Chapter 21: A Divine Investigation

Beginning of Act 2: The Forgotten Explorers

Excerpt of Page 130: Contributors

Pokemon responsible for editing this work include the original author, Laryon Lucario, who wrote all the original sections and set the framework for this Guide; Erik Zoroark, for basic revisions of original text; Samuel Chatot for past-tense revisions of the late Laryon Lucario; Ulrin Lucario for standardizing this Guide for the Expedition School; and the Legend Matheus Lucario for bringing the map of Equivos into existence.

Matheus' Notes:

Thank you for bothering to read my quibbles in this story I've taken the liberty to recording. I hope you like my style; at least I don't add any comments to that, right?

Matheus Lucario set his pen down on the desk, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. "About time I got finished with that." His room in the Tree of Life glowed with the lights of Deitae, rising from the floor and illuminating his haven from the world.

Hoopa plopped on top of his head, rubbing his side. "I'll say! Now I can have a chance to shine!"

Matheus shook free of the lazing Hoopa, sending him flying into the wall. He then stood up and set his paws to his hips, saying, "Oh no you won't, you buffoon. I saw your little attempt the last time I made my notes, and I don't appreciate it!" He looked up for a moment then added, "Plus, this is my story. Get one of your own if you want to make your quips so badly."

Hoopa pushed himself off the ground, brushing himself off. "Well you don't have to get so touchy about it!" he muttered, his hoops jangling. A low-pitched whistle blew through the room, sending the lights away through the ceiling. Matheus and Hoopa looked to each other, then to the small doorway behind them, a set of steps within descending.

"Arceus," they said simultaneously. They scrambled to be the first to the stairs, ending with both of them in the doorway, wedged inside. Hoopa threw a hoop down, then set another on the ground for him to hop into. Matheus snapped it up and threw it over his head, causing him to disappear into the ring, leaving Hoopa to fall to the floor and then roll down the stairs, making an eep with every step.

Hoopa finally rolled across the smooth wooden floor of the central tree, shaking a fist into the air when he stopped. "No fair! That's my shtick!"

Matheus walked over as he picked himself up, rubbing his sore limbs. "Call it payback for trying to take mine."

Hoopa flew upward and held up his fists, bobbing and weaving to the left and right. "You ready for a fight boy? You may have got me last time, but not now!" Matheus went into a similar stance, raising a paw into the air for a punch.

"Enough."

They both stopped their play and turned their attention to the towering Myth, Arceus, who glowered down on his two resident troublemakers.

The silver Lucario rubbed the back of his head and said, "Sorry for that. We'll try not to do it again." Arceus continued to stare at them, focusing on the Trickster himself.

Hoopa shrunk back, holding is hands out in front of him defensively. "Okay, I'm sorry! You don't have to look at me like that!"

Arceus turned his head, looking at them from the side. "So you say. I didn't call for you just to explain basic manners in a sacred place such as this." He stamped his foot, causing the crystal within the center to show a dark tunnel scattered with crystals of white light. Tendrils of dark mist emanated around them, spheres of violet light descending from the ceiling and seeping into the ground. The tunnel extended into a large cavern, where hundreds of white crystals littered the ceiling, bringing some semblance of light into this dark environment.

Matheus stepped forward, feeling sick at the sight. Below the crystals were seven thrones made of the dark stone that made up the cavern, each with a distinctly alien being sitting within, all staring at a pool of light created by the crystals above.

"The Ultra Beasts…" Matheus said. From his limited visuals thanks to the Orb of Transcendence, he was able to temporarily enter this strange realm, if only with Arceus' power seeping into the Tree of Life. It was an arduous journey for his spirit, for the Ultra Beasts' dimension was never intended for the Pokemon of Equivos, sapping away his very souls the longer he stayed.

The one called Kartana flitted from his throne and zipped across the pool, furiously shouting, "Why is that thing alive! You said that Cosmog would be dead!"

Celesteela growled, the flames within her cannons flaring up. "You do not reprimand me Kartana. None of you do. We are all working for the same goal, and we have agreed to not test each other's faults."

Kartana floated in front of her face, waving his arms and legs in front of her. "What good has that done us until now? If it weren't for that shadow in the mists, we'd all be off on our own, enjoying what Ultra Space has given us so far. But no, we had to listen to that messenger from this wretched place!" He cried. Celesteela aimed a cannon at the being, and the other Ultra Beasts lifted themselves from their seats.

Buzzwole forced the cannon down, glaring at Celesteela. "There is no need for violence in this place! You know how unstable the crystals are so close together! Do you really want to kill us all?" The ivory crystals above thrummed with energy, as if they were expecting some sort of calamity to happen. The occasional spark drifted from them, dissipating into one of the tendrils of dark mist.

Celesteela hesitantly lowered her cannon as Kartana drifted back to his chair, his cross-like eyes showing no change in emotion. "That fool should be grateful that that messenger even told us about Equivos. When we combine the two worlds, we can live in total happiness, with the beauty of our world combined with theirs!"

Pheromosa took a stand in the center, holding her arms out. "Especially considering we are the last of a once-great race of Ultra Beasts. On that world, we may finally be able to expand our kind, using those 'Pokemon' as vessels." She lowered her arms and shook her head, pointing at the bouncing ball of gases that traversed through a thick jungle. "But as long as that Cosmog lives, we are constantly at the risk of extinction. Celesteela did what she could, and it seems that the so-called 'Legends' of their world are taking steps to ensure that we cannot claim victory."

Guzzlord snapped his jaws and stomped the ground. "Enough of this talk! We tire of hearing what we should do, and instead we must act! When will Ultra Space be ready to open the wormhole?" He demanded.

Xurkitree sent his tail toward a nearby crystal, and glowing with a myriad of lights, he calculated the answer. "Calculating…*zap* I estimate that in roughly three weeks, we can initiate a lengthened presence on Equivos, lasting several hours. In that time, it may be possible to permanently connect Ultra Space and Equivos. If we begin any sooner than that, we will not be able to remain on Equivos' surface for more than an hour, therefore negating that possibility." He fizzed once more, adding, "This is assuming, of course, that we feed our own energies into the crystals, and close contact with the other world. If we do that, we may make a smaller wormhole that will last a brief time, which will allow us to scout the area for our main invasion." All considered his statement, knowing that Xurkitree was hardly wrong when it came to his knowledge of the crystals, he himself being partly made of them.

Pheromosa turned to Xurkitree and said, "Deactivate the visual. We'll scout for the Cosmog and her companions before the pre-invasion. We cannot fail if we expect to live on!" The wiry Ultra Beast nodded, blinking with an array of lights as the crystals dimmed. The vision disintegrated, the one way to see into Ultra Space turned off.

Hoopa and Matheus stood openmouthed with disbelief, turning to Arceus. The Creator seemed to sigh, turning away, advancing toward the crystal.

"I know little of the Ultra Beasts' dimension, Ultra Space. It is a dark and half-dead world, a result of their wars with each other over the limited resources that still exist. From my investigations, each of them came together unwillingly at the hand of a messenger that promised them a world of plenty, one that they could all share with surplus unimaginable, allowing them to once again bring their numbers to their former height." Arceus explained.

Hoopa held up one of his hoops and exclaimed, "Can't we try to take them on? All the Legends and Myths together, with you, can easily beat them back!"

Arceus shook his head sadly, turning his gaze to the open sky beyond the crystal. "The only point of entry is beyond the Wall of Mist, where the Ultra Beasts make a thin opening to view Equivos. The Mist is a fickle thing, letting only select individuals pass. It was created for a different purpose, but now is not the time to discuss such matters." He stamped his foot, showing a stark, storming island, one that both Hoopa and Matheus knew well.

"Mewtwo has powerful psychic abilities, allowing him to have influence I usually do not have. He could prove invaluable in getting past the mist, and assisting the Forgotten Explorers. I want you to go to the Isle of Regret and recruit him. Without his help, I doubt you'll be able to go beyond the mist."

Matheus rubbed his chin, looking down for a moment. "But Mewtwo hates all visitors. What makes you think he'll let us come?"

Arceus stamped once more, bringing the vision to the top of the mountain, where a hairline sliver could be seen cutting through it.

"Mewtwo is not an unreasonable Pokemon…most of the time. I am positive he will understand given the circumstances." Crestfallen, he looked at himself. "I would go myself, but I must maintain the Tree of Life, especially with Xerneas in hibernation. While you are on the Isle of Regret, I will take the liberty of recording the journey of who will be known as the Forgotten Explorers." He stamped once more, a rush of wind blowing behind Hoopa's and Matheus' back. "Now go!" The Myth and Legend saluted, rushing down the stairwell that acted as the exit to the Tree of Life.

Arceus shook his head, almost chuckling to himself, and proceeded to his crystal. He stamped his foot, bringing to pass three things: A vision of Sion pushing through the vines of a jungle, struggling as he did; the movement of Matheus' book and pens from his room to the platform next to the crystal; a flurry of leaves came around Arceus, forming a cushion, where the towering Myth finally rested on his knees.

He sighed contentedly, enjoying the first rest he has had for years. A wispy tendril appeared from his arc, picking up one of Matheus' pencils. Another tendril appeared, pulling open the book, revealing Matheus' last scrawling page.

Arceus hummed as he began writing the events of Sion's present, glad to have some purpose outside of watching the memories of the world.

The day was bright in Deitae, the clearing in the Luminescent Woods that held the Tree of Life continuing to glow with the ever-present lights. No birds sung, yet the air was filled with a soft wind, carrying a warm feeling to those present.

Hoopa danced in the air, hugging himself tight. "Oh, what a joy it will be, finally going abroad with my best friend in the world, the mighty Matheus Lucario! What sights we'll see, what treats we'll enjoy, what pranks we'll—"

Matheus batted him away with a well-placed paw, growling. "No, no, and no! We are going to a desolate mountain with an insane mastermind, we don't need to eat, so we won't on our way there, and no one but Alakazam Guild lives on this continent, so don't expect to be pulling anything around here." He flinched, eyeing Hoopa with his mitts around his tail. "Especially my tail."

Hoopa harrumphed, crossing his arms. "Well, excuse me for having a bit of justice in life. Shall we walk to the Mount of Rebirth? It'd be nice to get some more chat between ourselves."

Matheus laughed, stretching his legs. "After 300 years of dealing with your chatter, I think I've had enough. Plus, us Lucario can run day and night without rest, so there's no walking to be had! Unless you're going to pull out your hoops and be willing to take us there the short way, then we're going to be running the entire way." He thought about his statement, then added, "Of course, you'll just be floating behind me the entire way. You don't have any legs to speak of."

Hoopa got close to Matheus' face and shouted, "I do too have legs! They're just…invisible!" He looked down momentarily to increase the effect.

Matheus grinned, setting his paws on his hips. "Alright then, kick me! If they're there, then you should have no issue in giving me a black eye with your 'feet'." Hoopa's face fell as he thought of a solution for his problem. He gave a mischievous smile, then pulled his hoops from his horns. He had one hover in front of Matheus' face, and the other he threw underneath the Lucario, just below his foot. The hoop glowed, and Matheus' paw promptly fell into it, propelling through the other hoop and into his own face, sending him to the ground with a paw hanging in the air.

Hoopa giggled uproariously, falling to the ground and pounding it excessively. "Ahahaha-that's too good—hahaha—your own foot-haha—in your face—hahahaha!"

Matheus groaned, picking himself up, a paw across his eye. He hurriedly removed the paw and jabbed it at Hoopa, revealing the swelling that began to appear. "You sneaky, no good, mud-eating—"

"Don't make me come out there, fools." a booming voice echoed from the Tree that stood behind them. Matheus growled, punting Hoopa into the air, watching as he began to float, rubbing his side.

"Can't I have any fun anymore?" He cried.

Matheus shook his head, stretching once more. "After this long, no. Why can't you find someone else to torture with your demands? I've had to put up with it ever since I became a Legend."

Hoopa willed his hoops to return, tossing them into the air nonchalantly afterward. "All the other Legends are to snobby and uptight. Have you ever tried playing with Zekrom?" He puffed out his chest and held his arms out, drooping is eyes. "'I represent the ideals of this world, and I do not have time to waste with a prankster.'" Hoopa sighed, rubbing his shoulder. "Really, the only reason I'm a Myth at all is thanks to my bottle, and there's no way I'm becoming Unbound for a little respect." He sighed, falling to the soft grass, watching as lights popped from beneath, floating toward the heavens.

Matheus cringed, knowing exactly what Hoopa meant. In his time challenging the Legends and Myths in his mortal years, he had grown to know each of their personalities, and outside of a select few, all were too caught up in their noble mission to protect Equivos and bring their special qualities to the mortal Pokemon, making them unbearable to talk to for extended periods of time. The only ones who were not like this and actually made an abode were Mewtwo, Hoopa, and Arceus; the others tended to drift across Equivos, only returning to their homes in Deitae once in a while.

The Lucario set a paw across Hoopa's back, rubbing it. "I understand what you mean. Look at me; I became a Legend for making a few Pokemon in charge of something. I never had any special powers to speak of, yet here I am!" He cried.

Hoopa chuckled slightly, rubbing a hand across his eye. "Yeah, we're both in the same boat. We're the most fun Legend and Myth, and we've got to stick together, right?" Hoopa asked.

Matheus nodded, standing up. "Right-o, even if I can't bear it sometimes."