Chapter 24

Another Problem Begins

Chuck's wakeup seemed less of a necessity today, in fact Alex and Blaze waved at him as he came down the hall. With what they had learned last night, they got their sleep in early.

As they came to the briefing, Cleft looked the most dejected that anyone had ever seen him, clearly sad about Ivan leaving. He idolized him more than anyone, and Ivan had made it clear he was never coming back.

Breakfast was unnaturally silent, Alex and Blaze ate without saying a word to each other, Blaze was depressed at saying goodbye to someone he idolized but more importantly had saved his life from Nigel. Had he not intervened at Amp Plains he would be dead, and if he hadn't stopped Nigel at Crystal Lake, he would be frozen in time. Alex's sadness was more out of respect, Ivan had taught him a valuable skill and proved how cunning and resourceful he was. It was a shame he couldn't do anymore good here.

Alex picked up his treasure bag, he had a feeling he and Blaze would take a request board mission later on and wanted to buy some things in the market later.

"We have heard that Ivan will be departing within the next few hours, but we are not sure exactly" Cleft admitted.

"ATTENTION" a trio of voices yelled from the back of the room, causing everyone to turn around. Grant burrowed out from the sentry post and said "deputy Watts just yelled down the sentry post that everyone is to report to town square to see Ivan off"

"WELL LET'S GO!" Chuck yelled, causing the entire guild to run towards the ladder.

As the guild members came to town square where every pokemon in town had gathered, Alex and Blaze noticed two unusual things, first that the three lake guardians were floating at the front of the crowd, each holding their own time gears. Secondly, Officer Edison was hovering to the left of a swirling hole of blue and black light. One that the crowd was keeping their distance.

"What is that?" Cleft asked as the crowd stepped further back, allowing the guild Pokemon to get a closer look.

"It is a dimensional hole, stay back, if you touch it you will be instantly teleported to the future" Officer Edison warned. The guild stayed ten feet back with the crowds even further.

Alex and Blaze walked up to Uxie, Azelf and Mesprit, who were tightly clutching their time gears, clearly nervous and protective. However they smiled when they saw Team Outriders.

"Good to see you guys got them back" Blaze commented.

"It went perfectly thanks to Wallace, once Nigel is safely through the portal, we'll take our time gears back to their rightful spots" Uxie explained.

"That's good to hear," Alex admitted.

"MAKE WAY!" a metallic voice yelled, the entire crowd parted, creating an aisle to the dimensional hole.

Two Magnatons rushed down the aisle, taking their place beside Edison as a crowd of pokemon came down. Seven Sableye were walking forward, with Nigel boxed in by six of them and the yellow Sableye leading the way. Nigel may have been four feet taller than the Sableye but with his hands and legs bound by cuffs of purple energy, he was helpless as they shoved him along.

As the Sableye came to the portal, they stepped off to the right and waited in position as Ivan came up the aisle. He came to the front of the portal and turned to the crowd.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Nigel has been captured and the time gears are recovered" Ivan announced triumphantly, getting a round of applause from the crowd.

"I'm afraid now it is time to bid farewell, but rest easy knowing that you have assured lasting peace for your world!" Ivan continued, getting a cheer from the crowd.

"Mmmff,mmffff" Nigel grunted through his closed mouth. The Sableye had wrapped ropes around his head and mouth to muzzle him. He was trying to say something, anything to plead his case but he couldn't.

"He has committed many crimes in the future based on conning others, do not concern yourself with his lies" Ivan said to the now silent crowd.

Ivan then turned to the lake guardians and said "I leave the rest to you three"

"We'll make sure the time gears are returned to their grottos, don't worry" Alzef assured him.

"Thank you all for everything! Beryl if you would" Ivan requested, the yellow Sableye gave a nod before her six subordinates shoved Nigel into the diemensonal hole, disappearing into the void as soon as they touched it. Beryl gave Ivan a nod before hopping into the portal as well.

Ivan turned to leave as well but stopped just short of the portal, hovering above the ground and spinning back to face them as he said "could Alex and Blaze come forward, I need to tell them something important"

"Let's get up there" Alex whispered to his partner before shoving up to the front of the crowd, as they neared the portal Alex felt a strange sense of vertigo, like the portal was attracting him.

"Thank you for everything Ivan, sincerely" Blaze admitted with tears in his eyes.

"Goodbye, we'll all miss you" Alex said, choking back tears as well.

"Ah yes, about that…" Ivan muttered, causing the apprentices to frown in confusion.

In the blink of an eye, Ivan grabbed Alex and Blaze saying "YOU TWO ARE COMING WITH ME!" before dragging them into the portal. The malice in his voice unmistakable

Alex could only scream before he and Blaze were sucked into the void. Treasure Town's square was smothered in a deathly silence as the portal vanished in a blue flash.

Everyone stood their with their jaws opened, too stunned to speak, finally, Sernea broke the silence and asked "what just happened?"

Alex felt his stomach turning inside and out, a throbbing pain in his skull as a tunnel blue light flashed around him. He heard whispers around him as a ticking sound grew louder and louder. He heard a feral roar followed by a crashing sound, like a stone building was collapsing. The last thing he heard was a voice saying "we need to stop this partner"

Then in an instant it was over, he felt a cold stone floor beneath him as everything came to a standstill. He looked up to see the group of Sableye looking at him with a devilish grins, showing their usually concealed mouths of razor sharp teeth.

He heard a thump as Blaze fell to the floor, before a blunt object impacted the back of his head, stripping him of what little consciousness he still had...