Living in the Shadows

CHAPTER 3 FIRST REUNION AT DEEP CORAL LAKE

*For information on how this first happened; check it out in the Bonus Features, titled: Munna's Plea.*

(Third)

Umbreon and Espeon were unceremoniously, and for lack of a better expression, spat out. They fell a few feet through the air and landed roughly on the hard dirt. When they picked themselves up they were in an unfamiliar place. There were rocks and boulders everywhere and not a tree in sight.

They looked at the map and agreed that the crystal shard they touched must have dropped them in the Shadow Mountains.

When Umbreon scanned the area to the right he saw familiar forests and trees slowly being lit up by the rising sun, as well as a river, while Espeon was scanning the area on the left. For on and on there was nothing but rocks and when she used her gem, she saw many burned-down villages and towns; the few cities she found were in bad condition. She also saw half-starved Pokemon pulling cartloads of fruit, berries, and Reikon Crystals.

"What do you see, Espeon?" Umbreon asked as he walked over to her.

"I see burned-down towns and villages, and enslaved Pokemon pulling cartloads and cartloads of food and Reikon Crystals." She looked at him. "They must be taking those carts to Dark Castle."

"Reikon Crystals in Dark Castle?" Umbreon exclaimed. "Those things are dangerous! What is Malamar thinking?"

"There are dangerous only to you and other pure Dark-type Pokemon," she reminded him. "However, they tend to make Psychic and/or Fairy-type Pokemon very strong."

"They can also make those Pokemon very sick if they aren't careful!" Umbreon added.

She gave him a look of sympathy. "You're worried Jenna will become ill if she goes to Dark Castle."

"I'm hoping that because she's human, she'll be immune. Just like how Oshawott was immune against the Bittercold."

"She was immune to Attract," she reminded him.

"That's because of Cresselia. Attract, like Hypnosis, requires direct contact with its subject. And need I remind you, Cresselia is a pure Psychic-type Pokemon." He looked at her with genuine concern. "What if, because of her, Jenna won't be as immune as she should be and will get a double dosage of Reikon Crystal power? The side effects could kill them both!"

Espeon was silent for a few minutes before replying; "Let's get down from these mountains first and find her and everyone else. Then we'll tell her what happened, what we saw, and warn her about the Reikon Crystals."

They made their descent down the mountain, but when they came to a dead-end wall they ran into trouble. A Zoroark and a Gigalith, both with glazed eyes, jumped from the top of the wall and landed behind them before four Drilbur popped up out of the ground.

The two of them were surrounded.

"Please, oh please, forgive us!" one of the Drilbur pleaded with tears in his eyes. "But we have orders from Mismagius to capture any intruders near the crystal mines!"

"We understand," Espeon told him. "But don't expect us not to fight back."

As she and Umbreon took their fighter's stance, Mismagius showed up. "Hmm, well, well, well. If it isn't the Mystery Dungeon Researchers," she said mockingly. "Who knew those crystals from Transport Summit would teleport you here," she finished with a sinister chuckle.

Both Umbreon and Espeon growled.

"How did she know where we were?" Umbreon whispered.

"Either Malamar or those Beheeyem told her," Espeon whispered back. "What worries me is what else she was told."