Inside the chamber, Professor Alden was so astounded by what was inside, that he quite forgot that he was supposed to be a prisoner. He and Team Magma had found themselves inside a large rectangular room, with the stone block that had sealed the entrance now positioned in the centre of the chamber. On the walls of the room were various panels on which were pictures and glyphs, depicting humans and prehistoric Pokémon living together in perfect harmony.
"Incredible! A miraculous discovery!" breathed Alden in awe.
But the Team Magma Leader looked decidedly unimpressed by the contents of the chamber.
"Do you see the information we came for?" he asked his subordinates.
"Not a trace!" replied one grunt.
"I've recorded all of the data from the walls," replied another, who held a camera in her hand. However, her expression suggested that there was nothing of value in the photos for Team Magma.
The Group Leader was decidedly annoyed. "We've come up with nothing again. Right, let's pull out!"
With their mission a seeming failure, Team Magma marched out of the chamber and back out into the open. But they had barely taken a few steps forward, when they were all knocked off their feet by a water gun attack, courtesy of Mudkip!
"Okay, you creeps!" said Misty defiantly, as she and Mudkip faced the drenched members of Team Magma. "The party's over!"
The Group Leader scrambled to his feet and glowered angrily at Misty. "Lady, you just made a big mistake! That little Mudkip of yours won't be enough to stand against all of our Houndoom!"
"Then I guess it's time to bring out some back-up," grinned Misty, as she threw another of her Poké Balls in the air. "Go, Gyarados!"
A second later, the Poké Ball opened and Misty's large serpentine Pokémon emerged with a terrific roar!
"Okay, Gyarados. Use your Hydro Pump on those guys!" commanded Misty.
Gyarados obeyed instantly and fired a terrific blast of water at Team Magma, sending them flying off into the air!
"Gah! I've dropped the camera! All the photos we took will be lost!" exclaimed the female Team Magma grunt, as they soared through the sky.
"That girl must have been a Team Aqua agent, sent to sabotage our mission!" hollered one of the other goons.
"There will be a reckoning for this humiliation! I swear it!" vowed the Group Leader as they all disappeared into the horizon.
As Team Magma vanished from sight, Misty and her two Pokémon cheered in triumph.
"Yay, we did it!" said Misty happily, as a surprised Professor Alden emerged from the chamber.
"Misty? Are you all right? Where did those crooks go?" asked the Professor in puzzlement.
"Don't worry, Professor," replied Misty as she patted Gyarados and Mudkip gratefully. "Gyarados and Mudkip sent them blasting off Team Rocket-style!"
Just then, a familiar voice called out from behind them. "Misty! Professor!"
Turning around, Misty was delighted to see some recognisable figures racing towards them.
"It's Ash!" she cried jubilantly, as Ash, May and Pikachu ran into the clearing and came over to them.
"Are you two okay?" asked May in concern.
"Yes, we're just fine," said Alden reassuringly. "Your friend Misty managed to drive off those crooks."
"What a relief," sighed May.
"Yeah, we were really worried about you, Misty," added Ash happily, glad to see his best friend was safe and sound.
"Pika Pikachu-Pi!" added an equally relieved Pikachu
"Thanks, Ash. But what about Togepi, and everyone-else at the Pokémon Centre?" asked Misty in concern.
"Don't worry, they're all fine," said Ash. "But I wonder who those weird guys were anyway?"
"Wobbuffet!"
Startled by the sudden noise, Ash and the others spun around, to see Team Rocket hiding behind one of the stone pillars. While Misty had been fighting Team Magma, Jessie, James and Meowth had craftily managed to get their hands on the four treasures that unlocked the chamber, and they had been quietly sneaking away when Wobbuffet suddenly emerged from its Poké Ball and noisily gave their position away!
"Not you crooks again!" said Ash in annoyance.
"Rats! Seems like we've been discovered," muttered Jessie.
"Hey! You guys give back those treasures!" demanded Professor Alden.
"Make us!" said Meowth defiantly.
In response, Gyarados gave another loud fierce roar right at Team Rocket, making the crooks jump in fright!
"Um, on second thought, you can keep these baubles," said James nervously, as he and his comrades lost their nerve and dropped the four treasures on the ground.
"Yeah, we don't want to get blasted away by Gyarados like those other guys," added Meowth timidly.
"Wobbu Wobbu!" agreed Wobbuffet, as Team Rocket abandoned their loot and raced away from the hill as fast as their legs could carry them.
"Looks like Team Rocket's racing off again!" they yelled in unison as they disappeared into the distance.
"Boy, Team Rocket really have been a load of wet blankets tonight," chuckled Misty as she recalled her Gyarados and Mudkip back into their respective Poké Balls.
With both groups of criminals dealt with, Alden led the way back into the chamber, where he placed the four treasures back into the slots in the stone slab.
"Good, they're back where they belong," smiled the Professor, as Ash, Misty, May and Pikachu looked on, glad that things seemed to have worked out for the best.
Just then, the light of the rising morning sun began to filter in through the open doorway, and before the amazed eyes of those in the room, a series of lines running on the stone slab and the walls suddenly began to glow brightly. As the group gasped in wonder, the stone slab slid further back towards the wall, revealing a passage of descending steps that had been hidden underneath where the stone had been placed a few seconds ago.
"A secret passage!" exclaimed Misty as she and the others look on excitedly.
"Well, let's take a look!" said Alden, as he led the way down the steps.
A few minutes later, the small group emerged into a large rocky cavern, with a huge deep lake of water right before them.
"It's an enormous underground water supply!" said the Professor in wonder.
"It smells so fresh and clean," remarked May, with agreeing nods from Ash and Misty.
"I wonder if it leads out to sea?" pondered Alden as they took in the spectacular sight before them.
At that moment, they were further astonished when a large fish-like Pokémon, with hard, brown scales like craggy rocks, leapt out of the water, flew across the air and dived back in again.
"Wow! What is that?" gasped Misty.
"Great Scott! The ancient Pokémon Relicanth!" exclaimed Alden.
"Relicanth?" echoed Ash, as he and the others stared in surprise.
"Well I'll be! It is true!" said Alden jubilantly. "These ruins are a portal between the present and the past!"
Grateful at having been able to see inside the chamber and the wonders it contained, Ash, Misty and May eventually headed back to the Pokémon Centre, where Misty was happily reunited with a relieved Togepi and May went to collect Torchic from Nurse Joy.
"May, I'm happy to report that your Torchic is as good as new," smiled Nurse Joy as she handed the Poké Ball containing Torchic back to May.
"Oh great, thank you!" said May gratefully, as she opened the Poké Ball and Torchic emerged, leaping merrily into May's arms.
"Oh, I'm so glad you feel better," said May as she cuddled Torchic.
"Excuse me, Nurse Joy. Did you find out anything more about those crooks?" asked Ash.
"Pika?" added Pikachu, who was again perched on Ash's shoulder.
"Officer Jenny is doing everything she can, but so far no clues," said Nurse Joy solemnly.
"That's too bad," said Misty as she hugged Togepi. "I wonder what they were hoping to find in that chamber anyway?"
Ash shrugged, deciding that they would have to wait and see to get their answers. "Well, I guess it's time for us to head over to Petalburg City, right?"
Just then, Professor Alden came over to join them. "Hey guys. Leaving so soon?"
"'Fraid so," said Misty. "Were you able to discover anything else about the chamber, Professor?"
"I sure have," smiled Alden. "I've been doing a little more research over at the stone chamber, and so far, every indication has pointed to ancient Pokémon and humans interacting peacefully."
"Wow!" said Ash.
"You've learnt so much and so quickly," said May admiringly.
Professor Alden beamed with excitement. "I can hardly stop working, even to sleep! There are so many undiscovered secrets in the world of Pokémon."