[Pokémon] The Secret of Mt. Vernenn

Author's Note – Read Floatzel and the Power of Thinking to better understand Daniel and Simon. Read Lucario and the 10 Ordeals to understand Zeke and some of the elements of the story. The two stories are connected in the beginning. The story takes place back in their childhood, nine years ago.

Daniel was enjoying the winter break from school. Christmas had gone by and Daniel had the time of his life this year. From the Christmas dinner to the presents, he couldn't have asked for a better time, although being a Buizel, he had trouble with certain things because he lacked the dexterity in his paws to do some of the things that humans do. Eating with utensils for example. Daniel caused quite a spectacle when his fork slipped on a roasted potato, landing the potato square in his cousin's face. Daniel's father was fortunate enough to take a photograph of the potato in the air and the cousin's reaction.

Last year, relatives from all across the family tree came to visit Daniel, both shocked and amazed at what had happened to Daniel when his mother spread the news. His parents explained everything that happened on that day to everyone that came. His mother said that raising a pokemon this way was a bit harder than raising a human child but she enjoyed it. The novelty of having a pokemon as a son never seemed to wear off. Daniel's father mentioned Daniel's publicity in the media, along with a couple of Daniel's friends from school, who had also been turned into pokemon. Daniel's cousins were asking about his experiences as a Buizel. He said that he could not shoot water out of his mouth like a normal Buizel. This was because the transformations left him and any other victims without their pokemon powers. Daniel's mother explained that the reason Daniel was a pokemon was due to a mysterious Ditto that roamed the forest. She explained that Daniel and his friends were all victims of the Ditto's power. The story continued until late at night, when Daniel had finished describing his experiences in great detail, from getting used to his new self, height differences, daily routines, down to the way his fur felt. Everyone was happy with Daniel and how well he had coped with the transformation.

This year, Daniel only had a few cousins visit him, but they were the ones he liked the most. Their names were Rick, Emily, and Stephanie. Rick was ten years old. He was a bit playful and sometimes hyperactive. Daniel and Rick liked to play video games, especially those that involved explosions. Daniel almost always beat Rick at a certain game because of his favorite tactic; to plant explosives and booby-traps all over the level and watch with a big grin on his face as Rick fell for each of them. Rick and Daniel quickly became the center of attention when they played videogames. Rick had been taken to the forest in the past and was quite impressed when he learned that the rumors of talking pokemon were true.

Emily was thirteen and was very protective of Daniel, always making sure he was safe if he decided to leave the house. She would lift him sometimes in her arms and carry him, as she was quite strong, despite her slim appearance. Everyone in the family thought this act was cute. Daniel took her into the forest one day, after a debate with his mother, and showed her to some wild pokemon. To Emily's surprise, the pokemon spoke English instead of their own species names. A Bulbasaur explained to her that he learned the language from his parents. He also mentioned the trainer and pokemon responsible for spreading the English language to the pokemon in the forest. Emily was amazed at this fact and wanted to stay at Daniel's house so that she could talk to the wild pokemon. Sadly, she could not stay all the time, but she enjoyed the time she spent with them. The other pokemon could not believe that Daniel was Emily's cousin when he announced the fact. Then Daniel explained how the Ditto was involved and everything became clear. Emily was like an older sister to Daniel, trying to keep him out of harm's way. Daniel enjoyed being carried along, so Emily did it when she and Daniel left the house.

Stephanie was fourteen years old. She was quiet and somewhat reserved, but she always loved Daniel. She wanted to be away from all the ruckus that her family made, but she always knew that Daniel would respect that. She also had a soft spot for small animals. Stephanie liked to draw pictures and Daniel would often model for her. Her theme of choice was a wintry and magical place. She was very talented and knew how to work with color. Daniel was amazed with the ideas she put down on paper. They reminded him of adventures he had in the past with a friend of his. Daniel and Stephanie knew they could rely on each other for sympathy if something should upset them. Daniel felt closer emotionally towards Stephanie than anyone else. Almost as if she was his guardian, a protector of sorts. Stephanie liked her privacy in her room, but she invited Daniel to her room from time to time. They were practically inseparable, until it was time to leave. Fortunately, Stephanie lived within walking distance to Daniel's house, so she could visit him whenever she wanted with permission.

Daniel took her into the forest one night and introduced her to a few of his secret friends in the forest; an Eevee, a Vulpix, a Chimchar, and a Chancey. Daniel trusted Stephanie not to tell his mother that he sneaks out of the house at night from time to time. Stephanie introduced herself to everyone and received a friendly greeting. She held Daniel close to her for half of the visit. At first, the pokemon from the forest were baffled by this relationship between Daniel and Stephanie, thinking that it was actual love. But then Stephanie described it as "unconditional love" and Daniel told his friends that Stephanie was his cousin and that she meant a protector-protected type of relationship. Everyone understood. Daniel had already told them about his transformation, but they still found it strange that a pokemon can become part of a human family tree like that. Stephanie brought a few of her best pictures with her and showed the other pokemon. They were all impressed, with one of them saying,

"That...is the most beautiful environment I've ever seen."

Daniel, Stephanie, and the other pokemon had attracted a small crowd of others from the forest. It quickly turned into a night no one would ever forget, filled with fascinating stories and experiences.

It was not until one night, where a meeting was planned in the evening, that Stephanie would experience something that Daniel was all too familiar with. She would never forget the event that would take place that night.

Chapter 1: The Secret Meeting

Daniel was getting ready for a very special meeting right next to the forest. He arranged it with his two friends from school and his three cousins who visited that day. Rick, Emily, and Stephanie were going to meet Daniel's friends for the first time. Their names were Zeke and Simon. Zeke was a Riolu and Simon was a Pikachu. Daniel explained to his three cousins that Zeke was different and that he had a hard time understanding figurative language. Simon could be a bit rash at times and had trouble controlling his impulses.

Daniel waited with the three cousins in his bedroom until 10:30 PM. When the clock on his desk reached that time, Daniel said,

"Time to go. Remember, don't make a sound; this is supposed to be secret."

Rick turned the handle on the door slowly and looked around. He gave a thumbs up, meaning that the coast was clear. Everyone crept out of the bedroom, down the stairs, through the living room, and to the back door. Rick turned the handle slowly and opened the door. Everyone was used to cold weather so the temperature was not a problem. It was snowing outside, which made everyone happy. Everyone was relieved when they found that the wind was blowing very gently, as they did not want to travel through a blizzard.

Daniel was the first to leave the house. His cousins followed him, as Daniel knew the woods better than most because he had explored them before. Everyone followed Daniel, enjoying the fresh air. For some reason, cold air seemed to be more refreshing than warm air. The snow on the ground and the lack of it in some areas made navigation easier.

"If you see that Ditto that turned me into a Buizel, stay away from it," warned Daniel. "Don't end up like me or my two friends. Once you're hit...yeah, you're gonna turn into a pokemon. Could take anywhere from an hour to twelve. We don't even have Poke-powers. I can make just about as much water come out of my mouth as you three. I guess the only time I can make an Aqua Jet is when I drink something."

"Sounds pretty scary," replied Emily. "Did it hurt? I mean turning into a Buizel; your whole body changed."

"No, not at all," answered Daniel. "I didn't feel a thing. I was asleep...or unconscious...I dunno."

"So what happens when you get older?" asked Rick. "Do you have to fight to evolve like normal pokemon?"

"Mom told me that it comes with age in my case," replied Daniel. "I'm hoping I'll evolve around the same age as you guys when you go through your changes."

"Since you're a Buizel, shouldn't you think like a Buizel?" asked Emily. "I mean the transformation must have had some kind of impact on the way you think."

"I can't say for sure," answered Daniel, puzzled. "I'm sure glad I don't go 'bui, bui' all the time...but ever since the transformation, I've felt changes in the way I view people and pokemon. Ask Stephanie, she knows something about this kind of stuff."

"I guess it's all to do with how a pokemon's brain is wired up," began Stephanie, looking at Emily. "Some pokemon like being stroked, others don't. There's a big difference in the way Daniel reacts when I stroke him, and if I tried to stroke you. You'd be repulsed. Same thing with you carrying Daniel around in your arms. While Daniel seems like a sleeping baby in your arms, if you tried to carry Rick the same way, he'd pull some kind of karate move on you."

"So what happened to that 'do not disturb' attitude of yours if Daniel's been in your room the whole time I look for him?" asked Rick.

"Daniel's a pokemon, and he doesn't go nuts when you feed him chocolate," answered Stephanie, hinting Rick's reaction to chocolate.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Rick, slightly offended.

"You go nuts whenever you eat chocolate," replied Stephanie, staring directly at Rick's eyes. "Daniel doesn't. That's why I let him in my room."

Rick was surprised at what Stephanie had just said to him.

"Besides, I like having him with me; he's cute and cuddly," Stephanie continued, causing Daniel to blush a little.

"Well I see two pokemon out there," Emily spoke. "Are they your friends?"

"They are," Daniel replied. "Right on time."

Everyone approached the Riolu and the Pikachu they saw.

The Pikachu waved at Daniel and Daniel waved back. The Riolu was staring in a completely different direction until the Pikachu pulled his arm.

"Hey Daniel," said the Pikachu.

"Hey Simon, hi Zeke," began Daniel. "These are my cousins, Rick, Emily, and Stephanie. They've come for a visit to the forest. Hope none of you are tired."

Everyone shook their heads.

"Okay then, here's what we'll do," continued Daniel. "We're going into the forest to pay a visit to a good friend of mine. She's a Buizel that lives near a nearby stream with her family. You can kinda tell me and her apart if you look closely. I have two spots on my back, she only has one. Let's go."

"Does she know we're coming?" asked Stephanie as everyone started walking.

"She does," answered Daniel.

Everyone made their way into the forest, trying not to be seen by the Ditto. Everyone understood the risks of walking into the forest in the middle of the night. That time of night tended to be where the Ditto was most active. Daniel made his way past some trees, through a narrow passageway, around a pile of rocks, then down a small slope and finally to the stream, with the others soon following him.

"Well, we're here," said Daniel at last. "Now we've just got to find where they--"

"Daniel," spoke a voice. Everyone turned to face a Floatzel. He had a look of concern on his face. "Come with me, quick – you and your friends."

The Floatzel walked quickly downstream, signaling everyone to follow.

"What's going on?" asked Stephanie.

"I'll tell you when we get there," answered the Floatzel. "It's serious, especially for you three." He was referring to the three cousins.

"Who is he?" asked Emily.

"His name is Nathaniel," began Daniel. "He's the dad of the family we're supposed to see."

When everyone made it to the Floatzel's home, they saw the rest of the family, watching out for something.

"What's happening now?" asked Rick.

"The Ditto is awake...and roaming through this area," replied the Floatzel. "We've got to hide you someplace before it turns you into a pokemon."

"Where's the hiding place?" asked Stephanie.

"I'll show you a shortcut to the town you're from," said the Floatzel. "It's the quickest way to safety."

"All right, whenever you're ready," Daniel spoke.

The Floatzel poked his head out of the ground and looked around. He then signaled everyone to follow him. One by one, they climbed out and followed. They came to an area surrounded by trees on two sides. The town was close, but as soon as they began to move on, a Meowth appeared. It just stood there, watching everyone.

"Hey, why is that Meowth just sta--" said Simon before being interrupted by the Floatzel.

"That's no Meowth! That's the Ditto! Back away from it before--"

Suddenly, the Meowth emitted multi-colored energy waves from its body. The waves were too fast to run from, so they hit Rick in the chest. Rick began to lose consciousness. The Floatzel was horrified, Daniel had his face in his paws, Emily began to panic, Stephanie stood still, not knowing what to do, Zeke was looking in all directions for a possible escape route, while Simon was watching the Meowth closely to see what it would do next.

"Run everyone! I'll try to catch any more waves it throws! The waves don't affect pokemon!"

Zeke led the way back up the stream, with everyone else following. The Meowth, which was now an Espeon, was getting close. Zeke had just made it to the top when something glittered for a second in front of him. A portal opened immediately after and before Zeke had time to react, he tripped and fell inside.

"Oh, no no not now!" Daniel protested. He felt he had to go in the portal as well because Zeke had entered it accidentally, so he ran into it.

Meanwhile, the Espeon's new target was Stephanie. It ran faster than Stephanie could, especially since she was carrying Rick on her shoulder. Stephanie wanted to enter the portal to avoid being transformed into a pokemon. She had almost made it into the portal when the Espeon emitted more waves, catching Stephanie in the back.

Her only response before losing her consciousness was,

"Dang it! So close..."

She fell into the portal, bringing Rick with her. By now, Emily and Simon had already made it into the portal. The Floatzel felt he had to go because he did not want to imagine what lied beyond the portal, waiting for the poor children, so he entered the portal as well to protect them.

Everyone went through lots of emotions when they reached their destination. Some of them were shock, worry, frustration, and uncertainty. But now, Daniel and his friends had more than just the Ditto to worry about. Now, they had to cope in a different world, but Daniel knew the meaning behind the portal already. As badly-timed as it seemed, it was time for adventure. It was time for Daniel's brainpower to be put to the test once again. A mystery had to be solved. But as soon as they reached their destination, they had to find a place where Rick and Stephanie could go through their transformations in peace.

Daniel, his friends, and his cousins had more than just a rough night tonight; it was literally life-changing. Rick and Stephanie would become pokemon very soon, thanks to the Ditto. The visit to Nathaniel's house went horribly wrong. To make matters worse, everyone had been teleported to another world, worrying them about their families and how they were going to make it home. Daniel was used to this by now, but he still wondered how he was going to explain to his parents about what happened during the night, especially what happened to Rick and Stephanie. This was not the first time Daniel had been teleported to another world, but each time made his parents worry for his safety.

Everyone had been teleported to a forest with a road running through the middle. The first thing Daniel saw was snow, then a mountain range in the distance. There was an open area in front of him, lightly covered in snow and grass. The time of night seemed to be exactly the same as in the world of Pokemon. Zeke and Emily were confused, yet curious about the surrounding environment. The Floatzel sat by a nearby tree stump, muttering,

"It's not right...why did kids have to get dragged into this?" He began to look sad. Daniel heard what he said and approached him.

"I've been through things like this before," began Daniel. "I mean the portals."

"So how do you get home?" asked Nathaniel. The Floatzel raised his head. "How do we get home?"

"There's something that all the portals I've taken have in common," replied Daniel. "We get teleported here, we complete a 'mission,' and then we go home."

"Sounds simple, right?" asked Nathaniel.

"Nope," said Daniel. "The missions themselves are simple, but actually carrying them out is another story.

"Oh...how are the missions complicated like you say?" asked Nathaniel.

"Try climbing to the top of that mountain," began Daniel. "Sounds simple, doesn't it? What are the chances we'll make it to the top without harsh weather, getting lost, avalanches, and getting stuck up there until the end of time?"

"I see your point," Nathaniel responded. "Sounds like you've been through a lot...and done a lot."

"We'll figure out what we have to do in time," said Daniel. "In the meantime, let's get those two to someplace where they can transform in peace."

Nathaniel picked himself up and walked over to where Stephanie was. It started to snow. Daniel looked in the distance and saw a rectangular metal object in the ground.

"I'm going to check that out," Daniel spoke. "I'll be right back."

"Okay," answered Nathaniel.

Closer inspection of the metal object revealed a double door on the ground, surrounded by a frame.

"That's weird," Daniel noted.

He pulled the door handle and opened the door. He found the entrance to an underground passage. There was light coming from a torch, so it was not dark. Daniel ran back to where everyone else was and announced,

"We might be able to drop Rick and Stephanie over there, it's a secret way underground. Funny enough, there's a torch in there."

"Let's hope that whoever lives in there is friendly," Emily responded.

Suddenly, there came a low-pitched, metallic ringing noise, which faded quickly. Everyone who was awake turned their heads towards the sound, which was coming from Rick.

"What was that?" asked Nathaniel.

"It's starting," answered Daniel. "The transformation." A tiny area on Rick's chest began to glow white. The glow brightened and dimmed over and over again. There was also a faint, fluctuating, metallic whirring noise coming from the white area. A few moments later, Stephanie's back began to do the same thing.

"Let's get them inside, quick," said Emily, picking Rick up by the arms and putting him over her shoulder.

Nathaniel picked Stephanie by the arms also, but he held her over his back, holding her arms so that she would not fall. Everyone walked over to the metal doors and went inside, with Zeke closing the door.

Inside was a hallway of stone, with an orange rug running down the middle. Tapestries were on the walls and the place was very tidy. Torches were burning, with metal guards to stop any stray ashes from causing a fire.

"There must be a bedroom around here somewhere," Zeke spoke.

There was a spiraling staircase in the room just ahead. Daniel thought the bedrooms were down there, so he walked into the room and went down the staircase. Everyone else soon followed. The first door on the right had a very comfortable-looking bed. Nathaniel and Emily went in the room and set the two affected cousins down on the bed.

Everyone watched in anticipation as the glowing areas on Rick and Stephanie's bodies began to spread. After fifteen minutes, the glowing had spread a few inches outward. Thirty minutes later, the glowing had spread to a large area of Rick's chest and Stephanie's back. After an hour, the glowing began to spread to their limbs. Soon after that, the glowing started to spread to Rick's face and the lower half of Stephanie's legs. Throughout the entire process, the noises became louder and more complex, but not unbearable.

"Now you guys can see exactly what we went through years ago," Daniel spoke.

"At least they won't have the big shock when they wake up as pokemon," added Simon.

It took roughly two more hours for the glowing to completely cover the cousins' bodies. Once that happened, The glowing began to intensify and the noises grew louder. Then Rick and Stephanie's bodies began to change shape. The actual transformation took no longer than five minutes. Some were able to guess the end result sooner than others, while Daniel already knew what Rick was going to become.

When the transformation was complete, the sounds and the glowing faded until they eventually disappeared.

"Well we know one thing," began Zeke. "What they saw was what they became."

"They're waking up," said Nathaniel when he saw Rick's eyes opening.

"Ugh...what kind of a weirdo dream was that?" asked Rick before he realized that he was in a different place. "Serious architectural problems...huh? What? Something's not right."

Stephanie began to open her eyes as well.

"Never thought I'd be inside my own art like that," she spoke, weakly. "Especially as an Espeon...that was weird."

"Rick, Stephanie," Daniel spoke. "You're done."

Rick looked down at his body. He had cream-colored fur except for half of his feet and tail which had brown fur. His tail was curved and curled at the tip. He noticed something peculiar on his head, shaped like a rounded rectangle. It seemed to be made of metal.

Stephanie looked at her body too. She had very soft fur with a color between pink and purple. Her body features resembled those of a cat. Her tail seemed to split in two at the end.

Rick's only response as he looked up with a grumpy look on his face was,

"Figures..."

Meanwhile, Stephanie was enjoying her new self. She rolled on both sides, giggling.

"Why does that Ditto target kids, anyway?" asked Rick.

"Who knows?" answered Zeke.

"At least Stephanie seems to be enjoying herself," Simon commented. "By the way, I don't think we've all introduced ourselves, Nathaniel."

Everyone called out their names. Soon everyone began to have a conversation, while Stephanie continued to wriggle around on the bed. Even Rick began to enjoy his new self, stretching on the bed and liking the feel of his fur. The only one who felt a bit left out was Emily. She was glad that she had not been hit by the Ditto, but at the same time, she wondered how it would feel to be an Espeon. She was actually kind of jealous of Stephanie.

Everyone decided to relax for a bit before trying to figure out what they needed to do next. Then Daniel realized that the moon was full during the time Rick and Stephanie were hit and that the moon's rays would have an effect on the transformation. He decided not to tell them just yet, as they seemed to be enjoying themselves thoroughly. Everyone finally decided that they would sleep here for the night and then press on.

Daniel and his friends had found the perfect place to rest. The only real concern left was food. However, everyone was too busy sleeping to think about food. As they slept through the night, something unexpected happened. It was not until early in the morning that the first signs of it showed. Daniel slowly opened his eyes after a dream about surviving a night in an abandoned castle ended. Daniel yawned, stretched his arms out, and then proceeded out of the room.

Then he heard footsteps coming from above. Whoever was making them seemed to have boots on. Daniel ran back into the bedroom, hoping not to be seen as everyone else was sleeping. Then he heard the footsteps grow louder. Suddenly, he heard a voice.

"Hello? Daniel, is that you?"

'How in the world does she know my...wait...I know that voice,' Daniel thought, recognizing the voice.

"Lauren?" Daniel spoke. "Lauren Sterling, is that you?"

"Finally found you," the voice spoke. "How did you manage to end up here?"

"The same way I did last time," Daniel replied. "Only this time, I was chased into the portal."

The figure walked up the stairs as the conversation continued. It was a woman, dressed in a thin blue jacket. She had short, white hair and wore a patch over her left eye. Her other eye showed a deep blue color. She wore black boots and a pair of blue pants. She had a formal, no-nonsense, militaristic look about her. She looked to be in her mid twenties. Daniel thought she looked to be a cross between a ship captain and a police officer and that her voice seemed to match her appearance. She carried a folded up whip that was attached to her belt.

"I've got some questions I want to ask you," Lauren spoke. "You're not in trouble."

"Oh, good," replied Daniel. "Okay then, fire away."

"Are you the only one here?" began Lauren.

"No way," answered Daniel. "I've got six others with me: one girl, one Floatzel, and four that ended up like me."

"Four?" asked Lauren, raising her head in curiosity.

"Two of my cousins are here as well," replied Daniel. "They got hit by the Ditto too."

"That's a shame," Lauren commented. "Time has flown since we last met."

"Funny seeing you here of all places," Daniel responded.

"I could say the same myself," said Lauren. "You seem to have matured a bit since last time."

"You want to see the others?" asked Daniel.

"Seeing as that's what I came here for, yes," replied Lauren.

Daniel and Lauren walked into the bedroom where everyone was sleeping.

"Hey, everyone! Wake up!" Daniel called.

There was no response. Lauren pulled out the whistle she carried and blew. Everyone opened their eyes and looked to see what the matter was.

"Everyone, wake up. I've got someone here you should meet," said Daniel.

"The name's Lauren Sterling. I'm a paranormal investigator," Lauren announced, showing everyone her badge.

"Paranormal what?" asked Rick.

"I'm here to look into really weird stuff," Lauren clarified.

"Well it looks like you've hit the jackpot," added Rick.

"What's a jackpot?" asked Zeke.

"Only you would ask a question like that, Zeke," answered Simon.

"So who's the two new Pokémon?" asked Lauren.

Rick and Stephanie raised their paws.

"You poor kids," said Lauren, shaking her head and closing her eyes. "Stuck like this for the rest of your lives."

"Well, in Rick and Stephanie's case, not for their whole lives," countered Daniel.

"Huh?" asked Rick. "What do you mean?"


"It lasts until you get hit by the sun's rays," Daniel explained. "Then you turn human again. When the moon's rays hit you again, you turn back, provided it's a full moon."

"So that makes me a were-Meowth?" asked Rick.

"In a way, yes," replied Daniel.

"Huh..." answered Rick. "I guess I get to play video games with you after all."

Rick smiled. Daniel smiled back.

"Look forward to your next battle with me," said Daniel, with a mischievous look on his face.

"All right, now that I've found you all, now what?" asked Lauren. "I can't seem to find a way back."

"Hope you've got your camera with you this time," Daniel spoke. "You're going to see a lot of stuff before we get home. Like Rick said, you've hit the jackpot."

"In that case, why don't we take a picture together?" asked Lauren, smiling faintly.

"It'll be the news of the century," said Emily, excited.

Lauren had a digital camera that could be timed to take pictures. She adjusted the settings and set the camera down on the chest of drawers.

"All right everyone, huddle up closer," Lauren spoke.

Everyone gathered around and on the bed. Lauren stood at the far right on the camera's view. Rick stood on the edge of the bed, next to Lauren. Daniel was sitting on Emily's lap, while Stephanie stood next to them. Zeke was behind everyone else, standing in the middle of the bed. Nathaniel was in front of Emily, sitting on the floor and Simon was on the far left of the bed.

Once the camera flashed, Lauren picked it up and showed everyone. They were happy with the picture. Lauren put the camera back in its case and asked,

"Daniel, you've been through quite a few of these portals, haven't you?"

"That's right," replied Daniel.

"You know how we can get back to our world?" Lauren asked.

"We have to do some kind of mission first," answered Daniel. "I've been through enough of these to know how the whole portal thing works."

"Daniel and I have been through a lot of missions," began Simon. "We're never told what we have to do or why we're here. We kinda figure it out as we go along."

"Do we have to fight?" asked Rick.

"No," answered Daniel. "And I'm telling you, avoid fighting if you can. But if you get seen by the wrong creature, then you might have to."

"Daniel and I try to avoid fights if we can," added Simon. "They aren't at all like trainer battles where if a Pokémon gets knocked out, it only faints."

"Nathaniel, we all know you've got Poképowers," began Daniel. "But they're not gonna save you if you're in a room full of five-foot, spinning blades. In fact, you might lose your head if you're not careful."

Nathaniel was feeling uncomfortable hearing this harsh reality. He didn't like the thought of his head being chopped off by spinning blades.

"And you've been through things like this? As kids? And yet you're not scared to death?" He asked.

"We're used to it by now," answered Zeke. "We do get scared and freaked out at times, but we deal with it. Besides, you tend to think more rationally when your life is at stake, with no way home other than the one set."

"And we're about to be put through the same thing, I take it?" asked Emily.

"Correct," replied Zeke. "I have a feeling what we've already been through is just the beginning."

"Well, why not get started then?" asked Stephanie. "If we've got a mission to do, might as well start now."

"That comes later," answered Lauren. "Right now, I'm hungry. This place looks deserted, but maybe for a day, max. Any food that's here probably hasn't spoiled yet."

"Lauren was the head chef in her high-school events, if I'm not mistaken," said Daniel, remembering something Lauren said to him a long time ago.

"That's right," Lauren responded. "Soup was my favorite thing to make. I still make it."

"Is it spicy?" asked Zeke.

"No," answered Lauren.

"Good," continued Zeke. "Spicy food makes everything else taste weird for me."

"He's allergic to peppers," added Simon. "I had dinner with him and Daniel one day at my house. The soup had peppers in it. A couple mouthfuls made him drool uncontrollably."

"We had a fun time cleaning that up, didn't we Zeke?" Daniel spoke.

"Not for me it wasn't," Zeke replied. "Lauren, does your soup have mushrooms in it?"

"A few recipes have them...are you allergic to those too?" asked Lauren.

"Never feed him mushrooms...never," Simon warned. "He can't tolerate them."

"They make him very sick too," Daniel added. "We had to take him to a Poké-center once 'cause it got so bad. Of course, we all had to explain to a very surprised nurse what happened to each of us and how we became Pokémon."

"You poor thing," Emily remarked, looking at Zeke. "I hope you're not allergic to everything in the world."

"Other than paint fumes, I'm only allergic to those two things...although I get nauseous from too much sugar," answered Zeke.

"What do paint fumes do?" asked Rick.

"Last time I saw him around paint fumes, he had hallucinations," Daniel replied. "He kept seeing a grandfather clock everywhere he went. I stood directly in front of him, yet he saw me as if I was in another direction."

"Whoa, that's weird," said Rick.

"So now what?" asked Emily. "We're trapped in another world until we do a mission with goals we don't even know yet. We're in an abandoned underground building we haven't even checked for safety yet. What should we do?"

"Let's explore this place before we do anything else," Daniel suggested. "People don't abandon places without a reason."

"Hey, I found something," Zeke announced. "Let's see what this does..."

Zeke found a small lever hidden between the nightstand and the bed. He pulled it and revealed a secret compartment to the nightstand. A small drawer opened near the bottom. He found a slim, book with a purple cover and a sun shape printed in the middle.

"Looks like some kind of diary," Zeke noted. "Let's see what the last entry says...oh."

Zeke's expression suddenly turned from curious to grim.

"What's wrong, Zeke?" asked Lauren.

"Read this, Daniel," answered Zeke, handing the diary to Daniel.

"Let's see what this says," said Daniel as he read the final entry.

The last page read,

"That does it. I am packing my bags and leaving tomorrow. One by one, people keep disappearing. Even the leader, Jackov, is missing. My friend told me he heard strange noises last night. At first, the disappearances weren't very noticeable until Jackov's brother went missing. Now, there's only a tenth of the miners left.

UPDATE: The last of the magicians helped some workers set up a ward that connects the living quarters and the mines. It seems that the source of our trouble is coming from inside the mines. We're preparing to evacuate the building today. This will be my last entry for this diary. I've left the answer for how to break the seal, should anyone be brave enough to try and solve the mystery. The answer is inside a secret room inside what looks to be a closet down in the basement. Once you break the seal, the door will open. Remove the answer from its place to reactivate the seal.

If you read this and decide to face the mystery, I wish you and any companions the very best of luck. I have to go now. I don't think I'll be returning anytime soon. My prayers go out to those who went missing. My final words of advice are...stay invisible. The mystery should not know it is being solved. The truth is out there. Good luck."

Daniel closed the book and stared at the back wall, saying,

"Everyone...we have our mission. Get ready for a time to remember."

Daniel and his friends have found their goal, to solve the mystery. What the mystery actually was was a mystery on its own. Everyone began to feel unsafe, although Daniel, Simon, and Zeke were used to that feeling. Daniel could only imagine what the answer was.