At this time, Aoki and his two companions had fully entered the hollowed-out tree trunk. The destination of this arboreal tunnel remained unknown as they continued their descent. After running for nearly ten minutes through the seemingly endless passage, the path showed no signs of terminating.
Suddenly, Aoki's right hand twitched imperceptibly. Though his expression remained calm, he recognized the sensation immediately - they had encountered a spatial membrane. "Here!" he shouted abruptly. Without hesitation, he grabbed Slowking and Pupitar before charging directly into what appeared to be an ordinary section of the wooden wall. To an outside observer, it would have looked like they were attempting to smash through solid wood, but in the blink of an eye, Aoki vanished into the tree's structure.
Steven and Phoebe exchanged startled glances. As the more experienced explorer, Phoebe understood first - spatial membranes often served as gateways to sacred locations. "Follow me!" she commanded, plunging through the barrier with her Banette and Mismagius in tow. Seeing both companions disappear, Steven steeled himself and leapt after them.
Upon emerging on the other side, Steven found Aoki and Phoebe standing motionless. "What's wrong?" he asked cautiously. Phoebe simply nodded toward their surroundings. When Steven lifted his gaze, his breath caught in his throat at the impossible sight before them.
They now stood within an enormous cavernous space completely unlike the narrow tree tunnel they'd traversed. What rendered them speechless was the cavern's composition - every surface, from the vaulted ceiling to the walls and even the ground beneath their feet, consisted of flowing emerald material resembling liquid jade. The entire chamber pulsed with an eerie internal luminescence as the green substance circulated continuously through the space like blood through veins.
Dominating the chamber's center stood an extraordinary tree - its trunk, branches, and leaves all shared the same translucent emerald quality as their surroundings. Light refracted through its crystalline structure, creating prismatic patterns that danced across the cavern walls. The three trainers approached cautiously, their footsteps echoing oddly against what felt like solid stone rather than organic matter.
"Where...are we?" Steven finally broke the silence, his voice hushed with awe. Despite his family's wealth and connections, he'd never encountered anything resembling this place. The sheer volume of what appeared to be gemstone material defied comprehension, particularly the central tree which seemed to pulse with its own inner light.
"This may be the true heart of the Tree of Life," Aoki speculated, his analytical mind working to process their surroundings. Without spatial abilities, locating this place would be virtually impossible - one would need to blindly stumble upon the exact entry point among miles of winding tunnels. The Hunter Guild's previous attempts to map the interior with scanning equipment suddenly made sense; their leader Mitchell must have suspected something existed beyond normal perception but lacked the means to properly detect it.
Phoebe ran her fingers along the tree's shimmering bark. "Is this even a tree?" she wondered aloud, though none present could provide an answer. Aoki knelt to examine peculiar vein-like structures radiating across the floor, which he deduced to be roots. The glowing green energy flowing through them appeared to nourish the central tree in some symbiotic relationship.
"Notice anything familiar about this tree's structure?" Aoki asked suddenly. When his companions looked puzzled, he elaborated, "The proportions and positioning - doesn't it resemble the Tree of Life we saw outside, just on a smaller scale?"
Steven's eyes widened. "You're right...but that would mean..." His voice trailed off as he grasped the implications.
Aoki nodded grimly. "I believe this chamber represents a microcosm of the entire mysterious space we've been exploring. The flowing green substance likely corresponds to the energy field permeating the region." He gestured broadly at their surroundings. "Think about how exceptionally strong the Grass-type Pokémon here are compared to normal specimens - this environment must be saturated with their elemental energy."
The trio lapsed into thoughtful silence, each considering the chamber's significance. Suddenly, Phoebe pointed excitedly at a section of the floor. "Look there! The energy flow seems to diminish slightly when passing over that area."
Aoki crouched to inspect the anomaly. The spot felt cooler than its surroundings, with a barely perceptible depression in the otherwise smooth surface. His gaze darted between the irregularity and the tree as realization dawned. "This corresponds to where we found the Venusaur colony!" he exclaimed. "There was an energy pool there that the Unown said drew power from spatial fractures. This confirms we're seeing a perfect miniature of the entire space."
With this revelation, Aoki approached the central tree again. Up close, it appeared rather ordinary in size - perhaps ten feet tall with a dense canopy of crystalline leaves. He placed his palm against the warm, smooth trunk and closed his eyes, activating his Telepathy ability in an attempt to communicate with the strange organism.
Steven and Phoebe remained utterly still, not daring to interrupt. They understood Aoki's unique psychic talents allowed such attempts at communication, though Phoebe's ghostly energies only worked reliably with Ghost-types. Three minutes passed in complete silence as Aoki's psychic energy enveloped the tree, the mental exertion evident from his furrowed brow.
When Aoki finally opened his eyes, Steven whispered, "Anything?" only to receive a disappointed headshake. Just as Aoki began to withdraw his hand, a single, cryptic thought-impression flashed through his mind:
"It's snowing—"