Chapter 4

I was sitting on my bed. Blue made us spend the whole morning at town to shop for supplies. I didn't really need much; I already had everything we needed. Blue bought herself an entire camping wardrobe and supplies; I wonder how she has so much Patras…

Since it was still day, and there was nothing to do, I opened the diary.

24 August 1925

"Dear Diary, I went over to eavesdrop at the teacher's lounge again. This time I heard, once they are all bonded with each other, the necklace power will be at it's strongest. Then, we will fix the curse. I quickly walked away. Who is 'they'? I need to find out. I had to leave before they found me out and I had no excuse this time. This is all getting stranger, it's time to confess to Lisa."

The necklace has a power… This is just getting stranger. I flipped open the yearbook and searched through the photos. At last, I found the person called Lisa Avery. My eyes shot open and I took in a deep breath. Lisa looks exactly like Crystal. They have to be related. Both look alike, both here on scholarship. It can't be a coincidence. The curse the teachers talked about back in one of Ally's diary entries, it's not fiction. Pharoan is one of the top schools in Hoenn and is the hardest to get into. I don't think they give out scholarships as well.

I had to read more, but there was a lock attached inside the book. Rats, I need to find the necklace and the key to the rest of the book. Something important must be there, that's why it's locked.

With nothing better do, I opened my laptop and searched for 'Scholarships in Pharoan'. I had to find out more, right? I entered the Pharoan website homepage and got redirected to questions. An admin of Pharoan had replied to someone who asked if Pharoan gave out scholarships. The reply was 'no'. If they didn't offer scholarships, why is Crystal here? I have to tell Crystal.

I walked out of my room and headed over to Crystal's room, with the yearbook and the diary in my hands. Crystal was fortunately inside and alone.

"Can I talk to you for a second?" I asked, hoping she wasn't in the middle of something important.

"Sure! Give me a second." Crystal replied as she saved her document. She was using her laptop. "So, what is it about?"

"By any chance, is one of your ancestors called Lisa by any chance?" I said. Why did I ask that I thought? How would she know her ancestors? God.

"Yeah. My great grandmother was called Lisa." She said casually. "Why?"

"She was in Pharoan on scholarship before, just like you. One more thing, Pharoan doesn't give out scholarships. I don't think a student is allowed a place here in the middle of a school year too. Something's up." I blurted everything out.

Crystal was about to respond but I shoved the diary in her face and flipped the yearbook open to Lisa Avery. I didn't literally shove it in her face; it was more of a rough pass.

Crystal examined the diary and the photo. She then sighed. "I guess what my parents said were true… My great grandmother told my parents if they ever received a letter to go on scholarship to Pharoan, reject it. When I received my letter, I was so excited. I mean, who wouldn't be? Getting into Pharoan is harder than getting a job at Google." She stared solemnly at me, then continued, "My parents told me tales of my great grandmother coming to this school. The tales were all related to one thing, a curse."

I stared at her in shock. She knew about the curse and everything already.

"So, I suppose you're going to find that necklace?" She inquired.

"Yes. I'm going tonight. Right now all clues lead to the attic. If you haven't noticed, I need to find the key too. The rest of the diary is locked." I said firmly. I haven't been too sure about things, but this, I'm sure.

"Alright. I'll come with you. I need to find out more too." Crystal said.

"We'll meet at 12.15am. See you then." I smiled and walked out.

Crystal fortunately, believed me. Well, she had prior information anyways.

"Hey." Crystal whispered.

We were at the entrance of the attic. We tiptoed to ensure nobody heard us. The attic had not changed since my initiation. Same cobwebs, more dust and boxes still messed up. At least I know nothing had changed since my last visit.

"Woah, I should have explored this place during my initiation. It's amazing." Crystal said, walking up to the portrait of John Cearian, touching it like it was gold.

"Yeah." I replied, I didn't know how to respond. I walked up to the box of where I found Ally Jones diary. "This is where I found the diary."

Crystal walked up to me and touched the box. "This box has a symbol on it… OH WAIT. I remember now. I saw this symbol at my great grandmother's house when I was younger. They were clearing her house up as she passed away." Crystal said louder than we should be talking.

"It must be a clue." I said.

"I'll keep it. With Blue in your room, nothing is a secret." Crystal told me.

We continued to walk around the attic. There was nothing.

"Something's not right. The attic is smaller than the floor plan of the house." Crystal said suspiciously.

"Does that mean that there is a secret passage to more of the attic?" I questioned.

"Should be. Attic's are usually smaller in size, but this attic is drastically smaller." Crystal responded.

I sighed and leaned on a wall. Screw the dust, I thought. This is so much more complicated than I thought it would be, not to mention there was no sign of the necklace or the key to the diary.

"Hey Yellow. Over here." Crystal called me eagerly.

I walked over. "What is it?" I inquired.

"Look at this!" Crystal exclaimed. "The painting is extending from around our height to the floor! Doesn't that mean that this painting could be hiding something?"

My eyes shot open. "Why didn't I think of that!" I replied.

Crystal and I lifted the painting. This painting is surprisingly lighter than I thought it would be. Behind the painting, was a passage in the wall. Crystal and I stared at each other for a while. I then walked in and Crystal followed. This side of the attic was so dark that I had to use my torchlight. This place is much more dustier and cobwebbier. No surprise actually, since this place was covered by a painting.

Scanning through the room, I noticed it was empty, other than a table in the middle and inscription on the walls. I walked around, looking for clues.

As I walked, Crystal studied the inscription on the walls. "I remember seeing this before! It's ancient Hoenn writing, it was mentioned in the history textbook."

"Can you decipher it?" I asked, hoping that the inscriptions would be a clue.

"No, unfortunately the textbook only provided us a picture of it, it didn't teach us how to read it… But, I'll go and learn it. I always wanted to learn ancient Hoenn writing but I didn't have the time and opportunity, but now I do!" Crystal replied.

"Thanks." I smiled.

Suddenly, I stepped on something hard. "Ow!" I said.

I looked at the floor, it was a key! I picked it up and tried to fit it into the lock of the diary. Perfect fit. I called Crystal over and placed the diary on the table, the diary entry had fast-forward into a few years.

19 March 1927

"Dear diary, it turns out, there was a calculation error. The curse will be broken in 2014. Today is my so-called last day in Pharoan; I'm leaving tomorrow morning. There was a graduation party for me that was held yesterday. I think I'll miss Pharoan a bit; after all, I made so many friends here. I'm keeping the necklace with me as I move back to Lavaridge. This is my final diary entry. I'm leaving you here and maybe one day, a student will solve the curse."

I looked at it solemnly now.

"So, she has the necklace, and the curse is happening sometime this year and we're involved. Great." Crystal said sarcastically.

"She's in Lavaridge and is most likely dead too." I added.

"Well, we'll be staying in a hotel at Lavaridge, so we can try our luck at a cemetery or even a retirement home." She continued.

I looked at my watch. Holy Moly. It was already 3am.

"It's 3am and we have school tomorrow. Let's continue this investigation another time, maybe if she's still alive and we can find her or you can learn ancient Hoenn writing." I told her.

"It would take me a week to get some information, and with the camp, maybe two weeks." Crystal sighed.

"At least we're getting closer, let's go rest up for school tomorrow." I comforted her.

"To be perfectly honest, I actually am very interested in this curse thing. I mean all clues lead to me right now." Crystal said.

We left the room, put the painting back in its place and retired to our respective rooms. I changed into my pajamas and lay on my bed. This mystery thing, why am I solved interested and glued to solving it. I thought to myself. No point worrying about all these now and I should just try and get some sleep.

July 1

I woke up looking terrible again. For once, I didn't oversleep, so I could slowly prepare for school. When I got dressed in my uniform, Crystal called me over to her room.

"You know the box we found last night, I know what the symbol stands for now. It was the symbol for Pharoan at that time. The principal, Mattheus Greyhound, changed the symbol during the time he was principal, which was from 1922 to 1927. The symbol was changed back after he left." Crystal said.

"So, he should have something to do with the curse." I deduced.

"Yup. That's all the information I know for now, let's go eat breakfast before going to school." Crystal suggested.

I nodded my head and went down. Green and Red were eating breakfast when we came down and Sapphire was chugging milk down her throat. I have no idea how she does it. Ruby walked down after us and commented "Disgusting."

"What did you say?" Sapphire responded.

"I said disgusting, you barbaric woman." He repeated.

"Why you?" Sapphire said louder than usual as a vein popped from her forehead.

"Uh-oh." Red chimed in.

Sapphire started chasing Ruby around the house after that. Green and Crystal sighed and I went to get breakfast, ignoring the scene. Blue came down and sat next to me during breakfast.

"So Yellow, since we're best friends and all, can you let me copy your math homework." She pleaded, trying to give puppy eyes.

I took my math homework out of my bag and passed it to Blue. "Yay!" she said as she hugged me.

"How do you think you're going to pass if you don't do your own work, pesky woman." Green said.

Blue stuck her tongue at him and proceeded to eat her breakfast.

"School today is only half day, to allow us to prepare for the camp and to prepare for the examination that isn't even counted inside your results." Blue said after swallowing her first mouth of cereal.

This school really doesn't care about education, I thought.

Blue and I then proceeded to go to school after she was done. We were the last ones to leave besides Gold, who was still chowing down his breakfast when we left.

Author's Note: Spoilers below. So, thank you to the current 4 followers and favorites. Please favorite, follow and review!

SPOILERS:

Next chapter: The camp and most probably, Ally Jones

What is the mystery? The curse of Mattheus Greyhound, immortality due attempting to get rid of the necklace.

There will be only one mystery as of now.