PART III:
The Crisis of the Time Gears

"As I climb onto your back, I will promise not to sting
I will tell you what you want to hear, and not mean anything
Then I treat you like a dog, as I shoot my venom in
You pretend you didn't know, that I am a scorpion..."
-Megadeth in "Scorpion"

Layne, Bidoof, Autumn, and Pyro had been walking alongside the coast for a while now. They had been walking now for a few hours and were well into the afternoon. The path slowly turned into more of a cliff more than a trail along the beach, and the group was walking right alongside it. "Careful!" Autumn said, "I think it's getting pretty narrow if I had to manage a guess."

"It is." Layne said.

Pyro looked up and said, "Don't worry! I see a cave up ahead."

Bidoof chuckled, "This is turning out to be more and more of an expedition, if you ask me! Yup, yup!"

Layne shrugged, "Narrow cliffs, and dark caves. A day in the life."

Bidoof said, "What I mean was that the path ahead will most likely be a bit tricky."

Autumn said, "That's what we as explorers have to expect, and what we hope to see!"

"It's just it being my first expedition. I mean we've started, and I'm still nervous."

Pyro laughed and said, "Don't worry, the same goes for both Layne and I."

Layne only laughed and looked to Autumn and said, "I know what you're thinking."

Autumn looked curious and gave a smart smile, "Oh, do you now?"

Layne said, "Yeah. 'Of all the groups, I had to get stuck with the rookies.'"

Autumn laughed, and said, "Close. Of all the groups, I had to get stuck with you."

Bidoof and Pyro laughed at that. Layne simply smiled, and said, "Touché. Memories are forever, aren't they." It hadn't been that long ago when he and Autumn weren't really on good terms with each other. But ever since that day when Layne had done a stupid thing that almost cost him his life, well he and Autumn had grown a little closer as friends.

"None the less," Pyro said, "Let us all do our best!" Pyro took out his map, and laid it out. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say we are about here." he said pointing south of the bigger area of mountain.

Autumn nodded, "Seems about right."

Pyro said, "We're supposed to meet everyone here." he pointed to a marked area of the map.

Layne chuckled, "Way over there."

Autumn said, "Well it was obvious that we weren't going to get to the base camp in one day."

Pyro nodded and said, "So why don't we try to reach this spot here?" he said pointing to a peak in the area around the middle.

"I was thinking the same thing." Autumn said with a bit of a smile. "You're picking this up quick, Pyro."

"Really?" Pyro asked. "Thanks!"

"Okay!" Bidoof said, "Then let's hop to it!"

Layne was surprised. Pyro had taken a pretty big step. Alongside Autumn, he was making decisions a leader made. It made Layne think on the confidence Pyro had at one point had, which was little to none. Pyro had indeed evolved much since first meeting with Layne. Had Layne helped in this? He didn't feel like he did. In fact, he felt as if all he did was maybe...just maybe...guide Pyro. He didn't know. He was just glad, Pyro was not as he once was, over timid and dependent. Perhaps he still was, but not at all on the same level. He was a stronger pokémon, and Layne appreciated that. Or perhaps...the excitement of his involvement in the guild's expedition was the only reason. If that was the case, then Layne would have to step up his act of helping Pyro out.

...

No.

Pyro was getting stronger and more confident, day by day. Layne knew it. It was just a gut feeling.

Pyro looked into the cave, and crossed his arms. "Hmmmm."

"Is there a problem?" Bidoof asked.

"There's two entrances." Pyro said.

"How vexing can you get?" Layne asked, popping his neck.

"What do we do?" Pyro asked. He looked to Layne.

"Me?" Layne asked.

Autumn came to look, and she too looked a bit confused. "Most of the time I choose these things, I have a tendency to choose wrong."

"Really?" Layne asked, a bit surprised at that as he too. "Well it's a fifty fifty shot of going left or right. Which way would you go, Bidoof?"

Bidoof looked a bit surprised, "Me?"

"Yeah," Layne said. "Which way would you go?"

"Well, I'd go left."

"Why?" Pyro asked.

"Well, I tend to use my left side more than my right." Bidoof said.

"Left-handed are we?" Layne asked. "Well, then we're going left."

Everyone looked at Layne. Pyro said, "Why left?"

Layne shrugged. "Old phrase I know. If no one goes right, go left. Works for me, at least."

Pyro and Autumn looked a bit unsure but said, "We won't know until we try."

So they went left. The darkness of the cave enveloped them all. Pyro was the one to lead them as his tail provided what little light they had.

Layne continued to think of Pyro's actions. Now not only was he acting like a leader, he was literally leading the group. Sure, it was only logical, but still, would they have been able to convince him of that when they had first started as an exploration team? Layne wouldn't put that out of his mind. He could only picture everyone needing to literally push Pyro just to get him to lead. That probably wouldn't be the real case, but it was humorous to Layne either way, and it made him chuckle a bit.

"What's so funny?" Bidoof asked.

Layne shook his head. "Nothing. Just random thoughts in my head and I find them amusing."

Autumn smiled and said, "Mind sharing with the group?"

Layne shook his head as he chuckled, "Not these ones. Perhaps someday, but not now."

Autumn chuckled as she walked beside him. "You grow weirder everyday, you know that?"

Layne shrugged and smiled in return. "You know so much of me, yet I know only so much about you."

"What is there to know about me?" Autumn asked.

"Well," Layne said pondering the question. I've been told you take exploring, very seriously."

"That's a bit exaggerated." Autumn said.

"What do you mean?" Layne asked.

"Well, I love exploring. It's all I've ever known." Autumn said. "I like to think that sometimes I take it serious, simply so I could be like my father."

"Your father?" Layne repeated.

"Yeah, when I still lived with my mother, he would come home sometimes with surprises he had picked up from his explorations. He was a great explorer, and a great father."

"Whatever happened to him?" Layne asked.

Autumn shrugged, "To be honest, I don't know. He and my mother left one day out to sea, and never came back. They didn't desert me or anything, my only guess is that it was my time to live on my own. You can only live so long with your parents."

Layne shrugged. "So you strive to be like your father?"

"I guess." Autumn suggested. "What about you? What made you want to be an explorer?"

Why did he explore? Why was he an explorer?

Layne pondered Autumn's question, and even stopped briefly to think about it. Pyro and Bidoof also looked at him. Needless to say, they had been listening. Layne shook his head. "I can't answer that."

"You can't answer a lot of things, can you." Autumn said.

"No no no, it's not like that, see what I mean is, well the only reason I'm here..." Layne trailed off. "I just don't know."

Pyro smiled, "Do you regret joining an exploration team?"

Layne chuckled, "Why would I regret anything? I'm surrounded by three good friends.'

Bidoof said, "Surely you must have some role model for becoming an explorer. Yup, yup! Did your parents do it?"

Layne shrugged. "I...I don't know. I don't think I ever knew my parents..."

"What?" Bidoof asked confused.

Pyro said, "Layne has trouble-"

Layne cut him off. "I don't think I've ever told you this, Bidoof. I've told Pyro, and Autumn once, but no one else in the guild knows."

"What do you mean?" Bidoof asked.

"Well..." Layne said looking at Autumn and Pyro. "I'm not what you think. I'm not a Buizel."

"What?" Bidoof asked in confusion.

Layne said, "don't ask too many questions, because my memory is about as blank as my map." He sighed, and spoke up. "I'm a human, Bidoof."

"A human? In a Buizel? Golly, I don't think I've ever heard of a human turning into a pokémon."

"Join the club." Autumn said.

"So as far as my past and everything," Layne said, "I don't remember anything. The day Pyro and I joined the Guild, was the same day we met, and the same day I awoke as a Buizel."

"Golly..." Bidoof said.

Layne spoke again, "And I would appreciate this story kept under wraps for now. When I am comfortable, I will perhaps talk with other pokémon in the guild about it. But even the Guildmaster doesn't know...for obvious reasons."

"Obvious reasons?" Autumn asked.

Layne nodded, "I mean no disrespect for Wigglytuff, but his behavior...I do not know what goes on through his head sometimes."

The group chuckled at that and Pyro said, "We should keep going. We shouldn't keep the Guild waiting."

"True enough." Layne said.

They continued walking for hours, and finally Layne stopped. He could have swore that he heard something.

Autumn looked at him, "You okay?"

"Shh..." Layne said. "I thought I heard-"

Suddenly, cold unlike he had ever experienced hit his back. He fell to the ground. Autumn, Pyro and Bidoof all went into a defensive stance. Autumn called out, "Sealeo!"

Layne could not get up. He simply looked up. "What does that mean?"

Bidoof said, "It's not what it means, Layne! It's what it is!"

Pyro said nervously, "A pokémon, who thrives on ice and water attacks."

"I can't get up!" Layne said, struggling.

"Hold on!" Autumn said. "Pyro, can you light up the room?"

Pyro did just that. Marowak had taught him a technique he simply called "Flash" and the room revealed three Sealeo pokémon in the room, all looking directly at the group.

"Careful." Autumn said, and she unleashed an attack, Layne had no clue how to use. Autumn had simply enveloped her whole body in water, and used her body and the water like a speeding torpedo, at one of the Sealo. Pyro attacked one with an attack he simply called "Metal Claw." Bidoof, though a bit slow, managed to dodge the third Sealo's attack, and used "Head-butt."

Layne yearned to help his group out, but he could not get up, and he couldn't feel his legs or parts of his back. He was beginning to fear that he was paralyzed, but what could have done it? And why did he feel so dang cold?

Autumn fought considerably well, and it certainly got Layne's attention. Autumn had her own arsenal or attacks, some of which Layne knew, but a lot he didn't. She had definitely been doing this for a while, because she showed no fear as she attacked the Sealeo. Pyro also faired reasonably strong, as did Bidoof. The trio were great fighters. Layne tried once again to get up, but failed again.

Autumn was the first to defeat her foe, and did it with ease. She then aided Bidoof with his Sealeo. Bidoof was fairing okay, but his lack of speed, did not aide him in his battle, and he himself suffered a couple hits. Pyro tried attacking, but most of the time, had to dodge. The Sealo kept attacking Pyro with water attacks. Layne kept thinking, what he could do. Then it came to him.

He called out to the Sealeo. "Hey, seal!"

The Sealeo looked over, and Layne unleashed a water gun in it's face. It obviously wasn't that effective, but Autumn saw an opportunity and her fists glowed. Layne half expected her to use Water Pulse, but her fists glowed brighter, and with certain movement, she punched Sealeo, and the Sealeo froze solid.

"Impressive." Layne said, nodding. "Now can someone help he up?"

Pyro came over. "Dang, Layne."

"What?"

Autumn came over. "Nothing, other than the fact that you could use some sun."

"What do you mean?" Layne asked a bit annoyed.

Pyro simply said, "Don't move for a moment. You've been frozen to the ground."

"I guess that explains a lot." Layne said. "Is it bad?"

"You should be fine." Autumn said as Pyro began to thaw out certain areas of ice.

Layne looked confused, "You know of a thing called frostbite?"

"We have frostbite." Bidoof said, "But most pokémon bodies are pretty durable to such conditions."

"Just wish it didn't feel so dang uncomfortable." Layne said as Pyro finally helped him stand up. Parts of his back were still frozen, as was his tail, so he needed to be helped, as he could not keep himself balanced.

Autumn looked and said, "I think I see sunlight."

They followed Autumn to the cave exit, and sure enough, there was still sun in the sky. And Layne gave a noise of satisfaction as the sun hit his back. "That...feels...good." Was all he said and all he needed to say.

"It's good that we're finally through. Yup, yup!" Bidoof said.

Pyro nodded, but said, "We still have a ways to go to base camp."

Layne looked over and said, "Well it would seem we've reached your mountain." Layne said pointing to a mountain that was off to the side.

Everyone looked and was amazed. "The cave took us all the way here!" Bidoof said in shock.

"That saves us a lot of mountain climbing." Layne said.

"Yeah, we're nearly there!" Pyro said.

"Well," Layne said, "The sun's setting. I'd say we've done a good day of traveling."

It was then that a big noise was heard. "Pardon me," Bidoof said. "That's my stomach."

A similar noise came from Pyro and Layne laughed, as did Autumn, and Layne said, "It would seem you're not the only one who's hungry."

Autumn said, "Well, let's camp here tonight, and we'll get to the camp tomorrow. Pyro, if you could find some firewood, we could get a fire going, for Layne's situation, and perhaps for some dinner."

That night, they all talked around the fire, as they ate dinner, and as Layne massaged his tail, which was slowly but surely thawing out. They had been talking a little bit more about why they had become explorers. Bidoof was talking about how he had left his mother, and siblings to become an explorer.

"I was actually a bit dismayed upon joining the guild at first."

Layne continued massaging his tail. "Why's that?"

"Well," Bidoof sighed, "When I first joined the guild, a lot of my tasks revolved around me simply running simple guild errands, like running to the Kecleon Marketplace to pick up oran berries or whatever."

"Sounds pretty dull." Layne said.

"Well, it wasn't the best start for me either. When I had first started at the guild, I tended to mess up on a lot of things."

Autumn laughed, "I remember the time you gave me an accidental used Technical Machine."

Bidoof looked a little dismayed about that and simply said, "Don't remind me."

Autumn nudged him and says, "Oh cheer up. Life's certainly took a significant change for you, hasn't it?"

"Yup,yup!" Bidoof said. Layne simply looked at Bidoof as he tried to spin his tail a few times, "What all changed it?"

Bidoof looked in thought then shook his head, "That's a story I keep to myself for the most part."

Layne chuckled at that and looked to Pyro. "Pyro, I think it's time you spoke up? What made you want to become an explorer?"

Pyro looked at Layne, "I was just thinking about that."

Layne motioned for him to continue, "Well?"

"To be honest, I'm not too sure myself." Pyro said, "I guess it all started the day I found my Relic Fragment."

Layne nodded, recalling the story. Pyro reached under his scarf to look at his fragment. Autumn and Bidoof saw it and asked "What's that?"

"My personal treasure. It's one of the reasons I became an explorer." Pyro said. "There's something about it that makes me think it's more than just a simple rock. There's a design on the rock," he showed them, "That just tells me that there's much more than meets the eye when it comes to it."

Bidoof smiled, "I hope one day you figure it out! Yup, yup!" Bidoof then looked back to Layne. "I still can't shake from my head that you were once human. I just don't get it."

"I don't think any of us really do," Autumn said.

Layne shrugged as he lay down near the fire. His tail was feeling much better, but his back was still a bit frozen. He could only let the fire do it's work there. "You think I get it? I still barely know anything about this body. I barely know these moves you guys do, I still can barely propel myself through water using my tail, and just the other day I learned that running on four legs is much faster than running on two."

"I thought that was a given," Autumn said.

Layne chuckled and shrugged. "When your partner's beating you in a race against a flood of water, you tend to experiment with how fast you can run in certain ways." He remembered Pyro triggering the flood, but mentioned nothing more of it. 'A few of those moves you executed earlier today, Autumn, are moves I can only wish I knew."

Autumn chuckled and got up and walked over to Layne. "Chances are you'll learn them soon. At least Aqua Jet. Ice Punch may take a while for you to learn, but it's only a matter of time before you learn Aqua Jet. I wouldn't be surprised if you secretly knew it already."

Layne shrugged, "Perhaps."

Pyro simply said, "With or without your moves, Layne, you are one tough pokémon. I still wonder how you know half the stuff you do."

"If I knew, I'd tell you." Layne said. He didn't have a clue as to why he knew as much as he did.

"Forget about that all for a while, and hold still, Layne." Autumn said.

"What are you going to do?" Layne asked.

"Make your back feel a bit more comfortable. It's still frozen in certain areas."

"Yeah, but..."

Autumn let loose a small water gun and began to massage the back. Layne at first cringed, but let her do what she did. Once again, her unpredictable nature had come into play. Layne knew they could call themselves friends now, but he didn't expect a back massage from her anytime soon.

"Th-thanks." he managed to say with a bit of a groan as she worked hard.

Everyone laughed at Layne's reaction and feel to the whole thing. Layne didn't know when they'd all fall asleep, or if they ever would, this group was just having too much fun.