CHAPTER 1: THE CRY FOR HELP

Ash and company were passing through the mountain path that would lead to Mountain City (of course Mountain City was just a waypoint to another gym), "I wonder where we are now?" Ash asked, Brock checked the map and said, "Looks like we're near Mountain City, no gym, but it seems like a good place to stop and rest up." They looked behind themselves and saw May and Max bringing up the rear, "Hurry up you two." Ash called out to them.

When they got in town they decided to get something to eat, there was a restaurant not far from where they were. When they entered they saw the sign TRAINERS EAT FOR FREE, they knew maybe stopping here was a good idea.

Brock then looked around; his eyes stopped on a blond haired kid that just seemed to be staring at them. Ash looked at Brock and asked what was troubling him, Brock responded: "That guy over there has done nothing but stare at us since we've entered here, at first I thought he was just staring for coincidence sake…but now he's starting to scare me."

Finally the kid got out of his seat and walked over to them and said, "I haven't seen you bunch around here, so I guess you're from out of town?" They all nodded and he continued, "Well the why I ask is to ask if you've seen a guy with brown hair, green eyes w/ glasses, and carrying a backpack that looks to heavy beyond belief?" The all replied no, the kid gave a depressed sigh and said to himself, "Where the heck can he be?!" then he looked at them and said, "Oops, how very unpolite of me to ask a question and not even give you my name, name's Erich with a C-H."

Ash and the other's introduced themselves; Erich sat down and explained that a friend of his named Mike had disappeared three months ago on a solo expedition. He had been asking dozens of trainers and other travelers if they had seen him…but so far no leads, "Danyelle is starting to get worried, so are his other friends…but I myself couldn't really care either way, Mike always said he thought of leaving Mountain City so if he did I'd say good for him."

"So Danyelle worries about Mike, why?" Brock asked, Erich replied, "Because she's Mike's girlfriend, she sort of waits for Mike to return from his expedition, for the last month she swears she's been hearing Mike's voice whisper in the wind…you know, calling to her. She's also been having visions and going into trances and junk like that, best to let her finish whatever's going on in that skull of hers."

"So where does she live?" Ash asked, Erich replied: "Well she lives about three blocks from Mike's house, but since it's her turn to watch over Mike's place I'll take you there when you're ready to leave."

A few minutes later Erich took them to Mike's place, It was your simple one story home with a few windows, he knocked at the door and Danyelle answered. She said: "Hello Erich, I see that you've brought company…come in I was just making some tea."

Suddenly Danyelle took a few steps inside and heard it, "Danyelle…Danyelle." She turned around and complained, "That's not funny Erich!" With a puzzled look Erich said, "I didn't say anything Danyelle, honest injun."

Danyelle shot a slight smile and said, "Okay, I believe you…just come in before the misquotes do, or Mike will have a fit." Erich turned back to Ash and company and gave a 'see what I mean?' look.

The inside of Mike's place was pretty simple as well, except for all the maps and books, journals, along with other stuff. Brock had made an offer to help clean the place up, but Danyelle said, "Mike would wear a very thin temper with you if you did that, he sort of likes things in a state of decay…so to speak." Erich nodded as to show his support for what Danyelle had just said, suddenly there came a high whistle from the kitchen, "Oh, the water's ready…so how do you guys feel about Chamomile, only favor of tea Mike has around this place I'm afraid…but—" Suddenly Danyelle nearly had a swooning fit, she saw faint flashes of a shrine with a door in the middle of it, the door was open, then came the voice: "Danyelle, the path is open Danyelle…please find me."

Erich caught her in his arms before she hit the ground, when she came to she said, "I heard him, I heard Mike…he's alive, he's there." Erich shook his head and said, "Danyelle, you fainted…you're so worried about Mike that you're starting to hear and see things, why don't you take a bath…I'll get the tea and take up the remainder of your shift."

As Danyelle left for the bathroom she said, "I'm not crazy…this is the 13th time this week that this has happened." Erich then replied, "I never said you were crazy, just that you're a little tense and that a bath might do you a world of good."

As Erich set up the tea Ash asked, "What did she mean by 'he's there'? Is there something we should know about?"

Erich let out a sigh and said, "Okay, I guess if we know you have to know as well…Mike was researching something known as the Crystal Palace, some people in Mountain City believe that place was a bunch of bull. But Mike wasn't a person to fall for fact, he went off looking for the place and hasn't come back." He looked at all of them and carefully studied the look on their face, he was pretty certain they believed him.

Meanwhile Danyelle was enjoying her bath, she suddenly nodded off and had maybe one of the most frightening dreams she had ever had. She saw a giant building overlooking Mountain City, it was caked in ice, except for one structure that was fixed on top of it. She was then pulled instantly inside to what seemed to her like a throne room, she saw someone that was dressed in a robe and crown. The person had his or her back turned to her, but she did have some sense that something was watching over her.

"Um hello?" she spoke her voice a little shaky due to that her surroundings were creeping her out, "I don't know if you can help me but I seem to be stuck here and I was wondering if you knew of a way—" as soon as she was but a few feet away from the person he whirled around and what Danyelle saw next was truly horrifying. The person really wasn't a person but a skeleton, all she could see was the skull but she was sure it was a skeleton, it made a hissing sound at her, and that my friends was enough to send him running the other way. Just as she reached the door she collided with something, it fell over…but quickly picked itself up off the floor. It was Mike, all the sudden he grabbed hold of her and said, "Danyelle…I need your help!"

Danyelle all the sudden pulled herself out of the tub, near horrified…It took herself three minutes to realize it was a dream, but to her it had felt so real. She quickly got dressed and left the bathroom, she quickly told Erich of what she saw in her dream and said that Mike could be in trouble. Erich chuckled and said, "Nonsense, utter nonsense…Danyelle, you just had a nightmare, that was all. No need to worry yourself about the meaning of it."

Danyelle then saw that Ash and the others had left, "They left ten minutes ago, they're staying at the Pokémon Center. I'd suggest going home and getting some work done Danyelle." Erich said.

As Danyelle left the house, she had that feeling she was being watched again.