"Ow!" Layne said as he stepped on yet another crystal of the cave. "I don't see how Autumn and them could explore this cave and not have bloodied feet." If you stepped in the wrong places, you should have a crystal go right through your foot. Layne was lucky to simply tripping and uncomfortable steps so far, but he only guessed it wouldn't be much longer before things perhaps got tougher.

Before entering, Layne had got the feeling from before. The feeling that he knew this place. And for strange reasons, it gave him the chills.

Layne and Pyro were not the only ones exploring Crystal Cave. Every other member of the guild was currently searching this exact cave. Even Dusknoir, Wigglytuff, and Chatot were exploring this cave. The cave was very large, so he could understand why simply the trio of Bidoof, Autumn and Dugtrio wasn't enough to find whatever it was they were looking for.

Pyro looked over to Layne. "You okay?"

Layne was massaging his foot. "Just another bad step. I better watch it." Layne was surprised Pyro had not taken a bad step by now, but perhaps his luck was just better than that of Layne.

Layne could also see why Bidoof had decided to bring a crystal back with him. The cavern walls of this cave were gorgeous. Layne liked how the fire of Pyro's tail once again lit up the walls with light. But he had no interest in taking a trophy from this cave.

They continued walking. They exchanged a few words, but then again, what was there to talk about? There was too much on their minds. The Time Gears, Grovyle, Azelf, everything.

Two hours had passed, and Pyro and Layne were still wandering the cavern.

"Big cave." Layne said.

"You'd think that by now, we'd find something." Pyro said. "I'm beginning to worry that we might be simply going in circles.

Layne chuckled at that, "Keep your head up. I'm sure there's something coming up."

"Like what?"

"I don't know." Layne said. "We're in a cavern full of crystals. I've not been here before, for all we know..." Layne trailed off as they entered a certain room. Three gigantic crystals stood erect in this room. The room was a dead end, but there was something about the room that Layne sensed, and apparently so did Pyro.

"These crystals...they're huge!" Pyro said.

Layne chuckled. "Don't let Bidoof see them," he said joking.

"Do you think the color means anything?" Pyro asked.

Layne looked at the crystals. The crystals were arranged in a triangle pattern. The one on the left, was red, the one on the right, yellow, and the one on the top was purple.

Layne simply said, "They surely stand out from the other crystals. They could be clues."

"They could be keeping a secret!" Pyro said.

"Perhaps they are..." Layne said. "Fogbound Lake's secret was held in a statue. And the desert's secret was underground, as the only entrance, being the quicksand. It could be..." Layne said with a growing smile, "These crystals perhaps are the key to Azelf's lake!"

"You're right!" Pyro said.

"But..." Layne said. "Each secret was different in revealing a path. Groundon needed a stone. The quicksand was nothing but a lucky guess to me, and I have no clue as to how to keep going here."

"Hmmm..." Pyro said, and leaned on one of the crystals. The crystal immediately changed from red to green. Layne and Pyro both noticed this. "Whoa!" Pyro exclaimed. "The crystal changed color!"

Layne watched as Pyro went to the top of the crystal formation and touched the top crystal. It changed from purple to orange. "This one changes too! Perhaps this has something to do with uncovering the secret."

"A puzzle." Layne said, as he touched the crystal next to him twice. "Never was good at those." Layne looked around. "Three crystals. Zero instructions. All crystals change color, what does this mean?"

Layne then felt head-rush. Pyro did not see, for he had found something and was investigating a small section of the wall. Layne balanced himself on the crystal, as the dizziness came over him. The Dimensional Scream had activated.

Layne's world went black. Once again he was standing in the world of darkness. There were voices. The same voices as before! But they were distorted as usual, and he could only hazard a guess to say one was his own! But...why was the world black again?

"It's a puzzle..."

"Three crystals, three elements. This is the guardians lament. All of which are necessary to make life seem merry..."

Layne thought this sounded a little familiar.

"Knowledge is passion, it helps us take action. Emotion is what binds s, without it would be blackness. Willpower is what drives us, to ear a great bonus, but it also is what unifies, and makes life on the rise."

Layne was terrible at riddles too. This wasn't making much sense. However, Dusknoir had talked about these beings before. Was this referring to the three lake Guardians? It had to be!

"The path is hidden, but not without a bargain. Identify the color of the crystal therin, to match the color of the spirit within..."

"...to match the color of the spirit within." Pyro said. "Layne this gives us a riddle!"

"Yeah, I just heard it through another vision." Layne said.

"The Dimensional Scream just happened again?" Pyro asked. "What did you see?"

"Nothing." Layne said. "That's the second time I've seen nothing in these visions. I just heard voices."

"Well...what did you hear?"

"The same thing you just said."

"The riddle?" Pyro asked. "I'm not sure I understand."

Layne touched the crystal again. "The crystals all change color. I think it's a little obvious that the crystals all need to be one color. But which color?"

Pyro contemplated. "To match...the spirit within..." Pyro lit up. "Do you think it could mean Azelf? What color could his spirit be?"

"We don't want to hazard any guesses..." Layne said, touching the crystal again. "There are just too many crystal colors cycling through. But if I had to put all logic into play..." He looked to Pyro and said, "Make that crystal a light blue."

Pyro nodded and touched the crystal,until it glowed a bright blue, as did Layne with his crystal. Layne then went up to the top and cycled through. "Here goes nothing..."

He touched it again, and it turned light blue...

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Layne sighed, "Guess not."

Layne had spoke too soon. A tremor began to shake the cave. "Get back!" Pyro said, and Layne obliged. The crystals began to show sparks of what looked like electricity. Beams of light showed off the crystals and then joined at the center of the crystal triangle. The ground shook violently and up from the ground rose a monster crystal. The crystal glowed with energy, and electricity sparked off like crazy. Once the crystal's light faded away, Layne and Pyro looked.

The giant crystal had an entrance.

"Well, that worked out nicely." Layne said giving a small smile, crossing his arms.

"A cave!" Pyro said. "You think that the Time Gear is below here?"

"Only one way to find out." Layne said. "You coming?"

"Right behind you. "The crystals have to have been the key! Look at what we've come across!" Pyro said.

Layne just smiled and said "We have a tendency to stumble across surprise. Shall we?"

Pyro smiled and followed Layne down the hole. The hall they were in was extremely narrow, allowing very limited movement. "You'd think they'd make this a little wider." Layne said.

"I don't know." Pyro said. "As an explorer, I kind of expect to see things like this."

"Well, I'm not saying I don't expect to see this," Layne said, "But-" His foot suddenly sank into water. Whoa." Layne said shaking his foot of excess water. "I think we've found our lake."

Pyro looked up. "You can say that again!" he said, smiling. "Look at that!"

The lake was huge. Crystals emerged from the surface of the water. The water once again was lit up at the center. Layne smiled. "I think we both know what that is."

Pyro nodded. However Pyro then said. "Look over there!' Near the center of the lake!"

Layne looked. "What is that?"

"It looks like there's someone over there!" Pyro said.

Layne then said, "Well we better make sure it isn't Grovyle! Come on!"

Layne and Pyro ran for the center of the lake. Layne ran considerably faster than Pyro ever since learning the proper way to run as a Buizel. Layne still couldn't see what was going on but beat Pyro to the area mentioned.

And who would be there...but Grovyle himself. "Layne was afraid that's who it was. Grovyle had come, to take the last Time Gear.

Layne ran and could barely see Azelf also floating near him. Azelf was badly beat and wounded. Grovyle simply said, "I'm sorry, but I'll be taking it now."

"No!" Azelf cried. "I will not let you take it! Never!"

Layne ran forward. What he had seen in his vision had just come true. Grovyle was about to take the last Time Gear! Layne ran up the land isle. Grovyle, meanwhile contemplated. "Now sunk down there, that's where the Time Gear is. I can feel it. I apologize, Azelf, but it is essential that I take that Time Gear."

"Wait...Grovyle!" Azelf said.

"You know my name." Grovyle said. "Your brother and sister alerted you to my presence after all."

"I know you are powerful, Grovyle." Azelf said. "And I anticipated losing. So I created a fail-safe system to prevent you from taking the last Time Gear."

Grovyle who was about to jump in, simply said, "What?"

"Observe." Azelf said. His eyes then glowed.

Layne continued running towards them, but was forced to stop as a tremor shook the area around him. This gave Pyro an opportunity to catch up to Layne. What was going on? Layne looked at the lake. Everywhere, giant razor-sharp crystals began to rise up out of the lake. The crystals continued to grow, until they covered the entire lake.

"This..." Grovyle said, "You've covered the lake with crystals!"

"Thus preventing you from taking the Time Gear." Azelf said. "You won't ever get it, Grovyle. Even in exchange for my life."

Grovyle simply said, "I have no interest in taking your life. But I mean to have it, and I will take it. You don't understand how serious the situation is. I need to get that Time Gear!"

"Grovyle! Stop!" Pyro shouted as he and Layne finally reached the area they were at. Grovyle was surprised to see both Layne and Pyro here again, but simply smiled.

"You again?" he asked.

"You will not take another Time Gear!" Pyro said.

Grovyle simply repeated what he seemed to always say. "I have no quarrel with you. Out of my way. Azelf will disable his trap."

"I will not move!" Pyro shouted. His confidence was great for the way their previous match-up had ended.

"You serious?" Grovyle asked. "If you won't stand aside, then, prepare yourself. You've left me no choice."

He charged and knocked Pyro aside as he did in the desert lake. He then went for Layne. Pyro slowly got up and watched Layne and Grovyle at it. Grovyle was fast, and Layne was certainly kept on his feet. Layne managed to dodge a good amount of the punches thrown, and was finally able to throw one of his own punches. He got Grovyle right in the jaw.

Grovyle stumbled back rubbing his jaw, and smiled. "Impressive."

"You've said that, once before." Layne said as he jumped at Grovyle, aiming an Iron Tail at his head. Grovyle at first gave him a look of suspicion, before dodging. Grovyle continued to eye him. Layne was not comfortable. "What?"

Grovyle shook his head. "Nothing. I have no time for this."

The leaves on Grovyle's arm then glowed a bright green, and he charged Layne. Layne tried to dodge, but he got the full extent of the attack. He hit the ground and rolled into one of the giant crystals. "Stop wasting your energy." Grovyle said to them all. "I will have this Time Gear. Pyro managed to step in front of Grovyle, and block his path to Azelf.

Grovyle eyed him and said, "Step aside."

Pyro said nothing. Layne managed to finally look up. He still felt bruised from yesterday. Sleep would do him good right now, but it was not the time at the moment.

"You refuse?" Grovyle asked Pyro. "You are foolish." Grovyle was about to cast Pyro aside, and Layne was about to cry out, "Leave him alone!"

However as he came for the blow, who should appear but Dusknoir. Dusknoir called "Stop!" And as Grovyle came in, his blow was stopped by Dusknoir's two hands, and they were then in an arm lock..

Grovyle heard that voice and looked at Dusknoir. His eyes narrowed. "You..."

Dusknoir asked, "Pyro, are you okay?"

Pyro nodded, slowly.

"I will handle this." Dusknoir then said. He then overpowered Grovyle and threw him at a crystal wall. Dusknoir slowly approached, "It's been too long, Grovyle. I will say, it has not been easy finding you. Most impressive, Grovyle."

Layne looked up as did Pyro. "What?"

Pyro asked, "Dusknoir, knows him?"

Grovyle simply eyed Dusknoir. "Even here. I should have known you'd follow even here. Very tenacious of you."

"You won't get away this time, Grovyle." Dusknoir said.

Grovyle chuckled, "Dusknoir, I am surprised to see you in this world, but I am also ready."

"Are you challenging me?" Dusknoir asked. "So be it."

"I'm not challenging anything. I have no time to be gambling."

He drew something from his bag and threw it, and a brief flash blinded everyone in the room. Layne's eyes burned. And when the light faded, and everyone's sight came back, Grovyle was gone.

"He's...gone." Pyro said.

"No." Dusknoir said. "He's just escaped using Dig. Rather predictable of him. Blast it!" Dusknoir cursed. "He cannot escape me!" Dusknoir said. And with that, Dusknoir faded from view.

Layne looked around. "This is getting weird!"

Pyro also said, "I don't understand this at all!"

Layne crawled over. "Are you okay?"

"Grovyle can really fight..." Pyro said.

Layne tried to stand but failed. "Can you walk?"

"No..." Pyro said.

"There they are!" Autumn's voice called out.

"Hey, hey! Come on, hurry!"

Layne looked up, the Guild was running towards them. Layne smiled weakly, "Nice to see you all..."

Autumn ran over and helped Layne. "Two days in a row, Layne. You should be more wise."

Layne chuckled as the rest of the Guild helped Azelf and Pyro up as well. "Trouble always did have a problem following me."

Sunflora came over. "You guys are not in good shape."

Loudred said, "What are we WAITING for? Let's get them to the Guild!"

Sunflora simply said, "Eek! Keep your voice down!"

Layne chuckled as he was helped up. It felt good to be with the guild again. And for once, perhaps there was good news to be shared. The fifth Time Gear for the moment was safe. Though Dusknoir had some explaining to do, things...for now...were good.