Chapter 17

The Magnagate Investigation Project

It began in the blink of an eye.

Flashing through the blue irises of Gloria, the earthy and compact ground beneath their paws started expanding greatly. The inky black sky surrounding their vision morphed into one of a cliffside in the early afternoon, the faux sun in the sky baking the rocks in heat, with fake wispy clouds drifting just above their heads.

A great rumbling shook the dungeon's floor as walls of jagged rock, grass mounds, and trees erupted out of the terrain, separating the rooms in an artificially constructed maze of narrow corridors.

"Do you ever stop gawking at these things, sis?" her brother called from behind, trudging forward.

The Vulpix blinked in response, brought back into reality. "I think Liam was right… It never gets old seeing this."

Roark meandered around the room, swiftly picking up any orb or elemental seed that materialized on its artificial floor and stuffing it into his large mane. "Of course he would say that. Hey, speaking of…" He cocked his head back at her. "Did the Guildmaster tell you beforehand that he would snag the kid for his own group?"

Gloria lowered her head, frowning. "No, he didn't. We've waited so long to go together, and now it's not gonna happen…"

The Zoroark was quick to comfort her. "No need to worry, sis. You're dealing with a master illusionist!"

A flash of white light enveloped the Dark-type before it quickly retreated. Now standing where the tall fox once stood was a much smaller Riolu, paws on its hip and a goofy smile etched on its muzzle. Roark then imitated the voice and slight accent of her partner.

"Hey, y'all! Who wants to go out and explore a random forest? Then we can throw Blast Seeds at mon's faces!"

The mimicry was enough to rouse Gloria out of her funk, a healthy dose of giggles escaping her.

"That-" She struggled to speak between her laughter. "-Does sound a bit like him. You do a good impression, but, um… don't tell him I said that."

Roark freely batted one of his illusionary aura tassels. "Nah, I think I will."

"Roark!"

"Alright, alright. Let's just get this stupid dungeon over with already."

White light encased the faux Riolu, a smirking Zoroark now standing in its place. He waved a claw at the Vulpix to follow, who stuck behind as they traversed the winding open halls of the dungeon. But Roark couldn't help but give a second thought.

"I think I play a good him, since we already share a lot in common."

Realization struck Gloria hard.

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After climbing the final staircase of the Mystery Dungeon, darkness flooded their vision, the surrounding dungeon walls vanishing with the darkness. It culminated in them being spat out near the mouth of a cave entrance. They found themselves on the famed steep and jagged cliffs of Celestial Mountain, a breathtaking view below of the untamed grasslands and ocean of pine trees, all nestled together in an untamed forest.

Blinding, but now real afternoon light bathed their surroundings, shattering on the rugged terrain, a rush of cool mountain air accompanying. Gloria felt her vision return, her guilt still remaining inside, eating at her conscience.

Roark had put her worries to ease with a little talk, but she couldn't shrug off that feeling of lying to someone close in her gut. Even after a streak of confidence, her judgement was still clouded by natural worry. Before she could think more about it, a crimson claw lightly flicked her snout, causing her to stumble back quite literally into reality.

Gloria scrunched up her muzzle, touching it with a paw. "Roark! Why'd you do that?!"

"Because I think we've reached our second checkpoint." He scoured the steep cliffs, before his sharp eyes caught figures in the distance. "It's our lucky day after all… c'mon!"

Roark broke off into a sprint, towards the huddled figures atop an even steeper cliff a few meters away. Gloria sent away her troubled thoughts and scrambled after her brother.

"Slow down!" Gloria heaved out, her paws aching.

Roark chuckled at her tardiness. "I'll race ya there!"

'Ugh…' Gloria bemoaned in her mind.

As they hastily approached, the blurry figures morphed into the appearance of their group, saddlebags that matched their natural colors strapped around their bodies. They were seemingly engaged in a friendly conversation, which was halted once a smirking Zoroark plopped down from the cliff face beside them.

Charizard sensed an attack, extending his orange leathery wings and whipping around, flames licking his jaw, before realizing the sneaky intruder was a friend and not a foe. "Roark?" The flames dissipated. "When'd you drop in, bud?"

"Just now, big guy. You guys see anything cool yet?" Roark scoured their vast mountainous surroundings. "Or any locals? Swore I saw a few 'mons on the hike up here."

Scizor followed the fox's eyes, just as confused. "Locals? Are you positive you weren't seeing things?"

Garchomp tilted her head at the fox's claims, "I've heard rumors of a group of Pokémon living in Celestial Mountain long ago, but the last time we were - we didn't find any other 'mons."

"She's tellin' the truth, lad." Aggron added. "Not a single soul in sight that day. Was quite eerie, right, Tyranitar?"

The Rock-type beside him barely moved. "All I remember is your stupid tail in my face."

"Shut it, rock face."

"Make me, lead belly."

Just before the two could bicker some more, Gloria finally caught up with the illusion fox, huffing and puffing away her weary lungs. She looked up from her position, catching the entire group staring back at her. Her muzzle burned. "Hi… every… one."

Garchomp chuckled at her embarrassed gaze, stomping forward and extending a large talon for Gloria to lean her body on and take a breather. "Didja keep your cool all the way up to the checkpoint? It's been a long few days, hasn't it?"

Ever since the entire guild arrived here, their long trek up on the mountain was not a simple walk in the park. Instead of normally scaling the cliffs, they resorted to using the many Mystery Dungeons that dotted the landscape to slingshot their way to various checkpoints.

To be able to explore a place the Vulpix only read about before was exciting to say the least, but a monumental task.

"Thanks, Garchomp. And yes, it has… but we haven't found anything either." Gloria said with a frown.

"She speaks the truth," Roark added. "Nothing but valleys, craters, and the occasional yawn here and there."

Scizor bowed his head to the fox's words. "Your experiences are akin to ours, I'm afraid." His head perked back up. "But if our goal is to explore this mountain entirely, then we shall."

Garchomp sighed, "Might have to at this rate. Whatever's existed here long ago isn't just gonna be in our path."

Gloria tugged on her scarf. "Maybe we could talk with the other groups? Maybe they've found something after their checkpoints…"

Her suggestion earned her the curious eyes of everyone in the group.

"Unless you've... already spoken with them?" she managed to squeak out.

A red pincer from Scizor glided across his personal red saddlebag, retrieving a Minun-like device that was attached to the cloth. He turned the round dial on its 'face', the screen now displaying a different number.

"No, we haven't. Orders by the Guildmaster were to contact him if something was located, which has not. Yet, I believe you're right in contacting the other group for possible knowledge." His pincer then flicked the switch on the ELE's side as he spoke into its speaker. "Monferno, do you read?"

Beyond the noise of crackling and harsh static, a familiar arrogant voice pierced through, meeting the group's ears.

"Loud and clear, Scizor. Shoot."

"Has your team uncovered anything or interest since the last checkpoint?"

"Nope, unless you count weird looking rock formations, which I don't."

"Rock formations?" Scizor adopted an analytical look. "Can you elaborate on those?"

"Ugh, Rockruff thinks- oof!" The sounds of a brief struggle came through the ELE's speakers. "Will ya… let GO of my arm, Rockruff!"

A new boy-ish voice then shouted through the speaker. "No! Scizor, can you hear me? Tell the Guildmaster that I definitely saw a deer looking statue near our last checkpoint! It's-"

Rockruff was cut off by more sounds of struggling through the speaker as another voice took over, a bit gruffer than the previous.

"Scizor! Shaymin's not following the group! She's flying above the Mystery Dungeons and not entering them with everyone else!" Mightyena yipped.

"Send your complaints to Indeedee, dweeb!" the voice of the Pokémon in question shouted back, barely hitting the speakers.

"Ugh." Scizor gulped. "Please, everyone. Just-"

A cacophony of voices exploded from the ELE's speakers, drowning out the Bug-type's attempts to defuse the situation. Roark then stepped in, beckoning a claw at the ELE in Scizor's grasp.

"Lemme talk to them."

"That's not…"

Scizor suddenly flinched at the device's increase of volume, the group behind the speakers getting more and more volatile. He reluctantly handed the ELE over to Roark, who brought it to his mouth.

"Ahem… SHUT UP!"

The ELE went quiet.

"Now, Mony… you read?"

The sound of something being snatched away came through the speakers as the voice of Monferno returned, a bit peeved.

"Make it quick, Roark."

"Rockruff mentioned he saw a statue near your second checkpoint. That true?"

A sigh travelled through the speakers. "Yes, he did… apparently. He said he also saw you guys, too. Think the mountain air is getting to his small brain or something."

Roark did a double take, swerving his confused look over at Scizor. "How close are we to the other group?"

Confusion filled the Bug-type's stare at the yellow device. "The Guildmaster and I have gone over the maps countless times. Our checkpoints are spread far apart - there's no chance that it was us."

"That's what I told him!" Monferno shouted. "Anyways, we're gonna get moving. We might just reach the peak by tomorrow - who knows. I'm sick of being this group's babysitter..."

"Aww, c'mon," Roark said, attempting to coax him. "Show a little leadership for dear Braixen."

Monferno's response was instantaneous and angry. "The first thing I'm gonna do when we're back is suggest your retirement to the Guildm-"

The device's dial was turned by a red claw, stifling any further remarks. Roark flipped the ELE's side switch, handing it back to Scizor with a grin staining his features.

"Well, maybe we have a little look-see for ourselves?"

"We can't… right?" Gloria intervened. "We have to stick to our group's goal."

Charizard nodded. "Jack is pretty uptight about these sorts of things. And I don't want to put all my faith in a hyperactive little canine."

"Aye," Aggron confirmed. " But, we could be leaving behind a worthy find, you think?" His words spurred Garchomp to send the overwhelmed Bug-type a reassuring look.

"What do you think, Scizor? Can we manage a little detour?"

With all eyes on him, Scizor squirmed slightly at the pressure. "I… perhaps we could. We are supposed to stick to our group's side, but the main mission is to investigate…"

Garchomp rested a large talon on his shoulder. "I'm sure Jackson will understand. C'mon, we might just find what we've been looking so long for on this damn mountain."

The avid researcher stared at the talon, contemplating the dragon's encouragement. He sighed, letting her talon slide off his shoulder as he opened his saddlebag, retrieving a map with his pincers.

"We should have enough time to get back to our checkpoint before sundown. Let's go."

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"W-Woah!"

Gloria watched with trepidation, her forepaws shuffling together as bits of sediment crumbled off the cliff face where she stood, falling into the dreaded depths of the valley. Her group watched from below, waiting for her to finally make the leap down. From her perspective, she could be a million feet from them, leaving her natural fears to stew.

'Why…'

"C'mon, sis! We're burning daylight out here."

"Just… give me a second."

She had watched her reckless partner jump from heights countless times through their adventures, but always tried to find the easier way down herself. Unfortunately for her, there was no easy down, with a graceless slide down the rugged terrain her only ticket back to regrouping.

Requiring that extra push like so many times before, she glanced back at the group, finding the sturdy leader of Team Drarosteel staring straight through her, unconsciously sending her the same message everyone else had.

Jump.

Swallowing her fear, the Vulpix closed her eyes, before leaping from her safe position on the cliff and into the annals of the valley below. Her descending body collided with the gravely surface encasing the cliff, scraping her fur as she tumbled beside her group with a 'thud'. She had little time to react before her chuckling brother scooped her up off the ground, placing her upright.

"That's the spirit, sis! Get dirty!"

"Ugh," was her response.

With her daring rendezvous a success, the group continued their trek through the mountain's many steep valleys. Bringing out the map from his saddlebag, Scizor inspected the roughly drawn area on their surroundings, honing in on the circled areas.

"We're getting closer to their third checkpoint, so be on the lookout for the campsite."

"On it," Charizard said, swiftly spreading his wings and taking to the skies.

Tyranitar kept a watchful eye on the tall hills dotting their surroundings. "Or those 'mons that kid supposedly saw. Native tribes in the Mountain Region always bring their 'warriors' out against so called invaders."

Aggron scoffed. "You're gettin' your wee little head a bit too paranoid. Nobodies bothered livin' 'ere for centuries."

The Tyranitar 'tched' at his response. "Think you're just scared of gettin' roughed up by one of 'em."

"Are ye mad?!" Aggron yelled.

As the two bickered, Gloria attempted to heed Scizor's words, scanning her vicinity for remnants of the other group's camp. Left to her own devices, the Vulpix's mind wandered, sending her right into her sour mood from before. It wasn't until the sounds of weighted footsteps beside her that the troubling thoughts withered away.

"Being in a team is quite the handful, you think?" Garchomp said, chuckling at the display occurring in front of them.

Gloria snapped her head to the grizzled veteran beside her. "Uh… it can be sometimes." Her thoughts immediately swarmed of times where her partner would wander off. "But I can be quite a handful, too."

Garchomp laughed tenderly, "So can I - I'm not an easy woman to work with as well sometimes. I haven't seen much of your Riolu friend's antics, but I know you, Gloria." She grew a sharp grin. "And I liked what I saw of our little scuffle back then. Need I remind you?"

"That's… the thing," Gloria exhaled wearily. "Everyone always says that I'm doing a good job, and has such high expectations of me. But, I just feel - I don't know - inadequate?" She flinched upon saying the last word.

It was a while until the Dragon-type responded, reflecting on her familiar words. "You know… when I lived back in my old village, my mom was practically famous there. Kinda like what some 'mons would attribute to my team nowadays." Garchomp's features softened. "Hearing about her exploits all the time, the adventures she would endure… it all just made me feel... so inadequate in comparison to her."

Gloria blinked. "... Really?"

A nod from the sand shark was her response. "It wasn't until my mother disappeared that I left the village, in pursuit of her, or... maybe just to be free of that life I was so familiar with." Garchomp stared fondly at the mist ridden valleys of their environment. "I didn't think a regular girl like me back then had the tenacity that my mom did, but here I am now." Garchomp looked down at the Vulpix's stunned face.

"Speaking to you, a spitting image of myself, who still shackles to her instincts."

"You... really think that?"

"You think I don't?" Garchomp chuckled. "I don't make offers of personal training to every 'mon I see, you know. You looked like someone who needed an extra push to get what she wants."

It was nothing new to Gloria.

All throughout her life, the Vulpix had her family and friends behind her, pushing her towards her dreams that seemed so far away. Following her parent's footsteps, venturing into her first Mystery Dungeon, even joining the Cosmic Quilt Guild. All of this was done because she needed that push, and she was sick of it.

"I know, and I'm tired of it - tired of worrying about if I can do… anything!" She stamped a paw into the ground. "I just want to stop feeling so bad about myself all the time."

"Same reason why I left my own village. Sometimes, you just need to leave your comfort zone and brave whatever life throws at you."

Gloria trained her eyes on the Zoroark walking the trail in front, looking downcast. "I've promised I would, but fulfilling it just feels so daunting and out of my reach. I wish I could just have my dream in front of me already."

"The world stops for no one, Gloria."

"Huh?" The Vulpix stopped in her tracks momentarily.

"You can't just wish forever about something, and then expect it to drop in your lap." Garchomp laughed fondly. "If I never left my village, I'd still be a regular farm girl, sulking about my mom being annoying, or dreams I never followed." Her features became resolute. "What are you fighting for, Gloria?"

The Vulpix cocked her head. "What do you mean…?"

"The reason you're here right now, in the guild of all places. You obviously weren't forced here. And I never forgot that fire in your eye last time we met. So, are you seeking glory?"

Gloria mouthed that word. "Glory?"

"Everyone wants it, right? But, you know only some can have it. Not everyone gets a happy ending…"

"I…" The Vulpix's heart tensed, trying to find the right words. "I want to be a hero, okay?" She shuffled her paws together. "I want to know that I made my mark on the world, and made it a better place at least. I do… I do want glory."

Garchomp grinned. "Big dreams for such a tiny Pokémon, eh?"

"H-Hey!"

She was not tiny.

The dragon's grin became sincere. "Which is a good thing, since we're both in this together."

Gloria stopped her pouting. "Together?"

Garchomp displayed her talons. "Even gals as old as me have dreams that they haven't fulfilled yet. There's places I've never been, Pokémon that I… have yet to reconcile with." Her scaly cheeks reddened, eyes shimmering a little. "And even then, the idea of being a thought of as a hero is still fresh in my mind. So, maybe we could take this road together?"

Gloria's heart fluttered in her chest at the dragon's suggestion, opening her mouth to reciprocate, only for a loud flapping noise above to halt said reply. She looked up, gulping at the orange entity dropping straight down towards her at breakneck speeds.

The Vulpix quickly stepped back, letting the orange blur smack into the earth as Charizard flexed his wings.

"Sorry 'bout that, Sarah." He snapped his attention towards Scizor before Gloria could correct him. "Yo, Sciz, the camp is just a couple dozen yards away."

"Aye, then use your scaly behind to lead us to it," Aggron remarked.

Charizard snorted, producing gusts of steam from his nostrils. "No need to tell me. Consider it done." He flapped his wings again, shooting off into a different direction, albeit a bit slower than before.

The group followed the Fire-type, cutting across the trail and clambering past the numerous cliffs and ravine-like scars inflicted on the mountain's extensive surface. They passed a clearing of trees, where the remains of a campsite rested on its heart, the glowing embers of its long since extinguished campfire still smoldering.

"Hey, looks like they still left some goodies for us," Roark said, immediately descending upon the leftover tents propped up along the grass.

Gloria sighed, slogging after her brother to stop his inevitable ransacking.

Scizor glanced around. "If what Rockruff stated is correct, this 'statue' should be observable from the camp."

Garchomp assisted his efforts, scrutinizing their hilly surroundings. "Do you think it could be some old native landmark? They use those a lot in the Mountain Region."

"Perhaps," Scizor noted. "It could otherwise be the remains of a ruin."

Roark emerged from one of the tents with Gloria behind him, munching on a Sitrus Berry. "Or maybe itsch one of those schecret lever tchings," he spoke with a full mouth before swallowing his fill and shooting Gloria a curious look. "Don't they have those in the books you read?"

"Uh… sort of?"

Charizard circled around the camp, until his eyes became fixated on a strange rock formation overlooking the clearing. He soared over to get a better look, roaring to the befuddled group below.

"Hey! Is this the rock thing that kid was yapping about?"

Garchomp stopped to gaze upward. "That's… what is that?"

Just resting atop a cliff was the supposed 'statue' that Rockruff had spotted. Its tannish colored rock was seemingly etched to take the form of a deer-like creature. It appeared that time had eaten away at its long since smooth visage. Chips and dents were present everywhere on the stone, sometimes with entire chunks of tan rock removed through damage. From the looks of it, the statue was a quadruped that stood on four spindly legs, with a bushy tail coming from its backside. However, the most striking features were the long antlers that sprouted from the statue's thin face.

Scizor scrutinized the figure. "This is… a Pokémon?"

Garchomp hesitantly nodded. "Has to be. No way something like this could form naturally."

"Let's get a closer look," Scizor replied, fluttering his insect-like wings and scaling the cliff.

Once the group was situated near the statue, they began to examine it, attempting to figure out its foggy identity.

"Stantler?" Tyranitar wondered out loud. "Or maybe one of those Sawsbuck lads?"

"Can't be. Look at the size of the antlers on this one!" Aggron argued.

Roark ran his claws around the statue's sides, feeling for something. "Hmmm… nope!"

Gloria tilted her head. "What do you mean 'nope'?"

"No hidden switch to be found."

She frowned in exasperation, glaring at her playful brother.

Roark's attention shifted to something beyond the statue. "Well, maybe it does have a purpose?" He extended a claw directly in front of him.

Said claw was pointing to a cave entrance just a few yards away, nearly obscured by large pine trees. Large boulders were blocking its gaping maw, denying entry to all who came across it. A layer of mossy foliage carpeted the hunks of rock, further camouflaging it amongst the trees.

"A cave?" Charizard furrowed his brow at the Zoroark. "Come on, stop playing, Roark. There's hundreds of caves on this damn mountain!"

Scizor stepped forward, analyzing the surrounding area for further clues. His eyes caught a glance of rusted mining tools wedged into the ground, caked with muck and nearly blending in with the dirt. Even the cavern's entrance was unnaturally carved inward from the outside, presumably by Pokemon themselves.

The Bug-type quickly formed a hypothesis. "This must've been a mine of some sorts. But there hasn't been any activity of this scale on Celestial Mountain for thousands of years…"

"Either that's a lie," Roark spoke up, a grin splitting his muzzle. "Or we've just hit the ancient jackpot."

"You just might be right, Roark," Garchomp said slowly, stomping her way over to the blocked off entrance. She snatched up one of the rusty tool's off the ground, eyeing it intensely. "Hmm, not sure if this is as old as I imagine this place is. Maybe some group brought this equipment here to dig it out?"

Scizor racked his brain for the truth, but found only one answer "I suppose… that this is an actual ruin." His heart began to race, uncontrollable thoughts racing through his head. "Then that means it's possible that we…" He trailed off as Garchomp gave him a knowing smirk.

"No need to finish that sentence, Scizor. I understand your thinking loud and clear." She angled her head over at Aggron and Tyranitar, who returned her determined gaze. "Shall we?"

Aggron chuckled. "No need to tell me twice, ma'am."

Both Aggron and a silent Tyranitar trudged over to the mine's mouth, stopping near the gigantic boulders that impeded their progress. The two teammates then began thrashing the moss covered rocks with powerful physical attacks, cracking and shattering many of the stone obstacles in their way.

Garchomp returned her attention to the rest of the group. "Anyone else want to join in on the fun?"

Gloria winced, dodging the shower of pebbles created by the rampaging duo. "Wait! Are we really entering this place?" She looked towards Scizor for answers.

"Yes, Gloria," Scizor replied, his mind already made up. "Garchomp and I see potential in uncovering this abandoned mine. If nothing of note is found, we will return to our planned route." His lips curled into a small smile. "But, if we do…"

The Vulpix gulped, but understood completely.

For around a half an hour, the members of the group slowly chipped away at the blockage with their combined attacks, be it physical or special. Despite their efforts, it seemed the bundle of boulders was too much of a hassle for even the largest of members. They then took a break from the strenuous task, while Roark combed through the tiny peepholes that gave a window to the inside. What he could see was a dark, narrow shaft completely buried by rock and other pieces of rubble.

"Pssh, no way in hell we're getting in."

Scizor's chest tightened. "Don't tell me…"

"Yeah… the wooden structures holding it all up must've rotted to shit a long time ago, and the entire tunnel just collapsed." He shrugged, waltzing over to rest his back on the cliff walls beside the mine's entrance. "I know they say 'no stone left unturned', but this would be an imposs-"

As soon as Roark's back touched the cliff wall, he fell backwards, phasing straight through the stone.

"ROARK!"

Gloria ran forward, ignoring her instincts and the bewildered shouts of her teammates as she charged into the seemingly fake wall, quickly being absorbed by the translucent and portal-like surface. Before she knew it, she reached the other side, the clamoring of warnings by her group now deaf.

Her body tumbled down a sloped rock wall, roughly sliding through layers of crunchy gravel and other sediment. The Vulpix's descent down would end as she was spat out in the middle of the cave's chamber, right next to another Pokemon.

"I thought knights came in shining armor, not fur."

Gloria's ear perked up. "Roark?" Her head snapped around in different directions. "Where are you?!"

A single red claw was raised by the cave's floor, belonging to a Zoroark lying on the ground with an arm resting over his belly. The fox was immediately tackled into a hug by a very worried but also happy Vulpix.

"Don't scare me like that again" Gloria scolded, squeezing his chest. She suddenly stopped, backing up as worry flashed across her face. "Wait, are you hurt?!"

Roark chuckled through a cough, wiping some dust off his shoulder. "Just my dignity." He stood up, casting a confused glance around their mystifying location. "Now, where the hell did we end up anyways?"

Before they could get a proper grasp on their surroundings, two Pokemon emerged from the mirror-like wall in which they came - Garchomp and Scizor. They too slid down the gravely slope, ending up on their backs right beside the two siblings.

"Gloria! Roark!" Garchomp yelled in surprise, picking herself up. "Glad you two are safe!"

Scizor stood up, adjusting his saddlebag and throwing a look at the wall they appeared out of. "That was… that was…"

"Certainly not supposed to be there," Garchomp finished for him. "I think it's one of those Psychic-type illusion doorways - the ones that camouflage themselves."

Roark threw his arms up, baffled. "First off, they can do that? Second off, who would bother to put near the most random location on this mountain so they can humiliate the local Zoroark!"

A toothy grin found itself on Garchomp's muzzle. "Yes, Psychic-types can produce this kind of thing. However, it takes a very powerful Pokemon to do so, which only raises more questions than answers."

Gloria gasped. "Do you think there's a Pokemon that lives here? Maybe… they did it so they can't be found?"

Scizor looked around, noting the cavern's desolate appearance. "Not likely, this cave looks just as abandoned as the mine, and maybe just extends to it. But… I wonder." Excitement built up his chest yet again. "Maybe… this illusion was created to protect something."

Roark whistled, creating an echo. "I like your thinking. When are the big guys up top going to come on in? They can't fit or something?"

Garchomp laughed. "No, they can't, but they opted to stay and keep guard while we find out just what's down here." She marched forward, evaluating the cavern encasing them.

The group of four were smackdab in the middle of a large naturally formed chamber, with a tall but narrow passageway leading further into the cave's depths. Large aqua colored crystal-like structures grew from the walls, acting as imposing stalagmites and stalactites. They glowed intensely, washing the cavern with a calming blue glow.

"This… is a crystal cave?" Scizor gathered. "It's rare to see one that hasn't been stripped of all its crystals."

Garchomp tapped her chin with a talon. "Makes it all the more weird that some 'mon decided to hide an entrance inside. Let's keep movin'."

The group wedged their way into the slender hallway of stone and gleaming crystal, traveling a long distance through it to reach another grand chamber. Yet, this room was to be the greatest shock of all to its newcomers.

Large rotting wooden tables, chairs, and other crafted signs of living were strewn about the room. Long since burnt out torches were kept on handles lining the walls, along with large pieces of paper with faded scribbles adorning the damaged pages. An assortment of antiquated measuring tools, bundles of rope, and harnesses littered the floor. Elemental seeds, orbs, and other kinds of dungeon created items were kept in oversized drums, with a few taken out to be placed on shelves or tables.

But the most noticeable thing in the room was the enormous shadow that consumed a large portion of the chamber, denying access to beyond - the telltale sign of a Mystery Dungeon.

Scizor's jaw almost dropped. "Have we… finally?" His excitement got the best of him, his wings flaring up as he buzzed around the spacious chamber. "This has to have been a research station. Without a doubt!" He was like a Slurpuff in a candy shop.

Garchomp silently agreed, walking further into the room. "Kinda begs the question of what kind of research exactly."

Gloria and Roark strolled around the area, gawking at various things that peaked their attention. One item in particular caught the Vulpix's eyes as she wandered over to investigate. Sitting on top of a busted table was a circular crystal-like object that pulsated vibrantly. The identity of the item escaped her mind, but she knew it was an important find.

"Ooh…" Roark said, tapping the object in question. "Is that what I think It is?" He chuckled. "Man, those were a lot of fun to use in the Rescue Society."

Scizor heard Roark's voice as he flew over urgently. "What is it?"

Garchomp made her way over, holding back the erratic Bug-type with a talon. "Calm down, Scizor." She then observed the strange orb, a smirk crossing her face. "Because we haven't even seen the best part yet…"

Scizor followed her gaze, also understanding their findings. "This is… a Projection Crystal? Of course, we're in a crystal mine. They must have manufactured these here by the dozens."

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Gloria blushed in embarrassment. "Can you… maybe give me a rundown on them again? It's been such a long time since I've read about them."

"Now ya done it, sis," Roark remarked.

Scizor obliged her requisition, clearing his throat. "The Projection Crystal is an invention from multiple millennia ago. Once the crystal is infused by Psychic-type energy, it will activate and store the user's memory of an event for a few minutes. Once finished, the crystal can be activated again to display a projection of said memory. This creates a 'bubble' around the device, which expels the memory's events to viewers inside of that bubble," he finished, letting out a much needed exhale after his spiel. "They were very rare back then, but are useful in storing knowledge of data, meetings, and other historical events."

Roark began to clap, "Thanks for the exposition, Scizor. Now..." He grabbed the crystal. "When are we gonna take a dive into the past?"

Garchomp and Scizor exchanged looks, but both knew that there was only one way of knowing what went down in this chamber long ago. The Dragon-type motioned for everyone to follow her, to which they did. She stopped in the center of the room, turning towards the Zoroark holding the orb.

"No time like now to see for ourselves what this place was for. Hit it, Roark."

Roark chuckled. "As if I wasn't gonna already." He found an indentation in the orb, pressing the inside of it with a claw.

With a clicking noise, the orb's pulsating state began to fluctuate colors, shifting from a natural aquatic blue to a vibrant blend of purple and pink. Suddenly, a flash of light enveloped the orb, culminating in a release of stored energy. A see through force field flowed from the device, encasing the group surrounding it in a bubble of pink Psychic-type energy.

Gloria spun around, watching the strange device begin to create the stationary bodies of Pokémon from scratch. She felt her heart beat rapidly as the fabricated memories were near completion, and the true Pokémon behind this hidden place were uncovered before them.

None were prepared for what they were about to witness.

----------------------------------------

The Projection Crystal started recording once it fully vacuumed up the pink psychic energy swirling around it. A tiny fuchsia colored paw placed the orb on a large oval shaped wooden table, allowing it to observe its surroundings. A row of lit torches provided warmth and illuminating yellow light to the otherwise dark and damp antechamber.

A weighted paw then stepped towards the table, the flickering hearth of the torches revealing its owner a stern looking Entei.

"Now, tell us why you have summoned us to this place, Mew," the Fire-type growled out. "I have duties to return to on the Blaze Continent."

More heavy footsteps echoed through the room as yet another Pokemon emerged into the yellow spotlight. Its glossy, pure black body seemed to crackle with a tinge of electricity. Its tail whirred like an engine, a strip of powerful blue voltage emanating from it.

Zekrom glowered at the floating Psychic-type. "And I don't want to keep Reshiram waiting, as she is already expecting me at my shrine."

Mew giggled, floating just above the ground as she zipped her lithe form around both of their heads. Once finished, she placed her paws on her hips, straightening her cheery expression.

"No need to worry, everyone. I summoned you all here for a very, very important purpose."

Zekrom narrowed his crimson eyes. "Reshiram is-"

"Coming here, too," Mew finished for him. "Now, if everyone can calm down about their dumb duties, we can get right down to work."

"What kind of work did you have in mind, Mew?" a feminine voice clamored from the back, belonging to a peeved Palkia. "This better not be a prank like last time."

More outbursts from the decent sized crowd of the Legendary Pokemon began to arise, all focused on a certain Psychic-type.

Mew held up a paw. "I will let my mate explain the situation." She zipped away, allowing another small Legendary like herself to emerge from the crowd and take center stage - a Victini.

The rabbit-like creature hopped to where Mew once floated, clearing his throat. "Alright! Is everyone paying attention to me?"

A grumbling noise emitted from those gathered, clearly uninterested in the two's exploits.

Victini took this as a yes. "Awesome! That means I get to show you all the mysterious thing that popped up here suddenly! If, uh, you haven't already seen it of course, heh…" He sped off towards the end of the chamber, expecting the group to follow.

Few did; the remaining higher status Legendaries still skeptical of this entire ordeal.

Victini skidded to halt, pointing straight ahead. "Take a look! Isn't it strange?"

Just a couple feet from where the Victini stood was a colossal, almost pitch-black shadow that nearly reached the cavern's tall ceiling. No light seemed to pass through its void-like appearance.

Virizion stepped back slightly, shocked at the anomaly before her. "Victini… what is this thing?"

The Fire-type shrugged, "Wouldn't have a clue, I'm afraid. The Excadrill miners told me that they were leaving the mine because of constant headaches, and this shadow just… appeared… like out of nowhere!"

Mew glided over to them, tapping Victini on his shoulder. "Tell them the rest of the story!"

Victini perked back up. "Oh! Apparently, a few workers went missing after this shadowy thing appeared, and the king who rules over the workers went to us to unravel this mystery!"

Dialga stomped forward, angry at this blasphemy he was hearing. "And you expect us to listen to some commoner king?! My duty is to defend time, not solve mysteries of missing workers at the whims of some random monarch!"

Mew sighed, jostling Victini again. "The full story, Victini."

The Fire-type's ear's shot up. "Oh, right! I told the king that us Legendaries would try and figure out what happened, since his kingdom is busy with, uh… war and stuff, I guess."

"You spoke for us?!" Dialga roared with righteous rage. "You do not have the authority to do such a thing! You are wasting precious time that could be used for far important mat-"

"Come on, Dialga!" Victini interrupted, frustrated. "No Pokemon even has the power to mess with time!"

"Why, you insolent little-"

"ENOUGH!" Mew cried out, shutting the both of them up. "Listen… I think we can all play the 'who has authority' game all day, but regardless, we're Legendaries! Our role in this world is absolute."

Dialga sputtered in exasperation, "M-mew! Please understand that this is not our fight."

"It is our fight, Dialga. You may have forgotten our ancestor's duties, but we are still here to respect them."

"... Fine." Dialga backed off, literally. He then stared into the shadow. "Have you or any of the workers entered this… shadow?"

Victini shook his head. "Nope! We're not actually sure if it's safe to enter. But, that's kinda why we're establishing this whole operation. This could be something really dangerous!"

Entei sighed. "Have you any plans for figuring out just what this entity is?"

Mew placed a paw under her chin, adopting a thinking pose as Victini did the same. "The king did supply us with a lot of equipment for the job, so… I hope you guys can help us crack this mystery."

"Yeah! And, maybe we can gain just a little more trust from the commoners. We'll be heroes to everyone!"

Another round of grumbling and acceptance of plan came from the Legendaries, which gave Victini all the leeway he needed to kickstart everything. The Fire-type flashed his signature victory pose, a symbol of peace and hope with just his two fingers.

"Come on, everyone! Let's get to work!"

Mew meandered over to a section of the mine where rows of carts overloading with crystals excavated out of the winding tunnel systems. She grabbed one, showcasing it to the Pokemon present.

"We're in luck! Since this is a crystal mine, we can manufacture our own Projection Crystals to record our research. For every action we take against this thing, I want it recorded on the crystals for future study."

Zekrom nodded slowly, "I can't speak for everyone in this room, but I will abide by your rules, Mew. I hope that this investigation actually leads somewhere."

"Thank you, Zekrom, and trust me." She locked eyes with Victini, who returned her gaze and happily waved. "I've got a feeling we've stumbled upon something big."

----------------------------------------

A clicking noise was heard as the Projection Crystal turned off, content with its memory collection. The memory projection's bubble faded away, leaving behind a group of stunned Pokémon in its wake of discovery. Scizor was the first to break the silence.

"L-Legendaries? They were… investigating a Mystery Dungeon!"

Garchomp huffed, scratching her chin with a talon. "Kings, too? Celestic hasn't had monarchs for thousands of years. So, this is what the mountain was hiding from us all this time."

Gloria was still reeling from the short experience, her heart thumping loudly in her chest. Never before had she seen so many important Pokémon in one room. She had only read about the many secret lives of Legendaries, but their interactions were scarcely recorded.

'And… even that Victini wished to be seen as a hero to us regular Pokémon.'

It was a conviction familiar to herself that stirred her up inside. But, she couldn't help but ponder what became of this project, why this place was seemingly abandoned.

And why the Legendaries of today were still distant to the Pokémon they swore to protect.

"Woah, woah, hold up." Roark said, raising up his arms. He pointed a claw at the shadowy entrance at the chamber's end. "Does that mean this is the first Mystery Dungeon?"

"… Not exactly. It's possible there were dungeons that went unnoticed in their time." Scizor reasoned. "But, this may just be the first recorded contact between Pokémon and the Mystery Dungeons!" His stoic voice did little to hide his excitement. "This… just might be the find of the century!"

"Millennium, more likely," Garchomp said, looking around in all directions. "That Mew said something about using more Projection Crystals for data collection. Let's see if we can find more around this room."

Everyone was in agreement, scattering to different sections of the mine to scour for orb-like crystals amongst the abandoned setup of equipment. For a while, it seemed the possibility of more answers were out of their grasp. However, Roark was able to find a crystal wedged between some rocks with his keen eyesight, and familiar past of 'finding' valuables.

"We're in luck, gang." He grabbed the orb and waved it around. "Let's see where this one takes us."

The group gathered in the middle again, preparing themselves for another dive into this hidden past. Roark pressed the indentation within the orb, letting loose a bubble that began to construct the memories of a certain Psychic-type.

----------------------------------------

Mew set down the activated Projection Crystal on a table before gliding over to the all encompassing shadow. She watched with anxiousness as the walls surrounding the strange shadow were blasted or shredded away by destructive attacks from the rather large amount of Legendaries gathered for this mission.

Construction was well underway.

Long wooden poles were erected near the shadow's entrance, bundled with large amounts of tight rope. Their first few tests involved tossing various objects into the void, curious if there was an actual bottom to this quite literal mystery. Attaching the rope from the poles to different items and slowly reeling them in also gave no insight, as the twine would cut off when said item was consumed by its inky black depths.

Despite everything they fed to the shadow, the eerie silence that came afterward was the sign that there was no belly for it to drop into.

Mew was dumbstruck, thinking of multiple ways to approach this conundrum. Special attacks performed by everyone in the room presented no harm to the shadow, and dropping objects into it was only going to last for so long until they were stumped. Was it a portal to someplace else? A new type of undiscovered move that lingers? The questions were endless, but the answers to which were nil. She knew they needed to get drastic if the circumstances demanded it, and that scared her most of all.

Dialga stomped towards a thinking Mew, worry present on his face.. "Palkia and I have been discussing matters of this... 'shadow'. She has come to the theory that this aberration is a crack in spacetime, which somehow manifested in our reality."

"She's… serious, right?" The Psychic-type's mouth was agape from the claim. "How would we even begin to fix something like that? We don't have the power of Arceus himself on our side!"

"It's not a conclusion, but I proposed the same question of its origins to the other Legendaries here, and they have not managed to trace down a possible explanation themselves. I fear… that we may have to evacuate the rest of the inhabitants on this mountain if what Palkia hypothesized shows validation."

"... Thank you, Dialga."

She sighed, retreating back to her thoughts to dig out a new angle to take this project. With the possibility of this being bigger than she could imagine, she needed to take chances with more dire consequences.

A Pokemon was needed to enter the shadow.

Mew sucked in all her worries with an inhale, grinding her teeth. "Everyone! Stop what you're doing and come by me!"

Although the Pokemon present didn't wish to stop their efforts, they left their positions and gathered as a collective near the hovering Psychic-type.

Mew tried to find her words. "There's… a way we can determine the potential danger of what we're dealing with. We... need-"

"To send someone in, right?" Victini suddenly chimed in, looking straight up at his partner.

Mew stared back quizzically. "... Yes. We do, but-"

"I'll do it."

Murmurs and harsh whispers broke out amongst the Legendaries, with shouts of disbelief from his proclamation. Mew herself was too shocked to utter anything back; the thought of her mate entering that thing was a weight too heavy for her conscience to bear.

"Victini! We have no knowledge of what even lies within that shadow!" Dialga warned. "If you enter, you may never even come out!"

Mew held a paw to her rapidly beating heart, floating in front of the Fire-type. "Don't do this. We can just… find someone who's willing, okay?"

Victini shook his head, "No, I want it to be me. I brought you guys all into this mess, and I wanna prove that we can fix this!"

Despite his obvious insanity to the Mew, she couldn't help but appreciate his stupidly selfless way of approaching things.

"Victini…" She smiled amidst the wave of conflicting feelings crashing inside her, a tear forming in her eye. "I won't... stop you from leaving, idiot. Just… please come back."

They exchanged a brief nuzzle as Victini backed off, his resolve clear. "The world stops for no one, Mew. It's time I put my Poké where my mouth is, y'know?"

She didn't say anything back, just hoping her partner would be back safe and sound.

"You have my deepest respects," Zekrom proclaimed, to the many nodding heads of everyone in the chamber. "I bid you a safe journey, and a hero's return…"

Victini took a deep breath, sending an emotional Mew a parting glance, before hopping towards the shadow's entrance, taking in its feeling of vast emptiness. He then suddenly turned around, flashing his sign of victory.

"See you all in a bit!"

The Fire-type entered the shadow not a moment later, vanishing into the void of uncertainty.

----------------------------------------

The fabricated bodies of the Legendaries vanished once the projection ended, leaving the group of four still curious about the events that transpired here long ago.

"Well then..." Roark flicked a claw. "That little rabbit dude might've been the first Pokemon to enter a Mystery Dungeon."

Gloria felt chills invading her senses after the event of Victini's heroism played out before her. She had read so much about the selfless acts of fictional characters within novels, but couldn't imagine someone enduring the task of voyaging into some place so daunting at the risk of losing everything.

"Yeah, but we need to know what became of him, or this entire project," Garchomp mentioned, whipping her gaze around the room. "But I don't see any more Projection Crystals around."

Roark scoffed. "That… can't be it, right?"

Gloria needed to know more about this project's fate. She couldn't let this be the end of their journey here, so she spoke up.

"Wait! Is it possible that they could've expanded beyond the Mystery Dungeon? Maybe there's another area to this place."

Scizor considered her words, before nodding. "Yes, I don't believe the Legendaries simply stopped their work after this. We need to go deeper into the mine and get to the bottom of this project's history."

Garchomp smirked. "I like your attitude, Scizor. Let's smash this dungeon and go on."

With no more information to be found, the group switched their sights to the looming entrance of the Mystery Dungeon at the far end of the mine's chamber. They steeled themselves, walking into the shadow as one.

----------------------------------------

Wispy puffs of white smoke slowly drifted out of Charizard's nostrils, carried into the sky above, all to the tune of loud snoring noises that rumbled the earth surrounding the Fire-type's supine form.

Tyranitar attempted to drown out the noise, smashing rocks by the mine's entrance. "Who told that lazy bastard he could sleep on the job?"

Aggron shrugged. "I'll give 'em a pass, since there doesn't seem to be a soul on this mountain. We just need to wait for the lads inside to do their thing and get out."

The sound of tumbling rocks and bits of gravel alerted Tyranitar to look upward, his hard exterior scrutinizing the muffled sounds of footsteps and whispering voices just above the cliff face.

"Hmm… he says not a single soul, eh?" Tyranitar mumbled. "Guess that kid was right about two things. Look alive, Aggron."

The Steel-type curiously peered up, only to find the angry stares of dozens of Pokemon looking down at them. Blue and yellow colored garments covered a large portion of their bodies, along with makeshift antlers that clung to their shoulders. Aggron knew right then and there that this was not a friendly greeting.

"Charizard! Get up ya sad sack of scales! We got hostile natives!"

The Fire-type grumbled out a sleepy response. "Just… place my food down near the hammock, Indeedee…"

"Charizard!"

The Pokémon above jumped down from their position, sliding down the jagged cliffs as more dressed Pokémon emerged from the surrounding forested area. They all converged into one unified group, trapping the three Pokemon by the mine's entrance.

"Forget this," Tyranitar snarled out, kicking the drowsy lizard's ankle hard. "Wake up!"

Charizard's eyes snapped open, his wings unfurling as his upper body lurched upward. "Ghuh!? Wha- what's going on…? Is it-" It was only until his vision refocused that he saw the predicament they were in.

The attackers didn't bother waiting, charging towards the ambushed trio. A Bayleef was one of the first to reach them, only to receive the equivalent of an exploding volcano from a well timed Flamethrower by Charizard. It dropped instantly, knocked out.

"NOBODY disturbs my power naps!" Charizard roared, beating his wings and surging into the air.

Aggron chuckled yet again. "Guess diplomacy is out of the question. Let's show these bum's just what kind of Pokemon they're messin' with!"

"For once I agree with ya," Tyranitar grumbled, shifting his fierce gaze at the encroaching Pokemon surrounding them.

The rest of the attacking Pokemon didn't relent at the show of force, reaching their targets, throwing everything they had at them.

----------------------------------------

The group of four simultaneously exited the back entrance of the Mystery Dungeon, completing their excursion through it and reappearing in another section of the mine.

This area was in complete disarray in comparison to the last chamber. Wide cracks formed in the rocky flooring, splitting off the room into different sections, and swelling pieces of wood furniture, tools, and other relics in its wake. Water gushed out of gashes in the walls, flowing into the ravenous cracks and creating natural streams.

Scizor frowned, but felt relieved that there was more to discover. "So, they did expand beyond the dungeon. I wonder… did they discover the ley lines as well?"

Garchomp looked up, contemplating his words. "It's entirely possible that they attempted to find an energy source to the dungeon by just… digging straight down til they found it. It's not too far off from what us regular 'mons did a while back."

"Regardless, we won't know for certain if there's no more windows into the past…"

Luckily, despite the carnage present in this room, Roark was able to spot a visible Projection Crystal bobbing in the flowing streams of water, along with several other smashed orbs.

Roark pointed straight at it. "Bingo. There's our key." He sped off towards it, pulling it out of the water and returning to the group's location. "Let's hope this isn't another tease. You have the honors, sis."

The crystal was placed on the ground and rolled over to the distracted Vulpix. A red claw lightly flicking her ear was enough to return her focus.

Gloria blushed in embarrassment, scrunching up her face. "O-Oh, sorry! I'll, uh… start it now."

She hoped this whole story had a happy ending.

A press of the orb's indentation sent it spewing out its psychic energy, immersing the group into yet another memory of the past.

----------------------------------------

Mew dropped the Projection Crystal, tears of happiness sliding down her cheeks as she flung herself into the chest of an awestruck Victini, just as he emerged from the void of black, to the gasps and shouts of other Legendaries awaiting his return.

"Don't…do that again!" Mew scolded, hugging him intensely

"Enter this shadow again…?" Victini choked out, still smiling. "We're gonna have to anyway. And… please back up, you might squish 'em."

"Squish what?" Mew questioned, releasing her Bewear-like vice.

Victini held out numerous strangely colored objects, including a large seed, a glossy orb, and a fresh looking Oran Berry. "See?"

"You… found these in there?" Mew needed to know more. "Where did you end up?"

"I… it was so surreal." Victini struggled to recall his miraculous encounter. "Everything was all dark at first, and I thought I had died. But it was like a magnagate to this new… world that seemed to grow out beneath me, with walls and rooms like the cave around us, all stitched together in some weird labyrinth!"

Victini stopped to breathe, sitting down and cradling the items he brought from the other side in his lap. Bruises and other scratches adorned his fur - clear signs of a scuffle from within the shadow.

"I wasn't the only other 'mon in there, too. I thought… I saw the Excadrill and Drilbur workers that were missing, but they tried to attack me!" Victini sighed, managing a small laugh. "The whole place was like a castle dungeon, but like... ten times crazier!"

The wonders of the mysterious 'new world' beyond the shadow brought harsh whispering amongst the Legendaries. Some were optimistic, some fearful of this apparition. Dialga didn't doubt Victini's words, the theory that Palkia proposed still fresh on his mind.

"You said this shadow was a magnagate? That must mean there was an end point to this… 'dungeon'?" Dialga inquired.

"Yeah, I, uh... must've finished the final room of this place, and it spat me out near this new chunk of the mine. Going through the magnagate again led me back here. It's a shame I couldn't find those workers - they might be still trapped in that place!"

Mew placed a paw on his shoulder, her tears gone and brave face put on. "We'll find them, don't worry. Right now you need to rest your little noggin'." She giggled her worries away. "We should see if can carry materials into-"

"Mew!"

The familiar voice of Reshiram caused the Psychic-type to halt her words and spin her floating form around, facing the dragon that flew in from the mine's entrance with haste, her ivory coat ruffled, and a distressed look across her face.

"Reshiram? So, you actually came to help?"

'Yes, and I bring grave news that another one of these shadows has formed in the middle of that sandy region on this continent. I've sent a few of my followers to check the other continents for this anomaly."

Outcries were now vocal as panic set in over the gathered, concerned about their shrines or places of worship being smothered by shadows. Mew's heart dropped at the information, the gravity of the situation now weighing on her mind more than ever. If there was a way to stop the spread in its track, the steps they take now were the most important.

Mew lingered over the quarreling Legendaries. "Everyone! Calm down, please!" Her attempts to defuse them were drowned out. "Please… Agh."

With her patience worn thin, she summoned her mimicry powers, creating an Echoed Voice that reverberated her inflection and sent shockwaves through the rowdy crowd. It was a success, as the Pokemon stopped their bickering to hone their attention on the frustrated Psychic-type.

"Listen, I understand a lot of you are afraid of what's happening. I… also am afraid." She locked eyes with a weak looking Victini, feeling her heart soar above the fear. "Victini and I promised to establish this project and combat the possible threat that this magnagate poses. We are all here to fulfill that promise, and eradicate this peril once and for all." She drifted towards the shadow, thrusting a paw at it. "As Legendaries, we have a duty to serve this world - protecting it and its inhabitants. This project's expansion beyond the magnagate will continue, and we will find whatever fuels the magnagates spread, then eliminate it."

----------------------------------------

Scizor blankly observed the projection dim, before dissolving completely. So many emotions were rolling inside of his armored husk of a shell. Even without further knowledge of this project, he knew the outcome of it. They failed - the Mystery Dungeon continued to exist, and the ley lines continued to sink their roots in all around the world.

A scythe-like talon jabbed his shoulder, scrambling his thoughts.

"Hey, you good to keep going? Lookin' a little more red than usual there." Garchomp asked with a sly smile.

"… Yes. From this crystal we have gathered this projects primary mission - the elimination of the Mystery Dungeon."

"Aaand that leads them to locating the source of the dungeons - the ley lines." The dragon sharply grinned at their findings. "Guess the guild wasn't the first to this party."

"Uh… Garchomp?"

"Yes, Roark?"

"The giant hole in the ground behind us wouldn't happen to lead all the way to the ley lines, correct?"

"H-huh?!"

Both Garchomp and Scizor immediately swerved around, being witness to the gaping fracture in the earth besides the Mystery Dungeon's entrance, the source of this room's shattered flooring.

Scizor knew immediately that this was it. "So, they did manage to locate the ley lines underground." He walked towards it, minding the edges as he stared into the enormous Pokemon made crater. "And there they are…"

Gloria nervously tiptoed near the hole, peering into the long and dark crevice below. An ominous orange-yellowish glow at the bottom sent shivers down her spine.

"Is that…"

Scizor nodded, his tone hollow. "Yes. Those are the ley lines - the destroyers of this world."

Roark whistled. "And you say Pokémon in our times dug up these suckers up as well?"

"Correct. Long ago, we had a team from the Grit Region dig down deep enough to reach the physical ley lines. That was when I theorized a way to stop them by finding the coordinate of all ley lines."

Alongside the chasm's rim was more equipment hanging from the edges, threatening to drop into the almost never ending pit. An unbroken Projection Crystal was wrapped up in rope, hanging over the hole's maw. Garchomp expertly sliced the constraints, balancing the orb over her talon. She sent a glance Scizor's way, who silently confirmed for her to go on.

With a click, they were brought back to the place where it all began.

----------------------------------------

Mew glided across the newly restored chamber, carrying an activated Projection Crystal.

For the past few months, the 'Magnagate Investigation Project' expanded, bringing more Legendaries to the fray. This included sending teams into the magnagate to test theories, such as collecting and testing the strange items that appeared within the dungeons.

Mew was no stranger to pranks, but these objects were beyond even her tinkering. Seeds that explode - orbs that grant a boost of energy, or create a blinding burst of light. There were even traps littered around the various dungeon floors that sprung off when stepped on, ranging from harmless to deadly.

The ever so tenacious Zeraora even tried to capture one of the attacking Drilbur constructs to bring it back for study. Sadly, the Pokemon seemed to vanish once exiting the dungeon, only leaving the thunder cat with a headache and lots of scratches.

"... Heck, maybe I should prank Victini with a bundle of those sleeping seeds." She snickered at the idea, but tried to put on a serious face for her current duties.

"Mew! Over here!" the ethereal voice of Lunala called.

"Coming!"

Of all the breakthroughs they made through this journey, this next one was sure to be the gamechanger for this ordeal. After a bout of decision making, the idea to search underground by the shadow's entrance was approved by her and Victini. It was a successful move, as something incomprehensible was discovered deep in the cavern's surface. And Mew was ready to document their findings.

Mew hovered near the bat-like Pokemon. "Are they ready to show me?"

"Yes, but I can only allow you there for a few minutes. The others have experienced strenuous headaches after long term exposure. I've just sent Terrakion down to show you, so be quick."

"I'll be in and out!"

Lunala opened the third eye on her forehead crest, splaying her circular wings and charging up a Moongeist Beam. Once the concentrated attack was complete, she launched the pillar of purplish light at a nearby wall, colliding into it to form a warped swirl of matter sucking energy.

"Thank you, Lunala," Mew said with gratitude, hastily entering the wormhole with the Projection Crystal.

Once she was transported to the dig site, all she could feel was an unrelenting force pushing into her brain, and the ubiquitous view of fluctuating orange blurring her vision with its vibrancy. She could hear an eerie humming noise in her ears, coalescing with the ambience of swaying grass, rough winds, and flowing water.

"Mew!" The rough voice of Terrakion shouted. "Did… Lunala send you?!"

"Y-Yes!" the Psychic-type tried her best to respond rationally with the chaos around her. "Is this… the power source?"

Terrakion nodded, albeit painfully. "Yeah! Look into the walls, and you'll see these energy line things!"

Mew headed his words, boring her gaze into the warmly illuminated walls. "That's… what are those?!"

Glowing lines of golden orange vibrated amongst the dirt, rock, and clay of their surroundings. They buried themselves deep, forming a maze-like pattern with their entwined arches, loops, and streaks through the earth. A dug out portion near the bundle of lines showed an arrow of pulsating orange stretching almost infinitely through the ground, leaving only the mind to wonder how far it extended outward.

Terrakion cringed in pain from his splitting headache. "We… don't know, but we believe it's powering the magnagates. Each time a team enters the shadow up top, these… line things start to physically change its patterns down here."

Mew's head was pounding as well. "Tell me more… when we're out of here. We should leave. Now."

The Psychic-type escorted him over to Lunala's wormhole, taking one last look at the fascinating but intimidating foe before her. Its origins were unknown, however intriguing it may be.

"I hope you're right, Victini."

----------------------------------------

"Woah, so that's what the ley lines look like up close? I think I'll stick to the kids' drawings we have of 'em," Roark remarked, twirling the deactivated Projection Crystal on one claw.

Scizor sighed. "It's been such a long time since I've seen them up close. But, what's strange to me are these headaches the Legendaries experience when close to them. That wasn't the case for us when we ventured to it."

"Maybe it's unique to them only?" Garchomp presumed. "The Legendaries may be mortal and even have children like us, but they still have their own quirks and weird abilities we don't."

Scizor refocused his sights around the room of many splintering gaps of rock. He spotted a pair of narrow hallways leading out of the room, pointing a pincer at them.

"There's our next area of interest. We'll split up and investigate each hallway for new information, then meet back up combine our findings."

"You heard the man, sis. Let's skedaddle." The Zoroark ushered the inattentive Vulpix away, heading to the hall on the left.

"H-Huh? Hold on!"

The voices of both got quieter and quieter, until only Scizor and Garchomp remained in the deserted chamber, the both of them choosing to not dawdle around and head to the remaining corridor.

Garchomp ducked under a fallen pillar of stone, speaking up. "Nice on you for taking authority with Jackson not being here and all. You underestimate yourself a lot, y'know?"

"... Maybe. I just don't see myself leading Pokemon as well as he does. It's too stressful, and I think it has taken a toll on him ever since the guild was created."

"He's always been acting strange and distant for years - a far cry from when we first met, I might add." She huffed, grimacing. "But I'm not worried about him, I'm worried about you."

"Me?"

The barely lit hallway held more wide entrances on its sides, presumably living dorms. They entered each lodging that wasn't blockaded by fallen boulders and other debris. Despite living and breathing legends of old residing here, the accommodations were quite modest, with just a bed and a few oversized tables for dining.

"Yeah, I know you and Jackson have grown restless over discovering any leads, and shit… I'm still trying to find someone dear to me. Just know I've always respected your dedication."

"... Thank you."

Even with the praise, he still couldn't shrug off that feeling of futility from before.

The final dorm within the hallway was much more spacious, containers full of items from Mystery Dungeons lining the floor, as well as various tools and instruments fit for only a Psychic-type to use. Even the walls of the room were bizarre, showing a constantly swirling backdrop of infinite space - orange lines connecting across different stars and constellations.

"This obviously must've been the quarters of that Mew. I wonder if... " Garchomp stopped her gawking and narrowed her slits, before grinning. "There we go… this must be the last undamaged Projection Crystal."

The orb was resting on a table, with discarded and dried up cloth scattered around it. Scizor strode forward, taking a deep breath of hope before hitting the indentation to begin the stored memory's tale.

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"Shoot! How do I… oh, there we go!"

Victini placed the Projection Crystal in the hallway leading to his quarters, hopping back inside his room to sit adjacent to a table with piles of written notes on them. He rubbed his temples, attempting to free the pain of his blistering headache. He then abruptly stopped to cheerfully wave at the crystal recording him.

"Hey, Mew! Recording my notes and theories for this week's research roundup! I know you're busy helping Reshiram set up that other place, so I'm gonna do this real quick!" He flipped through the pages of his notes, stopping on one.

"Aha! My research on these 'glowing lines' that the other teams uncovered is… rough to say the least, but I think there is more to them. It's-"

He halted to massage his head. "Sorry, just a little headache I got. Anyways, since another magnagate popped up on this continent, I believe these 'lines' are all connected to one another, sending information and energy to each other - like a constant loop!"

Victini flipped to another page. "What's most interesting is that it's entirely possible that there is a source of these lines, a coordinate that passes along that energy through these lines, allowing them to expand. But If we found that coordinate, then it's possible we could end the spread of the magnagates for good!"

The flipping of notes was stopped, his headache spiking all of the sudden. It was a moment before he regained his bearings.

"I need to have Tapu Lele mend this headache, so I'll make this quick. I… was hoping we could find those lost miners, but then I had a thought. What if… the magnagate formed while they were leaving, and they got trapped within it?"

His pain intensified, but he continued his train of thought nonetheless.

"Maybe... they're in a state of quantum limbo - both alive and dead, acting as defenders of the dungeon." He laughed glumly. "I remember when the miners said they left because of headaches, and…" Awareness crept in just as his pounding mind released.

Before Victini could even react, a pitch-black shadow engulfed where he sat, taking up the entire room. Dead reticence then set in over the remainder of the Projection Crystal's recording.

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A red pincer was forcefully brought down on the orb's indentation, ending the outthrust of memories.

Scizor backed up, hyperventilating before he collapsed in a sitting position. Past trauma flared up inside, the memories of that day he tried to shove away in his thoughts now resurfacing in its most frightful appearance.

"Scizor!"

Garchomp understood her old friend completely, knowing his past all too well. She knelt near the rattled Bug-type, consoling him with a talon on his back.

"It's okay. Just breathe. In and out," she said soothingly.

Scizor replicated her words, trying to refocus back into reality. He looked down, collecting his thoughts once more - the emptiness from before bubbling up. He felt like his life's work was crumbling before him.

"... Garchomp. Do you think we are doomed?"

The sandshark was caught off guard. "What do you mean?"

Scizor inhaled, exhaling as his eyes swelled up with tears. "Is it just… inevitable that we are overtaken by the ley lines? Is everything we've worked to accomplish this far just in vain? Not even the most powerful of Legendaries together couldn't expel them…"

"No," Garchomp stated firmly. "Of fucking course we're gonna stop it. Isn't this something you've wanted to do ever since that day? It's your life goal."

"... I've always told new members not to bend to others, but I guess I can't follow my own preaching." He went silent for a moment. " I have always just been a dutiful guild assistant. I… I don't know if I even have what it takes to complete our goal anymore."

"Scizor, look at me." He did so, panning his crestfallen look to see her determined one. "You are without a doubt the greatest Arceus damned researcher I've ever known. I never met a Scyther before that cared so much about unmasking the Mystery Dungeons, because nobody cared, including me." She chuckled in memory. "I thought you were just a weirdo at first, but you made me really think this about this world."

Scizor's already crimson cheeks darkened at her praise, smiling sadly. "I'm… glad I managed to do that, at least."

She extended a talon for him to latch onto. "I don't care how long it takes for the both of us to get the answers we need, but we'll do it together."

He stared at the appendage for a second, before sighing and gripping it with his pincer. She pulled him up, showcasing her sharp toothed grin.

"... Thank you, Garchomp."

"Feelings all the same." She opened her purple colored saddlebag, placing the Projection Crystal inside. "We should gather the other orbs for Jackson to see, then rendezvous with the big guys up top."

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"Desecrators!"

"Ugh… lay off the nature mumbo jumbo already, will ya?" Charizard scoffed out, rotating his wingspan and adjusting his altitude for a dive bombing maneuver.

A contingency of Water-types was hot on his trail, eager to extinguish his flames with sprouts of water, but the Fire-type was no rookie at this game.

"Eat on this, chumps!"

He opened his maw, spewing out volley after volley of molten hot fire balls at his pursuers. Each attack landed, earning him the blackened and defeated forms of his stricken enemies.

Charizard cackled at his work. "That'll take a while to sleep off!"

Not to be outdone, Aggron and Tyranitar worked on the ground, mopping up any attackers that dare cross their way.

"Save some action for the rest of us!" Aggron cried out, bellowing with laughter as he headbutted an invading Ledian.

"You mean save 'em for me." Tyranitar retorted, erupting pillars of jagged stones between his foes. "These greenhorns are just up my alley of destruction."

The almost never ending wave of angry Pokémon stalled after the three began their own assault, with only the largest and toughest attackers still in the fight.

An Aerodactyl soared above the cliffs, twirling its bony body in a downward spiral towards Charizard. The collided midair, duking it out gnashing claws and teeth.

"Do you..." Charizard growled. "... Have any idea… who you're facing?!"

The Rock-type ignored his rambling words, aiming to take the fiery dragon down to the ground with a Crunch to the nape. Charizard saw his opportunity, twisting his body and latching onto the Aerodactyl's shoulders, whirling it around at breakneck speeds.

"Grraaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

He let go, sending the poor Pokémon careening into a nearby wall of rock, breaking off huge chunks of it as the prehistoric avian crumpled to the ground - defeated.

"I'm the powerhouse of Team Moonlight, and never forget that!" Charizard roared out.

With their comrades falling fast, the group of attackers switched their tactics to fleeting, grabbing their wounded or unconscious and scampering down and up the cliffs to evade the trio's wrath.

"Looks like we got our old big headed pal again," Aggron chided, smirking at the now vacant area. "And we sent those 'mons packing. Hopefully the lads in the other teams are well and safe."

Charizard landed with a 'thud', reaching for his saddlebag. "I'll give 'em a call just to make sure. Then, we wait for the team downstairs to finish their business."

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"Aaaaaachoo!"

Gloria sneezed, quickly concealing her snout with a paw as her brother snorted with laughter.

"That was so adorable! Do it again!"

The Vulpix let out a muffled 'no', still covering her muzzle, and now moving away from the cabinets layered with a carpet of dust. Once out of the danger zone, she relinquished her hold, inquiring about her brother's progress.

"Have you found any in those drawers?"

Roark slid down an elongated blue crystal jutting out of the wall, landing beside the Vulpix. "Nope. Just more dust and ancient junk those Legendaries might've tinkered with."

The hallway they entered led them to a series of multiple doorways, which contained living spaces and other aspects of normal life in the days of old. With no Projection Crystals lying around like before, they resorted to scouring cabinets and other piles of debris in search of new leads.

Gloria deflated at the news, wanting to know the outcome of this mysterious project. However, deep down she wanted to know where this Victini hero ended up.

"Oh…"

"But… I was saving this for last." He waggled a claw. "There's one of those Psychic-type seals at the end of the hallway, just waiting for me to break it down and discover more stuff."

She perked right back up. "Really? Show me!"

Just like Roark had mentioned, the end of the corridor revealed a decaying breach with a pinkish psychic latch holding it in place. It was nothing that a well executed Night Slash couldn't fix.

Roark kicked the makeshift breach in, scanning the contents that lie within. But the only discernible thing to be found was the unmistakable appearance of a Mystery Dungeon just beyond the doorway. Gloria squeezed her way past the Zoroark, standing by the shadow and looking on in.

"Well, seems like we've got some more cave exploring." He yawned boringly, lumbering over towards the shadow. "Let's get this over with…"

"Wait!"

He raised a brow, before retreading his steps and bowing politely. "Well, I am a gentleman, so I guess ladies first."

"No! I-" she sputtered out her speech, digging a paw into the ground, "I… want to go alone this time."

"..."

Roark went quiet, seemingly contemplating her declaration. After a brief stint of silence, he placed both claws on his hip, smirking at the brave little Vulpix before him.

"You know you never needed to ask before, so I'm glad you're telling me straight up now." He tried frazzling her tuft of fur, only getting resistance in return. "Can't say I didn't try…"

She giggled, "Thank you, Roark, for letting me do this."

"Do you remember?"

"... Remember what?"

"The first time you entered a Mystery Dungeon - your first leap into the reality of this crazy world?" Roark shook his head, reliving that memory in his head. "You were so confident yet frightened, but now… now you look totally ready for whatever is beyond that dungeon."

"I am." She touched her scarf, eyes brimming with confidence.

He waved a claw. "Then you don't need to hear me yammer on. Go show yourself and the world that you've got the spunk to be a hero."

Pride swelled in her heart. "Right!"

Gloria took a deep breath, swallowing her fears and confronting the shadow before her. Each step she took was slow, but eventually she picked up pace, before sprinting into the vacuum of darkness. She was ready to see the next chapter of this story.

Victini's Quarters

BF 1

The stone walls began to form around her, but she never stopped running, dashing through the near invisible passages that materialized in real time with her paw steps.

If the world was her stage, then it was going to compose itself only when she ran forward, never looking back.

It wasn't long until she found the stairs, heading further towards her goals.

Victini's Quarters

BF 4

An attacking Drilbur attempted to jab its claws into Gloria, failing to do so as the Vulpix nimbly ducked the assault and opened her mouth, creating an Aurora Beam as twin beams of pure cold energy that encased the Ground-type with a layer of ice, freezing it solid right then and there.

It was only after Garchomp's training that she was able to fix her usual way of battling, now more involved and willing to enter the fray.

The frost casing on the Drilbur melted, just as the Pokemon vanished into orange light.

Victini's Quarters

BF 11

Gloria smashed the One-Hit-KO orb beneath her paw, releasing a purple mist that shrouded her body in its aura of strength. She waited for the Monster House's cluster of lifeless Drilbur and Excadrill to approach before she initiated the crux of her strategy.

Pink colored gusts of wind picked up behind the Vulpix, pounding the group of Pokemon with its enhanced might. Each exploded into orange light one after the other, until the room was clear of all aggressors. She sped down a corridor, finding the rocky staircases and climbing up, failing to look back and see a rabbit-like Pokemon hop after her in a futile charge to stop the intruder.

Gloria exited the haze of blackness, breathing a whisper of relief as her vision readjusted to the reality around her. It was strange, but she relished in her feelings of heroism throughout traversing the Mystery Dungeon.

'For glory…'

It appeared the Mystery Dungeon had transported her to a separate hallway in the crystal mine that was enclosed from all sides. What was most strange to Gloria, was the lack of echo, the noise of running water, and the general atmosphere of an abandoned and desolate place.

This new area was without a sound - serene almost.

She carefully trotted ahead, occasionally glancing around, curious to know more about her near peaceful surroundings. Healthy bundles of grass grew along the cave's edges, teeming with white wallflowers that were in full boom.

'Wait… is that?'

The Vulpix stopped at a podium of rock built near the hallway's left side. A Projection Crystal was resting on that podium, cushioned by fuchsia colored pillows, as if it was a shrine. She approached it, finding the imprint where she would place her paw to activate the concealed memories inside.

'I'm… ready to see the next chapter.'

She pressed it, observing a bubble of psychic energy surrounding her as the recollection of the past was played out.

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Mew tightly held the Projection Crystal to her chest, sniffling away the hot tears that spilled from her eyes. She adjusted her grip on the orb to wipe her tear stained cheeks free of wetness, before floating over to the all encompassing shadow that blocked off the entrance to her beloved's quarters - her greatest enemy, and her greatest friend now combined.

"Hi… Victini."

She rolled the crystal around in her paws. "It's been a while since I've last seen you, ever since we had to evacuate this place. I… don't know if you can even hear, but I never stopped looking. Countless times I've ventured through the dungeons trying to find you in them, with no luck."

Mew held out a paw to the shadow's penumbra, laughing quietly to herself. "Now I have so many duties to uphold at this new station in that sandy region, and I…" She coughed, her sickness reanimating to life again. "I would've never participated in this project if I knew I'd lose you, but I'm guessing you would be stubborn enough to join, anyway."

The Psychic-type dropped to the ground, gasping out more tears as she clutched the Projection Crystal. "I've even watched your last research recording; I've your final words so many times that I could recite it just off memory. But I hope you weren't true - that you aren't at the whims of the magnagate." A dismal smile graced her lips. "A foolish, stupid, but definitely brave hero like you deserved to die only a hero's death."

Mew slowly floated back into the air, drifting towards the podium she built. "Now I have to seal this project away with illusions, making sure no one finds it until we come back." She gently placed the crystal she held onto the platform's padding. "But I don't think of this place as a project anymore." Another tear was shed. "I consider it your tomb that I have to say goodbye to… possibly forever."

After finalizing her last moments, she floated towards the shadow, preparing to leave and seal her lost lover for good.

"Goodbye, Victini."

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The projection ended, leaving an aghast Vulpix to sulk in solemn silence. She held her head up, trying to piece together what she just witnessed.

Victini was dead, and the Mystery Dungeons were apparently behind it all.

Her mind immediately thought of the town of Areos, the once home to the Guildmaster and Scizor. She remembered when they told her that the village was suddenly enveloped by a forming Mystery Dungeon, with all of its inhabitants swallowed by the sea of darkness - gone forever.

'That… must've been what happened to…'

It couldn't have been.

Gloria began to aimlessly wander the hallways of shining crystals and budding nature in relative peace, trying to convince herself that the memory she saw wasn't the ending she feared most in this world.

It wasn't long until her journey ended at a dead end, with the most enchanting grove to be discovered. Mossy grass overflowing with white wallflowers extended in a circular base as trickles of water seeped through it, forming tiny streams and currents. Cracks in the ceiling above let a heavenly ray of daylight shine upon the center of the grove, highlighting the most important piece of its magnificent composition.

A single tombstone.

Gloria gradually reached the quiet spot of solitude, her eyes wide as she stared into the monument of the dead, already knowing who this was intended for.

'Why…'

The Vulpix broke down, kneeling next to the gravestone and sobbing uncontrollably, letting her tears hit the grass and wallflowers. She wasn't even sure why she was crying, but her heart was crying with her. Here was the final chapter in this story, and the end for all heroes who strove to better this world.

'Why… why does everyone I look up to always have to go in the end.'

Gloria thought of her parents, of Roark, of Liam, of Leafeon, and the other wonderful Pokemon that got her to chase her dreams of glory and heroism. To say goodbye to them at any moment in her life all was a feat that she wasn't ready for. She thought back to Garchomp's words of advice not long ago, searching for that courage to defy against the cruelty of their reality.

The world stopped for no one.

Gloria stood up, drying her tears with a swipe of her paw. She spun around, never looking back at the tombstone as she marched to the ghostly black entrance of the Mystery Dungeon, her resolve complete as darkness consumed her vision.

'I made a promise, and I'm going to keep it.'

It began in the blink of an eye.

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For even the bravest of heroes, the world stops for no one. Requiem...

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Want to discuss anything related to The Phantasmagoria with the author himself? If so, send a friend request to my Discord linked below!

Discord: z2h2z

Next Time: Fatherhood