Pokémon Detective Case Files

Chapter 343 Poisonous Stone Tablet – Dream

Chapter 345 Poisonous Stone Tablet – Dream

"Huh? Hugo, why do you look so pale after just one walk outside? Did you get attacked on the street?"

On the third floor of a building in the Dojo Street of Feiyun City, inside Dr. Zhenyan's Dream Research Institute, Bilan looked in surprise at the detective in the white coat returning from outside.

"I just went to the crime scene where Selvilik's body was found, and I ran into people from Team Plasma there. But we didn't fight; they were messengers sent by N to inquire about the case."

The detective, having entered the research institute, shook his head. He carefully stepped over the various colored cables at the entrance, found an empty chair amidst the scattered equipment, sat down, and said—

"I didn't encounter any danger, I'm just a little confused right now because I've been hearing about some really serious cases one after another."

"It's quite rare to see the great detective from Feiyun City get so startled by a case. Would you like some coffee? Miss Azure, you can't drink it; it will affect the stability of the dream connection later."

A petite girl with two round buns emerged from the gap between the machines. Dragging an ill-fitting lab coat, she found a round table among the piles of documents, skillfully cleared some space, and placed a pot of freshly brewed coffee on it.

"Thank you, could I have a drink?"

Hugo, holding his head, answered absentmindedly, completely unaware that countless obstacles separated him from the coffee pot.

At this moment, as if sensing Hugo's needs, the Chimchar that followed the detective into the room diligently rummaged through the clutter on the floor, took a cup of coffee from the girl with a paper cup, and then carefully ran back to Hugo and placed it in the trainer's hand.

"Well, although I really want to ask about the details of those cases right away, the previous dream connections haven't been very smooth."

"While Miss Mia is still asleep, and we still need to conduct another experiment later, now is not the time to hear the details of the case."

Bilan looked at her boss, who was sipping hot coffee, and said resentfully.

"My sister's device was originally a special version designed for Pokémon dreams. Normally, it can only reproduce the dreams that Pokémon have while they are sleeping. After all, humans have a rich ability to express themselves. Generally, they can talk about their dreams within a short period of time after waking up. There is no need to specially configure one. So the device needs to be adjusted before it can be successfully connected to Miss Mia's dream."

The petite girl poured herself a cup of coffee and said leisurely, "However, the sleep wavelength in the last test was already very close to the correct parameters. Judging from your confident demeanor just now, you shouldn't fail again this time."

"You're right, Truffle! I definitely won't fail this time!"

A black-haired researcher dressed in a white robe emerged from the laboratory inside the research institute, followed by a dreamlike creature shrouded in smoke – Dr. Zhenyan, the girl's older sister.

"Miss Azure, the equipment is now fully calibrated. Please try again."

The professor produced a device resembling a Pokémon learning device: a circular, mesh headband covered in magnetic poles, with numerous cables and plastic tubes attached to the back. She confidently announced, "Simply wear this device, and then drift off to sleep in the colorless smoke of Dream Erosion. My invented dream-connecting device will synchronize your sleep wavelength with Miss Mia's. Then, you'll see her dreaming within your own dream."

It can even influence the latter's consciousness in reverse, truly linking the two dreams together!

"Sigh, I've heard this instruction three times already. I hope it works this time—"

Bilan stood up with a wry smile, preparing to follow Dr. Zhenyan into the laboratory.

"Azure, we need to deal with this situation as quickly as possible. The poisoning case might be much more serious than we anticipated."

The detective snapped out of his long contemplation and reminded his assistant.

"Understood, I will do my best!"

The young assistant raised a victory sign (V-sign) to her boss, only to be met with Dr. Zhen's Dreamy Erosion sticking right in front of her.

The professor's eyes lit up as he watched the newly acquired Pokémon interact with Azure: "Wow, this child really likes Miss Azure!"

I'm so envious.

"If you, Doctor, were locked in a room for more than a month without food or water, and someone came to rescue you, you would definitely develop a special liking for that person."

The chestnut-haired girl forcefully separated Momo from her body, comforting the pink Pokémon that kept trying to rub against her, as she walked towards the laboratory where Mia was.

"However, since this Dream Eater likes you so much, have you ever considered becoming its trainer, Miss Azure?" Dr. Shin asked.

"I don't think it's a good fit. Unlike the Archaeopteryx, which suffered psychological trauma, this Eevee seems to be naturally timid and shy, to the point that it fainted from hunger while hiding in a classroom full of children. It probably won't be able to get along well with the other Pokémon I've raised—"

Rather than changing trainers, this child probably needs more rest and recuperation. I also have a job as a detective assistant in Unova, so I probably won't have much time to take care of it.

Azure, carrying the unusually small Dream Eater among its kind, approached the Doctor.

"Besides me, a human, whether this child was isolated and helpless or needed comfort from a companion, wasn't there another guy who offered a helping hand? Letting the two of them stay together would obviously be a better fate."

As we were talking, the scene inside the laboratory came into view.

The indoor lights were dimmed to the minimum level that would not affect the experiment. In the center of the laboratory, Miss Mia, who had come for treatment, was lying quietly on a strange machine that looked like a massage chair with her eyes closed. On the other side, Mengmengshi was on her head, using soft pink smoke to soothe the girl's mind.

This Dream Eater was a whole size bigger than the one Azure was holding. As soon as it saw the Doctor bring Azure in, it immediately floated lightly off Miss Mia's head and started circling around Azure and the smaller Dream Eater, making "mhoo-mhoo" sounds, looking very happy.

"Shh-Meng Meng Eclipse, be quiet."

Dr. Zhenyan helplessly gestured for her partner not to wake Miss Mia. Then she turned to Azure beside her and said, "Miss Azure, just like the previous test, you will lie on the recliner next to you. This Dream Eater will release a harmless dose of dream smoke to help you enter a deep sleep. If the experiment is successful, you will be able to see the dream that Miss Mia is in."

"If you fail, you'll be awakened by Xiaomengmengshi's 'Healing Bell' which removes abnormal statuses, right?"

Azure sighed deeply. "Although there was no pain, being forcibly pulled back to reality from sleep was still somewhat uncomfortable. If possible, I hope I won't have to go through this a fourth time."

"Please—please rest assured! This time the parameter state is the most perfect since the experiment began, it shouldn't, absolutely won't fail again!" The doctor swore to the heavens with a face full of apology.

The girl could only manage a hollow smile: "I'll definitely not fail. I've heard similar words four times already—"

While quietly complaining about Dr. Zhenyan's blunder, Bilan also relaxed her emotions.

She sat down on the experimental recliner as quietly as possible, put on the dream connection device with tubes inserted into it, and lay down like Miss Mia next to her.

The doctor's voice came from above: "The wavelength interferometer is activated, the signal acquisition device is functioning normally, and the clutter interference has been completely shielded. Miss Azure, you may begin."

So the girl began to count silently.

"One, two, three, four—"

Immediately, a colorless and odorless transparent smoke rushed towards her, and before she could count to five, the girl's consciousness abruptly ceased as if it had been frozen in time.

It was as if I were being swallowed up by a connected dream.

In the laboratory, the doctor looked at the blue creature that had successfully fallen into a deep sleep, but frowned with unease.

"What's going on? Did the dosage of Dream Smoke get wrong? The last few times, it took Miss Azure about twenty seconds to fall asleep, how come she fell asleep so quickly this time?"

Zhenyan looked suspiciously at her partner Mengmengshi beside her, but the latter shook her long pink nose, looking puzzled, and shook her head aggrievedly, indicating that there was nothing wrong with the smoke she exhaled.

The doctor, still worried, checked Azure's vital signs again. Seeing that the girl's heartbeat was normal and her breathing was steady, he didn't want to wake her up again for no reason, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and continue with the dream connection experiment.

"Ultimately, Miss Mia's dream was suspiciously abnormal. People usually see fragmented memories or fantasies in their dreams, and some people experience strong emotions in their dreams—but most of these dream fragments are forgotten upon waking. Unless the dreamer deliberately records them, those fragments will never seep into reality. Even those who claim to be suffering from nightmares as mental illness patients are actually left with only insomnia, excessive sleepiness, stiff neck, and other aftereffects at most."

The professor examined the various data displayed on the instrument screen, muttering to himself, "Miss Mia's bizarre behavior—having suicidal thoughts due to a dream and then acting on them—is an extremely rare exception. You see, the human subconscious contains a survival instinct. Under the resistance of that instinct, even if possessed by a Ghost-type Pokémon, it's difficult for the Pokémon to control the human body to self-harm or commit suicide. It's hard to imagine that Mia could be so affected by her own dream, completely ignoring even her instinct to resist death..."

As Dr. Zhenyan was muttering to himself, a preset program window popped up on the instrument screen in front of him, indicating a successful connection. "Phew, it seems Miss Azure has successfully connected to Mia's dream. As expected, there are no problems after adjusting the parameters for human dreams. I need to record this data." However, the dream scholar, focused on his work, did not notice that Miss Azure's sleeping face, soundly asleep on the recliner, had undergone a subtle change.

Her brow furrowed slightly, almost imperceptibly, as if she had witnessed something incomprehensible in Mia's dream.

When I came to my senses, I found myself in a spacious area.

I didn't feel anything special; my consciousness was hazy, and I couldn't even distinguish what color this open space in front of me was. This is probably what the world looks like to a colorblind person.

Moving along with the current, I thought that even if I moved in this space, I wouldn't be aware of the change in position, but that wasn't the case—the air was filled with some kind of viscous resistance. No, whether it was air or not is also questionable. In any case, I could clearly feel the sensation of walking.

Walking – Oh, right, I'm walking on my own two feet, but I didn't notice it just now because I didn't feel the ground.

As I thought about my legs, the tactile sensation of my hands gradually surfaced, and I slowly became aware of my own posture. "Oh, is this what lucid dreaming feels like?"

Trying to visualize the feeling of speaking, to clarify self-awareness: "That was close, I almost forgot I existed. But it wasn't particularly scary. People always take everything that happens in dreams for granted, so that's probably how it is."

Azure patted her cheeks with the hands from her dream, and as expected, felt no pain at all. It seems that what one sees and hears in sleep only remains in the brain as information and does not generate strong sensations in the five senses.

Generally speaking, lucid dreaming—the phenomenon of being aware that you are dreaming—is relatively rare. If you experience it frequently, you should pay attention to your sleep quality.

However, the reason why Azure was able to wake up in this dream was thanks to the colorless dream smoke that Dream Eater released to her before she fell asleep.

"So, Dr. Zhenyan's dream connection was finally successful? Could this be Miss Mia's dream? Where is Miss Mia?"

Using his extended senses to observe his surroundings, he not only couldn't see Miss Mia at all, but he couldn't even find a trace of the human world.

As far as the eye could see, all that could be seen was a misty void. The light from above shifted and changed colors hollowly, while below lay endless darkness.

It felt like approaching an abyss.

For no reason at all, Azure had a gut feeling that what she was looking for was in the darkness below.

This kind of unfounded belief is actually quite common in dreams. And just as this thought arose in Azure's mind, the perspective carrying her consciousness began to shift.

The feeling of movement was wonderful. Even though my vision was gradually sinking into darkness, my mood was as if I were riding a roller coaster without feeling weightless.

As if she had gained a pair of eyes to observe the world from a third-person perspective, Azure, though believing she should be surprised or terrified by her current situation, also felt a strong sense of unease, firmly guarding her heart, knowing she was in a dream.

I'd heard before that some Pokémon would awaken their hidden talents and abilities in their dreams, and I used to think this phenomenon made no sense.

But after personally experiencing this scene in a lucid dream, I began to feel that this kind of awakening was understandable.

After an unknown amount of time, and after an endless descent, the scenery in the dream finally changed.

A physical entity finally emerged from the chaotic mist. As the viewpoint drew closer, Azure saw the thing.

It was a huge stone tablet.

The wide and smooth facade stands abruptly in the endless void.

Still and unwavering, with beautiful proportions, it is a masterpiece of nature.

As if extending upwards from the deepest abyss, this neat geometric shape seems to bring order to the entire dream world, displaying a dark green luster in the deep darkness.

A feeling arose in her mind that even a light touch wouldn't cause any harm, so she hesitantly extended her fingertip.

Just as he was about to touch the stone tablet—

Then, as abruptly as a dream, the azure vision suddenly rose rapidly, and the green stone tablet grew smaller and smaller until it almost disappeared, leaving only a tiny dark green glow flickering at the bottom of the abyss.

"What's going on? Where am I now? What's with that stone tablet? Is this really Miss Mia's dream? Where is she? And where is that memory related to the 'Aiya Mushroom'?"

Gazing at the brightening light above her, Azure was completely thrown into chaos.

But this was a terrible move! The girl forgot that she was in a dream connection, which meant that her own thoughts and ideas could also affect the changes in the entire dream.

After the ascent, more anomalies followed.

As if the order constructed by the stone tablets had been shaken, the dark green fluorescent light began to stir, slowly turning into an unstable purplish-red. The world began to shake, and vision began to blur.

The originally colorless chaotic space began to be stained by purple mist. Azure instinctively tried to stop this trend, but was shocked to find that she could not move.

The surrounding purple grew increasingly intense, gradually turning into an ink-black darkness, and the girl herself felt a suffocating, heavy sense of oppression.

"Wait, no! Am I dreaming?"

Before the world lost its vitality and everything was swallowed by darkness, Azure awoke to the fact that she could once again control her body.

Guided by her intuition, she began to move downwards again, her subconscious telling her that the place where the stone tablet stood was the source of the world's beginnings to shake.

In the blink of an eye, Azure arrived in front of the stone tablet. Sure enough, the stone tablet, which had originally emitted a dark green luster, had now turned completely purplish-black.

That stuff on top is poison.

Before she could even begin her investigation, her intuition from her dream had already given her the answer.

The highly poisonous stone tablet secreted thick venom in the inky darkness, staining the distant chaotic space a murky purple as well.

"What should we do? How can we resolve this situation?"

Azure tried to start reasoning and analyzing, but in the dream, such rational thinking was not allowed. In an instant, her thoughts were thrown far away.

It's illogical, incoherent, and utterly unreasonable, but that's what dreams are.

She saw a pea's thread.

The dividing line between land and sea.

A beach on the edge of the city.

A black dot.

A woman standing in the waves.

It was Miss Mia, her face streaked with tears.

She opened her eyes to herself.

Azure opened her eyes.

She woke up.