Even for the hardened explorer that had been to the most inhospitable corners of Hoenn, this was unsettling. Spine-chilling, even. "Breathtaking, but dangerous," the Captain-to-be answered Mika. "That's why the League has tasked me with learning as much about the rifts as I can. It would not surprise me if the space in the rifts combines to form an area larger than all Hoenn." As Shalin's eyes shifted about the entrance chamber, she nodded at Mika's point. "I've already found a sundial that can manipulate time. It was terrifying to mess with. Making the sun go backwards in the sky was... wild."

Thankfully for the duo, the Espathra patrolling the entrance hall hadn't noticed them yet, making Shalin's prowess as a sniper deadly. Closing one eye, she steadily aimed just below the base of the neck of one of them. While such a blow wouldn't be lethal, it would almost certainly incapacitate them. With Komainu's assistance, Shalin would be able to get the jump on them and take most of them out. A parting LUMINA CRASH seared Shalin and her mount. While she was able to shrug off the initial blow, it left both of them glowing a sickly purple color. Those familiar with the species knew it was LUMINA CRASH's lingering curse, corroding away the protection Starr's mind and Shalin's SYGNA SUIT conferred against energy attacks.

In a similar flash of violet from the ceiling, an illusion masking a wooden treasure chest vanished. The only problem was the chest was hanging from the ceiling upside down, in apparent defiance of gravity. "What in the world...?" Shalin mumbled. "And I thought a floor of lava and a ceiling of ice was wild. Just when you thought you've seen everything..." With the coast clear, Shalin briefly dismounted Starr to investigate the mystery using her Flygon, Sandy. Even from a distance, the dragon's vibrating wings may have been mesmerizing to Mika. It was quickly apparent that, as things were, opening the latch while it was upside down would be tedious at best. "I don't have a Pokémon that can easily hang upside down. If only I had a Crobat or something..."

While she was close to the eye-covered plate, Shalin steadied her AVIAN BOW the best she could, though her mount's humming wings made that easier said that done. After one arrow bounced off the plate's edge and snapped in two, the second hit its mark. The eye closed, and two clicking noises preceded a subtle grinding noise coming from the chamber's center. From a small pedestal rose what appeared to be a fragment of Sceptilite. Shalin scooped it up and flew back toward Mika.

You got a Sceptilite Fragment! This is your 1st one!

"It's faint..." Shalin said as she held the green, hard object in the palm of her hand, "...but can you feel the Infinity Energy radiating from it? It's got to be part of a Mega Stone!"

Once they were done, Shalin swapped ride Pokémon back to the green Espeon and led the way west. Several Swoobat hung from the ceiling of the tunnel-like confines beyond. Several large floor switches that looked rusted out, one on the ceiling and the rest on the floor, caught Shalin's attention. "What is going on here? Why is half the stuff in here upside down?"

"Wouldn't hurt," Shalin answered, though she was concerned about the Pokémon being able to grasp the upside-down objects. "I don't think it will be easy to figure out why things are upside-down. There's just something in me that makes me nervous. Like we aren't meant to be here." Regardless, the brave Ranger carried on, Starr carrying Shalin forward with caution.

Wandering the corridors for a bit, the psychic-type led the way into an open-air chamber past a pool of quicksand, several Yanmega on noisy, buzzing patrol. Making a break away from them, she and her Espeon became ensnared in quicksand that blended in with the stone floor. Struggling in it only caused them to fall faster.

It was not bottomless, though; she found herself in a dark badement only illuminated by a pool of superheated molten rock on the far end, a staircase providing access to the basement from above. If Momo were to reunite with her after handling the Yanmega, she would see Shalin trapped on an almost prison cell-like observation platform. Were it not for the lighting issue, she would be able to see much better.

A DAZZLING GLEAM from the psychic-type lit the room temporarily, causing a large, cubic hunk of stone with the image of a sun on each of its faces to dissolve away. Though she was unable to link cause and effect as of yet, it seemed the dark stones reacted to the presence of intense light. Within the cell was a small chest, Shalin unable to sate her curiosity. Popping it open, she found a second SCEPTILITE FRAGMENT.

You got a SCEPTILITE FRAGMENT! This is your 2nd one!

If Mika were to head to the basement, she would find four Magcargo that looked none too pleased to be aroused. They hurled bursts of LAVA PLUME and EARTH POWER toward the explorers from the safety of the magma pool, making melee attacks from most Pokémon unhelpful. Provided she was able to handle the fire-types, the magma would cool and let the duo cross to an alcove on the far side. Within they would find not just a SMALL KEY, but perhaps something more valuable: a DUNGEON MAP.

You got a SMALL KEY! This key can open any one lock. You can use it only in this dungeon.

You got the DUNGEON MAP! Blue rooms are the ones you've visited. Your location is the purple room. The dark rooms are the ones you haven't visited yet.

As if fueled by the fire-types' presence, once all was calm in the heated room, one of the four slabs surrounding her receded, letting the girl jump down and rendezvous with Mika. "Thanks for the save," she huffed. "Couldn't have done it without you." This Temple of Hours was truly magnificent and truly alien; there was nothing like it in Hoenn.

After being freed, Shalin reviewed the map with Mika. "This place is... not small. I agree with you; let's look around elsewhere before we open that door." Backtracking to the central chamber, the Ultra Desert's sun steadily crept lower in the sky. Though the oblique angle provided relief from the high temperatures, it also meant that it would soon be more challenging to see.

Beyond the eastern door was a dimly-lit hallway with a singular feature in front of their faces: a large stone cube the width of the passage, a sun-shaped emblem covering each of its faces. The explorer, having seen something similar elsewhere during her travels, ordered her Espeon steed to use DAZZLING GLEAM. The bright symbol reacted by briefly glowing, but faded when the the psychic-type was no longer able to hold the Fairy-type attack. "Hmm..." the suited girl hummed. "I don't think there's a lot we can do from here. We'll have to remember this is here and try to get back here another way."

Their destination set, Shalin and Starr led the way back through the winding tunnels and into the sandy chamber beyond. Not letting them pass unharmed this time, one of the Yanmega flew above the heads of the Rangers and violently BUG BUZZED its wings. A prompt PSYCHIC blast from the green Espeon downed the bug-type, but the damage had already been done. Shalin's suit kept her protected from the shrieking soundwave, but Starr was not so lucky. She made a WISH for her well-being, but even that was not enough to completely heal the internal injuries she had suffered, both physically and mentally. Wanting to save her energy, she withdrew her Espeon, swapping rides to Scar, her Pyroar.

Unlocking the east door, she led the way through. Beyond was an enclosed bridge that the duo had no way to access from the outside. They would need to find a way in from the north or south to cross it. Outside its confines was a deep, flooded room full of small aquatic Pokémon that looked hostile. The bridge's positioning made it impossible to cross from west to east by air alone. The apprehensive Pyroar crouched and purred loudly. "Water's a no go for you, Scar. It's okay." She gently pet the lion before withdrawing him, grasping her Milotic's Poké Ball.

Taking a deep breath, the girl asked Mika, "Do you have your own water Pokémon? If not, we'll need to rely on Levy, my Milotic. She's the only Pokémon I have that can jump high enough to get us out of the water once we go for a swim."