"RISE AND SHINE!"
Pika woke up, drowsy. “How long have I slept for?”
“A day.” Vee said, waking up as well. “Although it sure doesn’t feel like it. Anyways, we’ve got roll call.”
“And probably a new mission, knowing the guild these days.” Pika said, as the two headed out.
"Roll call!" Chatot said. "TREEKO!" "DRILBUR!" "Whismur!" "GOLETT!" "CRANIDOS!" "KADABRA!" "MEOWTH!" "EMOLGA!" "PIDGEY!" "PIKA!" "VEE!" "Alright, everyone's here." Chatot said. "Back to your jobs, everyone!" Chatot came over to Pika and Vee, as the Pikachu gave his partner a “I Told You So” look. “The Guildmaster wants to see you two.” Chatot informed them. The group entered the guildmaster’s chamber, which was growing familiar to them.
“The Police Force has been analysing the data we’ve collected on Lombre’s attacks. Moltres gave us a detailed follow-up to what he told you, and we’ve compiled the data from Lombre’s attack on the guilds and on the police center. He’s stolen three items; the Ember Orb, the Volt Orb, and the Aqua Orb. There are two more orbs that go with the three that were stolen; the Crystal Orb and the Sprout Orb. We currently do not know where the latter orb is, but we know that the former is being held by Articuno, master of the guild of the Crystalis Peaks. Your mission is to go to the peaks, meet with Articuno, find if Lombre’s been there, and if you can retrieve the Crystal Orb for us. We also need to see if he knows the location of the Sprout Orb.”
“Got it!” Pika responded. “We’ll be back before you know it! So where are the Crystalis Peaks?”
“To the north.” Vee responded. “The best way there is to go to the Dremiton Mines and head north. We’ll come to the Frost Caverns, and pass through them to the Crystalis Peaks. From there we’ll have to find the guild atop the mountain, I guess.”
“Not entirely true.” Zapdos replied. “Crystalysmi Town rests at the foot of the Crystalis Peaks. If you can make it there, the townspeople should be able to point you in the right direction.”
“Alright!” Pika said, nodding. “Let’s go!” And with that, Pika and Vee departed.
The two soon arrived in the Dremiton Mines, as humid as ever. They headed north, as per Vee’s route, and arrived at a large tunnel. Entering the tunnel, they found it was completely closed, save for the two openings on either side. They looked around and saw a lot of Pokemon with shops in the tunnel. They came over to a Kecleon’s stand.
“Hello, there!” Kecleon said. “Welcome to Kecleon’s Shop, where you can purchase all sorts of items for your trek out into the frozen reaches.”
“Hello.” Vee said, politely. “I’m afraid we’re not here for items. Can you tell us anything about Crystalysmi Town and the Crystalis Peaks?”
“Sorry, but it’s my policy not to talk to customers unless they buy something.”
“For the luvva…!” Pika said, spying a Focus Sash. “Can we get that?”
“Sure!” Kecleon said, taking it down. “Just 50P.” The two parties made the transaction, and Pika put the Focus Sash on. Kecleon coughed, ready to talk. “Crystalysmi Town was built long ago, over the ruins of a great titan. Or so legend says, anyways. The town was built around an altar supposedly placed by Mew to lock the titan down. If the altar was destroyed or messed with, the titan would reawaken and could possibly destroy the whole region. Articuno’s Guild is really the latest in a line of Pokemon Guilds appointed to watch over the city by Rayquaza to make sure nothing happens. They keep an eye on the town from near the top of the Crystalis Peaks. It apparently helps with building them by giving them a closer connection to the legends above them. They’re very secretive, though. Apparently you need to go through some kind of trial to meet them. That’s all I know.”
“Thanks for the information, anyways.” Vee said, picking up the team bag. THe two adventurers headed to the end of the tunnel, stepping out into the frost.
“It… is FREEZING out here!” Pika said, shaking.
“It’s not that bad.” Vee said, slightly shivering. She saw the Frost Caverns ahead. “Hey, there they are! The Frost Caverns!”
“YES!” Pika said, dashing over. “I don’t care if it’s a Mystery Dungeon, it’s warm! Warmer than out here! FAR WARMER!”
“Pika! Wait up!” Vee said. She sighed, following her partner in.
(M-M-M-M-MYSTERY DUNGEON TIME! IT’S F-F-F-FREEZING IN HERE! LET’S GO!)
The two finally arrived at the end of the cave. Pika shook, as the cold air returned.
“Let’s go back inside the Mystery Dungeon.”
“What?! After coming all this way?! We’ve still got a job to do, Pika!” Vee said, frantic.
“I guess you’re right.” Pika replied, walking out. “I just hope it won’t be too long until we find… THE CITY!” Staring ahead, the two saw Crystalysmi City, covered in a dome of ice. The ide was transparent, and probably meant to stop the harsh weather. Pika ran towards the gate, Vee close behind.
“STOP RIGHT THERE!”
Two Pokemon blocked the entrance to the town - an Abomasnow and a Beartic. The adventurers stopped, looking at the Pokemon.
“The Mayor has denied foreigners entry without proper reason. None are allowed into the city without her permission.” The Beartic said. The Abomasnow tensed.
“W-what?!” Vee replied, astonished. “This is an urgent matter! We are Pika and Vee of Team Shining Dreams, an exploration team from Zapdos’ Guild. We have been sent to meet with Articuno, and we need to stop through your town first. Please let us through!”
“Not without proof of your mission.” Abomasnow said. “If you have none, then you will leave. Either of your own will or by force.”
“I’ve been itching for a good spar!” Pika said. “I haven’t had a good match since that bout with Lombre! Let’s see if you two will be as challenging!”
“Remain focused.” Vee said. “We’re getting into that town - whether you like it or not!” The two engaged the town guardians.
Abomasnow and Beartic used a double Blizzard, forcing Vee to push Pika behind cover. The two held out behind a chunk of ice. Vee made some tail signals, and Pika got the message. Pika dashed forwards with Volt Tackle, ramming square into Beartic. The ice bear threw Pika into the ground, but the Pokemon dodged the incoming Double Ice Punch. Now both Pokemon had their attention focused on him. Pika smiled.
“Why are you smiling, rat?!” Abomasnow demanded.
“‘Cause you just got flanked.” Pika said. The two Pokemon turned around to see Vee launching a flurry of Swift attacks their way. The Abomasnow tumbled over, hit hard, but the Beartic tanked it out… or at least did, until Pika tripped him up with an Iron Tail to the kneecaps. The ice-types tumbled over, down… but not out, as they made known when Abomasnow Ice Punched Pika. The tiny mouse Pokemon was flung into the chunk of ice he had used as shelter earlier, and bounced out with his tail. Electricity crackling from his cheeks, he zapped Beartic with a powerful Thunderbolt attack. While he was reeling from the blast, Pika whacked Abomasnow over the head with an Iron Tail. Pika dashed back to Vee, where the two teamed up for a double Quick Attack, slamming into the two ice-types.The foes tumbled backwards, almost beaten. Despite this they weren’t going down that easily. The pair charged up a double Blizzard, ready to blast Pika and Vee…
“STOP!”
The four combatants all turned to the shout. Abomasnow and Beartic stopped fighting. A Ninetails-A stepped forwards, a regal presence accompanying it. “Pika and Vee are indeed who they say they are. I’m sorry for the misunderstanding.” the Ninetails-A said, apologising to the exploration team. “I am Ninetails, the mayor of Crystalysmi Town. I welcome your entry.”
“It’s fine.” Vee said, stepping forwards. “Since you already know who we are, I was hoping I could ask something. Crystalysmi’s motto, as I’ve heard, is ‘Open Arms for All’. Why such the tight security?”
“Well, about eight or nine days ago, our town was attacked by a Pokemon. Lombre, I think you call him?”
“LOMBRE!” The two said, immediately coming to attention.
“He was here?” Vee asked. “What happened? Did he take anything? Did you learn anything about him?”
Ninetails sighed. “He attacked our town, after entering under the guise of a wandering hermit. He attacked the town hall, the police station and the treasury. He didn’t take anything, surprisingly. If he was looking for something, he didn’t find it. He did have a bag with him, though. A weird one. A big bag. It was so big that you could fit a Pokemon around one foot in there.”
Vee froze.
Pika looked at his friend. “Vee? What is it?”
“Attacked eight or nine days ago… bag that could fit a small Pokemon… took nothing… ransacked the town… Pika! Eight days ago! What happened?”
“Pidgey… Pidgey came to the guild!”
“With… how did Kadabra put it? Empty memory? And we’ve learned that Lombre has a powerful partner with psychic powers. Someone who could erase memory!”
“But Pidgey went to see the Seer! Why and how would he have ended up on the other side of the continent? In Lombre’s sack, no less?!”
“I… I don’t know. But I think I do know what he ransacked the town for.” Vee said, turning to Ninetails. “Madam Mayor, do you know of an item called the Crystal Orb?”
“Why, yes I do.” Ninetails replied. “Master Articuno took the Crystal Orb for safekeeping in his guild.”
“Do you know how to get there?”
“Well, of course.” Ninetails confirmed. “There’s a tunnel to the inside of the Crystalis Peak that Master Articuno has set up his guild in that you can get to from the north side of town. You might want to prepare yourself in the town, first; the peak is a Mystery Dungeon. You need to make it to the 14th floor before you can meet with Master Articuno.”
“Alright. Then let’s get to it!” Pika said, starting to walk forwards.
“Let’s take a look around the town for stuff we can use in the Peak first.” Vee said, walking up next to him. “Never know what we might find.”
“True.” Pika said, nodding. “Then let’s go prepare.”
After Pika and Vee had finished their preparations, they walked up to the cave entrance.
“So this is the Crystalis Peaks.” Pika said, smiling. “They’re amazing. And huge.”
“Of course.” Vee replied. “It’s said that these peaks are the tallest mountains in the world.”
“Impressive.” Pika said. “Well, no time to waste! Into the Mystery Dungeon!”
(What did you guys expect? MYSTERY DUNGEON SKIPPY TIME!)
Reaching the fourteenth floor, the two saw a large room with two large doors. There was Unown writing on it. Vee looked at symbols, pulling out the decoding sheet.
The large doors opened, and the explorers entered. There were two pedestals; one with a sword, the other with a book. Behind them was a statue. Vee stepped forwards.
“‘The choice is yours, but choose wisely’... this must be the classic test. Which is stronger? If ‘Knowledge is Power’, then… but wait. ‘Wisdom, perception and intellect’. I see the wisdom and intellect part, but what about the perception part?”
“Ah, they probably messed it up. Well, let’s take the book.” Pika said, taking the book.
“WAIT!” Vee said, urging him to stop. But it was too late. The statue cracked more and more… until the statue shedded its outer layer and moved forward. It had a large sword in hand, and hit the ground with it. Vee flinched, and Pika looked shocked.
“Uh… what if I just put the book back?” Pika said, placing the book back on the pedestal.
The statue continued moving.
“OKAY THAT DIDN’T WORK” Pika said, slightly panicking as he dodged a slice from the sword. Vee dashed behind the pedestal, waiting for the statue to forget her. It did, focusing solely on Pika.
“LITTLE HELP HERE, PARTNER?!” Pika shouted, running for his life.
“One minute!” Vee said, going to the book. “It can’t be the sword. Otherwise, the “Knowledge is Power” thing wouldn’t make sense. The one piece that doesn’t fit into place is the mention of perception. So… I have to perceive some secret this book holds!” Vee took the book off the pedestal, opened it up, and started to flip through the pages. “Nothing here… nothing here… nothing here… what’s this?!” Vee had flipped a page to find a large section of the pages cut out in the shape of a dagger. She picked up the dagger from the book and put it to the side. “This dagger… it says something on the side! ‘Your One Weapon’... PIKA!” Vee flung the dagger towards her partner, who grabbed it in his teeth.
“I hope this works…!” Pika said, jumping towards the statue and stabbing it with the dagger. The statue froze for a second… then continued moving. But this time, not in a hostile way. The statue removed the dagger, picked up the book, placed the dagger back inside the book, placed the book back where it had been, and returned to its original position. It froze over immediately. “Well… that worked!” Pika said, smiling. “Great job, Vee!”
“Great job, indeed. Pika and Vee of Team Shining Dreams, I’ve been expecting you.”
The two explorers turned to the powerful, commanding voice. They weren’t expecting what they saw. It was Articuno, the master of the guild.
“I am Articuno, as you know. I know that my brother has sent you here to check on the Crystal Orb and retrieve it for your guild. Lombre, the fiend, supposed we would keep the orb in the town like fools. But no, I’ve kept it here within my guild for a long time, where it would be safe from harm. You have passed the test, deeming you worthy to enter the guild.” The majestic leader flew inside of the tunnel that had just opened up. Pika and Vee followed. They entered a huge guild made up of ice. There were many Pokemon inside - a few were sparring, but the rest of them were either reading, writing or talking in low voices. “My guild is dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge.” Articuno explained. “The more we know, the better we can serve the world. And so we’ve been keeping this safe.” Articuno flapped his wings, opening a passageway. The passageway led to a pedestal, and atop the pedestal was a shining white orb.
“Whoa…!” Pika said, astonished. “Is this the Crystal Orb? I’ve never seen anything like it!”
“Neither have I!” Vee replied. “With everyone here, it’s not surprising that no one’s taken it. But don’t you have some sort of interior defense system?”
“Of course. Articuno said, taking the orb from the pedestal. The walls started to crack in four places, and shattered. What emerged from the holes was four of the moving ice statues. “These golems here will destroy any intruders who wish to swipe the orb. They’re quite powerful.”
“These things are amazing!” Vee determined. “But won’t they now attack us?”
“No, they won’t.” Articuno said. “They won’t attack anyone I protect. And since I’m protecting you, the golems can’t attack you.”
“Oh.” Vee said. “So should we leave?"
“Of course.” Articuno replied. The group left the tunnel, stopping in the central hall of the guild. “I give to you the Crystal Orb. Take it with my blessings.”
ORB GET!
“Awesome!” Pika said, taking the orb. “WE GOT THE CRYSTAL ORB!”
“What is this, a video game?” Vee said to Pika, who was obviously over-excited. “Let’s go. Back to Zapdos’ guild.”
“Uh… yeah. I’m not looking forward to the trek back.” Pika said, shaking.
“We of the guild can give you a lift.” Articuno said. “Aerodactyl! Please take Pika and Vee back to their guild.”
“Yes, sir!” Aerodactyl replied, allowing the two explorers to climb onto his back. “Alright! To Lagross Town.” The powerful Pokemon flew off, towards the center of the Eludes region.
Pika and Vee got off of Aerodactyl’s back, and waved as the Pokemon flew back to the Crystalis Peaks. The team entered the guild, descended the elevator, and saw Zapdos waiting for him.
“I’m afraid that supper will have to wait until you catch us up.” Zapdos said.
“That’s fine.” Pika said. “Aerodactyl saved us a lot of time, anyways. So here what happened…”
"Now, everyone, DIG IN!"
"Crunch-munch! Chew-chew! Sniffle-slurp! Crunch-munch! Chew-chew! Sniffle-slurp! Crunch-munch! Chew-chew! Sniffle-slurp! Crunch-munch! Chew-chew! Sniffle-slurp!"
After supper, Pika and Vee were in their room, ready to go to sleep.
“One orb down!” Pika said, looking at the orb.
“Yes, and four more to go.” Vee replied. “We know that Lombre has three of them… but we have no idea where the other one was. Maybe we should have asked Articuno?”
“We probably should have.” Pika said. “Or maybe the Seer would know? Xatu might be able to foresee its location.”
“Entirely possible.” Vee said. “But that’s for tomorrow. Let’s hit the hay.”
“Hey, Pika?”
“Yeah, Vee?”
“What do you think Lombre wants the orbs for?”
“Well, what can they do?”
“I’m… not sure. Perhaps they can boost a Pokemon’s abilities?”
“But it seems like they’re type-specific, aren’t they? For example, the Crystal Orb looks like it’s meant for Ice-type Pokemon.”
“True. There’s no way Lombre has more than two types. So what could he want them for?”
“Well, that’s a mystery for another day.”
“We encounter a lot of those, don’t we? Good night, Pika.”
“Good night, Vee.”
(Special thanks to; @EspeonTheBest, @~Pokelover~, @Twilight Nova, @Shauna23, @JacobRaze, @SismicFlareCharmander and @Bulba the Curious. Also thanks to @The Ringmaster and @Sciencewars for inspiring me to get back into writing the series!)
Check out these other cool series!
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon; Explorers of Light: http://pokecharms.com/series/pokemon-mystery-dungeon-explorers-of-light.1117/
Pokemon Universe: http://pokecharms.com/works/pokemon-universe-rebirth.25478/
@Mewtwofan259's Death Battle!: http://pokecharms.com/series/death-battle.47/
@EspeonTheBest's Protectors of the Crown: https://pokecharms.com/series/protectors-of-the-crown.1339/
Pika woke up, drowsy. “How long have I slept for?”
“A day.” Vee said, waking up as well. “Although it sure doesn’t feel like it. Anyways, we’ve got roll call.”
“And probably a new mission, knowing the guild these days.” Pika said, as the two headed out.
"Roll call!" Chatot said. "TREEKO!" "DRILBUR!" "Whismur!" "GOLETT!" "CRANIDOS!" "KADABRA!" "MEOWTH!" "EMOLGA!" "PIDGEY!" "PIKA!" "VEE!" "Alright, everyone's here." Chatot said. "Back to your jobs, everyone!" Chatot came over to Pika and Vee, as the Pikachu gave his partner a “I Told You So” look. “The Guildmaster wants to see you two.” Chatot informed them. The group entered the guildmaster’s chamber, which was growing familiar to them.
“The Police Force has been analysing the data we’ve collected on Lombre’s attacks. Moltres gave us a detailed follow-up to what he told you, and we’ve compiled the data from Lombre’s attack on the guilds and on the police center. He’s stolen three items; the Ember Orb, the Volt Orb, and the Aqua Orb. There are two more orbs that go with the three that were stolen; the Crystal Orb and the Sprout Orb. We currently do not know where the latter orb is, but we know that the former is being held by Articuno, master of the guild of the Crystalis Peaks. Your mission is to go to the peaks, meet with Articuno, find if Lombre’s been there, and if you can retrieve the Crystal Orb for us. We also need to see if he knows the location of the Sprout Orb.”
“Got it!” Pika responded. “We’ll be back before you know it! So where are the Crystalis Peaks?”
“To the north.” Vee responded. “The best way there is to go to the Dremiton Mines and head north. We’ll come to the Frost Caverns, and pass through them to the Crystalis Peaks. From there we’ll have to find the guild atop the mountain, I guess.”
“Not entirely true.” Zapdos replied. “Crystalysmi Town rests at the foot of the Crystalis Peaks. If you can make it there, the townspeople should be able to point you in the right direction.”
“Alright!” Pika said, nodding. “Let’s go!” And with that, Pika and Vee departed.
The two soon arrived in the Dremiton Mines, as humid as ever. They headed north, as per Vee’s route, and arrived at a large tunnel. Entering the tunnel, they found it was completely closed, save for the two openings on either side. They looked around and saw a lot of Pokemon with shops in the tunnel. They came over to a Kecleon’s stand.
“Hello, there!” Kecleon said. “Welcome to Kecleon’s Shop, where you can purchase all sorts of items for your trek out into the frozen reaches.”
“Hello.” Vee said, politely. “I’m afraid we’re not here for items. Can you tell us anything about Crystalysmi Town and the Crystalis Peaks?”
“Sorry, but it’s my policy not to talk to customers unless they buy something.”
“For the luvva…!” Pika said, spying a Focus Sash. “Can we get that?”
“Sure!” Kecleon said, taking it down. “Just 50P.” The two parties made the transaction, and Pika put the Focus Sash on. Kecleon coughed, ready to talk. “Crystalysmi Town was built long ago, over the ruins of a great titan. Or so legend says, anyways. The town was built around an altar supposedly placed by Mew to lock the titan down. If the altar was destroyed or messed with, the titan would reawaken and could possibly destroy the whole region. Articuno’s Guild is really the latest in a line of Pokemon Guilds appointed to watch over the city by Rayquaza to make sure nothing happens. They keep an eye on the town from near the top of the Crystalis Peaks. It apparently helps with building them by giving them a closer connection to the legends above them. They’re very secretive, though. Apparently you need to go through some kind of trial to meet them. That’s all I know.”
“Thanks for the information, anyways.” Vee said, picking up the team bag. THe two adventurers headed to the end of the tunnel, stepping out into the frost.
“It… is FREEZING out here!” Pika said, shaking.
“It’s not that bad.” Vee said, slightly shivering. She saw the Frost Caverns ahead. “Hey, there they are! The Frost Caverns!”
“YES!” Pika said, dashing over. “I don’t care if it’s a Mystery Dungeon, it’s warm! Warmer than out here! FAR WARMER!”
“Pika! Wait up!” Vee said. She sighed, following her partner in.
(M-M-M-M-MYSTERY DUNGEON TIME! IT’S F-F-F-FREEZING IN HERE! LET’S GO!)
The two finally arrived at the end of the cave. Pika shook, as the cold air returned.
“Let’s go back inside the Mystery Dungeon.”
“What?! After coming all this way?! We’ve still got a job to do, Pika!” Vee said, frantic.
“I guess you’re right.” Pika replied, walking out. “I just hope it won’t be too long until we find… THE CITY!” Staring ahead, the two saw Crystalysmi City, covered in a dome of ice. The ide was transparent, and probably meant to stop the harsh weather. Pika ran towards the gate, Vee close behind.
“STOP RIGHT THERE!”
Two Pokemon blocked the entrance to the town - an Abomasnow and a Beartic. The adventurers stopped, looking at the Pokemon.
“The Mayor has denied foreigners entry without proper reason. None are allowed into the city without her permission.” The Beartic said. The Abomasnow tensed.
“W-what?!” Vee replied, astonished. “This is an urgent matter! We are Pika and Vee of Team Shining Dreams, an exploration team from Zapdos’ Guild. We have been sent to meet with Articuno, and we need to stop through your town first. Please let us through!”
“Not without proof of your mission.” Abomasnow said. “If you have none, then you will leave. Either of your own will or by force.”
“I’ve been itching for a good spar!” Pika said. “I haven’t had a good match since that bout with Lombre! Let’s see if you two will be as challenging!”
“Remain focused.” Vee said. “We’re getting into that town - whether you like it or not!” The two engaged the town guardians.
Abomasnow and Beartic used a double Blizzard, forcing Vee to push Pika behind cover. The two held out behind a chunk of ice. Vee made some tail signals, and Pika got the message. Pika dashed forwards with Volt Tackle, ramming square into Beartic. The ice bear threw Pika into the ground, but the Pokemon dodged the incoming Double Ice Punch. Now both Pokemon had their attention focused on him. Pika smiled.
“Why are you smiling, rat?!” Abomasnow demanded.
“‘Cause you just got flanked.” Pika said. The two Pokemon turned around to see Vee launching a flurry of Swift attacks their way. The Abomasnow tumbled over, hit hard, but the Beartic tanked it out… or at least did, until Pika tripped him up with an Iron Tail to the kneecaps. The ice-types tumbled over, down… but not out, as they made known when Abomasnow Ice Punched Pika. The tiny mouse Pokemon was flung into the chunk of ice he had used as shelter earlier, and bounced out with his tail. Electricity crackling from his cheeks, he zapped Beartic with a powerful Thunderbolt attack. While he was reeling from the blast, Pika whacked Abomasnow over the head with an Iron Tail. Pika dashed back to Vee, where the two teamed up for a double Quick Attack, slamming into the two ice-types.The foes tumbled backwards, almost beaten. Despite this they weren’t going down that easily. The pair charged up a double Blizzard, ready to blast Pika and Vee…
“STOP!”
The four combatants all turned to the shout. Abomasnow and Beartic stopped fighting. A Ninetails-A stepped forwards, a regal presence accompanying it. “Pika and Vee are indeed who they say they are. I’m sorry for the misunderstanding.” the Ninetails-A said, apologising to the exploration team. “I am Ninetails, the mayor of Crystalysmi Town. I welcome your entry.”
“It’s fine.” Vee said, stepping forwards. “Since you already know who we are, I was hoping I could ask something. Crystalysmi’s motto, as I’ve heard, is ‘Open Arms for All’. Why such the tight security?”
“Well, about eight or nine days ago, our town was attacked by a Pokemon. Lombre, I think you call him?”
“LOMBRE!” The two said, immediately coming to attention.
“He was here?” Vee asked. “What happened? Did he take anything? Did you learn anything about him?”
Ninetails sighed. “He attacked our town, after entering under the guise of a wandering hermit. He attacked the town hall, the police station and the treasury. He didn’t take anything, surprisingly. If he was looking for something, he didn’t find it. He did have a bag with him, though. A weird one. A big bag. It was so big that you could fit a Pokemon around one foot in there.”
Vee froze.
Pika looked at his friend. “Vee? What is it?”
“Attacked eight or nine days ago… bag that could fit a small Pokemon… took nothing… ransacked the town… Pika! Eight days ago! What happened?”
“Pidgey… Pidgey came to the guild!”
“With… how did Kadabra put it? Empty memory? And we’ve learned that Lombre has a powerful partner with psychic powers. Someone who could erase memory!”
“But Pidgey went to see the Seer! Why and how would he have ended up on the other side of the continent? In Lombre’s sack, no less?!”
“I… I don’t know. But I think I do know what he ransacked the town for.” Vee said, turning to Ninetails. “Madam Mayor, do you know of an item called the Crystal Orb?”
“Why, yes I do.” Ninetails replied. “Master Articuno took the Crystal Orb for safekeeping in his guild.”
“Do you know how to get there?”
“Well, of course.” Ninetails confirmed. “There’s a tunnel to the inside of the Crystalis Peak that Master Articuno has set up his guild in that you can get to from the north side of town. You might want to prepare yourself in the town, first; the peak is a Mystery Dungeon. You need to make it to the 14th floor before you can meet with Master Articuno.”
“Alright. Then let’s get to it!” Pika said, starting to walk forwards.
“Let’s take a look around the town for stuff we can use in the Peak first.” Vee said, walking up next to him. “Never know what we might find.”
“True.” Pika said, nodding. “Then let’s go prepare.”
After Pika and Vee had finished their preparations, they walked up to the cave entrance.
“So this is the Crystalis Peaks.” Pika said, smiling. “They’re amazing. And huge.”
“Of course.” Vee replied. “It’s said that these peaks are the tallest mountains in the world.”
“Impressive.” Pika said. “Well, no time to waste! Into the Mystery Dungeon!”
(What did you guys expect? MYSTERY DUNGEON SKIPPY TIME!)
Reaching the fourteenth floor, the two saw a large room with two large doors. There was Unown writing on it. Vee looked at symbols, pulling out the decoding sheet.
“‘The choice is yours, but choose wisely’... this must be the classic test. Which is stronger? If ‘Knowledge is Power’, then… but wait. ‘Wisdom, perception and intellect’. I see the wisdom and intellect part, but what about the perception part?”
“Ah, they probably messed it up. Well, let’s take the book.” Pika said, taking the book.
“WAIT!” Vee said, urging him to stop. But it was too late. The statue cracked more and more… until the statue shedded its outer layer and moved forward. It had a large sword in hand, and hit the ground with it. Vee flinched, and Pika looked shocked.
“Uh… what if I just put the book back?” Pika said, placing the book back on the pedestal.
The statue continued moving.
“OKAY THAT DIDN’T WORK” Pika said, slightly panicking as he dodged a slice from the sword. Vee dashed behind the pedestal, waiting for the statue to forget her. It did, focusing solely on Pika.
“LITTLE HELP HERE, PARTNER?!” Pika shouted, running for his life.
“One minute!” Vee said, going to the book. “It can’t be the sword. Otherwise, the “Knowledge is Power” thing wouldn’t make sense. The one piece that doesn’t fit into place is the mention of perception. So… I have to perceive some secret this book holds!” Vee took the book off the pedestal, opened it up, and started to flip through the pages. “Nothing here… nothing here… nothing here… what’s this?!” Vee had flipped a page to find a large section of the pages cut out in the shape of a dagger. She picked up the dagger from the book and put it to the side. “This dagger… it says something on the side! ‘Your One Weapon’... PIKA!” Vee flung the dagger towards her partner, who grabbed it in his teeth.
“I hope this works…!” Pika said, jumping towards the statue and stabbing it with the dagger. The statue froze for a second… then continued moving. But this time, not in a hostile way. The statue removed the dagger, picked up the book, placed the dagger back inside the book, placed the book back where it had been, and returned to its original position. It froze over immediately. “Well… that worked!” Pika said, smiling. “Great job, Vee!”
“Great job, indeed. Pika and Vee of Team Shining Dreams, I’ve been expecting you.”
The two explorers turned to the powerful, commanding voice. They weren’t expecting what they saw. It was Articuno, the master of the guild.
“I am Articuno, as you know. I know that my brother has sent you here to check on the Crystal Orb and retrieve it for your guild. Lombre, the fiend, supposed we would keep the orb in the town like fools. But no, I’ve kept it here within my guild for a long time, where it would be safe from harm. You have passed the test, deeming you worthy to enter the guild.” The majestic leader flew inside of the tunnel that had just opened up. Pika and Vee followed. They entered a huge guild made up of ice. There were many Pokemon inside - a few were sparring, but the rest of them were either reading, writing or talking in low voices. “My guild is dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge.” Articuno explained. “The more we know, the better we can serve the world. And so we’ve been keeping this safe.” Articuno flapped his wings, opening a passageway. The passageway led to a pedestal, and atop the pedestal was a shining white orb.
“Whoa…!” Pika said, astonished. “Is this the Crystal Orb? I’ve never seen anything like it!”
“Neither have I!” Vee replied. “With everyone here, it’s not surprising that no one’s taken it. But don’t you have some sort of interior defense system?”
“Of course. Articuno said, taking the orb from the pedestal. The walls started to crack in four places, and shattered. What emerged from the holes was four of the moving ice statues. “These golems here will destroy any intruders who wish to swipe the orb. They’re quite powerful.”
“These things are amazing!” Vee determined. “But won’t they now attack us?”
“No, they won’t.” Articuno said. “They won’t attack anyone I protect. And since I’m protecting you, the golems can’t attack you.”
“Oh.” Vee said. “So should we leave?"
“Of course.” Articuno replied. The group left the tunnel, stopping in the central hall of the guild. “I give to you the Crystal Orb. Take it with my blessings.”
ORB GET!
“Awesome!” Pika said, taking the orb. “WE GOT THE CRYSTAL ORB!”
“What is this, a video game?” Vee said to Pika, who was obviously over-excited. “Let’s go. Back to Zapdos’ guild.”
“Uh… yeah. I’m not looking forward to the trek back.” Pika said, shaking.
“We of the guild can give you a lift.” Articuno said. “Aerodactyl! Please take Pika and Vee back to their guild.”
“Yes, sir!” Aerodactyl replied, allowing the two explorers to climb onto his back. “Alright! To Lagross Town.” The powerful Pokemon flew off, towards the center of the Eludes region.
Pika and Vee got off of Aerodactyl’s back, and waved as the Pokemon flew back to the Crystalis Peaks. The team entered the guild, descended the elevator, and saw Zapdos waiting for him.
“I’m afraid that supper will have to wait until you catch us up.” Zapdos said.
“That’s fine.” Pika said. “Aerodactyl saved us a lot of time, anyways. So here what happened…”
"Now, everyone, DIG IN!"
"Crunch-munch! Chew-chew! Sniffle-slurp! Crunch-munch! Chew-chew! Sniffle-slurp! Crunch-munch! Chew-chew! Sniffle-slurp! Crunch-munch! Chew-chew! Sniffle-slurp!"
After supper, Pika and Vee were in their room, ready to go to sleep.
“One orb down!” Pika said, looking at the orb.
“Yes, and four more to go.” Vee replied. “We know that Lombre has three of them… but we have no idea where the other one was. Maybe we should have asked Articuno?”
“We probably should have.” Pika said. “Or maybe the Seer would know? Xatu might be able to foresee its location.”
“Entirely possible.” Vee said. “But that’s for tomorrow. Let’s hit the hay.”
“Hey, Pika?”
“Yeah, Vee?”
“What do you think Lombre wants the orbs for?”
“Well, what can they do?”
“I’m… not sure. Perhaps they can boost a Pokemon’s abilities?”
“But it seems like they’re type-specific, aren’t they? For example, the Crystal Orb looks like it’s meant for Ice-type Pokemon.”
“True. There’s no way Lombre has more than two types. So what could he want them for?”
“Well, that’s a mystery for another day.”
“We encounter a lot of those, don’t we? Good night, Pika.”
“Good night, Vee.”
(Special thanks to; @EspeonTheBest, @~Pokelover~, @Twilight Nova, @Shauna23, @JacobRaze, @SismicFlareCharmander and @Bulba the Curious. Also thanks to @The Ringmaster and @Sciencewars for inspiring me to get back into writing the series!)
Check out these other cool series!
Pokemon Mystery Dungeon; Explorers of Light: http://pokecharms.com/series/pokemon-mystery-dungeon-explorers-of-light.1117/
Pokemon Universe: http://pokecharms.com/works/pokemon-universe-rebirth.25478/
@Mewtwofan259's Death Battle!: http://pokecharms.com/series/death-battle.47/
@EspeonTheBest's Protectors of the Crown: https://pokecharms.com/series/protectors-of-the-crown.1339/
