Chapter 35: Where the Origin Stone is close.
Team Purple was woken up rudely by Gangolf in the morning, earlier than usual. Mo and Aaron were still tired from yesterday, but had no choice but to attend the briefing like everyone else.
On their way down the hallway to the entrance, the floor was wet. Not just wet, a large buddle slowly made it's way down to the entrance as well. Even earlier in the morning, the first time since Mo and Aaron joined the Adventurer Guild, it began to rain, and all the rain dripped through the hole created from the fire yesterday into the building. The pattering of the rain echoed through the guild and Mo's cloth got the moment they opened their door.
"That's a great start.", Mo said ironic.
The entrance hall was still a mess, because of the broken door it was raining in, so it was actually even more of a mess than yesterday. Still, the teams gathered like they always did, with time with Amy's mother still present and Dietrich by Heidi's side.
Hilarius, silently, looked into the round.
"I would like to keep today's briefing short. We all know what we need to do and I want it done by us all, together."
He paused.
"Thanks again so Mrs. Featherguard for still staying by our side. I once again plead you not to overestimate yourself, you know your condition.
Amy's mother nodded.
"Axel, you do still have the key with you?", the Bisharp asked.
Axel opened his aventurer team bag and for a short moment pulled out the red glowing key inside.
"Very good.", Hilarius said. "I will give you all half an hour to prepare. I cannot say what may or what may not except us, so we need to be prepared for everything. Bao! I want you to take they key expert back to Baram Town. I don't feel safe taking him with us. Please take your partners with you! After that ..."
Hilarius looked directly to Mo.
"You know what we spoke about. That's all."
All the teams headed back to their rooms, except for Team Yellow, taking the Klefki with them outside, Amy's mother went with her daughter and her partners.
In Team Purple's room, Mo had checked their own inventory, the did not used much yesterday, so they should already be prepared. He still checked thou to be sure, and gave their bag back to Aaron. Except his one comment to the puddle forming outside their door, Mo did not spoke word.
"Is something wrong?", Aaron asked the Mimikyu.
Mo took a while to answer.
"It's nothing.", Mo answered emotionless.
"If you're nervous, I'm nervous too.", Aaron said.
"It's nothing!", Mo shouted at him. Aaron was stunned. "I'm sorry. ... do you trust me?"
"Of ... of course I do!", Aaron replied.
Silence.
"Shall we go and see if the other teams a ready, too?", Aaron suggested to both Mo and Charlotte.
Mo wanted to say, that they should, but was interrupted by Charlotte passing by towards Aaron.
Charlotte showed him a sign she wrote. Without comment, Aaron left the room, leaving Mo and her alone. She rolled over to Mo and started to write on another sign.
"Something wrong?", Mo asked her.
She showed him her sign.
"I can't get out of my head what we said to each other, back then in that hotel room."
"You mean your confession and ... well, you know?", Mo asked.
She wrote on the back.
"And when I wanted to prove that I'm serious."
Mo smiled. He felt kind of embarrassed.
"I took me some time got realise what had happened.", he said.
Charlotte took another sign.
"Aaron told me you want to leave the guild after this mission."
Mo said nothing. He felt ashamed of himself.
"I'm still serious with my feelings to you, and I want to stay by your side. But ..."
"But, what?", Mo asked as she had to take another sign.
"I can't imagine to settle down or leaving this guild. I found peace here. With you."
She turned the sign.
"And I also realised the way I treated you, to show you how I feel, was too pushed. I want you to be happy."
"To be fair, you acted like you're feral sometimes.", Mo admitted.
Charlotte took yet another sign.
"I will not stand you in the way you want to go and I'll try not to bother you."
She turned the sign.
"But if you change your mind, I'll be there. Always.
Mo looked at her. He was still bittered by the past, even after the progress he made, and he could not imagine a life with someone, a life with children. He wanted to imagine it, but to him, it would not be realistic. He was still not sure if he could completely trust her either. Especially now.
He reached out with his right claw and touched her softly on her cheek. Feeling her soft and fluffy fur. He wanted to feel something. Something that would finally tell him that is search for a soul mate had finally ended. ... again.
As he did, Mo felt uncomfortably nervous. He slightly trembled and a hot, corrosive feeling spread from his inner core through his whole body.
No ...
Mo lowered his claw again.
"No matter what will happen today, ... thank you.", he said.
Charlotte seemed to be saddened. Mo walked by her and opened the door.
He wanted her to ask to go to the entrance hall with him, but was surprised by Bao, standing on the other side, looking down to him judgingly.
"You done in there? We're almost ready."
Not long after, few minutes later, all members of the Adventurer Guild left their HQ. For Mo, and probably my other members, the first time the guild was left empty and unguarded. The ground was soaking moist and it was still raining. Not hard, but not soft either. It was at least not stormy, but still to hot for a rainy weather. Not only half way there, all members were soaked as well, but no one complained. No one talked at all.
Mo was walking alongside his team mates and the bottom end of the large group, except for Team Green. They were walking directly behind them, and whenever Mo took a look back, Bao was giving him a grudgy look, remembering Mo about his second mission. Meanwhile, Mo wondered if Aaron and Charlotte were told about Mo's "betrayal" as well. He wondered who except Bao and Hilarius knew. He probably didn't even wanted to know.
Almost reaching Pokémon Square, the guild came by the old Team Base of Team Reptile, the team of the old Guild Master and his partner, who once prevented the end of the build. A house in the shape of a Charmander, made out of clay with a little chimney on the side. This ground was officially still owned by the Adventurer Guild, but was mostly abandoned.
This base had seen better times. Moss grew on it and parts of the facade grumbled off. On the once barren land around the house began to grow grass, the mailbox, not used in ages, fell down and was covered in moss as well, the flag pole was entirely gone.
Mo always found it strange that some Pokémon would build houses in their own image. He always thought of called Pokémon to have an ego as high as an Onix.
Only resting by the old base for a short while, the Adventurer Guild ventured into the Pokémon Square. It was not far away from Baram Town, but Mo never went there, only heard and read about it. Similar to the team base, Pokémon Square was abandoned and left to the nature. Buildings left to the nature, grass growing wild, slowly hiding what was once thriving civilization.
Hilarius lead the teams up through a path and to a lake where not only the Luminous Cave lies, but was once also inhabited by a old Whiscash. He too moved on like the others, which was for the better, because the waterfalls that provided the lake with constant fresh water ran dry. The lake's water, now more like a pond, was greenish brown and smelled rotten. Only Grimer would enjoy staying here now.
Not getting bothered by the surroundings of this place, Hilarius lead them over the rocks on the lake and into a cave under the last and smallest rock, down a stone stairway.
In the middle of this mostly empty cave, on a tiny hill with grass and flowers growing on it, stood a large crystal, sticking out of the ground, shining in the same red and yellow colours as the key and filling the cave with it's light.
"This is it: Luminous Cave. Where so many Pokémon went to evolve.". Hilarius told the teams.
The shiny of the crystal was fascinating Mo.
Suddenly ... a voice called out from somehwere.
"Ye who seek awakening. This is Luminous Cave. Do you seek a new evolution?"
Most of the guild members, Team Purple, Red, Blue and Orange, looked around confused, searching were the voice came from.
"Haven't heard that voice in some time.", Gangolf commented.
Richard lifted his wing.
"Me!", he joyfully announced.
The voice called out again.
"Ye who seek awakening ... Ye have not high enough a level."
And then, Richard was disappointed.
"This is not what we're here for.", Hilarius declared and inspected the shimmering crystal. He turned back to Axel. "Do you have the key?"
Axel took the key out of their adventurer bag and approached the crystal with it. As he did, both the crystal and the key began to glow, glowing brighter than they did before.
"Something is happening!", Publius called out.
"You don't say?", Hilarius II. answered, but was not losing eye contact to what was happening.
To everyone's surprise, the key began to float into the air, closer and closer towards the crystal. Hilarius gestured the adventures to step back as they touched and the key began to merge with the crystal, making it shine even brighter, soon filling the cave with a blinding light.
When the light finally disappeared, the front side of the crystal had vanished, and in it's stead was some kind of entrance. All the adventures, with Hilarius at the front, crowded to see. A stone stairway way leading underground. A extraordinary long and dark way down. Only a small light showed there was an end to this path.
"To believe it was all here this entire time.", Gangolf said. "This cave is more amazing than we first thought. And it WAS amazing!"
Still looking down the path Hilarius said:
"I have no idea what will await us down there, but I want all of you to-!"
"Hilarius, watch out!", Alfons cried out.
As Mo wanted to turn around to see what was going on, he glimpsed a bright light lightening the room for a split second, following by a loud crackle and Alfons grunting in pain.
Turning around, Mo was presented a terrible view. A shocked Hilarius holding Alfons in his arms. Alfons feathers, especially on his chest, were severely burned and he was knocked out of commission.
"What happened?!", Mo shouted out.
"Surprise!", a demonic voice called out but not the one of Luminous Cave.
Down the stairs walked a group of Pokémon. A Spiritomb, a Houndoom and a Noivern, as well as a to Mo familiar looking Mandibuzz.
"Ferhat?", Hilarius asked in disbelieve. All the guild members around him prepared for battle. "Did you followed us?"
The Spiritomb smiled.
"We actually knew you would come to this place. I have more friends than you think I have.", Ferhat said in a sinister way.
"We set up a camp! It was fun!", he Houndoom added.
Slowly, very slowly, Hilarius turned his head towards Mo, looking at him while still holding the still not responding Delibird. There was fire in the Bisharps eyes.
Mo began to sweat, he wanted to tell him he was innocent.
Suddenly ...
"Phil, Paul. NOW!", Bao called out.
That moment, Paul and Phil, standing behind Team Red the whole time since they entered the cave grabbed Axel and Amy, each of them holding one of them as they struggled to get loose.
"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF-?!", Steve called out as he turned around to help his team mates. Before he could finish his sentence, Bao stomped on him. He stomped so hard, Steve sunk in the hard ground ad was knocked out instantly, only making a few glitchy robot noises before passing out.
Bao slowly turned back to the rest of the guild, his face as serious as ever.
"Let us go!", Amy called out.
"Sorry, just doing our job.", Phil, who was holding her, replied.
"Let my daughter go!", Amy's mother shouted and rushed towards the two frog like Pokémon, but Bao blocked her way.
Amy's mother, despite her injured arm, tried to battle the Mienshao, but was quickly overwhelmed by him and knocked to the ground with one clean hit to her stomach. The Riolu cried out to her mother. She struggled even go get herself free, to no avail.
"All of you, stay where you are, or your Chosen One gets it.", Bao threatened. He and his two partners switches sides and joined the remaining Forces of Evil members.
Hilarius watched it happen as he still held Alfons in his arms, watching in disbelieve.
"You ... YOU BETRAYED US?!", Gangolf shouted.
"Since I heard that the legend was true, I knew what had to be done.", Bao explained himself, calmly. He looked at the Houndoom. "During our mission to search for the key, I made a deal with the Forces of Darkness."
"We looked up to you!", Fabius cried. "We thought you were an honourable fighter!"
"You know what this stone could do? Everything.", Bao explained. "To just give it to this ... human ... what a waste. And you all completely misunderstood our goal."
"World domination.", Ziggy answered for him. "What else? You hire criminals, kidnap kids, arson ... YOU FREAKING TORTURED ME!"
"No great advance is not made without great sacrifice.", the Noivern said. "It's all for the greater good."
Hilarius put the Delibird down. Heidi was immediately checking on him.
"If it's the guild, you want! Fine! You won! You can have it!", he shouted at the Spiritomb. Heidi unsuccessfully tried to calm him down.
Ferhat smiled.
"I don't want you stupid gild anymore. After all of this, I just build a new one. Bigger and better, including casino."
Meanwhile, Mo noticed that the adventures and the Forces were completely fixated at each other, but no one was fixing him. An idea came to his mind: Maybe, while everyone is still busy arguing, he could just sneak down and maybe ... just maybe take the Origin Stone for himself. Then the guild would have won and he would be considered a hero. ... yes.
Mo's eyes glow up but quickly got himself together, shacking for a moment, knowing how noticeable that sometimes is.
With small, slow and clichéd inconspicuous steps to the side, Mo made his way from the far right side to the stairs.
"I, so kindly, offer you to step aside.", he Spiritomb said.
"Like how you asked to take over the guild years ago?!", Hilarius shouted back.
"I DID asked, and then I took action! And seeing you in his position now, I know I made the right choice back then!", Ferhat shouted back.
Mo snuck by Team Orange and hid behind Hilarius' leg for a moment.
"How dare you?!", Gangolf stepped forward.
"Please, Gangolf. Don't make things worse.", Bao tried to reason.
"Who made thing worse are YOU!", Ziggy stepped in as well.
From behind the Bisharps leg, Mo hurried the last few steps.
Finally reaching the stairs, Mo looked down. It was a long and dark path down, but he could see a small, very small light at the very end of it.
Mo carefully turned to see if anyone had noticed. They were still arguing. Good!
Mo took each step as quiet as possible, slowly, not trying to breath in or out, fixing on the light. There was absolutely no turning back now for him.
Soon, darkness surrounded him. He was already walking for some time and was already walking more casually, now that he was out of sight now. Now having two lights at both ends of the stairs. Mo thought about running now, being quick, but was afraid he could trip and fall, and it was still a long way down. Right now, from all the Pokémon in the world, he was the closest to get the legendary Origin Stone.
"Hey, where is the disguised one?!", Mo heard the Houndoom calling out.
With these words followed terrible noises. Yelling, crying, the sounds of attacks, punches and beams echoed down to him.
Now they noticed!
Mo panicked and his fear of tripping was gone. He rushed down, down, as fast as possible to him, while cursing to himself. Now he really had to hurry!
As the light was getting closer to him, he began to have a bad feeling, like something else what getting closer to him from behind. Steps behind him, and someone gasping for air while running. Something faster than he was. Mo was too afraid to stop and check and just kept on going and hoping.
Too late, Mo was taken out of nowhere from behind. He felt loosing his balance and the unknown attacker got him and together they stumbled down the remaining stairs. Mo screamed in both shock and pain on their way down.
Before he knew it, they were at the end of the stairs already and came to an halt. Mo grunted in pain from the fall and was still dizzy. Whoever got him before let go of him, at least for a moment.
As Mo tried to stand up, someone stepped on his fake head, forcing him to stay down. Mo looked up.
"Stop. Right. There. Where do you think you're trying to go?", it was Richard, looking at him with his huge, red eyes, like that time he tried to hypnotise him, saying it in a calm tone, but quickly changed it. "Would you believe it, the little pig?!"
"I'm only trying to help!", Mo defended himself.
"Let go of him, Richard!", Amy rushed down as well and to the, followed by Axel.
Richard looked at them for a moment, then jumped off Mo's fake head, so he could get up. As he did, he notices his neck was broken again and his head was hanging down in a seemingly unhealthy way again. A problem, but not the worst of his problems right now.
Behind Team Red, on the stairs, Mo could see a few other Pokémon following them, the echoes of battles at the top still greatly hear able. The Pokémon upfront, Aaron, tripped shortly before getting to the end and fell right on the Riolu and the Cyndaquil. All the grunted in pain. Charlotte followed and casually jumped over the mess.
"Are you okay?", Richard asked the three.
"Get off me!", Amy angrily ordered the Sylveon.
"That's my ear!", Richard added.
"And you, shut up!", Amy shouted at the Hoothoot, too.
Silence. Aaron got up again and Axel and Amy could stand up too, as well.
"I'm sorry, guys. It's just so much for me.", she said. Mo could see her eyes watering.
Nya, followed by Ziggy, managed to get down as well.
"If we want to get that stone, we need to act NOW!", Ziggy ordered. "There is hell upstrais right now, and I don't think Hilarius and Gangolf can hold them all much longer!"
"I just wanted to help.", Mo said, defending himself. Charlotte patted his fake face.
"You at least gave us some distraction, there.", Axel mentioned.
Mo looked around the room were they now where. A large, square room, artificially chiselled out of many brick stones, with a long dark path in front of them reaching even deeper into the unknown. Between the cracks of the bricks grew mushrooms of different size. Some small, some not so small, but they all shined in a fascinating light blue light, thus lighting both the room and the path. Mo picked one and examined it. That moment he also noticed a weird smell. Like decay.
Axel looked down the path.
"We will end it. Today.", he spoke.
"As always, I'll right behind you.", Amy assured him.
"Finally, another adventure!", Ziggy stepped forward.
"You can count on me, too!", Nya joined Ziggy.
"Yes, here we go again!", Richard announced joyfully.
Mo looked at Aaron and Charlotte and lifted up his fake head.
"We'll show them, yes?", Mo said to them.
Aaron grinned.
"Of course."
With that said, Charlotte dashed forward into the darkness of the path, making the others running after her.
