The journey to Treeshroud Forest would end up taking two days. From where they were, the closest Time Gear Location would have been the one in the lake of the North Desert, however, they knew that they would have to fight Mespirit in order to get that Time Gear back, and fighting any guardian right now would just gain them unwanted attention. Grovyle explained that at one point in legend, it was said that Treeshroud Forest's Time Gear had a guardian. Of course over time, where this guardian ended up, was a mystery. The legend, Grovyle explained was not as detailed as he'd hoped it would be.

On the third day, they would be standing on the outskirts of Treeshroud Forest. "This is the place..." Grovyle said. "The Time Gear will be deep in this forest, in a shallow pond area."

Layne frowned. "It would seem that these Time Gears like being kept in water..."

Grovyle nodded, "An observation we made in the future. We only have theories as to to why this is, but perhaps we'll never know. Our main guess is that the Time Gears in order to work properly, had to stay in a body of water."

"I don't know about that." Layne said. "You were carrying around four of them, in order to serve a special purpose."

"It's just a theory, Layne." Grovyle repeated. "As I said, there are probably certain things that will be forever beyond our understanding."

"Perhaps." Layne said with a shrug.

Grovyle regained ground. "Never-the-less, if Dusknoir held true, then Uxie, Azelf, and Mespirit were to put the Time Gears back. Hopefully they did in the month we were gone. Otherwise this trip will have been for nothing. I will say...it's a little strange."

Pyro looked over, "What is?"

"Strangely, the atmosphere itself...feels different than last time I was here."

"How so?" Layne asked.

Grovyle however shook his head, "II must be imagining things. Let's get this over with."

The walk through Treeshroud Forest did not take too long. However Layne couldn't help but feel that he was starting to feel what Grovyle felt before entering the forest. Something didn't feel right. He was starting to see it in Grovyle's eyes. It was quiet. Unnaturally quiet. Layne stopped dead in his tracks. Grovyle and Pyro turned to him.

"What's wrong, Layne?" Pyro asked.

"I think it's obvious." Layne said. "I can't be the only one feeling so uncomfortable right now."

There was a pause before Grovyle nodded, "I cannot shake the feeling that I felt before coming here."

Layne nodded, "Exactly. It's too quiet. No tree leaves rustling in the wind...I can't even feel any wind."

Grovyle and Pyro looked at each other. "Stay here..." Grovyle said and ran ahead.

Pyro could only wonder what was going on when suddenly he saw something that made his heart skip a beat. "L-Layne...behind you!"

Layne turned around. Up in the tree, was what he could only guess was a pokémon. It wasn't about to attack or anything...it was...frozen. Frozen in place, as if stuck in time.

Stuck in time?

"Guys! You better come see this!" Grovyle's voice reached them.

Layne and Pyro came running. Layne spoke up, "Grovyle, It would seem that...what in God's name..."

What they were looking at brought grim reminders of what they had all witnessed in the future. The land was losing color, and stuck in time. There was no wind, no sound, just themselves. "How...how can this be?" Pyro asked. "The Lake Guardian trio promised they'd return the Time Gears to their proper places! So..."

"That doesn't explain anything." Layne said. "Why is time still at a standstill here?"

Pyro looked to them, "Is it possible the Time Gears have yet to be returned?"

"After a month?" Layne simply asked.

Grovyle took a few steps forward and stepped in shallow water. "We are close to where the Time Gear would be. Let's go check it out. Watch your step, Pyro."

The three made their way through the shallow pond area, to an area. Sure enough, a Time Gear was in the water.

"What?" Pyro exclaimed.

"A Time Gear..."" Grovyle said in a deadpan tone.

"Okay, something's obviously out of place." Layne said. "Time is definitely stopped here. We all know this. But why?"

As they contemplated this, Grovyle stepped forward and removed the Time Gear, much to the shock of Pyro. "Grovyle, what do you think you're-"

"Pyro..." Layne spoke up, in a calming voice. It was obvious that Pyro was still uncomfortable with just taking these Time Gears.

Layne didn't know if it was just him, but as Grovyle took the Time Gear, the day seemed to darken even more, bringing more grim reminders of the perpetual darkness that was threatening the world.

Grovyle looked to Pyro. "It wouldn't matter if I took the Time Gear or not. Time would remain stopped. However, there is more to this all that is worrying me."

"Please, do share with the class." Layne said.

Grovyle shook his head. "Not now. We need to get back. We need information before I jump to conclusions. Layne." Grovyle said turning to Layne.

"What do you need?" he asked.

"Information." Grovyle said. "When we get back home, before you join Pyro and I, I need you to gather some information from Treasure Town."

"How do you suggest I do that?" Layne asked, "Seeing as how I'm currently supposed to be trapped in the future?"

"True, everyone thinks you're currently in the future, simply appearing out of no where would cause an uproar we are not ready to deal with. Now would be a good time to test that move I've been teaching you the past two days."

"Dig?" Layne asked. "I guess, that makes some sense. What do you need to know?"

"Learn everything you can about current world events."

"Seems a little vague," Layne said, "But I think I got a good idea on where to get a good amount of this information..."

Layne moved through the underground. Grovyle had been teaching him the Dig technique for the past two days now. Sure every pokémon knew how to dig, but not the way Grovyle, and now Layne, did. Layne wasn't so sure how it worked to be honest. Perhaps it was just another pokémon mystery to him that he probably would never find out. However, he had to be cautious. One wrong move, and the tunnel he'd dug himself could collapse, and if he didn't act right, he could easily run out of breathable air, and it was tough enough to breath in the confined realm of the underground.

He was moving slowly, because he knew he was in Treasure Town. His certain target, he had never gone and visited. Most of the time he usually just passed the area. But for his job right now, it was the best place to listen in on possible news. It was hard to navigate underground. And sometimes there were footsteps up above that were very heavy, and almost made Layne think they'd stomp right through the ground. But it was then that he heard some familiar voices.

"Hard day?" a Magnemite buzzed.

"Don't get me started. I don't know what to think of this all anymore." Magnezone's voice buzzed in reply. "First Dusknoir captures Grovyle..."

"Well that was good, wasn't it?" Magnemite asked.

"Who knows anymore?" Magnezone asked in a skeptical voice. Layne was a bit surprised to hear Magnezone appear so skeptical towards what he at one point believed to be a full outlaw. "I can't shake the feeling that perhaps we were all lied to. Uxie and them put the Time Gears back. Each one, taken exactly from where it was taken."

"Yet, nothing happened." Magnemite finished for him. "It's old news. You look like there's now more to it than that."

"Because there is." Magnezone said. "I've been given a set of reports by witnesses that claim to have seen the paralysis of time in these areas...expanding."

"What?" Magnemite asked.

"It's getting worse. These witnesses have had their claims verified. The paralysis of time...which we hoped would stop, and recover, is just expanding and engulfing more areas. At a very quick rate."

Layne didn't like the sound of this. The exact opposite was happening than what was supposedly supposed to happen.

"You're kidding!" Magnemite buzzed in shock.

"If only. I'm starting to get worried. They put the Time Gears back, yet time still remains stopped. It makes me wonder how certain members of the guild would act if they knew."

"Are you perhaps...thinking about Pyro and Layne?" Magnemite buzzed.

"Perhaps." Magnezone replied. "But I cannot dwell on them. I'm starting to think we will never see them again. I don't think they'd know how to escape a future on their own."

"Yeah...on our own..." Layne thought to himself. Thank God for Grovyle...

"Now... You'd best let the Wigglytuff Guild know this ASAP."

The Magnemite buzzed in what Layne could only guess was an acknowledgment. Magnemite and Magnezone here talked rather funny, but then again, this whole world was funny in different ways. Layne began to turn around, and accidentally let out a sneeze.

"Oh hell..." Layne thought to himself. He knew Magnezone would hear that. Layne didn't even think. He just started tunneling as fast as he could out of there. He didn't care if he left ten hole in the process. Layne had to get back, and tell Grovyle and Pyro what he had learned. He knew they would not like it one bit...

Grovyle and Pyro sat in the room, patiently waiting. When a very dirty Layne finally did walk down the stairs brushing himself off, the look in his face was anything but reassuring.

"What's the word?" Pyro asked, sitting up.

Layne shook his head. "Not good, I'm afraid. I was just by Officer Magnezone's place. I overheard a conversation involving everything we needed to know. The Time Gears were all put back, but Time didn't start up in any of those areas again. In fact, it's the complete opposite. Time's paralysis is starting to spread, at a very quick rate apparently."

"What?" Pyro asked.

Grovyle closed his eyes. "I was afraid of this."

"And what's worse is that no one seems to understand what the deal is." Layne said.

Pyro looked to Grovyle, "What does this mean?"

Grovyle closed his eyes. "It can only mean one thing. Temporal Tower has begun to collapse."

Pyro looked at Grovyle, "You mean..."

"Yes." Grovyle said. "Temporal Tower gives structure to time itself. So if it is starting to collapse, then time will also collapse in ever-widening areas."

"I don't see how this is possible." Layne said. "Perhaps this is just my human brain talking, but how can one building give structure to Time? It just doesn't make sense!"

Grovyle looked to Layne, and said, "You as skeptical in the future as you are here, and I can understand why. To be honest, no one really has a for sure explanation as to why Temporal Tower is so important to time, but if it's starting to collapse, there's a slight chance that Dialga is starting to give in."

Layne had almost forgotten that Dialga lived in Temporal Tower. So that was probably another reason as to why Temporal Tower's collapse would have the effects it had. It was just a guess to Layne.

Pyro looked a bit worried. "Then, the problem is accelerating?"

Grovyle nodded. "Yes. We have a problem. The planet's paralysis will soon follow if we don't do something."

"What do suppose we do?" Layne asked. "We're gathering the Time Gears. But if it's coming on as hot as you say..."

"Then the planet will be paralyzed before we even have time to find Temporal Tower."

"Wait..." Layne said. "Find Temporal Tower? You mean to say..."

"Yes." Grovyle said. "Temporal Tower is hidden in a land that has only gained the simple name...Hidden Land."

Layne popped his neck. "Whoever named these places had a real taste in names...Hidden Land...North Desert...originality at its best..." But that wasn't the only thing on his mind. They were now involved in a game of search. Searching for a land...that was obviously not known to too many pokémon.

"So..." Pyro said, "I'm guessing no one knows where Hidden Land is."

"Yes." Grovyle said.

"Hallelujah." Layne said, expressing his displeasure in hearing this.

"We don't have the time to collect all the Time Gears and search for this place!" Pyro said.

"Correct." Grovyle said, "Unless we split for now."

Layne looked up. "Split?"

"Yes." Grovyle replied. "We've been presented with an obstacle we cannot afford t be blocked by, and this is probably the best way to find a way to clear it. I will go and collect the Time Gears. Meanwhile, I will want you two to search for anything regarding the Hidden Land."

"You mean where it is." Layne said.

"...Yes."

"Not going to lie to you Grovyle," Layne said crossing his arms, "This is one hell of a task, and I say that in the sense that we are clearly in over our head."

Grovyle came over and put a hand on Layne's shoulder, in the way Layne would to Pyro. "We all are, Layne. But we cannot do anything but our job. If we fail to do anything short of our job, all that will come out of it, is the world of darkness, which you've now experienced, twice. We cannot afford to slip now. I hope you understand."

Pyro looked at Layne. Layne was clearly stressed about everything. His mind was racing. He was asking himself once again why Palkia had chosen him. Why had he not chosen someone else who would know what else to in a situation like this. Pyro came over and said, "We can only do what we've always done, Layne. Our best."

Layne gave a small smile. "In the past, that's all we've needed."

"Then...I'll leave you both to it. Layne...I trust you do what needs to be done."

Layne nodded and said, "At least tell me you've heard some sort of legend concerning Hidden Land that gives us a lead."

Grovyle shook his head. "Not this time, Layne. No one has discovered it, in this time. I only know of it's existence through Dusknoir in the future."

"Guess that makes sense..." Layne said. "But it certainly raises the stakes."

"We must assume all possible ways of finding a land we barely know of. Even if it means crossing the sea." Grovyle said.

"Crossing the sea?" Layne asked. "I don't see what's so big about that."

Pyro didn't look comfortable, "Layne...have you tried crossing an entire sea before?"

Layne sighed. "Can't say I have. I survived a stormy sea, but only by luck."

"Then you must also find the means of perhaps crossing the sea in order to do so." Grovyle said.

"I don't suppose you have any idea on how to do that, do you?" Layne asked.

Grovyle shook his head. "I am not familiar with many water pokémon, and that's the only thing that comes to mind."

Layne nodded. This was getting to a point that made him feel very uncomfortable, not so much as to their purpose, but he just had little to no clue on how to proceed.

Grovyle continued. "I really wish I could give more pointers, but we no longer have that time. I should really set off to retrieve the last four Time Gears."

Layne nodded and looked to Grovyle one last time. "Be careful leaving. Never know who's out sneaking around."

Grovyle nodded, and said, "Good luck on your search, Layne. I know you won't let me down. You never have." With that last word, he ran out, and disappeared.

Pyro watched him leave and turned to Layne. "We shouldn't waste any time in our search either. We need to find something about the Hidden Land."

Layne looked to Pyro, "I hate to be the downer here, but just where do you suggest we start looking?"

Pyro pondered the question then said, "Okay, how about we ponder ways of crossing the sea?"

Layne shrugged, "Better than doing nothing, I guess."

Layne and Pyro walked the beach in the setting sun. They brainstormed ideas, involving rafts, building perhaps a boat, but each idea seemed hopeless. They didn't have any knowledge on boat building, and the only boat that Layne could think to build depended on wind, and wind was not going to help them, considering it could leave them at any moment due to time's paralysis.

"This is hopeless..." Pyro said. Which surprised Layne. Layne was the one who was playing downer. Perhaps his mood had transfered to Pyro.

"Look, Pyro, I'm sorry, I'm not meaning to be a downer, I'm just stressed. This whole thing is coming on so fast, and..."

"No it's not that, I'm just a little worried myself. we both have no idea on where to start looking."

Layne began to think hard. He forced his downer mood away for just five minutes worth of thinking. They were running out of time, with little to no information to run on. So to locate the Hidden Land as soon as they were supposed to...seemed close to impossible. It was then that a certain idea crossed his mind. He didn't know if they were ready for this alternative, but they were left with little choice, and it was a take it or leave it. They could not afford to leave it.

"Pyro...you ready to return to the guild?" Layne asked.

"What?" Pyro asked. "The guild?"

Layne nodded. "That's what I said."

"Are you sure?" Pyro asked. "We just disappeared in front of everyone. We know that we were going to go there sooner or later, but I don't think we're ready to explain-"

"We better start rehearsing then." Layne said. "Because we have no choice. We need the guild's help on this, as much surprised as I am to say it, myself. Plus, I think we both know that we've caused them all enough worry, wouldn't you say?"

Pyro pondered that, "I guess you're right about that. Seeing Autumn and Bidoof as they were, you can tell everyone's worried. And of course...I miss them. But do you think we can tell them, let alone convince them everything we saw about the future, Grovyle, Dusknoir, and yourself? If we tell the Guild all of this, do you expect them to believe us?"

Layne looked to the ocean, and said, "Not at all. I didn't say this was going to be easy, but it's going to be a lot easier than finding a land no one's even heard of until now. Yes, everyone's convinced Grovyle here is an outlaw, and that Dusknoir is some savior, but they have to put into thought what they themselves saw when we went to the future, and what they see now, as far as world events is going on. Things aren't getting any better. It's a small gamble, I am willing to take. And if we don't...we're just wasting time that's rapidly running out on this planet."

Pyro listened and nodded. "You're right, Layne. We may not be in for a smooth ride, but we no longer have a choice, as you said. You ready to see everyone again?"

Layne chuckled. "Let's go give sentry Diglett a footprint to remember."