[attr="class","body"]

Unlike Priam, Zev had not spent enough time in Hoenn's desert to familiarize himself with the landscape. A sandstorm had grounded their all-terrain vehicle for a short while, but once it relented, Priam was able to guide them to the ruins that looked similar indeed to the one in the simulation.[break][break]

Exciting was not the word Zev would use for the mounds of stone and rubble. However, the fact that it existed beyond the simulation promised them the opportunity for a deeper investigation.[break][break]

And above all, Zev was curious to see if they could capture something powerful for their use. He took out his own flashlight so that its beam could illuminate more of the ancient structure as they walked through the shadowed halls.[break][break]

"When you last came here with Oscar, did you get a chance to look around?" he asked Priam.

[break][break][break]

[attr="class","body"]

Priam's explanation made sense enough, so Zev did not prod further. He remained silent as he followed Priam through the ancient halls. Blue eyes took note of every possible exit, every ambush spot, every hiding place.[break][break]

Eventually, they reached a set of stairs descending into darkness.[break][break]

"We should. We can send some Pokémon down first to make sure it's clear and then teleport down," Zev agreed, releasing his Nidoking.[break][break]

Within a few minutes, the Pokémon had dug a hole in the floor nearby. The clattering of debris against a distant surface suggested that they should be able to reach the area below without much trouble.[break][break]

Zev exchanged his Nidoking for his Gengar. The ghost flew in a circle around the two men, curious about their surroundings, giggling.[break][break]

"Smoke!" The Beast snapped his fingers to get his Pokémon's attention. "Go take a look down there and clear it out if needed. Come back when you're done and bring us down safely."[break][break]

With a nod, Smoke zipped into the brand new hole and disappeared into the gloom.

[break][break][break]

[attr="class","body"]

Zev was not a man who engaged in small talk. He glanced sidelong at Priam, then peered back down into the blackness of the hole into which his Gengar had disappeared.[break][break]

"Yeah, crazy."[break][break]

Soon enough, Smoke returned and confirmed with several enthusiastic nods that the coast was clear. He subsequently brought Zev and Priam underground with PHANTOM FORCE. With the ghost hovering by his shoulder, Zev aimed his flashlight at the walls and floor.[break][break]

A plethora of human-made objects greeted them, surprising him. Most of them were broken vessels he assumed were used to hold liquids, like wine or beer. He walked past several derelict pillars before he stopped, the beam of his flashlight falling on a peculiar pile of stones.[break][break]

"Conrad, over here," he called out as he crouched beside them. "These look similar to the stones in the simulation, don't they?"

[break][break][break]

[attr="class","body"]

Upon closer inspection, the stones Priam called Wishing Stars did look different. Unlike the stones in the simulation, which thrummed with latent power, the ones in their hands were dead and dull, as if the energy had long since dissipated.[break][break]

Still, Priam was right: perhaps Team Rocket's science department could glean something from them. Removing his backpack, Zev knelt beside a cluster of Wishing Stars and began stuffing them into the bag.[break][break]

"See anything else?" he asked Priam when he finished.[break][break]

Raising his flashlight, he pointed the beam at the cavern's walls. Something on the walls gleamed within the light.

[break][break][break]

[attr="class","body"]

Zev nodded, similarly satisfied with their exploration. He whistled for Smoke, who was hovering by a wall that gleamed with some kind of material. The Gengar returned to his master's side with a wide grin.[break][break]

"Get us back to the surface, to the entrance of the ruin," the hitman commanded his Pokémon.[break][break]

In the blink of an eye, Smoke pulled all three of them into the phantom plane. Moments later, they emerged from it to find a sea of sand before them and the blinding sun above.[break][break]

And within half an hour, they were on their way back to Sootopolis City to deliver their findings.

[break][break][break]