Pokémon: NIGHTMARE IN THE CRYSTAL PALACE

PROLOGUE: MIKE'S DEPARTURE

Mike was deep in concentration over the notes he had taken over the last several months; his deep interest in the medieval Pokémon world had taken him to some interesting places. He deeply enjoyed trying to find forgotten histories, lost lore, and especially the common unknown. He figured he had a common knack for archeology, and the thoughts of leaving his home of Mountain City in the mists and travel the world. But not until he made the discovery of a lifetime, he was determined to find the legendary (and in Mountain City considered mythical) Crystal Palace.

Suddenly there came a shout, "HEY MIKE!"

Mike looked up from his notes and saw his buddies Brandon, Erich, Ben and Mary waving to him. They walked over, Mike greeted them as follows: "Hi Erich, Brandon, Mary, (sly smirk to his face) Blue Balls."

Ben frowned to this, for you see he had two pet names…Erich, Brandon and Mary called him Doobie. But Mike's pet name of choice for him is Blue Balls, and just for being the youngest of the group. "That's not funny Mike." Ben said in an irritated tone of voice. Brandon put his arm around Ben's shoulders and with a kind smile on his face said, "Come on Ben, you know he's just having fun with you."

Mike then pulled out a map of Mountain City including about a 11 mile radius of the surrounding area, he then looked at his notes and said, "Now I get it, it's all there…the path exists, it exists!"

Brandon and the others gave him a look of 'what the hell are you talking about' look. That's when Erich looked at the notes and asked, "Mike you're still not trying to find this place are you?" Mike grabbed the notes from him and argued, "So what if I am, it's all here on the map…but finding the start of the path to it is the challenge, you see—."

Brandon cut him off and complained, "No you see Mike, that place hasn't been discovered in 1550 years! So what kind of conclusion could one draw from that. (Chuckles to himself) I'll tell you…IT DOESN'T EXSIST!"

Mike then stood straight up and argued, "The reason it hasn't been found in such a long time is because it's fallen out of the memory of every towns person in this god forsaken city, but certain documents made around the past 1000 years or more have chronicled a mentioning of seeing something shimmer from the top of the mountain range west of here. I did some deeper research and found that the top tower had a crystal fixture on top of it that used to reflect the sunlight, that's what that shimmer is…it's that fixture reflecting the sunlight!"

Brandon rolled his eyes and said, "Mike, have you ever heard of ice crystals? It's probably a cave load of them reflecting that light."

Mike nodded, "Yeah, that's what I thought at first…but then I studied the rock faces at the base of the mountains and found this." Mike placed his finger down on the path leading through the mountains; Brandon and the others looked to where he was pointing. "Hey, that place is the same area I caught my Lairon." Brandon said with a note of both pride and surprise in his voice. "How is that thing doing anyway Brandon?" Ben asked. Brandon gave a look of pride and said, "It evolved into a Aagron last week."

Mike then said, "Yeah, yeah, yeah congratulations, hope you have many successful battles with it, but getting back to the point…if you had gone back about 100 yards or so, this cliff would have looked like a finger pointing to a jagged rock face right here, or so it would seem…for that rock face is actually the path that leads up to the Crystal Palace, there used to be a hidden path somewhere else on that mountain, but my guess is that with the monthly avalanches…I've concluded that that path may be after all this time become inaccessible."

Mary then asked, "But wouldn't that make the main path you're talking about inaccessible as well?"

Mike gave a sly look and replied, "Well it's my hope it's not, about a third of a way up there should be a shrine. I've found through my research that there are supposed to be four statues depicting the elements of Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water. My guess is that three of the four might still be on their pedestals, that's how I acquired this right here."

Mike reached into his backpack and pulled out a Wartortle statue, he continued: "Once I place this statue on its pedestal, the shrine should give away to the rest of the path."

They all just laughed at him, Mike just got up, got his things together, and left grumbling: "I don't need to here this!"

Later at Mike's house he set up his supplies and took the map and a journal with him, there came a knock at the door, Mike opened it and saw Danyelle.

Danyelle said, "Brandon told me about your little adventure, Mike…I'm asking you to give it up, I don't want to see you all disappointed when you come back."

Mike hugged Danyelle and said, "Don't worry about me, if everything goes right…I should only be gone a week, but I'm taking about 5 months of food and supplies with me, just in case."

Danyelle waved goodbye as Mike took off down the road, he threw her his house key and said, "You and the others take care of my house while I'm gone, okay?" She nodded and watched as he disappeared down the street.

When Mike was just about to the path west of town he looked at the mountains and saw the shimmering light up on one of them, "The Crystal Palace is calling…and its my destiny to respond." Mike said to himself with a hint of proud authority.

That's when a voice behind him said, "Go back now sonny, before it's too late!"

Mike turned around and saw an old man in a tattered cloak behind him, "Come again?" Mike asked.

"Don't go up to the Crystal Palace me boyo, years hav passed her and made her dark and evil…there are spirits and other things up there that do not sleep, but they wait…they wait…in the dark, and they wait for foolish people like you to go up there, and they mess with you so they won' be lonely!" The old man warned him.

Mike just turned around and said, "I don't care if Andy Serkis was waiting up there for me, I'm going!"

The old man just sighed and said, "Okay, young master Michael…but heed Amos' warning and remember this and Amos when you get there: Trust in your heart and not your eyes, for the walls lie."

"Well thank you Amos old chap, but I must really—." Mike started to say, but stopped when he realized Amos had vanished. Mike shrugged it off and headed up the path that would eventually connect to the path of the shrine.

Sad to say this but this was the last anyone saw of Mike, for he's been missing for 3 months, and this is where are true story…begins.