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"Huff... huff..."
Jacob and Nina crouched inside the cave, their chests heaving as they struggled to catch their breath. Their clothes were torn and disheveled from their desperate escape. If it hadn't been for Alakazam's timely Teleport, they might never have broken free from the overwhelming swarm of Solrock and Lunatone that had surrounded them.
The sheer number of those Psychic and Rock-type Pokémon had been staggering. What made the situation even more terrifying was the presence of incredibly powerful individuals among their ranks. Jacob had spotted several Solrock and Lunatone that possessed Gym Leader-level strength during their frantic retreat, and he was certain he'd seen at least two that radiated the unmistakable aura of quasi-King level power.
The gravity of their situation hit him like a thunderbolt. This was merely the outer perimeter of the mysterious island, yet it already harbored such dangerous creatures. What kind of nightmarish threats would they encounter if they ventured deeper into the island's heart? The very thought sent a chill down his spine.
Extremely dangerous.
Those four ominous words from the mission briefing echoed relentlessly in Jacob's mind, amplifying his growing unease. He found himself questioning how they could possibly survive if they became permanently trapped within this secret realm, as Nina had grimly suggested earlier.
"We have no food and no fresh water," Jacob muttered, voicing their most pressing concerns.
Their survival depended on securing these basic necessities immediately. While Water-type Pokémon could potentially provide fresh water through their abilities, the food situation presented a seemingly insurmountable challenge with no obvious solution in sight.
"Then we have no choice but to continue moving toward the center of the island," Nina analyzed with remarkable composure despite their dire circumstances. Her voice remained steady as she continued, "Although we could potentially catch fish to satisfy our hunger near the coastline, the cliff areas are dominated by territorial Solrock and Lunatone. Any attempt to approach the seaside would immediately alert them to our presence, so our only viable option is to venture deeper inland."
Jacob nodded grimly, acknowledging the harsh reality of their situation. They were trapped between the metaphorical rock and hard place, with no alternative but to push further into the unknown dangers that awaited them in the island's interior.
After allowing themselves approximately ten minutes to recover their strength and calm their nerves, the two trainers steeled themselves and resumed their treacherous journey toward the mysterious center of the island.
As they progressed deeper into the island's heart, an otherworldly phenomenon became increasingly apparent. The fog surrounding them grew progressively thicker and more substantial, taking on an almost dreamlike quality that seemed to shimmer and dance in the dim light. The dense mist reduced their visibility to a mere few meters, forcing them to rely heavily on their Pokémon's enhanced senses to navigate safely.
Under the vigilant protection of Alakazam, Kommo-o, and Zweilous, the two trainers continued their cautious advance deeper into the island's mysterious interior. Each step forward felt like venturing further into an alien world where the normal rules of reality seemed increasingly suspended.
"Wait," Jacob suddenly called out, his voice cutting through the eerie silence that had settled around them.
He stopped abruptly and directed his attention toward a magnificent emerald green tree that stood nearby, its presence both beautiful and unsettling. Several perfectly spherical fruits hung from its fluorescent green branches, each one seeming to pulse with an inner light. The fruits appeared remarkably smooth and round, their peels adorned with intricate mist-like patterns that seemed almost alive as they swirled and wrapped around the entire surface of each fruit.
[Dream Fruit]: A special item. After feeding to a Pokémon, it can transform the Pokémon's ability into its hidden ability.
Nina followed Jacob's mesmerized gaze and immediately spotted the extraordinary Dream Fruit suspended from the luminescent branches. Her expression underwent a dramatic transformation, shifting from initial joy and excitement to profound seriousness as the implications of their discovery became clear.
"Is this actually a Dream Fruit?" Nina asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Her knowledge of these legendary items stemmed from the infamous incident involving the Nightmare God Darkrai that had shaken the Pokémon world years earlier. During that terrifying event, several unfortunate individuals had accidentally found themselves transported into the dream world, where they discovered numerous incredible treasures hidden within the dream realm's boundaries.
However, the vast majority of those who entered the dream space never returned to tell their tale. Only a precious few managed to emerge alive from that nightmarish experience, carrying with them extraordinary spoils of their harrowing journey, including the legendary Dream Fruit.
Items like Dream Fruit existed exclusively within the dream world, appearing nowhere else in the known universe. The presence of these fruits could only mean one thing: the secret realm where they now found themselves was undoubtedly located within the mysterious dream world itself.
"We must have somehow entered the dream world," Nina sighed deeply, her mind racing as she considered a particularly troubling possibility that sent waves of anxiety through her entire being.
The dream world was organized into two distinct categories encompassing eight separate locations, each with its own unique characteristics and dangers.
The two major categories consisted of the secret realm of dreams, which fell under the divine control of the Dream God Cresselia, and the secret realm of nightmares, which served as the domain of the fearsome Nightmare God Darkrai.
Since the nightmare secret realm had already been discovered and extensively documented by previous expeditions, this location could only be the Beautiful Dream Secret Realm. If they were indeed within the Beautiful Dream Secret Realm, then logic dictated that the legendary Dream God Cresselia must reside somewhere on this very island.
The realization struck Nina like a physical blow, and her expression became increasingly grim as the full weight of their situation settled upon her. Jacob, being no fool himself, quickly arrived at the same terrifying conclusion. The overwhelming presence of rich Psychic energy permeating the area, combined with the unmistakable appearance of genuine Dream Fruit, made it relatively simple to deduce that this secret realm was definitely connected to the legendary Dream God Cresselia.
The legendary Pokémon inhabiting this world bore no resemblance to their game counterparts in terms of power and capabilities. While Cresselia's base statistics in games might mirror those of pseudo-legendary Pokémon, the reality was far more terrifying. The power possessed by legendary Pokémon in this world transcended that of ordinary pseudo-legendary Pokémon by an astronomical margin. They represented forces of nature that could reshape reality itself.
The eternal sleep incident orchestrated by the Nightmare God Darkrai remained fresh in everyone's memory, serving as a stark reminder of what legendary Pokémon were truly capable of achieving. If Darkrai possessed such devastating power, then how unimaginably powerful must Cresselia be, given her equal status and opposing nature to the Nightmare God? This revelation explained perfectly why this particular secret realm had received the ominous rating of "extremely dangerous."
"We must exercise extreme caution from this point forward," Nina warned Jacob with deadly seriousness. "There's an overwhelming likelihood that the Dream God Cresselia makes her home somewhere within this Secret Realm."
"I'll harvest these Dream Fruit first," Jacob replied with a determined nod, his practical nature asserting itself despite the danger.
Dream Fruit represented incredible value in the Pokémon world, with individual specimens commanding prices of tens of millions of Pokédollars on the rare occasions when they appeared at auction. Now that fate had presented them with this extraordinary opportunity, there was absolutely no logical reason to abandon such a valuable discovery.
"Yes, proceed, but remain extremely careful," Nina agreed, her eyes constantly scanning their surroundings for any sign of approaching danger.
After Jacob carefully harvested the precious Dream Fruit and secured them safely in his pack, the two trainers resumed their journey while maintaining their conversation about the mysterious realm they had entered.
"The dream world encompasses two distinct categories and eight separate areas in total," Nina explained as they walked, her voice taking on the tone of someone sharing crucial survival information. "The Nightmare Secret Realm controlled by Darkrai includes four specific areas: the Forest of a Thousand Flowers, where countless varieties of mysterious plants bloom in eternal twilight; the Top of White Clouds, a realm of floating islands suspended in endless sky; the Overlapping Mountains, where reality bends and peaks exist in impossible configurations; and the Boundless Dream, an area where the very concept of space becomes meaningless."
"The Beautiful Dream Secret Realm under Cresselia's dominion includes the remaining four areas: the Shining Ocean, where waters glow with inner light; Dream Castle, a fortress that exists between waking and sleeping; Cold Steel Cave, where metal and ice merge in impossible combinations; and Misty Forest, where fairy tales become reality."
This represented the first time Jacob had ever heard detailed information about the eight major areas comprising the dream world. A spark of genuine curiosity flickered in his eyes despite their dangerous situation, and he listened with rapt attention to Nina's comprehensive explanation, absorbing every word that might prove crucial to their survival.
"Water-type Pokémon make their homes in the Shining Ocean," Nina continued, "so that mystical body of water should correspond to the ocean surrounding this island that we observed during our arrival."
"The Misty Forest must be our current location, given the thick fog and the presence of fairy tale elements. This area serves as the primary habitat for Fairy-type Pokémon and creatures of legend."
"I don't possess specific knowledge about the exact locations of the other two areas within this realm. However, I do know that Dark-type, Ghost-type, and Psychic-type Pokémon make their homes within the Dream Castle, while Ice-type, Steel-type, Ground-type, and Rock-type Pokémon inhabit the Cold Steel Cave."
As the two trainers continued their discussion of the dream world's geography, they suddenly detected a series of distinctive sounds emanating from somewhere ahead of them through the thick mist. The unexpected noises immediately triggered their survival instincts, putting both trainers on high alert as they prepared for potential danger.
Several extraordinarily strange-looking Pokémon materialized from within the swirling mist, their forms becoming clearer as they approached. The group consisted of a magnificent Hatterene radiating unmistakable King level strength, accompanied by an equally powerful Grimmsnarl that possessed the same impressive level of power. Behind these formidable adults, their offspring could be seen: several young Impidimp displaying various stages of development, and most remarkably, a small Hatenna that practically glowed with incredible potential.
Jacob's experienced eye immediately assessed the young Hatenna and nearly gasped aloud. This particular specimen possessed genuine King-level potential, a rarity that could be worth an absolute fortune under normal circumstances.
This previously unexplored secret realm was indeed proving to be an absolute treasure trove of incredible discoveries. First, they had stumbled upon the legendary Dream Fruit, and now they were witnessing a King-level potential Hatenna in its natural habitat. Unfortunately, the presence of its fiercely protective parents made any attempt at capture virtually impossible without triggering a catastrophic battle.
The moment Jacob and Nina discovered the Pokémon family, the adult creatures obviously became aware of the human intruders as well. Grimmsnarl and Hatterene immediately positioned themselves as living shields between the humans and their precious children, issuing clear warning sounds that needed no translation to understand their meaning.
Facing two Fairy-type Pokémon with King level strength presented Jacob and Nina with a significant tactical challenge that made both trainers' heads spin with potential complications. Even if they somehow managed to achieve victory in direct combat, they harbored serious concerns about the consequences of creating such a disturbance in this unknown environment.
What would be their fate if the sounds of battle attracted additional quasi-King level Pokémon to investigate? The possibility of facing multiple opponents of such caliber simultaneously was too terrifying to contemplate seriously.
Despite his natural desire to obtain the King-level potential Hatenna for his team, Jacob demonstrated wisdom beyond his years by understanding the bigger picture and recognizing their priorities. "Alakazam, please help me communicate with them that we harbor no ill intentions whatsoever. We will depart from this area immediately and leave them in peace."
Alakazam nodded with understanding and immediately began establishing telepathic communication with the two protective Pokémon, conveying Jacob's peaceful intentions through the universal language of psychic connection.
Grimmsnarl and Hatterene, being devoted parents concerned primarily with protecting their vulnerable children, naturally preferred to avoid any unnecessary conflict with the human trainers. They maintained intense eye contact with Jacob and Nina, accompanying their fierce glares with threatening vocalizations that left no doubt about their readiness to fight if necessary. However, after receiving Alakazam's peaceful message, they quickly gathered their offspring and departed from the area with remarkable speed.
Jacob and Nina immediately increased their pace and continued their determined march toward the center of the island. As they drew progressively closer to their mysterious destination, a remarkable transformation began occurring in their environment. The fog that had been growing increasingly thick during their journey suddenly began to thin and dissipate, gradually revealing more of their surroundings with each step forward.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity of walking through the otherworldly landscape, they caught sight of something that made both trainers stop in their tracks with amazement. Through the remaining wisps of white mist, the unmistakable silhouette of an ancient castle began to emerge, its towering spires and weathered walls speaking of centuries of existence in this magical realm.