*Photon's POV*
It's been a whole hour- how long are those two going to stay in there?! I thought to myself, Beta looking at me curiously.
"Do you think they're alright?!" she asked, growing a little impatient. Alpha put his arm around her,
"Just give them time, Sis. Remember, this is Risk and Riku we're talking about- nothing can kill them!" The Mawile stifled a nervous laugh, until Beta clocked him, square in the chest.
"Hey, what was that for..." Alpha started, but was quickly silenced.
"Don't talk about them like that- if they were in trouble, and we weren't there to help them..." she cut off, shedding a small tear.
"I don't know what I would do if something happened to either of them..."
"Well," I told Beta, determined to keep the peace between the twins,
"I'll go check on them- be back in a second!" I said, casually walking towards our team's quarters. However, when I poked my head into the bedroom area, I could not find either Risk or Riku.
Panicked, I called both of their names, my voice strained with stress,
"Risk?... Riku?! Are you still here? Can you hear me?!" I began to overturn each and every item in the room, but the Riolu and Shaymin were nowhere to be found.
Alpha and Beta heard the noise and came running,
"What's happened?!" Alpha barked. He looked around the room and was subsequently as perplexed as I was,
"They're... Gone?! But, how- we were outside the entrance to this corridor the whole time!" I could tell Beta was on the verge of tears, so I tried to calm her down with a solution,
"Well, we can try asking around the Guild- maybe someone saw..." I was interrupted by a loud squawking from outside, and I remembered,
That's right... We had a summons with the Guildmaster, didn't we? Well, no use wasting time here- perhaps we will find something useful from Wigglytuff...
"That bird... He makes too much noise... But maybe our summons will prove to be useful..." Alpha mused.
"My thoughts exactly," I echoed him, and we left for the Guildmaster's Room.
Once inside, Chatot was not happy with us,
"You're late! Squawk! How hard is it to be punctual to a summons from the Guildmaster himself?! Why, if you're late again..."
"Chatot!" Wigglytuff seemed to be taken aback,
"Don't be so rude! These are our guests, and they came here of their own free will!" he scolded the bird, before instantly cheering up again,
"Besides, I bet whatever they were doing was very important- right, Chatot?"
"!.. Y... Yes, I am sure it was!" the bird replied in alarm.
"Ahem, anyway... Crusaders, I called you here to discuss a few matters concerning the Necromancer..."
I stared at Wigglytuff intently, knowing that we need this information desperately.
I am beginning to fear that this "Necromancer" has taken those two... Even if we have to circle the world, we will find you- Risk, Riku!
"So, about the Necromancer- we think we have a lead on where this dastardly Pokemon may be. Recently, I received a message from a rescue team that operates in another region. Here, let me read it to you,
'To Wigglytuff,
I recently received the wanted letter requesting help in bringing down the Necromancer, and I believe we may have found where he is hiding. The waters surrounding the Lightning Field have become increasingly violent, but, when my team entered the Dungeon, the Pokemon there... There was definitely something wrong with them. I do not know how to describe what I saw, but they all seemed to follow a small band of Pokemon I had never seen before, which we found about halfway through the Dungeon. They called themselves Team Rascal, but I had never seen or heard of a team of that name being formed around here. I asked them what their purpose at the Lightning Field was, but none of them responded. Instead, they... They attacked us, and we couldn't hold them off... We had to run, but we didn't make it out unscathed. Please, send help- that Team Rascal must be stopped!
-Blastoise, leader of Team Hydro'"
"The Lightning Field..." Alpha seemed lost in thought,
"I've heard of that place... It's Raikou's domain, isn't it?"
"Correct. Squawk!" Chatot confirmed his answer, and the Guildmaster addressed us once more,
"This mission won't be easy, not by any account, but I am sure that Team Crusaders can do it! Good luck!" he waved and dismissed us. We all shared the same grim determination as we left the Guild to stock up on supplies in Treasure Town.
...
Well, I guess I'm going to have to play the role of leader while Risk and Riku are gone... As much as I miss them, I can't let that stand in the way of a successful exploration- I need to be strong, like they would! I thought to myself, while Beta bought a few Apples for the journey.
"Alright, I think we have everything we need- are you guys ready?" I asked the two Mawile. However, before I could receive an answer, a voice from behind me startled me,
"The Lightning Field..."
I jumped back in alarm, but my nerves were abated when the figure behind me turned out to be Alakazam.
"Here," he said, handing each of us a small, pearl-like red ball.
"Take these special Orbs, and, if you ever get into trouble, use these to come back to the Guild. They are specially crafted by me to send all of you home if one shatters theirs against the ground. Now, the Lightning Field is incredibly far away from here, much too far to make the journey by foot. Close your eyes, everyone, and hold onto me tightly- I will bring you there..." I closed my eyes and waited.
...
...
...
It seemed like an eternity before Alakazam told us to open our eyes again.
"This," he pointed to the Mystery Dungeon in front of us,
"Is the Lightning Field, home of the legendary beast Raikou..." He trailed off, mumbling to himself,
"Is this a good idea for me to send them into this place?..."
"Is there something wrong, Alakazam?" Beta asked him, expectantly. Alakazam seemed surprised by the question for a moment, but he quickly hid his surprise under a much calmer, level-headed gaze,
"I fear it is too dangerous for only you three to adventure here. I shall accompany you- together, I am sure that we will succeed..."
Beta interrupted him in her excitement,
"You really mean it?!"
The Mawile could barely contain herself when he replied with a simple,
"Yes."
Now, it was Alpha's turn to take charge of the group,
"Well, we have an adventure with our names on it. Let's go!" Nobody had any objections, so we headed into the crackling prairie that was the Lightning Field.
*Lightning Field, 1F*
As we walked, I noticed the many different shards of rock sticking out of the barren wasteland that lay before us, and I couldn't help but cringe.
I feel so much electrical energy pouring out of every single wall of this Dungeon- much more than I could possibly hope to protect the team from... I moved near a small puddle on the floor and promptly received a shock that very nearly overpowered me, even though it shouldn't have had much of an effect on me.
There must be something wrong here... Risk- what would he do if he were here... I think to myself, despondently. Alpha noticed my depressed state and gently nipped me in the back of the arm. The small puncture wound hurt slightly, but it was nice to be back in reality.
As if reading my thoughts, Alakazam held up one arm, palm open, signaling us to stop. He then pointed to a Mareep in the distance. It was about twenty feet away, but the cuddly sheep didn't look so friendly, and I couldn't help wondering,
What is wrong with that Pokemon?! It's radiating some kind of strange, dark aura...
Alakazam interrupted my thoughts again,
"So you can see it as well... Interesting..." the Psi Pokemon mused.
"See what?!" I asked, before realizing that he knew that I could see the odd energy that the Mareep was exuding.
"What are you two so scared of?" Alpha shoved his way past Alakazam,
"It's just a Mareep- what could it possibly... Ungh!..." He was quickly silenced by Alakazam's Psychic powers, who moved him, through the air, back to the group.
"Don't be hasty, Alpha- you don't seem to understand what you're dealing with," Alakazam gave him a stern look, and I soon realized that Alpha couldn't see the strange energy. Thus, I asked Alakazam about it,
"Alakazam, what is that black aura that the Mareep radiates? Have you seen it before?..."
However, he made no move to answer me- instead, moving his hand to his mouth to silence us.
"Don't make a sound!" he whispers, before quickly turning around and hurling a purple and black ball of energy at the sheep. Upon impact, the Mareep was flung into the wall, and it fell to the ground, defeated. The aura dissipated shortly after, and, since Beta had been nagging me to pet the "fluffy sheep," I deemed it safe and escorted her to it. However, when she touched the Mareep's wool, she instantly removed her hand, which had been slightly burned simply by coming in contact with the Pokemon. I looked to Alakazam for direction, while Beta yelled in pain, and Alpha tried to calm her down. However, Alakazam gave no reply, evading my question once again,
"There- the stairs- let's go."
Sighing, I simply shrugged my shoulders, and we followed Alakazam to the next floor...
*Lightning Field, 2F*
After a few minutes of uneventful dungeon-exploring, I finally worked up the courage to ask what the mysterious aura was, and how I could "see" it,
"Alakazam..." I started, but the Psi Pokemon was, once again, one step ahead of my mind,
"That necklace of yours- Darkrai is sealed inside, is it not?" he asked. I just nodded, looking at the feather curiously.
"The mere fact that Darkrai is so close to you allows you to see those that are under its control- in this case, you can see those that are in allegiance to the Necromancer, who was one of Darkrai's most prominent henchmen." I stared blankly at the necklace again, wondering what to think.
So I can see who is on that diabolical Pokemon's side... I wonder if this can lead me to Risk and Riku!
"However," Alakazam continued,
"The presence of Darkrai in that necklace turns you into a magnet for his followers. Yes, you can see them clearly, but they can identify you just as easily! Be warned, Photon- if they get their ghostly hands on the necklace and unseal Darkrai..." Alakazam trailed off, his eyes closing. Clearly, he was imagining what could happen should Darkrai escape into the world again.
"Hey, everyone, look what I found!" Beta chimed in, pointing to an intriguing pair of glasses on the ground. She bent down and picked them up, looking through the lenses in the process.
"Woah," she gasped, trying to comprehend whatever she could now see,
"These glasses reveal everything on the dungeon floor! I can even see the stairs! Follow me!" she said, running off into the distance.
"Wait!" I called, dashing after her.
...
Breathing heavily, I found it surprisingly hard to keep pace with the Mawile, as she ran through room after room, until she turned around and called back to us,
"See?! These glasses led us straight to the stairs!" she exclaimed.
"I think that's enough of those glasses for now..." Alpha told her, taking the glasses from her and stuffing them into his pack. However, before we continued, I had one more question to ask Alakazam,
"Hey, Alakazam, what exactly are those glasses?! Why did they make Beta suddenly act so impulsively?!"
Alakazam stared at the ceiling for a few seconds, obviously lost in thought, before finally responding,
"Those glasses? By your friend's reaction, I assume that they are X-ray Specs. They bestow vision of unknown rooms and Pokemon upon the wearer. Quite the useful tool, if I do say so myself... However, about your friend, I have no idea why she is acting this way, but I fear the reason may have something to do with that Team Rascal that we were warned about. Stay sharp, Crusaders- we know not what comes next!" he finished, before continuing to the next floor.
*Lightning Field, 3F*
"Why is this floor so dark?..." I squint, trying to make out what little area my Flash can illuminate and navigating across the wall with my hand for balance. However, after a few minutes, Beta began to grow uneasy, tugging on my shoulder.
"This place is giving me the creeps..." Her hazel eyes reflected distress in my slowly-dimming light,
"Your pendant, Photon- Alakazam said that it could sense a Pokemon's affinity towards Darkrai. Do you think Team Rascal could be in league with those ghostly scoundrels?"
I looked at him in alarm, as a horrible thought crossed my mind,
What if we just walked into a deathtrap masterminded by its followers?!
My heart quivering, I tried to shout into the darkness, but, when I opened my mouth, no voice would come out.
Now it was Alpha's turn to try to make a noise. However, both his and the other's voices were met with the same fate.
Nobody can talk to each other?! What is going on here?!
I concentrated, forcing a large amount of energy into my tail to emit a Flash that lit up the entire chamber. Expecting a potential assailant, I nervously glanced around the room, but all I saw was a small slab of rock near the back wall. I took a closer look at the object.
A gravestone? But why would there be?... My curiosity got the better of me, and I tried to trace my finger along the inscription. However, before I could touch the ancient stone, I felt that familiar force weighing down on me, and I knew that Alakazam was holding me back. I looked up to see what the problem was, but, when I turned around, neither Alakazam, nor the two Mawile were behind me. Instantly, I felt like panicking and running away, but I attempted to steel my nerves.
They couldn't be that far away. I just need to look around... Wait- what is this?!
I bent down to see a small note on the floor. I picked it up, and promptly became even more confused.
What language is this written in?! I've never seen anything like this before... It looks kind of like English, but I just don't know...
A loud noise that sounded like an angry roar echoed in the distance and jarred me back into reality.
Well, there's no use in waiting around here- whatever made that noise probably doesn't take kindly to strangers- I just hope that the others are OK... I thought to myself, dashing towards the stairs.
*Lightning Field, 4F*
!!! My pendant- it's glowing! At first, I was mesmerized by the bright green light hanging around my neck, but, then, I remembered Alakazam's words to me about the pendant and cringed,
If my pendant can sense Darkrai's minions... Then one of them must be close!
I tried to illuminate the darkness around me with Flash, but the electricity seemed to simply sputter uselessly before it even left my tail.
There's something here- something that's feeding on my electricity! But where?...
Desperately, I felt along the walls with my hand, until part of it caught on a metal bar. I gasped- the bars were colder than a dead body.
"He... Hello?!" I called into the darkness, both nervous and anxious for a reply. However, no voice arose from the other side of the bars, and I began to fret out loud,
"Just where am I..." I tried to piece together my whereabouts,
I was in the Lightning Field- I got separated from my team, and, now, not even my Flash can penetrate this darkness. All I can see is what my pendant illuminates. What kind of Pokemon even lives he... Aah! I jerked my hand backwards- something had reached through the bars and touched it.
Wait a second... I thought, wondering if I was hallucinating in the blackness.
That fur... That felt like... My heart skipped a beat in excitement,
Riku?! Is that really you?! Could it really be him?! Well, if there's even a small chance that it was him, I have to try! Hastily, I jammed my hand through the bars a second time, desperately fishing for the paw that had touched me.
A few seconds passed, and I slowly called into the darkness,
"Riku? It's OK- it's me, Photon!"
Slowly, I began to hear something shuffling about inside the bars, until the familiar paw reached out and touched my hand again. I was filled with relief- I had found Riku, at last.
Phew! Now we just need to find Risk... Hey, let me go!
Riku's paw quickly wrapped around mine, clutching it tightly- and, soon, all I could feel was a numbing sensation all across my body.
"Riku, what are you!... What are you doing?!" I tried to reason with the Shaymin, until I heard him speak for the first time. His voice wasn't his own- it was like the sound of the restless wind, not the brave Pokemon I once knew,
"Photon? Is that you?! I... I..." Immediately after he began to talk, he went silent, and multiple thoughts crossed my mind almost simultaneously,
Riku... What's gotten into you!? And why are you here, of all places?! And...
I never got to finish my thought- the paralysis had finally overtaken me, and I fell to the ground in front of Riku's cage. The last thing I heard before I lost consciousness was "Riku's" laughter- a dry and emotionless laugh,
"Foolish Ampharos, didn't your Trainer tell you never to talk to strangers?! Now, bear witness to the true power of the Necromancer! Ahahaha!"
*Risk's POV*
Urgh... My head... Slowly standing up, I took a quick look around me and realized that I was in a completely different place.
"Riku?!" I tried calling the Shaymin's name,
"Anyone?!"
...
No response... Just more and more blackness.
This place reminds me of the World Abyss- it's so dark here! Then, I felt the familiar warm glow of my pendant. Hastily, I unwrapped my scarf and held the amulet in front of me, illuminating a few feet in front me a bright blue color. Dimly, I could make out the walls in front of me- I followed the twists and turns of the for a few minutes, until I felt that suspicious feeling that I was lost. I sat down to eat, and my mind couldn't help wandering.
Is this a maze? Where am I now? Back where I started? Hopefully not, but I can't give up now- Riku needs my help! Resolved, I stood up and walked into the darkness once again, the only source of light being the blue glow of my amulet.
*Dreary Depths, B1F*
This place reminds me of the Dark Void... It's like I'm walking through another maze of nothingness. I wonder, will there be another Gengar's Fortress here, too? I thought to myself, keeping my balance by following the wall with my paw, until a large quadruped creature sprang out of the darkness and landed on top of me. My first reaction was to try to escape, until the Pokemon, which I could dimly make out as a Leafeon, spoke to me- its pleasant-sounding voice contrasting with the eerie mood of my surroundings,
"Another... Pokemon? Could you, possibly, be from the Guild? Are you here to rescue me?"
Rescue? Wait a minute... Could this be the same one from our mission to the Giant Volcano? But how did he get here?
"Could you please get off me, first? I... It's hard for me to breathe..." I attempted to talk under the Verdant Pokemon's weight on my chest. Obviously embarrassed, the Pokemon quickly moved to stand in front of me. I could not see the Leafeon blush in the near-darkness, but I figured that he would be, by the surprise in his voice. He stared at me expectantly, his hazel eyes reflecting dimly in the blue light of my pendant.
He seems curious about my amulet. I wonder if he knows...
Obviously, the Pokemon had heard of me, because he then addressed me by name,
"That pendant of yours... You're Risk, the new leader of Team Crusaders, aren't you?" My simple nod gave the Pokemon hope, and his gaze brightened significantly.
"You're here to rescue me?! I just knew someone would come! Quick, let's get out of here- this place gives me the creeps!"
*Dreary Depths, B2F*
Walking through the dark labyrinth had sparked my curiosity-
"So," I asked the Leafeon, trying to calm my nerves through conversation,
"How did you end up here?"
He seemed to be taken aback by my question, as if I had unearthed a dark secret of his. Finally, he said, dryly,
"You're familiar with the events of the Old War, correct?" Without waiting for an answer, he continued, shedding a single tear in the process,
"Sophia, she... She was the only human casualty... Because she had the guts to save her Pokemon!"
"Hold on, who is this 'Sophia'?" I wanted to know more- any events surrounding the Old War could trigger my Dimensional Scream.
"You already know who she was, Risk. Photon's Trainer... Was mine as well! After most of her Pokemon were massacred by Darkrai, she couldn't bear to see any more of her friends die, so she gave herself up- she told Photon and I that she would rather die, knowing that we were safe, than live to see our deaths." The Leafeon broke down in tears,
"I was just a little Eevee back then, but I remember the face of the killers vividly. And I can assure you, it wasn't only Darkrai's doing. There was another Pokemon- garbed in black, it looked like a straight-up demon... When Darkrai dealt the finishing blow to her... When Sophia died, she... She left me this," he said, pulling a small piece of paper from his pack and unfolding it. There was only one word written on it.
"Spectre?... What does that mean?" I asked him.
"Honestly, I don't know, myself, but I just know that I need to find the answer..."
"Perhaps we can find the answer together!" I suggested, and the Leafeon's face brightened,
"You mean it? Well, Risk, we have a 'Spectre' to uncover, and a mystery to unravel! Look, the stairs are just right over there! Let's go!"
*Dreary Depths, B9F*
We've descended a long a way- the air is becoming thin and devoid of oxygen... Will we ever reach the end of this maze?
Soon, my oxygen-starved mind could barely function, and my pace slowed to a crawl,
Can't... Go... On... Losing consciousness... I fell to my knees, my brain trying to scrabble with the lack of breathable air.
The Leafeon, seeing my collapse, hoisted me onto his back,
"Stay near me, Risk. Like a plant, I can perform photosynthesis- that should give you enough oxygen to survive, for now..."
I took a huge gasp of air, and, amazingly, he was right- the air around him was so clean, it was like I wasn't underground at all!
"Don't worry! I won't let you die, Risk! Let's keep going!"
*Dreary Depths, B14F*
"So," I asked the Leafeon, once I was able to conjure a thought,
"What's your name? I never asked before..."
"My name?..." He seemed shocked that I would ask,
"I... I don't really remember my real name, but Sophia called me 'Cedric,' after an old king she was learning about in history. She told me that the name suited me well. But now..." Cedric looked crestfallen,
"I'm not really sure if that even was my name to begin with. You see, I've been having these weird dreams lately, but it's been of things that I have never even seen before..."
"Like what?" I ask him,
Strange dreams? Hmm, I wonder if he has a variant of the Dimensional Scream, just like me. But if so, what is it linked to?
A sudden jolt from Cedric knocked me off his back, and, when I hit the ground, it felt like the very earth under me was in chaos. I couldn't understand why, until a deafening roar echoed through the cavern.
My amulet began to glow brighter, and Cedric's fur stood on end.
"What was that?!" I practically shouted, trying to keep my voice low, when another draconian roar deafened me.
"Whatever's over there, doesn't like us being here!" I shouted over the massive rumbling sound approaching. If I wasn't so scared of what was making that sound, I would have feared the cave's collapse. Then, the oddest thing happened- Cedric turned to me and whispered,
"Risk, give me a leaf."
"What? Why? But they're buffers for Riku..."
"Riku isn't here right now- just give me a leaf before that thing gets too close..."
He was cut off by the glow of red eyes in the darkness, until my pendant's light spread to envelop the entire room. Now, I could see that we were in trouble- the chamber that we had walked into was another Pokemon's nesting grounds!
"Graaahh! What do you think you're doing, storming around my cave like you own it! You know what I do to trespassers?" The massive, three-headed dragon, now fully visible, bellowed.
What on earth is that Pokemon? With those three heads, that sleek blue body, and those intimidating wings... That Pokemon could lay waste to the world if it wanted to! The thought passed my mind without my thinking on it, as I was more worried about our escaping this monster in one piece.
"I show them exactly how I survived this long- by killing the competition! And for you two, I have something special planned! You see, I'm getting hungry, and nothing else is on the menu. Dare not struggle- I will make the trip to my stomach a quick one!" The dragon lunged at me with incredible speed. I tried to dodge out of its path, but the two other heads each blocked my stride, as the remaining head grabbed me and tried to pull me inside its mouth.
"Cedric, here!" The Leafeon ran toward me, as I quickly dug into my pack and threw him a leaf,
"Do something, quickly!" was the last thing that I could say before the gargantuan jaw sucked me inside and closed over me.
Immediately, the wet, slimy cavern began to tilt upwards, and I knew what was coming next... Instinctively, I braced myself for the worst, as the Pokemon took a loud gulp, forcing me to the back of its mouth.
Try this on for size! I thought defiantly, jumping for what appears to be the Pokemon's uvula. However, just as soon as I grabbed onto it, the uvula retracted, and I grasped at nothing for a split second before the Pokemon's massive swallows finally sent me down its throat.
Landing in its stomach, I tried to ignore the pain and focus on Cedric,
What's going on out there?! I thought, until I heard the Leafeon's voice, albeit muffled by the stomach walls,
"If you can hear me, Risk, cover your ears!"
Not questioning his orders, I struggled to stay afloat while holding my paws over my ears, each upward kick from my legs hurting progressively more and more. Then, I feel my fleshy prison rock backwards slightly, just before the entire Pokemon around me falls to the ground. I hear it crash with an enormous thud, and I think, for a moment, how much better it is to be inside the Pokemon than under it.
That weight could probably kill... Wait, Cedric! I need to get to him!
Practically treading acid, I gradually force my way out of the inactive beast's digestive system, struggling against the massive muscles.
Gah! Even while unconscious, this thing puts up a fight!
...
I breathed a sigh of relief when I could finally feel the cool air of this cave-like chamber again. It wasn't comfortable, but it was infinitely better than roasting inside a three-headed dragon.
The whole process of extricating myself took a few minutes, but, once I'm outside, the horror had yet to begin- as I shook the remaining acid off of me, I saw Cedric, slumped over a rock in exhaustion.
He's badly charred, but he's still breathing... There may be time to save him!
Immediately, I rushed over to him and examined his wounds,
"Cedric! Cedric, what happened?!"
"Fire... That Pokemon... It scorched me... *cough* But I was able... To put it to sleep... Go, Risk, you can unravel this mystery, yourself!" The Leafeon hung his head, but I refused to let him give up,
"If Sophia was here, she wouldn't want you dead, would she?" His response, although a slight nod, was all I needed,
"I won't let you die here, Cedric! We must keep going, for a true explorer never gives up!"
Painstakingly hoisting the Leafeon onto my shoulders, I trudged into the darkness once more, my pendant lighting the way as I went...
bkoxC(#