Last Time, on Explorer's of Prehistory...

The rescue party finally arrived at their destination: the legendary Cave of Dreams, a mystical place where your wildest dreams will come true. Though Team Rose wanted to separate from the party (probably to go exploring in the cave, instead of searching for the lost Team Vampire and Team Blizzard), Officer Ace was quick to tell them off for it. Meanwhile, Team Blizzard found the lost Team Vampire deep within the cave. However, Vlad and Dram acted as if Storm and Crystal weren't even there, and treated Akasha as if she was still a baby. Before the kids could find out what was making the two act like this, a horrible beast in the icy cave appeared and attacked them, chasing them off deeper into the caves...

What will happen next? Find out now!

"...Grooooowr!"

"H-h-help!"

The terrible roar and the desperate plea echoed throughout the cave, bouncing on from wall to wall, until it reached the ears of our heroes.

"HELP!"

Eight pairs of eyes went wide open. "That was Crystal!" Ace exclaimed. "Crystal!" he shouted into the cave, hoping that she could hear him, and that the others were all alive and well. "We're coming!"

Any weariness that the party felt vanished in a flash, and they took off down the increasingly narrow caverns, bounding, skittering and slithering across the icy floor as they rushed deeper and deeper into the cave, Crystal's begging cry echoing for what felt like an eternity throughout the inky darkness.

The shadows seemed to grow darker and darker as they plunged deeper inside of the horrible cave, the torches that Ace, Rose, and Aero were carrying seemed to grow dimmer and dimmer, as if the cave itself was absorbing the light and transforming it into nothingness. Despite the darkness, they didn't give up, even Cotton swallowed her fears, ignoring her own phobias (completely logical phobias, mind you) in favor of the lost explorers.

They ran and ran and ran, until they hit a snag in their plan. About a mile deeper into the cave, there was a fork in the road. To make matters worse, there were bright red ribbons placed at the entrance to both passages. "Crystal!" Ace shouted, his voice easily amplifying into both of the tunnels. "Storm! Akasha! Vlad! Dram! Can you hear me?! Where are you?!"

The only answer that Ace got was his own echo, reflected back at him before fading away into nothingness.

"Officer," Rose said, "I realize that it may be against Guild Rules, but it will probably be for the best if we split up."

Ace scowled. "I already told you-!" he began.

Rose interrupted him before he could go on. "I am well aware of what you told us! The fact of the matter is, if we run down the wrong passage altogether, we may be too late to save your friends! If we split up, we can head down both tunnels: one party will likely find them - or what is left of them - and will be able to act accordingly."

"She makes a point."

"Shut up, Dracia."

"...Sorry, Rose."

Ace was at a moral crossroads between following proper procedure and splitting up to reach their goal faster, but potentially get them all killed. Gardevoir Guild rules and regulations were there for a reason, but at this point they seemed dangerous to practice. After all, if they chose the wrong passage, the Vampires and the kids could very well end up dead.

Venom snorted Ace's hesitation. "Idiot," he growled, "do you honestly think we can't handle ourselves without our big, strong police officer to save us?"

"V-Venom!" Aero exclaimed, horrified.

"Those kids need help now," the Poison-type continued, ignoring the Mawile's protests. "Something is after them and they're probably in danger this very moment. So, stop wallowing in your own idiocy and make a decision, 'fearless leader' or I'll make it for you. Those Vampires and kids are more important than your stupid Poke Scout Handbook."

Ace blinked. Wait a minute... Venom was actually saying that he wanted to save the kids. He wasn't complaining about rescuing them, he wasn't saying he'd rather be elsewhere, he was outright saying "Screw the rules, the kids need our help!" And here Ace had pegged him as the selfish type... and that wasn't the end of it, either! Venom told him to make a choice - the Arbok was willingly telling him to give him an order.

Ace slowly smiled and nodded. "Thanks," he told Venom, surprising everyone, "I needed that."

"Unless the next words out of your mouth involve a rescue plan, keep it shut, golden-boy," Venom snarled, though he was inwardly thankful that Ace hadn't freaked out and attacked him.

Ace nodded. "Alright, Rose, we're going to split up," he told the Roserade. "I've worked with your team before, so I'll go with you. Venom, you take the girls down the other way. If you find anyone, bring 'em out the moment you see them, alright?"

"Right!" everyone else said with a curt nod at the Sceptile.

"Then let's do it!" Ace shouted.

They didn't need any further prompt to jet into action, plunging deeper into the shadowy void of the cave.

The first group, which shall be referred to as Team Survivor, began their journey into the horrors of the cave, full of energy and courage. Whatever fears they felt in their hearts was quelled by their bravery, and they never broke stride as they slithered, bounded and ran down the narrow shaft.

The area grew darker and darker as they ran deeper and deeper. The walls became narrower, and they had to run in single file. With Aero and her keen eyes at the front, keeping watch for any sign of the children, the Vampires, or for danger.

Team Rose and Ace weren't slouches either. Venom's harsh speech, oddly enough, had Ace fired up. He was at the front of the team, his amazing Sceptile speed forcing Team Rose to run as fast as they could to keep up with the Grass-type.

It didn't take them long to find the Vampires - or the dark truth about the cave.

"Mother, can we go out and play?" Vlad asked.

"Can we? Please?" Dram pleaded in a high-pitched tone that didn't suit his build at all.

Rose had to fight hard not to laugh, but Dracia didn't even bother. The Dratini was squirming and rolling on the ground, laughing uproariously at the misfortune of their rival team. Team Vampire hardly seemed to notice them, and simply bid their mother a fond farewell before flapping off into the tunnel.

Ace quickly intercepted, ignoring Dracia's obnoxious laughter. "Vlad! Dram! It's me, Ace, remember? What's going on?"

"Excuse me, sir," both Poison/Flying-type's said in unison, flying around the Sceptile and continuing on their way deeper into the cave.

Darcia's shrill laughter only grew. "T-t-this is just too good!" she chuckled. "Hahaha!"

Ace scowled. "They're getting away," he pointed out. "Come on! We got to catch them."

"Yes, yes," Rose agreed. "Dracia, do pick yourself up and cease with that noise. Let's go, ladies."

The rescue mission quickly turned into a chase - albeit a short one, because the Vampires weren't trying to escape from anything. Ace quickly leaped over the gliding bats and landed in front of them. "What's wrong with them?" he demanded, holding his ground as the two Poison/Flying-types began to pester him with "Excuse me's" and the like.

"They're delusional," Rose stated.

"Obviously!" Ace snorted. "What I meant was, why are they delusional?"

Rose shrugged. "I have no idea."

"You know, you could at least try to sound concerned..." Ace dryly pointed out.

Rose shook her head. "They knew the risks," she said without sympathy. "Perhaps they saw something in this cave that made them delusional and wish for happier times." She folded her roses and sniffed. "After all, they're seeing their parents. Their parents died ten years ago in a rock slide."

"Well, try telling them that," Ace muttered, holding out his arms and holding the two bats back. "Vlad! Dram! Listen to me! Whatever you're seeing isn't real, do you hear me?!"

"L-let us go!" Dram demanded.

"If you don't release us now, I'll tell my father!" Vlad warned. "He's an experienced fighter and will not hesitate to strike you down!"

Ace shoved the two bats back, knocking them to the floor. "This isn't working..." he murmured. "We need to find someway to snap them out of it. Any ideas?"

Rose shook her head. "The children are likely still in danger," she said, changing the subject, "and as such we should probably just restrain them, use our badges to remove them from the cave, and move along in search of the children."

"And leave them in the snow, with the Abomasnow?" Ace asked, not liking the idea in the slightest.

"They knew the risks," Rose stated again.

Ace sighed. Chances are, that was their best bet. The Vampires were not in their right mind, and with the kids in danger they couldn't stay in one place for too long. If they left the Vampires here, they could get lost again, and then they'd be back where they started. At least if they left them out in the tundra their coloring would make them stick out in the snow. "Fine," he muttered quietly. "Bind them up and get them out of here."

Rose nodded. "Thank you. Hula, you heard him. Tie them... Hula?"

Hula was sitting silently next to a small pit in the icy tunnel. "Yes, Rose?" she asked, her voice much more happy and flippant than usual.

Dracia scowled. "What's with her?" she asked.

Hula turned and looked at her allies, a large smile on her face - a vengeful smile, Ace noted with surprise. "It's so good to see you all," she said, her voice filled with mirth and malice. "There's been something I've been meaning to tell you."

"And... that is?" Rose asked, confused.

The warm, happy face was quickly replaced by a cold one filled with one emotion: hate. "Die."

Hula's eyes glowed bright green as she charged an Energy Ball and sent it sailing through the air. Rose was so dumbfounded by the attack that she didn't even have the time to react and took it right to the face, sending her to her back on the floor. It didn't do much damage - in fact, it barely hurt at all - but it still shocked the Roserade into silence.

Hula began laughing joyously. "I've wanted to do that forever!" she cackled.

"You little traitor!" Dracia snarled, slithering past the dumbfounded Ace and Rose. "I'm going to vaporize you for this! Fire Bla-!"

"Frustration!" Hula counted, ramming her tiny body right into the larger Dragon-type's body. Dracia's eyes bugged out of her skull as the attack hit her harder than she had expected, sending her flying back to Rose. Unlike her leader, however, Dracia was genuinely hurt, and not just shocked by the betrayal.

Hula did a happy spin. "And now," she sang, charging up a yellow ball of energy between her tiny green arms, "to finish you two off - forever!" She thrust out her arms towards the two, taking careful aim to kill the two. "I'll send you back to the Abyss, where you belong! Hyper Beam!"

Ace finally broke out of his shocked coma. Hula was unleashing a massive beam of pure energy: a Hyper Beam, one of the most powerful Pokemon attacks. Despite her tiny frame and meek demeanor, Hula was a Bellossom: a fully evolved Pokemon. Rose might - might - survive the hit, but Dracia was still a Dratini, less hardy than her leader. If that attack hit, it could kill them both.

"Dodge!" Ace roared, kicking both Rose and Dracia aside and ducking down just in time. The massive beam of energy roared as it ripped through the air, missing everyone and flying off into the distance, exploding somewhere deeper into the cave with a tremendous roar.

Hula pouted. "No fair!" she complained, glaring at the dazed Ace. "I'll just have to destroy you, too!"

Ace scowled as he picked himself up, launching himself at Hula. Hyper Beam was a powerful move, but using it was very tiring and required rest afterwards. This gave him the chance he needed to make an attack of his own. "Brick Break!" he shouted, swinging his fist at the Bellossom.

Hula leaped to the side, allowing Ace's attack to smash into the icy floor harmlessly. "Sludge Bomb!" she retorted, before spewing a blob of toxic sludge from her mouth right into Ace's face. The Grass-type gave a scream of agony as he was knocked down to his back, the acidic poison burning his face and his eyes.

"Hee-hee-hee," Hula laughed as she charged up another attack. "Hyper Beam!" she shouted, blasting away at the downed Ace.

"Protect!"

Ace closed his eyes, expecting the Hyper Beam to cut him right in two. However, the attack didn't hit him, exploding a few feet in front of him harmlessly. Ace slowly opened his eyes to see Rose standing in front of him, a bright blue force field dissolving around her, its purpose served.

"Rose..." Ace murmured.

"On your feet, my dear Officer Ace," Rose ordered. "Frankly, we've still got work to do!"

Ace nodded and leaped up. "Right!" he said.

Now Hula was really mad. "Stop that! That whole not dying thing! It's annoying and I hate you!"

"Hula, what's wrong with you?!" Ace demanded. "Normally you're so quiet and nice..."

"Quiet and weak, you mean!" Hula snarled.

"Answer the question, Hula!" Rose ordered. "Why on earth would you do this?!"

"You know why..." Hula growled in a low voice. "Ever since I joined your stupid team I've been your punching bag and errand girl. I've never been thanked, I've never been rewarded, and I've never been appreciated. Well, all that's about to change! For years, my dream has been to finally be rid of you and your idiot stooge, and that dream is finally going to come true!"

Ace scowled, his eyes burning from the Sludge Bomb. "Hula, don't do this!" he begged. "Killing is wrong and its illegal! If you murder them I don't have a choice - I have to bring you in!"

"And you!" Hula snarled, ignoring Ace's plea. "You and everyone else - you sit there and let them push me around! You're not off the hook either, and neither are them!" she screamed, pointing to the ignorant Team Vampire. "Prepare for annihilation!" she roared. "Sludge Bomb!"

Ace and Rose leaped away as Hula began to spit more balls of poison. "Dracia!" Rose shouted. "Get up and help! Hit her with your Fire Blast!"

Dracia, sadly, remained unconscious, lying on the floor in a heap.

Rose scowled. "Idiot," she grumbled. "How on earth could she have been beaten down by a single attack from Hula of all people?!"

Ace returned the scowl, dodging another Sludge Bomb. "It's that attitude that got us into this mess!" he snapped. "Frustration is an attack that gets stronger the angrier the user is! Every time Hula used that attack was because you and Dracia treat her like a servant! It's no wonder it was so powerful!"

"Officer, blame me all you like, but that doesn't change the fact that she's trying to kill us!" Rose retorted. She raised her Protect again and deflected another volley of Sludge Bomb. "Why she waited until now is beyond me, frankly."

"Whatever the reason, we need to bring her down!" Ace shouted. "Let's..."

Hula cut him off with a Sludge Bomb right to the face. The Sceptile gasped in pain as it grasped his face yet again, the acid burning like no fire he had ever felt before. "Captain!" Rose shouted, almost actually sounding concerned. Sadly, her Protect faded away that very moment and in that moment of distraction Hula strick her in the chest, sending her to the ground as well.

The Bellossom smirked. "Gotcha," she hissed, immensely satisfied. "Time to finish you all off - I think I'll start with..." She raised her and pointed her finger at Ace, a Hyper Beam charging at the tip of her finger. "You," she whispered darkly.

Ace raised his hand in defense, breathing heavily. "Hula, please. Don't go down this road."

"And why not?" Hula asked, pouring more power into the Hyper Beam. "It's not like anyone's gonna live to tell anyone what I did."

"H-Hula..." Rose gasped. "D-don't... Please..."

Hula scowled hatefully. "You be quiet. I'll get to you in a second."

"I'm sorry..." Rose pleaded. "D-don't do this!"

"Oh, now you're sorry!" Hula snapped. "And do you know why? Because now I'm in a position of power now, just like you were not too long ago. Sadly, this where that ends. In fact..." She switched her target to Rose. "I think I'll start with you, first. Goodbye. HYPER BEAM!"

Hula thrust out her palm to fire the attack when...

"Fire Blast!"

A massive kanji-shaped blast of heat struck the Grass-type, sending her flying back with a scream of rage.

Dracia, who had obviously just gotten back up, was panting heavily. "Little brat," she growled.

"Excellent timing, my dear," Rose said, panting heavily. "Frankly, you're just in time."

Ace scowled as he pushed himself off the floor, absolutely exhausted. "Y-you okay?" he asked Dracia, trying hard to actually care.

Dracia rolled her eyes. "Please," she snorted. "Hula can't actually hurt me! She's too tiny and..."

"Shut up!"

A Sludge Bomb collided with Dracia's face. The Dratini screeched painfully as she shook the slime from her eyes. "You little...!" she began.

Hula was standing up again, her green body charred and burnt by Dracia's attack. "Dang it all..." she sobbed, tears leaking from her eyes. "You're ruining my dream!"

"It's over, Hula," Rose glowered. "You're outnumbered. Surrender now, and we won't hurt you too badly."

Hula roared hatefully, tears showering from her glowing yellow eyes to the floor. She began to charge another Hyper Beam in her hands. "If I'm going down..." she hissed, "I'm taking you all with me! If I have to die to be rid of your torments, than I'll pay that price!" And then, before anyone could say anything, she screamed, "HYPER BEAM!" and fired it at the ceiling.

The attack struck the roof, and exploded, and the screams of Team Rose and Ace were drowned out by the roar of the falling rocks.

Author's Note:

Holy crap, Hula's snapped. Let's just hope she doesn't have the Stare...

Anyways, why did Hula snap so easily? Tune in next time to find out!