All of them are shocked to see the building right in front of them.

It looks presentable and hardly looks like a haunted house. The long green-haired android woman is waiting outside the gate to greet them.

"Welcome back, everyone." Erin greeted them with a warm smile.

"We're back, Erin." Yuu greeted back and looked at the building. "You guys did an amazing job."

Erin shook her head. "I couldn't do it without the help of Sky and your companions. They all are amazing and you raise them well." She complimented their Pokemon and didn't expect them to be well-mannered.

"Thank you." Crystal thanked her before she sighed softly. "Erin, we're going to be back a bit later. We need to gather our team to go somewhere."

Erin tilted her head curiously. "Your classes ended a few hours ago. Can I ask why?"

Yuu scratches his head. "Deuce launched Ace to catch Grim from the chandelier but ended up breaking it. The headmage thinks there might be a magestone left in the Dwarfs' Mine so we need to get it before we're going to be expelled for sure."

"It's really late are you sure about this?" Erin asked worriedly. "I didn't expect all of you to get involved in that kind of trouble."

"Trust me we don't." He glares at Grim. "What you did is completely unacceptable Grim." Yuu didn't appreciate Grim's behavior and caused more trouble.

"Myah! It's all that idiot's fault! I hate it when he badmouthed us." Grim defended himself while Yuu appreciated it mentally. "Only I should insult you guys! Haha!"

Aileen sighs heavily. "Go figure." She flicks Grim's forehead and he hissed in pain. "Who are we going to bring? Considering we're going to Mine."

"Well for me I'll bring Luxray, Lucario and Aegislash." Crystal answered while they were going inside the building. "What about you Aileen?"

"Greninja, Urshifu and Blaziken. I don't need to bring Watchog because you're bringing Luxray." Aileen pointed out and glanced at the blonde girl.

"I'll bring Gardevoir and Zorua." Ophelia answered.

Yuu hums. "I only have Sprigatito at the moment but I don't think it would be a good idea to bring Koraidon."

"Why not bring that giant lizard!?" Grim exclaimed in shock. "He's super strong!"

"He used his last strength when he saved me from Houndoom and its pack." Yuu answered. He didn't forget how he got cornered and Koraidon saved them. "Right now, he's in no condition to fight."

"How did you find him?" Crystal couldn't help but ask.

"I found him at the beach side of Poco Path in Paldea." Yuu answered. "Nemona, she's my friend and we heard a strange cry. That's how I encountered him."

"It's unusual to see Koraidon knowing they don't exist anymore." She hums and crosses her arms. "Who else knows about him?"

"Professor Sada, Arven Director Clavell and Nemona at the moment." Yuu answered. "Professor Sada asked me to look after Koraidon but... to be honest? I don't even know what makes him lose his will to fight. I can only ride him at the moment."

"I see..." The black-haired girl studied prehistoric Pokemon ages back in her sacred land. "I can explain a few things about Koraidon but right now... we need to gather our Pokemon before meeting up with Deuce and Ace." The girls gather the Pokemon they need before saying farewell to Erin and Sky.

———————————————————

They manage to join Ace and Deuce when they're waiting at the Mirror Chambers. The orange-haired boy groaned. "Maan... how did I end up in this mess? I swear, I have the worst luck." He complained while Yuu shook his head.

"We don't have time to complain. Let's go!" Deuce gives Ace a pointed look. "Dark Mirror! Take us to the Dwarfs' Mine!"

The mirror glowed and transported them safely to Dwarfs' Mine. Yuu, Ophelia, Crystal and Aileen never transported through the mirrors before. It leaves them speechless.

"So this is the Dwarfs' Mine... long ago, this mine was flush with magestone." Deuce commented while observing his surroundings.

Grim shakes in fear. "Urgh... who knows what lurks in there now?" He whimpered and was terrified to see another ghost that might be hostile.

Ace notices a cottage in front of them. "Look, I can see a house. Let's see what the people there have to say." The orange-haired boy suggested.

Ophelia frowned and didn't sense any life force at the cottage. "Strange... where are they?" She muttered under her breath and Yuu heard the blonde girl.

"Everything okay, Ophelia?" He asked curiously noticing her strange behavior.

"I didn't sense anyone in there." Ophelia answered truthfully. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Yuu hums in deep thought. "It's also strange to be this quiet around here." He voiced his opinion.

"Looks like we're about to find out." Crystal commented.

They approach the cottage. Deuce knocks on the door. "Hello? Is anyone home?" He notices the door is unlocked and opens it to see the place is filthy. "Must be empty. It looks like it's been abandoned."

Grim cried out in shock. "Bwah! I got a spider web on my face! Ptchoo! Ptchoo!" He tries to wipe it off his face.

"Look how tint these desks and chairs are. Did children live here?" Ace asked curiously. "One, two... seven! It's like a clown car in here!"

"No." Aileen immediately answered and wiped the dust off the photo frame. She sees the picture of the seven dwarves. "The dwarves used to live here. I'll have to assume they abandoned this cottage."

"The question is how long has this place been abandoned?" Yuu asked curiously and none of them could provide the answer.

"When the mine was flourishing, this house must have been a lively place." Deuce commented while Ophelia hummed.

"Or used to." Ophelia muttered and tried to know what happened by using her vision but ended up blank. "That's a first." She whispered the last part. The blonde girl can see the past, present and future but somehow it won't allow her to see it.

"Well, this isn't getting us anywhere. If we're gonna find a magestone, it'll be inside the mine." Ace pointed out that since they couldn't find the cottage "Let's head inside and take a look."

———————————————————

Grim gulps nervously to see the entrance of the mine. "You wanna go inside THERE? It's pitch black!" He yelled.

"What, are you scared of the dark? Pathetic." Ace teased the grey cat.

Crystal shook her head. "There's nothing to be afraid of." She assured Grim.

Grim glares at them. "I'm not scared of anything!"

"Grim should take the lead~!" Ophelia cheered happily while Aileen shook her head.

"You're going to boost his ego more, Ophie." The blue-haired girl muttered under her breath while Yuu laughed nervously.

"I'm taking the lead. You all follow me!" Grim declared and went inside first.

Crystal shook her head in amusement. She took her Pokeball and pressed the middle to make it regular size. "We need someone to help us. Luxray, I choose you!" She throws the Pokeball high and it opens to reveal the gleam eyes Pokemon.

"Luxray!" Luxray cried out its name.

"What the hell is that!?" Ace yelled in shock to see another strange creature in front of them.

"Luxray is my companion and his eyesight is powerful enough to see any objects we need. It's like an x-ray vision." The black-haired girl explained.

Luxray is a quadrupedal Pokemon resembling a fully-grown lion. While its face, hind legs, torso, and the back of its front legs are blue, much of its body is covered with shaggy, black fur. The fur is longer around the shoulders and the base of the tail and forms a mane on its head. The mane is larger on the male than on the female. It has yellow eyes with red sclerae, a blunt muzzle, and rounded ears with yellow insides. The eyes change color when using their ability. There are three yellow half-rings on the back of each foreleg. Its long, thin tail is tipped with a yellow four-pointed star.

"Luxray?" Yuu scans the Pokemon using his Rotomphone.

"Luxray, the Gleam Eyes Pokemon. An Electric type. With its power to see through objects, Luxray can even find opponents on the other side of thick walls." It explained.

"It makes sense why you're bringing Luxray with us." Yuu finally understands why Crystal takes him.

"Just how many creatures do you have!?" Ace asked the black-haired girl.

"Don't ask." Aileen answered. "Right now, we need to focus on finding that stone." She follows Grim and Luxray as the rest follow them.

Yuu: Who's that Pokemon?

———————————————————

"Huh? Hold up!" Deuce stops them.

"What now?" Ace asked in annoyance.

"There's something there!" The dark navy blue-haired boy points ahead.

"Lux..." Luxray's fur bristles and stands in front of Crystal to protect her.

"Myah!" Grim hides behind Yuu's back.

"Hee hee hee! Visitors! The first in ten years!" One of the ghosts exclaimed happily.

"Do make yourselves at home... you can stay forever!" The small ghosts suggested.

"No, thank you." Crystal stares at the ghosts with a stern look. "We prefer to stay in the living world. I'll deal with them."

"But how!?" Ace couldn't help but ask the black-haired girl.

"Luxray, use roar!" She ordered the gleam eyes Pokemon.

"Rawr!" Luxray roared mighty as Deuce, Ace and Grim couldn't help but cover their ears.

All the ghosts flew away by Luxray's roar and he huffs in satisfaction. Crystal chuckled and stroked his mane. "Well done, Luxray." He purrs at her affection.

"Wow..." Deuce is amazed by Luxray's abilities. "Who knew just one roar would lead them to flee."

"I had a theory if it works on ghosts and I was right." She smiles lightly.

"Thanks, Crystal." He appreciates Crystal's quick instinct. "Let's just keep moving."

Ace didn't like the fact that Deuce acted like a leader. "Sure, but don't act like we voted you team leader. The only reason we're here in the first place is because of that stupid stunt you pulled." He reminded him of the chandelier incident.

"Oh?" He glares at the orange-haired boy angrily. "I'm pretty sure this all started because you tried to shirk your window-cleaning punishment." Deuce accused Ace of his actions for running away from his problem.

"So we're bringing up ancient history now?" Ace asked angrily. "Then if you wanna get down to brass tacks, this all started when furball nearly torched—"

"Hey, that's enough both of you." Yuu intervened in the fight before it got worse. "Pointing each other's hand isn't going to solve anything! If anything— this wouldn't happen if you didn't make fun of Grim!" He glares at the orange-haired boy. Yuu didn't mind Ace explaining the seven great statues but making them fun would make things worse.

"Guys! We're in real hot water, remember!?" Deuce yelled at them. "If we don't come back with a magestone by morning, we're all being expelled!"

Aileen claps her hand to get their attention and the boys are looking at her. "Are we done?" She asked sternly. "You guys getting louder, we could catch their attention." The blue-haired girl is done enough of their bickering and close enough to drench them.

"I would lower my voice if I were you." Crystal warned them and noticed Ophelia's unusually quiet behavior. "Ophie?" She called the blonde girl worriedly.

Ophelia breathes heavily. "I-I-I feel anger toward someone." She tries to block the noise around her head. "It-it-it's getting louder."

"Luxray! (I heard something!)" Luxray barred his teeth angrily and electrics surround his body.

"...iiivvv... ...oooouuu..." Ophelia whimpered and grasped her head. The pain in her head is getting hurt due to strong negative emotions.

"Wh-where's that coming from?" Ace asked nervously.

Yuu immediately held Ophelia before she could fall. "Ophelia, stay with me. Block them." Ophelia nodded her head lightly and tried to stop it.

"....neeevvvaaa... ....iiiivvv." They heard a gurgling noise getting closer.

"What's happening to Ophelia?" Grim asked worriedly as Deuce and Ace noticed Ophelia's pale expression.

"Someone is trying to communicate through her mind." Yuu answered before Ophelia opened her mouth.

"But why her?" Deuce asked worriedly.

"It's her psychic powers that allow her to read our thoughts." Crystal answered putting her fists up. "Whoever the person is... It's trying to invade Ophelia's mind."

"It's getting closer." Aileen warned them.

"Stoooonesss.... stooonesss aaaare miiiiine!" It appeared in front of them.

"What in the Giratina's name is that?" She couldn't help but ask in disbelief tone.

It's a large physical monster with a body made of black ink, wearing a red ragged shirt, in its right hand, is a lantern, left hand is a pickaxe. Its head is made of a cracked jar with leaking black ink.

"Bwah! There it is!" Ace, Deuce and Grim yelled in shock.

"Luxray use thunder shock!" Crystal commands the gleam eye Pokemon.

"Sprigatito use leafage!" Yuu ordered his grass cat Pokemon.

Lightning and leaves combine as one to hit the ink monster. The monster groans in pain as it takes the hit.

"What is that!?" Deuce couldn't help but ask fearfully.

"Myaaah!" Grim yelled frighteningly at the sight of the monster. "No one said there'd be monsters! Let's get outta here!" He refuses to battle the monster like it.

"Good call." Ophelia manages to block it completely thanks to Luxray and Sprigatito. "Whatever that thing is. It's dangerous."

"That thing's super creepy! But didn't just say something about 'stones'!?" Ace couldn't help but ask.

"Wait, what!?" Grim asked in shock.

"Stoooonneesss... ...nevvva give stooooneesss!" The monster yelled in anger and approached them while Sprigatito and Luxray continued to push it away.

"So there ARE still magestones here!" Deuce exclaimed and he was relieved they were able to find the magestones.

"Myaaah... even as a master sorcerer, I... I don't think I can take that thing down!" Grim shivered in fear and jumped towards Yuu while he caught him successfully in his arms.

"But we need a magestone or we'll get expelled!" Deuce reminded them.

Ophelia grabs his hand. "You're going to get hurt if you'll find it recklessly, Deuce!" She would never forgive herself if any one of these boys or Grim got hurt.

"I'm going in!" He tried to push Ophelia but she gripped it tight.

"Are you outta your mind!?" Ace couldn't believe he would find it without a plan.

"We won't let you do it alone! That's a huge reckless decision, Deuce!" Yuu exclaimed and wasn't expecting Deuce would barge in without a plan.

"I won't be expelled! No matter what!" Deuce tried to push Ophelia's hand but she didn't budge. "Ophelia, let go of me!"

"I REFUSE!" Ophelia yelled and glared at the dark navy blue-haired boy. "You're going to get yourself killed! If you go in without knowing what that monster is capable of!"

"Begone! Begone! Begooonne!" The monster slaps Sprigatito and he silently cries out in pain.

"Sprigatito!" Yuu called out his partner worriedly and Luxray managed to catch him before he could slam the wall.

"Greninja use water shuriken!" Aileen calls out her partner.

Greninja summons water shuriken to attack the monster. Luxray and Sprigatito give the ninja Pokemon a hand to attack the monster.

"Rroooarrgh!" The monster groans in pain.

"We need to leave now." Crystal informed them. "They're keeping it busy and Ophelia can you teleport us outside?"

"I can only teleport us but not without them." Ophelia answered and never teleported that many people and Pokemon before. It would drain her completely.

"We can ask Luxray—" Yuu paused to see something sparkle behind the monster. "Did you see that sparkle?" He asked them.

"There's something sparkling in the mineshaft!" Ace exclaimed.

"Could that have been a magestone!?" Deuce asked with a surprised look on his face.

"It makes sense why he's protecting it!" Crystal dodges the monster's attack.

"Gwaaaahh! Noo giiivvve yooouuuuu stooooooone!" He yelled in anger and hit the three Pokemon completely.

Ophelia immediately catches the Pokemon before they crash them. "Yuu and girls, we need to book it, and fast! That thing's gonna pound us into tuna paste!" Grim pleads.

"Call your Pokemon back guys." Ophelia gives Crystal, Yuu and Aileen a look as they return their Pokemon back to their Pokeball. "Everyone hold each other's hand!"

"I ain't holding anyone's hand!" Ace immediately declines the thought of holding someone's hand.

"You can stay here for all I care!" Crystal had enough of Ace's complaints. She would wring his neck if they were not stuck in this kind of situation.

"Stop whining and do as you told." Aileen didn't hesitate to hold Ophelia and Yuu's hand. "Quickly!" She summons the water to blast the monster away.

Deuce didn't hesitate to hold Ophelia's hand and Grim's paw. Ace groaned in annoyance. "This is the worst day ever!" He holds Yuu and Crystal's hands.

All of them are forming a circle and Ophelia's eye glows purple. "Teleport!" They disappeared out of the monster's sight.

Yuu: It's Luxray!

Luxray: Luxray!
———————————————————

Ophelia teleports them outside of the cottage house. Grim feels like the whole world is spinning but regaining his senses. "This should be far enough, I think?" He asked them.

"What was that thing?" Ace exclaimed in shock and had never seen an ink monster before. "No one said there'd be anything like that!"

"That was no normal ghost, that's for sure." Deuce pointed out while Aileen hummed.

"It's similar I fought the ink spider back at the dorm..." She muttered under her breath. "They're made of ink... who would Earth create this kind of monster?" 

"Whatever that thing is... it's strong enough to fight our Pokemon." Yuu pointed out.

Ace raises his hands up in defeat. "Let's just give up and go home. I'll happily take the expulsion if it means never having to fight that thing again." The orange-haired boy isn't strong enough to defeat the ink monster.

"What!? Nuh-uh, not happenin'!" Deuce denied the idea of getting expelled. "I'd rather die than get expelled from Night Raven! How can you give up when the stone is right there?" He asked the orange-haired boy in a stern voice. The dark navy blue-haired isn't pleased at Ace giving up easily.

"Pfft." Ace scoffs. "Big talk from someone who's not even half the mage I am. You want that stone so bad, go get it yourself. I'm out."

"Oh, YEAH!? Fine, go back to your coop, you big chicken!" His personality completely changed and it caught everyone off guard.

"His personality changed 180... it's like a flip switch." Yuu couldn't help but voice out his thoughts. He barely knows Ophelia and her switch personality isn't that bad like Deuce.

"Whaaaat!? Who're you callin' chicken, huh!?" Ace asked angrily.

"Whoa, Deuce... is it just me, or did you, like, turn into a totally different person just now?" Grim asked nervously while hiding behind Yuu's leg.

"It's like you have a different personality." Ophelia commented weakly.

"Huh?" Deuce coughs and regains his composure. "Sorry... lost my cool for a second there."

Yuu hums and pinches his chin in deep thought. "Can't you do something with your magic?" He asked the boys curiously.

"The headmage said it himself— magic has limits. " Deuce answered. "If you can't strongly visualize your magic, it isn't going to happen. Using magic at greater scale, or using different types of magic— those things require training."

"Yeah, that's why magic academies exist." Ace pointed out. "It takes a lot of training before you can snap your fingers and turn your thoughts into magic." It's a reason why school magic exists so mages can learn to wield and control their magic. "And the more flustered you are, the more likely you are to make mistakes."

"Oh, I'd assumed spellcasting just came naturally." Yuu nodded his head.

"Nope, although if the magic's your specialty, you can use it more intuitively." Ace explained.

"Anyway, we need to find some way to defeat that creature and get the magestone." Deuce changed the topic and needed to figure out how to defeat the monster.

"Yeaaah." Ace rolls his eyes. "Just like the time with the chandelier, right? You 'found some way' and now here we are." He would never trust his reckless plan. "It's only their creatures fought that thing and it nearly creamed them. So what exactly is your plan here, genius? Because I sure don't trust you to improvise!" 

"What!? You're the one who—" Deuce yells angrily at Ace.

"Aaand they're at it again." Grim commented in a bored tone while watching them bickering back and forth.

Crystal is shaking in anger while Yuu and the two girls step back. "KNOCK IT OFF!" She punches Ace and Deuce's head so hard leaving a huge bump.

"Ow!"

"They asked for it." Aileen commented and felt no remorse for them.

Grim squeaks to see Crystal's anger. "Whoa, that was loud. Where'd that come from?" He asked in a meek tone.

"Are we done?" Crystal asked them in an angry tone. Her patience with them is done and need to knock their head off to cool down. "You guys are bickering like a bunch of 7-year-olds and we never ask for it to be here AT ALL!"

"Crystal..." Yuu tries to comfort the black-haired girl but she lifts her pointing finger to stop him.

"The girls and I are meant to study at Naranja Academy in the Paldea region. But these dark Rapidash came out of nowhere to take us and transport us here from another world! Pokemon doesn't exist here but only strange magical creatures and magic you guys have!" Crystal rambled and poured out the feelings she bottled up since day one. They're copping in different ways but this problem they're facing is the last straw.

"Crystal... you're crying." Ace said softly and Crystal gasped in shock to feel her tears falling.

Crystal sniffs and wipes her tears. "You guys don't know what we've been through."

"You guys are actually from another world?" Deuce asked them softly.

Ophelia smiles sadly. "Yeah. Where we come from... Pokemon exist in our world. For our powers? Our God, Arceus, the alpha Pokemon, chooses his guardians to protect Pokemon from harm."

"Guardians?" Ace blinks his eyes and looks at Yuu. "Are you like them?" He had seen the girls' abilities but Yuu didn't show off.

"No. One of my friends did." Yuu vaguely answered and didn't want to reveal his friend's ability.

"We don't use magic like you guys." Ophelia explained. "As I've said, each of the guardians is the protector depending on which powers you have. Lee-Lee I- mean Aileen has water abilities, I have psychic powers and Crystal is based on fighting powers."

"How did you know you're the 'guardians'?" Ace quotes that word.

"We see the visions of our predecessor as we grow older." Crystal answered. "We couldn't expose our powers in public because some people might use us. That's why we're being careful to use it."

"Now that we're here..." Aileen crosses her arms. "We have to blend in and let you guys assume we have magic despite our abilities being different. Listen, arguing won't do anything." She changed the subject before they could explain more. "Why not cooperating a little?" The blue-haired girl suggested.

"With Loosey-Deucey? No way. He'd get me killed!" Ace denied the idea of working together with Deuce.

"Like it'd be some treat for me to work with you!?" Deuce asked in an angry tone.

"Are you guys going to start again?" Crystal growled and her fists glowed. "Would you like to receive another punch?"

"No, ma'am!" Ace and Deuce answered in sync.

Ophelia chuckled in amusement. "They refuse to work but they would get along quickly if it means stopping Crissie's wrath. Hehe~"

Yuu shook his head at Ophelia's response. "You really are a prankster."

"And proud to be~!"

"What if we all just worked together?" Crystal suggested.

"Worked together... is that some kinda joke?" Ace asked and scoffed at the idea of working together. "You always say the lamest things with the straightest face, Crystal."

"Agreed." For once, Deuce agreed with Ace's point of view. "No way could I work together with him."

"Yeah, but... gettin' expelled on the first day... that's pretty lame too. Maybe even lamer." Grim pointed out and Yuu nodded his head.

"You guys will be the laughing stock for the rest of your life no matter which school you guys are attending." Yuu commented bluntly and hoping they would take the bait for it.

"We would never blame you guys for whatever decision you guys made~" Ophelia clasps her hand while smiling in understanding. Aileen and Crystal know behind her smile but they pretend didn't see it.

"W-well..." Ace stuttered nervously while Deuce didn't know what to say.

"There's nothing to cool about expel." Crystal pointed out and crossed her arms. "So? Are you ready to listen to my plan?"

"Yeah!" Ace sighs heavily and leaves the plan to Crystal. "Let's get this over with, then. What's the plan?"

"Now here's the plan..."