"Grimsley! Why are you back in town?! I told you to never show your face here after that stunt you pulled in the tavern!" Zephan yelled. Some people turned, surprised to see a Gym Leader having such a outburst.

Grimsley raise his hands. "Brother, lets take this outside, shall we? I am sure you will see that your interests are aligned with mine. And take the boy and girl with you, as well." Bronze looked at Zephan, who was still glaring. "Lets go with him. I met him at the Kanuka Roadhouse a day ago. If he is asking for trouble, we can give him a triple beatdown." Tess nodded in approval, and grasped her Garchomps Pokeball.

Zephan grunted. After turning to the few contestants and yelling "Rain check!" he followed Bronze and Tess out the the Gym and into the cold, gloomy streets. Grimsley went into a alley with no characteristics other then an old sewer plate at the end of the walls.

Zephan stopped walking. "Alright, what do you want? Spill it, before I throw into the illusion complex and throw away the key and break the lock!"

Grimsley raised his eyebrows. "Goodness! Control your temper, dear brother. So, I think you may be able to assist me in the successful unlocking of the Arthadorian Ruins, under the city." Zephan flinched, then turned to Bronze and whispered to him.

"This was actually what I wanted you to help me with, but it seems my brother is on board. Play along, but be wary."

Zephan faced Grimsley again, and assumed another judgmental pose. "Do not be so rash. You know what is in those caverns as well as me. Brandon made the right choice in releasing the Titans here, and now you want to awaken them again? Why?"

Grimsley shrugged. "Why? First, I would like to simply see them. It would be a educational experience. Second, if the ruins are open, who knows what archeological discoveries could be found? Also, we can see if they are secure from those Team Eclipse troublemakers. I would never attempt to capture the Titans! The ancients sealed them away due to their power, long ago in Hoenn. Now they are bound, but in a different location."

Zephan grumbled. "Fine, we'll all go, I suppose. The more the better. Does anyone have any questions?" Tess rose her hand, and then remembered that she didn't need to. "So, these Pokémon you are talking about, what are they?" Grimsley answered her.

"The Children of the Mountain-Maker."

"Not very helpful."

"The Legendary Titans."

"Again, not helpful."

"Regigigas's Chosen!"

"What?"

Grimsley moaned in exasperation. "You'll see! Lets go." Grimsley sent out a Bisharp, who cut through the manhole plate with a single slash. Bisharp threw the plate away, revealing a dark tunnel into the ground.

Zephan saw the troubled looks on the duos faces. "Don't worry, it doesn't go to a sewer. It was drained long ago. We do have a long path to the ruins, so make sure you've got some water..."

The four crawled down the ladder into darkness. Once everyone was at the bottom, Bronze sent out Magnezone, who illuminated the passage, revealing incredibly old walls, and even more dark passages. In the distance, a Unown flitted about, its single eye looking at the party with curiosity. It rushed away, and Grimsley grinned.

"Follow the Unown. They will lead us to the ruin entrance, and then the key to unlock it. Take a look at the walls, and the more Unown, the better. Onward!"

As the group traveled, Bronze noticed that the walls with the Unown on them were much older, and following the markings led to even more ancient sections of the caverns. Gradually, ancient Rorian writing started to appear on the walls, signaling their approach to the Arthadorian Ruins.

Bronze overheard Tess whispering to Zephan, once Grimsley was safely out of earshot. "Hey, what's this thing between you and Grimsley? Something about a tavern?"

Zephan steeled his gaze. "Most people thinks it's just a thing my brother does, but he is a gambling addict. Years ago, before he became a member of the Unova Elite Four, he lost our family tavern in a card game. He has been paying it off ever since. He may work at the place, but he doesn't own it. It was such a terrible decision, that I essentially disowned him. He left, became stronger, and I became Gym Leader. End of story."

Eventually, the passages opened up to a large antechamber, with moonlight cascading down through broken windows in the celling. Grimsley took the entire room in with awe. "Here is the chamber of the Titans...tread carefully. No one knows how they may react to our presence here." He pointed to three large, ornate doors, with a arrangement of symbols at head height.

"Yeah, the Titans are sleeping behind there. We are just going to unlock the doors, and take a look. I assure you, this is perfectly safe. The Titans won't awake unless the Hoenn region is in great danger." Grimsley walked over to the middle door, and brushed the dust of the puzzle-like lock. "This is a remarkable work of engineering, considering that we are inside a mountain. Go to the other doors, see if you can find anything out."

Bronze went to the leftmost door, while Zephan and Tess went to the right. The puzzle seemed to be a collection of stone cubes, which could be slid around into little slots. Some of the slots which would have allowed Bronze to have easily completed the door were blocked off, though.

Over time, Bronze continued to experiment, but with no avail. No one else seemed to be having any luck either. Grimsley also noticed this, and called everyone back to the center of the chamber.

"Okay, anyone notice anything? If we can't open the puzzle normally, then we have to force our way through, which would bring the wrath of the Titans down on us." Tess had a idea. "I have noticed some Old Rorian text around on the floors and walls, but I can't read that stuff. Maybe someone here has experience with-"

Zephan cut her off. "I can translate it, with time. I'll get straight to work!"

Zephan found the text scattered around the floor, and sat down with a notepad and Honchkrow feather pen to translate the text. After a half-hour, all the passages that anyone could find had been translated.

"Okay..." Zephan said. "The phrases can be linked together, and we actually get a few riddles. The first is, 'Thirty white horses stand on a red hill. First they chatter, then they stand still."

Grimsley fingered his chin in thought. "This sounds like something grandmother taught me...well, the answer should be teeth."

As Grimsley said the answer, some of the barriers around the pockets for the stone to go into moved away. Everyone looked at each other, and Zephan hurriedly said the next riddle.

"Emerald gloves reach up, and then fall. In the high peaks, I cannot be found. What am I?" Grimsley and Tess paced, thinking.

Bronze made sure Grimsley wasn't looking, and showed Zephan his Pokedex. As the Gym Leader was about to say something, Bronze shushed him. "I need you to translate some Old Rorian text that I have a picture of. Here, can you read it?" Bronze showed him the shadowy writing that had came out of the rift a while back.

Zephan squinted. "It's very blurry, but it seems to be saying, 'Bad thought made thing open world of wrong,' and 'Bad spirit wants to get to building and be better.' I really don't know what to make of it. You didn't tell me you were a Pokedex Holder!"

Bronze snuck the device back in his bag, and saw that Grimsley and Tess seemed to have agreed on a answer.

"Well, its some form of plant life, and the clues suggest a tree." Another click signaled the barriers lifting, freeing more of the puzzle. Zephan grinned. "Okay last one. Two legs sits on four legs, eating one leg, four legs get the bones. What is happening?"

Bronze thought he had a inkling of what was going on. "Well, two-legs is definitely a human, sitting on a stool. I don't know what he is eating, but since four legs is some kind of Pokémon that would play with bones, like Purugly, it is safe to say he is eating some sort of fish, one-leg. So, he is eating lunch."

The final barricades lifted, and the group rushed to their own puzzles. Soon, everyone had got the stone cubes into the slots, and the doors began to open.

Inside the three doors were a set of chambers, each with a dark, slumbering bulk inside. Grimsley pulled out a camera, and started taking pictures. "Perfect, perfect." He muttered.

Zephan turned to Bronze, and presented the second half of the badge. "The light side of the Contrast Badge, for your successful completion of my task." Bronze took it, and found that it still connected with the dark half. Another Gym completed.

Out of the corner of Bronze's eye, a few silhouettes seemed to be watching through the broken windows far above. "Zephan." Bronze whispered. "Above you." Zephan slowly looked up, and saw the shapes. "Definitely human. Should we run?" Bronze shook his head. "No. Wait for them to move."

The shapes did indeed move. Several people flew down on flying Pokémon, and landed in the center of the arena. Tess and Grimsley also saw them, and sent out their Pokémon, while Zephan and Bronze did the same.

A female figure stepped out of the shadows, and Bronze instantly knew who it was.

"Hello, Bronze!" Eclipse Admin Linda said. "Miss me?"

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Bronze immediately ordered Magnezone to form a Light Screen. "What...you? I got rid of you!"

Linda sent out Pangoro and Mightyena, who started fighting along the other Eclipse Grunt's Pokémon. Grimsley took on a good fraction of the grunts with his Bisharp, while Tess fought back with Garchomp and Haxorus. Zephan took on the remaining grunts with his Pokémon, leaving Linda to Bronze.

Linda grunted as she ordered her Pokémon to fight even harder against Bronze's team. "You didn't expect me, huh? Lord Cypress has taking such a liking to my new strength that he appointed me as one of his Admins! It hardly seems that you could do better, boy. Vikavolt, Volt Tackle!"

The massive attack slammed into Onyx, who fainted. "One down!" Linda laughed. "Three more!" Charizard was wrestling with Linda's Salamance, and Electrivire was taking on Pangoro while Magneton dealt with Mightyena. Vikavolt flew to it's mistress's side, charging up for another attack.

Most of the other grunt's Pokémon seemed to be failing, however. Soon, the Eclipse forces would be defeated, they would be captured. Linda saw this too, and grabbed a small blade from her hip. Vikavolt grabbed the knife, buzzed over to Tess, and pinned her to a wall with a knife to her throat.

"STOP!" Linda screamed. "STOP, OR THE GIRL DIES!" Grimsley and Zephan stopped fighting, along with Bronze. "Good," Linda purred. "So honorable. Soldiers! Awaken the Titans!"

"Yes, Admin!" The grunts saluted, and ran into the caverns, Tess still at knifepoint. Linda laughed. "What perfect timing! We have been scouting this location for days, but until you came along, we couldn't figure out the puzzle! Now, you will behold the Legendary Titans!"

The dark masses began to shake and glow, signaling their awakening. Linda cupped a Ultra Ball in her hand, a haughty air about her"Now, I present to you..."

"Regirock!"

"Registeel!"

"Regice!"

The three legendary Pokémon, now fully awakened, stood upright in the chambers. Grimsley fell on his knees. "No...no...this wasn't supposed to happen...forgive me..." Linda sneered.

"Sentimental rubbish! You will regret not joining us while you had the chance, even though I suppose we didn't directly offer you an opportunity. And for the first capture..." Linda threw her Ultra Ball at Regice.

Time seemed to pass in slow motion. There was a movement, a flash of light, and suddenly Linda Poke Ball had been knocked of course, and Vikivolt had been thrown unconscious into a wall. Before everyone stood Steelix, glowering at the Eclipse members.

Bronze cheered. "Grimsley! Zephan! Tess! Attack now!" Linda was still recovering from her shock, and her Pokémon were soundly defeated by the barrage of attacks coming from all fronts, along with the other grunts.

Linda lay on her back, dazed. "That Onyx was defeated! How did you evolve it?!" Bronze didn't know himself, but this villain needed to be captured. "That doesn't matter. Magnezone, restrain her!" Linda turned to run, but her path was blocked by Garchomp, and a very angry Tess. Linda turned the other way, but Magnezone's Thunder Shock created a glowing barrier around her.

Linda screamed in frustration. "MASTER! Save me from these fools! Use your power!" Grimsley chuckled. "Your master isn't here now, little girl. Go to sleep and stop whining!" The woman glared, and watched as the others tied up the remaining grunts.

"Not here? Oh, but I am, Grimsley."

Then Bronze felt a terrible presence, one he had only felt once before. Purple smoke billowed out through cracks in the floor, and surrounding the glowing cage.

"Beaten? I am disappointed in you, Admin. Despite your escort of elite soldiers, you somehow have once again failed. Retreat to headquarters, I will deal with you there."

Linda nodded in terror, and called back her Pokémon. Before anyone could do anything, the smoke encased her, and once it cleared from the cage interior, Linda was gone.

The smoke twisted unnaturally in the air, and the far-away voice spoke again. "Bronze...you have interfered with my plans again. I may be insubstantial in this form, but I can still...DEVOUR!"

The gas launched itself at Bronze, faster than he could blink. Only a millisecond before it made contact, a pulse of energy coming from three sides blasted the mist into nothing, leaving only a wailing cry on the wind.

Bronze saw the three legendaries looking at the last remnants of the mist with something that could almost be called pity. Then, Registeel trudged over to Bronze, and bowed.

"It was you, wasn't it? You helped Steelix evolve."

Registeel remained silent. Then, all three legendary Pokémon stomped back into their tombs, and the doors closed again with a final boom. The locks clicked back into place, and then all was quiet.

Grimsley coughed. "Well, we should carry these goons back to a police station, I suppose. I am glad thats over." Zephan gave him a very, very tired, and then got to work on moving the grunts.

Once all the soldiers were stowed, the four started down the tunnels back to the surface. Bronze gave one last look at the chamber, and muttered a final goodbye.

"Thank you."

And then he was off.