Poké Balls (a practice that only the Survey Corps followed back in Hisui). They then ask the two kids if it would be okay for them to stick around, as their other goal was to also help possible future Hisuians settle in if they also meet the same fate. The kids happily agree with the professor playfully commenting on how "things are going to get lively here" from then on.

During the duration of the event and their banners, the pair can be seen by the main counter of the Pokémon Center, talking more about their unfamiliar surroundings and how excited they are to learn more. It is vaguely implied the two have indefinitely settled in the Pokémon Center's guest rooms.

If the player puts both clan leaders on the same team, they have exclusive voicelines of each other, with Adaman genuinely complimenting Irida on being punctual, while Irida tells Adaman to wait for her. They also have voicelines of each other when the team they're both in wins a battle, with Adaman saying how the battle was "done in good time" with Irida telling him to "not get too full of [yourself]", wherein she playfully calls him a "baka" (idiot) in the official Japanese version.

"We Should Battle!" event

The two do not make a reappearance until later during Nemona's debut event, "We Should Battle!", wherein the two make a cameo teamed up alongside Dawn for the last-minute tournament Lear decides to hold for Nemona as her welcome gift.

Adaman, Irida, and Dawn were put up against Nemona herself, teamed up with Bede and Hilda during the first round. Though, intimidated at the size of the crowd at first, the two (alongside Dawn) then decide to give it their all. Although, not shown, they unfortunately lost to Nemona's team.

It is also worth noting that the two were finishing each other's sentence when they were surprised to find out an entire stadium's worth of people would be watching their performance.

"Together in an Unknown Land" event

During Rei and Akari's debut event in Pokemon Masters EX, ClanLeaderShipping (alongside SinnohShipping) help the newcomers to teach them about how sync pairs work. After Lucas and Dawn come face to face with their doppelgangers from ancient Hisui, the former two suggest for them to meet back up with the two former clan leaders, saying how Adaman and Irida were just taking a stroll together in town.

After arriving at town, Rei and Akari were surprised at how Giratina was just standing behind Adaman and Irida, Adaman chuckles and exclaims how it belonged to Cynthia as her sync pair partner. After Cynthia shows herself, Rei exclaims surprisedly how she looks familiar - which Adaman agrees with, blissfully unaware - earning a sigh from Irida who proceeds to call him a fool.

Irida and Adaman then explain how they have been sharing their stories together during their time in the Hisui Region, and saying how Cynthia has been teaching them of how the Sinnoh region and the present time is like, too. They proceed to excitedly tell Rei and Akari how surprised they were to know about Giratina in the flesh, and how they also got to see Palkia and Dialga together again.

Rei is personally surprised at how fast the two have adapted to the present and how they even have Leafeon and Glaceon in PokeBalls now, as well. After hearing of the two clan leaders' experiences, Rei and Akari voice out how they want to follow in their footsteps.

As Rei and Akari are training with Lucas and Dawn, Akari looks back at how Adaman and Irida alongside their Pokemon seemingly adopted to Pasio quickly, alongside Rei with his Decidueye. The following day, the three pairs decide to train against each other as rivals - Lucas vs. Rei, Dawn vs. Akari, and Irida vs. Adaman.

"Let's Go in Search of Wonder" event

During the event centering around Elaine's debut in Pokémon Masters EX, Adaman and Irida are some of the first people who are sync pairs with one of the Eeveelutions to be interviewed by Elaine and Eve if they have seen or heard of the rumored talking Eevee everyone on Pasio was talking about.

Adaman and Irida arrive together with their Leafeon and Glaceon beside them, followed by Akira and Rei. Adaman comments, saying how it's the first he's heard of it, with Irida continuing, saying how she's never seen one in Pasio nor their home region of Hisui for that matter. They shortly part ways after the Survey Corps members also say the same.

"The Power of Dance" event

The event opens with Dahlia meeting up with Fantina, Kiawe, and Tierno. Wherein Kiawe comments on how he's heard "raucous voices and loud footsteps coming from the forest", assuming it was more people practicing dancing. This prompts the group to check up on it later that night, which is revealed to be an Ursaring and Hisuian Zoroark being confronted by Adaman and Irida with Akari and Rei behind them.

Adaman comments on how "they've been found" to which Irida retorts, saying how it's because of how loud he was. The two start bickering while Rei and Akari look on. The scene cuts to a flashback where the Hisuians are cornered by Pokémon who arrived from a Space-Time Distortion, of which Akari and Rei push for them to catch the Ursaluna and Zoroark in particular. The flashback ends with the two still bickering in the back while Akari and Rei explain how the former clan leaders caught the two peculiar Pokémon.

Akari and Rei then add on, saying they've been trying to train Ursaluna and Zoroark ever since. Tierno then suggests another way to communicate with their Pokémon - through dance. This confuses the two, but are prompted to try it nonetheless, for the sake of their Pokémon.

The team splits into girls and boys, with Fantina and Dahlia cheering on Irida, who finally got her Zoroark to lighten up as it liked the sound of Irida's flute-playing. It begins dancing and trusting Irida more. On the boys' side, Tierno and Kiawe cheer on Adaman, who's trying to get his Ursaluna to open up.

After the two successfully bond with their newly caught Pokémon, the time for the dance program arrives. Tierno, as the MC, introduces the two teams - with Adaman's going first and Irida's following second. Akari and Rei look on proudly from the audience. After the program, the two congratulate them on their progress. The two add on, saying how they don't care who wins or lose - as they finally got to grow close to Ursaluna and Zoroark, respectively.

The event ends with the two insisting they want to be the ones to teach people how to dance with their Pokémon as they close the scene with one last dance move ending in a pose together with their new partner Pokémon.

Lillie (Anniversary 2024) Sync Pair Story

After training with her Lunala, Lillie and Lunala go to the town square to watch the performance of Adaman and his group, Irida and her group, with vocals by Piers and his group.

Shortly after the performance had ended, they all talk about how much fun they had, with Irida saying she'd like them to perform together more often.

Lillie heads over to them worriedly asking if they have seen where her Lunala has went, when the performers were just about to help Lillie find her Pokémon, Lunala itself comes back to her.

Lillie tells Lunala how worried sick she was, while Adaman and Irida tell her all that matters is that it came back safe, and that it must have gotten overexcited because of their performance.

Adaman then comments on how late it's gotten, half expecting it to be some time around late at night, only for the group to see the sun still up.

Irida wonders what's going on, and Lillie presumes that a Pokémon that could control the day must be responsible, as she looks back to her Lunala, she then realizes why it disappeared for a while.

Later on, Lillie and Lunala are followed by Adaman, Irida, and the rest of their performance troupe to see Lillie successfully calm down and befriend the Solgaleo her Lunala has invited over.

She apologizes to the performance group for accidentally turning the night into a perpetual day, but Lear tells her the night isn't over, and calls on Wallace and his niece Lisia to start off the fireworks, closing off the festival.

Quotes

Main article: ClanLeaderShipping/Quotes

Fanon

Adaman and Irida are each other's most popular ship. Though, most of its fans are majority coming from the Japanese part of the Pokémon fanbase. This came to be as the two were also defaulted as each other's first ship back when they were first revealed as the new characters of the Pokémon Legends Arceus game - as the leaders of the Diamond Clan and the Pearl Clan, respectively.

The two display the common rivals to lovers trope as well as the tsundere trope as they are often bickering with each other every chance they get, regarding which Pokémon (Dialga or Palkia) was the true "Almighty Sinnoh". And, even after the events of the main story were concluded in Legends Arceus, they still sometimes resort back to bickering even after making up just before the post story.

Despite all this, they don't hesitate to put their differences aside when faced with danger. As they were the only two to publicly offer their help to the player character after the latter was wrongfully outcasted by Commander Kamado (and by proxy, Cyllene).

Regardless whichever of the two the player decides to choose as their back up, the opposing clan leader still follows along - though, canonically because they also want to prove that their version of who the "Almighty Sinnoh" was correct, it is also theorized that it is also because they do not want to admit that they want to stick around the other clan leader.

It is also worth noting that Adaman more often that not can be seen throwing glances along Irida's way or is the first to comment if he notices anything slightly off with her, such as the two times the latter is bothered, or the lack thereof, by the temperature around them. First, how he comments on how she apparently wasn't freezing in the temperatures atop the mountain with her choice of clothes on during the main game, or in Pokémon Masters EX's official audio drama wherein Adaman snarkily comments on how the Pearl Clan leader was easily "hot and bothered" by the slightly warm temperature of the futuristic region of Pasio.

As the story progresses in the main series game, the two are shown growing notably closer and become more open and nicer to the other. Going from outright insulting the other and their clan's beliefs, to sarcastic quips, and finally to genuine compliments while still not help but subconsciously smile while conversing with the other. At one point, Adaman even comments on he thinks the "animosity" between them both is more of a "personal issue" than one involving their clans. On the other hand, Irida grows to dislike whenever Adaman leaves her behind, as the two are hardly ever seen without the other.

By the time the player completes the penultimate arc of the main story, the two are now on good terms, but still try (and fail) to act as if they don't genuinely mean it when complimenting the opposing clan leader.

The two are also deemed compatible as they, as respective clan leaders, are portrayed as the understanding and caring parental figures of their respective clans. As the two also canonically view their clans as found family, especially with Adaman taking in Mai (Marley's ancestor) as his surrogate sister, and with Palina letting slip that she is happy to have Irida look up to her as a mother figure after the latter's own mother passed some time ago.

Overall, the two are hardly seen without the other and are also often seen together in real-life advertisements involving Pokémon Legends Arceus amongst other things.

A popular theme in their shipping fan art of the two is how the fandom pokes fun at the possibility that Barry (and, by extension, his father, Palmer) is the possible descendant of the two, as there was a notable lack of an ancestor-look-alike in the present day. With the theory being supported as Barry taking after Adaman's impatience and Irida's hair color.

As of the two's debut in the spin-off mobile game, Pokémon Masters EX, it is also worth noting that Paulo, a Masters-exclusive character, bears a striking resemblance to Irida while having a similar eye color to Adaman. Though, the two have yet to meet the character in question, if ever featured in another possible limited story quest.

Another popular theme for the fan art featuring the two is how they are either portrayed as childhood rivals/friends to lovers, or, at the very least, their ace Pokémon (Glaceon and Leafeon) were, back when they were still Eevees.

Adaman's arm and hand bandages (alongside his eyebrow scar and the scratches on the back of his coat) are also sometimes theorized as a result of him having had to protect Irida from an Alpha Pokémon's attack.

The ship is also often drawn alongside SkyFallenShipping, Rei x Akari, or with SecretSeaShipping, Palina x Iscan, a canonical star-crossed romantic relationship between a fellow member of the Diamond Clan with a fellow member of the opposing Pearl Clan. More often than not the ship is also the subject of teasing by Volo (or Melli, at times), who is often drawn as the two's third wheel much to their chagrin.

So far, Irida has canonically referred to Adaman as a "baka" twice in the official Japanese versions of the Pokémon Masters EX franchise, first during the official audio drama, where Irida calls Adaman a "baka" while stuttering about his audacity to go forward without her, further solidifies her tsundere attitude towards him, and the second when the two are put in the same (winning) team in the game itself, where she playfully calls him a baka (in the Japanese version) as she tells him not to get too full of himself.

It is also worth noting that the two's circumstances in the aforementioned game is a perfect example of the "Stuck Together" romantic trope used in canon.

Perrin's design analysis

As of the two's debut in Pokémon Masters EX, several fan art of the two learning how to use the Poryphone together are made, as well as fan art of their fall from the sky - an event that happened offscreen in canon. Fans have also pointed out how, maybe the reason why they never saw any look-alikes/descendants of the two in the present is because of the fact that the two decided to settle in the future together.

In terms of descendants, fans have theorized that they are the ancestors of Barry and his father, respectively. With another accompanying theory stating how May and Max could also be their descendants. As Barry and his father share Irida's hair color, while Barry shares Adaman's impatience and brown eyes. While May has Irida's hairstyle, while Max shares a similar eye color with Adaman, while his hair also having a similar shade of dark green as Adaman's highlights.

During August 08, 2023, the Pokémon Presents livestream, one of the new characters revealed for the Scarlet and Violet DLC is a photographer named Perrin. Fans were quick to point out the strong genes she inherited from Adaman, and also quickly noticed how she has the light green highlights of Irida's hair alongside her paler skintone compared to the former. She also appears to share a similar hairstyle as the latter. Because of this character reveal, many fans are excited about inevitably getting to pull for Perrin in Pokémon Masters in the distant future.

Fandom

FAN FICTION

Kai | Irida/Seki | Adaman tag on AO3

Kai | Irida & Seki | Adaman tag on AO3

FAN ART

セキカイ tag on Pixiv

セキカイ (Pokémon) tag on Pixiv

TUMBLR

ClanLeaderShipping tag on Tumblr

SekiKai tag on Tumblr

Adaman x Irida tag on Tumblr

Irida x Adaman tag on Tumblr

TWITTER

ClanLeaderShipping posts on Twitter

ClanLeaderShipping hashtag on Twitter

SekiKai posts on Twitter

SekiKai hashtag on Twitter

セキカイ hashtag on Twitter

SekiKai June Bride Project hashtag on Twitter

Trivia

• One of the ship's alternate names, SeKai, can be read as "world" in Japanese and Chinese.
• Adaman and Irida's official character designs were both done by @_take_oekaki, who has made fan art of the two while announcing that she had designed them.
  • She has also quote-retweeted the announcement of the official artist, Kinu Nishimura (@nishi_katsu), who designed the two's "Friends in Hisui" full art TCG card with the caption "Kinu-sensei's SekiKai 🥳".
  • Take also officially designed Perrin, Adaman's (and, allegedly, also Irida's) descendant, a photographer from the Paldea Region.
• Both Adaman and Irida are well-known for using a team of Eeveelutions, with Irida having Glaceon, Espeon, and Flareon while Adaman has Leafeon, Umbreon, and Vaporeon.
  • Leafeon's Ultra Sun PokéDex entry states it dislikes disputes, though Adaman's Leafeon (alongside Irida's Glaceon) does not seem to mind their Trainers' bickering.
    • Additionally, their two signature Pokémon get along pretty well with each other.
    • During the end credits official art of the Pokémon: Hisuian Snow miniseries, it is revealed that Irida's Glaceon was still an Eevee when Adaman's was already a Leafeon.
  • Pokemon Masters players can also obtain Adaman with his Vaporeon alongside Irida and her Flareon once they get their friendship levels with the two to Lvl. 100, which then allows players to redeem them from the Lodge Exchange feature.
• Adaman and Irida's characters both parallel each other in more ways than one, from their designs as opposing clan leaders, to their personalities, and even tastes. Such include:
  • Irida sporting the color pink as a dominant color in her color scheme - reminiscent of Palkia, with Adaman's being blue as to honor Dialga.
    • Their neck bands also hold a faux pearl and a faux diamond, respectively.
  • Because she looks up to Palkia, Irida loves the idea of a vast, open, and ever-expanding space, while Adaman, because of his admiration of Dialga, hates when people waste his time.
  • Because the Pearl clan is situated at a mountaintop, Irida loves the cold weather and melts at the slightest hint of warmth, with Adaman favoring the early morning sun, and immediately freezing the moment he steps into a snowy area.
    • Ironic to this, one of Irida's Pokémon is also a Flareon.
      • The alternate sync pair option (obtainable from the Trainer Lodge exchange) of the two clan leaders are also Adaman with his Vaporeon, and Irida with her Flareon.
    • It is also worth nothing that, because of this, during the two's respective Sync Pair Stories, Adaman can be found with his Leafeon out by the forest on a sunny morning, while Irida and her Glaceon are cooling off in a dimly-lit cave.
  • Irida is more uptight and a stickler for the rules, while Adaman is more laidback and only more strict when the situation calls for it.
  • Irida loves and is adept at playing the Celestica Flute, meanwhile Adaman is so terrible at it, as shown in the official end credits art of the Hisuian Snow animated miniseries, that his flute-playing makes everyone - including Pokémon - around him physically cringe.
    • Interestingly enough, Adaman is revealed to also be fond of the flute (as indirectly revealed in the Trainer Lodge feature of Pokemon Masters), despite being terrible at playing it.
• During their introduction in the main series game, Adaman and Irida are shown not wanting to have anything to do with the other, even openly insulting the other clan leader or their clan's beliefs. Though, it is worth noting that Adaman gives Irida a backhanded compliment about her being on time to meet with Commander Kamado.
  • The recurring compliment he gives to Irida about being punctual eventually becomes a genuine compliment that carries over to Pokémon Masters EX.
    • Specifically, his voiceline when being added into the same team as Irida, where he happily compliments her for being on time.
  • It is also worth noting that, despite valuing his time over everything else, Adaman comments on how he "can't believe he's having [this argument] with her", which Irida responds with, saying how he allegedly started it, which implies he found their constant arguments at least worth something of his time.
  • As the main game's story progresses, Irida also grows to hate when Adaman doesn't wait for her, something that also carries over to Pokémon Masters EX.
• After the player completes the main story of Pokémon Legends Arceus, the player unlocks the option to take a photo with the two clan leaders in Jubilife Village, which, according to them, is to "show the newfound unity between both clans".
  • The player can also choose to take photos of just the leaders, without including themself.
• Before the two clans officially ceased all animosity between each other, Adaman and Irida were the third case of a Diamond Clan member seeing eye-to-eye with a Pearl Clan member. With the first being Palina and Iscan - starcrossed lovers from the rivaling clans, and the second being two of the three bandit sisters, as two out of the three of them were revealed to be former members of both clans near the end of the main story.
• Merchandise-wise, the two usually, if not, always, either have matching merchandise or have merchandise featuring both of them at once. Examples include their matching TCG card sleeves, matching solo TCG cards, matching TCG clan cards, the two versions of the "Friends in Hisui" TCG cards featuring SkyFallenShipping, as well as their matching official chibi plushes, and acrylic standees released by the Pokémon Center.
• In Pokémon Masters EX, both Adaman and Irida are five star EX Master Fair sync pairs with the Tech role.
  • They also both share the Nature Lover Theme Skill.
  • Adaman and Irida both share similar background art when they are successfully summoned from their respective banners. Specifically, two angles of Hisui's Jubilife Village - the same location where the two are first introduced arguing in the Pokémon Legends Arceus game.
  • Both Adaman and Irida have special voicelines that the player can trigger when the two are chosen to be on the same team, they also have voicelines of each other when said team wins a match.
    • When the player puts either on the same (battle or Trainer Lodge expedition) team, Adaman would be genuinely impressed with how punctual Irida is for once and compliments her on it, on the other hand, Irida playfully whines and tells Adaman to wait for her.
    • When the team with both Adaman and Irida win a match (regardless of their standing positions/order), Adaman confidently remarks on how the match was "done in good time" while Irida responds, telling him to "not be so full of himself."
      • In the original Japanese audio, she adds "baka" (idiot) as a playful insult towards him.
    • When Dawn is put in the center and in the same team as the two clan leaders, their opening voicelines at the beginning of every battle reads as "Time! Unite! Space!" or "Time unite(s) Space!", or "Space! Unite! Time!" or "Space unite(s) Time!" - An unintentional easter egg of how the player (who can choose to play as Dawn/Akari) in Pokémon Legends Arceus indirectly made the two clan leaders set their differences aside to save the Hisui Region.
      • Interestingly enough, Dawn can be seen in a three-person team with Adaman and Irida during Nemona's "We Should Battle!" debut story event, as the opponents Nemona's team has to face in the first round.
      • The opening voicelines of the three together are confirmed to be an intentional easter egg during the "Together in an Unknown Land" event, as Akari, when teamed up with the two former clan leaders, also share the same opening voiceline as Dawn.
  • One of the topics Adaman finds "super exciting" to talk about in the game's Trainer Lodge feature is "Irida", while one of the "exciting" options is "the Pearl Clan". Meanwhile, one of the topics Irida finds "super exciting" to talk about is "Adaman", while one of the "exciting" options is "the Diamond Clan". Additionally, one of the "interesting" topics for the two include "Time" for Irida and "Space" for Adaman.
    • Some of their other shared interests as topics listed as "super exciting" include "Almighty Sinnoh", "Legendary Pokémon", "Pokémon battles", and "Pokémon behavior" under the "Pokémon-related" category, "Apricorns" and "The Celestica Flute" under the "Items" category, "Cooking" and "Nature" under the "Hobbies" category, "Accessories" and "Hairstyles" under the "Fashion" category, "Mt. Coronet", "The Hisui Region", "Pasio (Region)", and "The Trainer Lodge" under the "Places" category, and "Space-time Distortions", and "Partner Pokémon" under the "Others" category.
    • Some of their shared interests as topics listed as "exciting" include "Raising Pokémon" under the "Pokémon-related" category, "Reading" and "Sweets" under the "Hobbies" category, "Fashion" under the "Fashion" category, and "Bustling places", "Quiet places", "Forests", and "The ocean" under the "Places" category.
    • Some of their shared interests as topics listed as "interesting" include "Rotom Phones" and "Z Crystals" under the "Items" category, "Pokéathlons" under the "Hobbies" category, "Glasses" and "Scarves" under the "Fashion" category, "Ruins" under the "Places" category, and "The Dynamax Phenomemon" and "Windmills" under the "Others" category.
    • Adaman and Irida are also the only characters who were immediately added to the Trainer Lodge in the shortest timespan, with Adaman being added immediately upon the debut of his character banner on May 2023, and with Irida being added in July 2023, a month after her respective character banner's debut.
      • Irida being added to the Lodge is foreshadowed in the official promotional artwork of the Trainer Lodge update, drawn by artist MaP/Mappu.
  • At the end of their story event, Adaman and Irida later ultimately decide on staying on the Pasio Region, which was also what convinced them to finally officially "catch" their Pokémon in Poké Balls, and that they are excited to possibly have the chance to share their experience in the future with their respective clans if they ever go home to their time in Hisui.
    • Adaman and Irida also speak about their excitement over this in their respective Sync Pair Stories.
  • In Adaman's Special Story via the Trainer Lodge, the player teaches him how to use a Poryphone per his request, with his initial reaction being how he is impressed at the distance (relating more to space, the very ideal Irida revers) it has as its calling range before commenting on how it also saves people a lot of time (the ideal Adaman himself revers more).
  • Their debut story event, "Travelers from a Distant Past", ranked 9th locally and ranked 2nd globally in terms of popularity, as revealed by the game's official Twitter.
    • Adaman and Irida both give the team they're on a x1.6 damage bonus when the player partakes in their respective event's limited-time battles.
  • During the limited-time event, "Together in an Unknown Land" featuring SkyFallenShipping, Adaman and Irida both give the team they're on a x1.4 damage bonus.
  • Despite being present in the "Let's Go in Search of Wonder" event - thesecond part of Penny's "Veevee on Pasio!" event also centering around Eevee and Eeveelution Trainers - both Adaman and Irida were absent in the latter event.
  • From the "We Should Battle!" event onwards, the two can be observed finishing each other’s thoughts/sentences.
  • In "The Power of Dance" event, it is revealed that both Adaman and Irida are fans of dancing and has since then taken it upon themselves to do modern dance lessons with Tierno and his group, while also dressing in updated fashion.
    • During the event, Adaman and Irida both give the team they're on a x1.6 damage bonus.

Gallery

Main article: ClanLeaderShipping/Gallery