The night was quiet and solemn at the guild. Everyone, as soon as Chatot was in their care, did not stop until they had reached Treasure Town. It wasn't safe to necessarily say that Chatot had improved in his condition, but he surely hadn't gotten any worse either. Though that wasn't much of a victory in every guild members' mind, it was enough to keep them going. And it was needless to say, that each were grateful, that Chatot was, for the moment, okay.
The guild was restless right now. Grovyle had not been lying. They all began to notice as they had been making the return trip to Treasure Town, that the land around them...began to get dark. Time's paralysis had begun to spread at a much faster rate, and what made this situation serious, was the fact that they had not been able to see the change when making the trip to Brine Cave. Even now, from certain view points from the guild, one could look over the land, and start to see the land begin to get paralyzed. It wouldn't be long before Treasure Town was hit. Several of the residents had begun to pack their bags and leave, hoping to find some area of refuge in this time darkness... Every member of the guild stayed behind. And though the hour was late, the Guild...and Treasure Town, seemed very empty.
This was dire straits. The guild now had to put their full faith on the actions of Grovyle, Layne and Pyro. Because now, it was the restoration of time...or bust.
However, as much as this was on everyone's mind, everyone was also thinking on Chatot. Upon arrival at the guild, Wigglytuff had taken him into the back rooms, the rooms in which they had taken Layne and Pyro after they were injured in their scuffle with Grovyle back in Crystal Cave.
Hours had passed, and though by this hour, everyone normally would be in bed, no one slept. All minds were set in anticipation for Chatot's health and injuries, and the success of Grovyle, Layne, and Pyro in their mission.
Finally, the Guildmaster emerged from the darkened rooms. Everyone gathered around. One could expect either good or bad news right now, but the look on Wigglytuff, spoke good news. Wigglytuff's expression was one of relief, and relaxation. It was as if he had found peace in his mind.
Diglett was the first to speak. "Guildmaster...how is Chatot? Will he be okay?"
Wigglytuff smiled. "Yes. He's doing much better. He just needs rest, and he will be fine. He may even be on his feet tomorrow."
Relief spread throughout the guild. Everyone was glad to hear that.
As a small round of quiet applause was given to Chatot for his bravery in the cave earlier, Sunflora spoke up. "Guildmaster, you said Chatot saved you in that cave, long ago. Can you tell us about it?"
Wigglytuff smiled and said, "I can see no one is going to sleep easy tonight with all that is going on...I wouldn't mind recalling that story. And perhaps we can discuss some things you all should finally know."
The guild looked at each other in confusion as to what he could mean, but listened. "What happened a long time ago in that cave, happened almost just as similar as today's attack on Hydro Pyro. Chatot and I were exploring Brine Cave, when Chatot saw the three pokémon on the cave ceiling. The Kabutops, and the Omastar. They attacked us without warning. Chatot reacted first and shielded me from their attack, and he was taken out. Shortly afterwards, I managed to defeat them, but with Chatot down, I didn't know what to do. I almost panicked, because I didn't know how to help him. It was then that Lapras appeared."
Autumn looked up. "Lapras?"
Wigglytuff nodded, "Yes. Lapras...and she saved Chatot."
"I see..." Pyro said.
Lapras had been telling them of her encounter with Wigglytuff a long time ago, and it connected with Wigglytuff's story on Chatot saving Wigglytuff's life.
"So that's how you met Wigglytuff..." Layne said.
Yes..." Lapras said, looking back. "However, to be truthful, I didn't intend to reveal myself at all. But seeing Chatot's actions, and seeing him on the ground, I knew I had to help. But afterward, I had to make Wigglytuff promise me something."
"Well, hey, hey! What was that promise?" Corphish asked.
Wigglytuff spoke. "I think Lapras recognized immediately that Chatot and I were an exploration team. She told us he couldn't tell if we were bandits with big ambitions, or if we were explorers with good intentions. So she simply asked us for the sake of the world's peace and balance, not to investigate the peculiar pattern we had just discovered before being attacked."
Chimeco looked at Autumn, before looking back to the Guildmaster. "So...what did you reply?"
"Wigglytuff promised to honor my request, most agreeably. He said he owed me thanks for coming to Chatot's aid, and that he would stop all investigations into the matter."
"So that's what happened..." Pyro said.
"And he held his promise most honorably." Lapras said.
"But why didn't you want anyone to investigate the pattern?"
There was silence for about 15 seconds, with only the sound of the water heard.
Lapras then said, "In the Hidden Land, Temporal Tower stands, and that is where Dialga resides. Dialga feared intruders could wreak havoc at the tower that regulates time. Because of this, he decided to protect Temporal Tower. He hid the Hidden Land in a gap in time."
"A gap in time?" Layne asked.
"Yes." Lapras said. "It is very hard to explain, but it is a gap in time itself. The space between parts of a split second."
"I think I understand that." Grovyle said. "It would explain why the Hidden Land remained hidden for so long. No one could even dream of going to such a place."
"No." Lapras said. "Dialga left one key for entering the Hidden Land. That would be the special fragment, that Pyro now wears..."
"When I heard Torkoal's tale about the proof, and when I saw Pyro's Fragment, I was reminded of the pattern on the wall." Wigglytuff said. "I understood. The pattern was linked to the Hidden Land. Because of this, I had to go to Brine Cave before everyone else went. To meet with Lapras. I met with her and explained everything that was happening. Everything to the peril the world now faced, and time's paralysis. I also explained how the Time Gears were needed to prevent time's paralysis, and had to be taken to Temporal Tower. I asked her how we could get to the Hidden Land."
"So..." Sunflora began, "What happened?"
"We talked, and Lapras told me of what would happen and how to reveal the way to the Hidden Land. She said, the Relic Fragment chooses who will go to the Hidden Land."
"Are you saying the Relic Fragment itself does that?" Dugtrio asked.
"It chooses, on it's own?" Chimeco added in.
"Apparently, yes." Wigglytuff said. "And it chose...Pyro."
"Hey, hey! But why did it choose Pyro?"
"I don't really know." Wigglytuff said. "If I had to guess, I'd say Dialga wants to prevent those with bad intentions in their hearts from entering Temporal Tower. So, in order to enter the Hidden Land, the important thing to have, is the purity of heart. So Pyro's heart must have resonated with the Relic Fragment."
"And...Layne? And Grovyle?" Loudred asked. ""I understand this is their mission, but are they qualified to go to the Hidden Land as well?"
"Well, all three are on their way now." Wigglytuff said. It is obvious that each member on this mission is crucial. Each is unique in very many ways...it is time you all learned a very big secret that Layne has...something I've been a little suspicious over since he came here, and something only three pokémon in this guild, not including myself, know..."
"You told Wigglytuff, I was a human, didn't you..." Layne said to Grovyle.
Grovyle nodded. "You managed to keep that secret. Though I don't know why."
Layne shrugged. "I guess I never was comfortable telling them. Plus, I didn't expect them to believe me."
"Well, I'm sorry to have spoiled your secret then...Wigglytuff will probably talk to the Guild about it."
"I expect him to..." Layne said. "I don't think I ever would."
Grovyle looked to Pyro, who was fast asleep. "We should get some rest." he said. "We won't get much once we hit the Hidden Land."
Lapras said, "Go ahead and try to sleep. If we come to the Hidden Land, I will wake you..."
Layne nodded and got into a semi-comfortable position. He couldn't sleep for the first 20 minutes however. There was just too much on his mind...Chatot, his mission, Autumn, everything...
"A human?" Diglett asked. "Is that...true?"
"Yes." Wigglytuff said. "Layne has many secrets that he keeps for personal reasoning, and I can understand why he would only tell so few of us this secret. There is more to this however. More to Layne...but...I don't think I can share that right now. We can no longer provide assistance in Layne's mission here. From now on, the full burden of stopping time's paralysis belongs to Grovyle, Pyro, and Layne. It is a tough weight to bear, but we must keep faith that they will succeed, find the Hidden Land, and prevent the destruction of time..."
he guild was silent. Autumn walked over to a window and looked out. Some stars twinkled in the night sky, some seemed to have lost their twinkle. Right now, Layne was on his way to a land she never thought even existed, and was going to attempt something that could put his life in danger. She prayed for his safe return...she knew he wouldn't and couldn't fail...
"Layne..." a voice said softly.
Layne groaned.
"Layne!" the voice said a little louder.
"Uhhh..." Layne managed to say, before slowly opening his eyes. Both Pyro and Grovyle were awake now. Layne smiled a bit and sat up. He had not slept that well. Not only was so much on his mind, but Lapras' shell was completely uncomfortable for the most part.
Layne sat up and popped his neck. "We there?"
"Nearly." Lapras said.
Pyro said, "Lapras, you've been swimming a long time. Are you doing okay?"
Lapras smiled, and said "I'm fine, Pyro. No need for your concern, though I appreciate it. Behold! The Hidden Land is coming into view!"
Everyone looked forward to what Lapras was looking at. However, all Layne could see was an expanse of the ocean.
...
No. There was something out there, but it wasn't land. It reminded him of the light that came out of the lakes when they had a Time Gear in them.
Pyro said, "I don't see anything..."
"On the horizon." Lapras said. "Do you see where the sea looks different?"
"I see it..." Layne said.
Near the area, the water was rippling different, and it looked like it was...morphing...too. Morphing wasn't the best word to describe water, but it was all Layne could think of.
"Yes..." Grovyle said. "The waves...they are twisting up."
"You mean like a maelstrom?" Layne asked.
"What...what is that?" Pyro asked a bit in fear almost.
"No need to be frightened..." Lapras said. "That is the entry to the gap in time. That is the portal through which we will go to the Hidden Land."
"Portal?" Layne asked.
"Hold on..." Lapras said.
"What do you-" Layne never finished, because as Lapras said that, she began to speed up. "Here we go!"
After Lapras said that, her body...began to rise! Everyone looked a bit unsure here, but tried not to freak out too much.
"Lapras! You're flying!" Pyro said.
"Not quite." Lapras said, with a bit of a smile at the suggestion. "We are now currently...crossing the Sea of Time."
"The Sea of Time?" Layne asked, however as he said that, Lapras accelerated to a speed to which Layne had to duck and grab hold just to stay on her shell. The world around Layne flickered there was a mystic clash of energy, and Layne shielded his eyes. When he felt it safe to reopen them, he beheld a large mass of floating land...no...not floating. It was...almost like a world of it's own. Perhaps time acted in such a way to to make things look like certain things were different here. Layne didn't know.
But they were here, finally.
""Lapras!" Grovyle called. "Is that it? The Hidden Land?"
"Yes!" Lapras said. "It is."
"Amazing..." Layne said. "It's like something from a story..."
"Hang on, we're going in!" Lapras said.
She began to float towards the land, and they arrived at land within five minutes. Lapras did not land on the land, but simply hovered near the edge, as if she were completely surrounded by an invisible water, which held her up. "Be careful, getting off..." she warned as they each managed to safely step on land.
Pyro walked around and looked at the environment. There was little to no sound. No wild animals, no local pokémon, just a few lightning flashes and thunder claps in the sky. It looked like they would be in for some peculiar weather later...
No. That lightning wasn't lightning at all. It was the wrong color, and the thunder wasn't that of normal lightning. Or perhaps it was lightning, and just looked and acted different here than it would anywhere else.
"We've finally made it here..." Grovyle said.
"You may not be able to see it here, due to the could cover," Lapras said, but do you see that expanse of red aura?
"I see it..." Layne said. "Is that..."
"Yes." Lapras said. "Beyond those clouds, is where Temporal Tower is."
"Then that's where me must go." Grovyle said. "We will take the TIme Gears there, and finish what we came to do."
Layne looked to Grovyle. He wasn't sure, but he almost sensed...was that perhaps sadness...in his tone? He shook the thought away and looked back to Temporal Tower. "Kinda high up there, don't you think?" Layne asked.
Lapras nodded. "Temporal Tower dwells in the sky here."
"Well how do we get there?" Pyro asked.
"There is only one way to access Temporal Tower here. You must take the Rainbow Stoneship."
What's that?" Grovyle asked.
"The Rainbow Stone ship is an ancient mystical vessel. Far ahead in this Land, you will reach old ruins."
Ruins?" Grovyle asked.
"Does that mean that...pokémon once lived here?" Pyro asked.
"Many many many years ago." Lapras said. "Dialga once let pokémon live here, before he decided to isolate the Hidden Land. The pokémon have since died out. The Stoneship is located in those ruins. It will take you to Temporal Tower."
"This is really helpful." Grovyle said. "Thank you."
"I accept your thanks," Lapras said, "But it is the extent of what I can do for you. Getting to Temporal Tower and the Rainbow Stoneship, you must do on your own. On behalf of the the entire world...good luck."
Layne looked at Pyro and Grovyle. Each had the smile of determination. "We're here. Let's not waste anymore time."
"Right." Grovyle said. "To the Rainbow Stoneship..."
There was no wake up call that morning. Every Member of the guild had not slept at all that night. Each looked at the daylight as if absorbing every last ray of it, because that morning, when Corphish had looked out of the guild's main window, he was treated to one hell of a surprise. Almost all of the plains...the forests...the rivers...everything...was stopped in time. If it was this bad, then Temporal Tower was collapsing faster. For all they knew, by the end of the day, the paralysis they had all hoped would pass by when capturing Grovyle, would envelope them all and perhaps the entire world.
There was a small round of applause and some kind words, when Wigglytuff once gain emerged from the back rooms, this time, with a bandaged Chatot, walking beside him.
Wigglytuff had not turned a blind eye to what was happening outside the Guild. The remaining residents of Treasure Town that had not left, the Kecleon Brothers, Azurill, Marill and a few other residents, and a few members of other exploration teams, teams like a couple teams called Razor Wind, and Seedgey, were here as well. Marowak was also here. He was well aware that the team that had spent the most training at his guild was right now off to try and reverse everything now. He could only hope for the best of them, and he hoped they would also continue their training at his dojo.
Autumn was sitting outside the guild with Bidoof, Corphish, Loudred, and Sunflora. All were watching the darkened areas outside the guild, creep slowly toward them.
They were silent. Autumn didn't like this uncomfortable silence. She had to think of something...
"Do...do you guys think they'll succeed?" That was a really stupid thing to ask, and she knew it, but it was all that came from her mouth.
"Hey, hey!" Corphish said. "They have to succeed! I don't think any other team in this guild can do what Layne and Pyro have done previously!"
"Yeah!" Sunflora said. "They lifted Fogbound Lake's fog, remember?"
"Not to mention, were taken to the future...and escaped." Autumn added. "I'm sorry...I just don't know what else to talk about."
"Man..." Loudred said. "Treasure Town has become a ghost town."
"Yeah..." Sunflora said. "I've never seen it like this. So...empty."
"True." Autumn said. "It always seems to busy and full of life. It's kinda depressing looking down at it now."
Bidoof simply looked in gloom at the paralyzed land. "Wh-when do you reckon we'll be next?"
No one dared answer that question. "Bidoof..." Loudred said, "I think it's safer not to think about that right now..."
Bidoof sighed in sadness. "You're probably right...yup. yup..."
They continued to look, and the sky gave off what appeared to be pink lightning and strange aura.
Wigglytuff came out. "What are you all doing?"
Everyone looked to Wigglytuff, and simply looked down.
"We're...we're thinking about the world, and Hydro Pyro." Bidoof said.
Wigglytuff nodded as he cast his gaze to the paralyzed land. "We cannot lose faith in Hydro Pyro. Truly, this is a test unlike anything we could ever give them here. They will be put to the absolute test. But...their team is unique. We must hold faith in knowing that there is always hope of success with them."
The guild members looked up to that, and smiled. "You're right..." Autumn said. "And we'll be laughing about it for days to come!"
Wigglytuff smiled. "There's the spirit I like to see. Now, if you all wouldn't mind, Chimeco needs help fixing some food up for everyone."
"yes, Guildmaster." Sunflora said. "We'll help out."
Autumn took one last look to the paralyzed land and before she went down with everyone else, she simply said one last time, "Layne...please succeed..."
It had been hours. Grovyle and Layne were walking through the land with little to no success of finding the mentioned ruins. Perhaps the Hidden Land was also named this because it specialized in hiding important places like this. Probably not. These ruins couldn't be far off. They had been in a deep search for them. Layne shook these thoughts away when he saw Grovyle's face. He was contemplating something. "Grovyle...what's wrong?"
Grovyle looked to Pyro, who was away to the point where he wouldn't hear them, then looked to Layne and shut his eyes. "Layne...I ...we need to talk..."
"Talk? About what?"
"It's about our mission..." Grovyle said. "I ..." he trailed off.
Layne saw conflict and even a few tears in his eyes. "Grovyle, you okay?"
Grovyle shook it away and said in a stronger tone, "Now is not the best time..."
"Guys!" Pyro said. "I think I see something!"
Layne and Grovyle paused as they looked at each other for that moment. Grovyle was hiding something Layne knew. And he was damn good at hiding these things. Layne was now filled with anxiety. Grovyle was obviously torn between telling him something, or not. He'd have to tell him soon, because Layne now knew he was hiding something. And Layne couldn't help but feel...as many times before, that he should know what was being talked about...or thought about. Especially if it was about their mission.
Grovyle and Layne ran to Pyro.
"Look at that..." Grovyle said. They were standing before a wall...that looked ancient. The wall had a painting of a pink floating pokémon...with a cat's head,and a tail with a slightly bloated end. Layne could only describe it as...care-free, or playful.
They walked on along the wall, and came upon a painted wall with what Layne recognized as Groundon, only face to face with another pokémon he didn't know. A blue...what looked like a flying water pokémon.
"Fascinating." Layne said. "An archeologists jackpot, to be sure.
They came to another wall, and saw another painting, which featured two more pokémon. Layne recognized one as Palkia, and the other, just had to be Dialga.
"This has to be it..." Grovyle said. "This place, is the old ruins."
"Well then the Rainbow Stoneship must be here somewhere..." Layne said.
"Yeah, but where?" Pyro asked.
"Well, let's try in there..." Layne said pointing to an entrance. They went through and were met by a set of stairs that ascended to what Layne thought to be an alter.
"What is this place?" Pyro asked.
"I don't know," Grovyle said, "But I can only imagine...that this is an old temple."
"Makes sense..." Layne said. "Perhaps what we are looking for is at the top of the stairs..."
They climbed the stairs, which took maybe about a minute, but upon reaching the top, they saw something on the floor that gave it away.
"The strange pattern!" Pyro said. "The same as on my Relic Fragment!"
"Perhaps this somehow reacts with the Relic Fragment as well?" Layne asked.
"I would hope it would soon," Grovyle said, but when we found the pattern on the wall across the sea, it reacted with Pyro's Fragment almost instantly."
Layne looked around and saw an old tablet on the alter they now stood on. "Well...perhaps that says something."
They gathered around the tablet.
Pyro shook his head, "I do not recognize these runes. It's definitely nothing I've ever come across before."
"This tablet is inscribed with Unown letters."
"Unown letters?" Layne asked.
"An ancient language by the pokémon also called, Unown."
"Can you read it, Grovyle?" Pyro asked.
"Barely..." Grovyle said. "But I cannot be rushed. This language was not easy to learn. This may take a minute."
Grovyle knelt in front of the tablet. The seconds that passed seemed as long as minutes, and Layne felt time slowly paralyze around himself almost. His anxiety was indeed building.
However, finally, Grovyle smiled and said, "I've got it."
"really?" Layne asked.
Grovyle nodded, "It would seem, that the very place that we are standing right now, is the Rainbow Stoneship."
"This is it?" Pyro asked. Then smiled, "Then we've found it! Now all we have to do is activate it somehow, then it will take us to Temporal Tower."
"Yes. Grovyle said."
"But how?" Layne asked.
Grovyle walked to the center of the Stoneship. "The tablet said...I think I found it."
"Found what, Grovyle?" Layne asked.
"Pyro, place your Relic Fragment here..." Grovyle said, and he dusted away an indention in the Stoneship.
"Are you sure?" Pyro asked.
Grovyle nodded. "Yes. It is written in the tablet that it will activate the Stoneship. There's only one way to find out."
"Then..." Pyro said, "Might as well try!" He pulled it out, and held it in his hand. His dream, Layne realized, was perhaps about to come true. Pyro was solving the mystery of his Relic Fragment, right here and now. And a smile crossed his face, as Pyro took his first steps toward the center of the Stoneship.
...
But then it happened.
A voice...such a familiar voice sounded. "That's quite enough of that."
Dusknoir.
Before any of them could react, suddenly six Sabeleye ran up the stairs and surrounded them.
"Sabeleye?" Pyro said. "No...It's a trap..." Layne said.
Dusknoir's mighty laugh sounded as he too came up the stairs. A chill went down Layne's spine. It was hard to imagine that he had at one point, considered Dusknoir a friend.
"How did you get here?" Grovyle asked.
"Isn't it obvious?"
"You don't have the Relic Fragment to get here." Layne said.
"Fool. I serve Master Dialga." Dusknoir said. "I do not need a Relic Fragment to access this land. I was warped here, directly after you three escaped me...again. It was only inevitable that you would soon come here yourselves. So coming here, spared us the bother of having to search for you all again."
Dusknoir laughed. The situation looked grim for Layne, Pyro and Grovyle.
Dusknoir smiled as he always did and said, "Now, you are all coming back to the future with me. Sabeleye!" He said to his group, "Let's escort our prisoners to the Dimensional Hole."
The Sabeleye laughed as they always did, as they acknowledged his order.
The Sabeleye closed in and as they did, Layne leaned into Pyro and said, "Hide that Fragment, now...we cannot let them take it." Layne then looked to Grovyle, "Any ideas?"
"Move it!" the Sabeleye said, and attacked Layne.
Layne retreated back, "Okay, okay!"
Grovyle, Layne, and Pyro were forced down the stairs towards a dimensional hole that Dusknoir stood in front of. He smiled. "Let's not waste time. "Sabeleye, let's get them into the dimensional hole, immediately!"
The Sabeleye began to laugh. Layne looked to Grovyle, who was giving both him and Pyro a nod. Layne nodded and as soon as Grovyle said, "No!" They all attacked sending the Sabeleye back. They then backed into each other and got into their stances.
"You still resist." Dusknoir said.
"You expected anything less?" Grovyle asked.
Dusknoir laughed. "This will be fun. Just like old times. We will defeat you here, and take you back to the future. There is no difference to me. You are outnumbered, and the odds are against you."
"We will not be easy prey, none the less!" Layne shouted.
"Fine by me. Crush them!" Dusknoir said.
The Sabeleye charged, all at once. Layne jumped as did Grovyle. Layne literally felt as if they had become one right then and there. It felt just like the old times. The times when he and Grovyle were on the run, as they located location after location of the five TIme Gears, and then eluded Dusknoir, or fought. They rarely fought, so that made this fight all the more special to Layne almost.
Pyro let loose a powerful Flamethrower attack that engulfed two Sabeleye. Layne for the moment completely forgot about his moves. He felt like his old human self again. A human with a proper trainer. Grovyle had taught him well, but he owed a good amount of his training, to Marowak as well, for smoothing his flow, and making him twice the fighter he once was...perhaps even more.
Layne landed a punch into one of the Sabeleye's face, and that sent the Sabeleye stumbling backward, and into the DImensional Hole, sending him back to the future. "First blood..." Layne said with a small smile.
However his silly phrase was cut short when another Sabeleye attacked him. These Sabeleye were not like the usual Sabeleye they had once fought. Layne may have sent one to the future, but he was beginning to think that it was more dumb luck than him that had been the cause of that. These Sabeleye were most likely elite to the normal grunts that Layne and Grovyle had faced countless times in the future.
Grovyle was doing well, using a variety of moves Layne had not seen used before. Moves like Energy Ball, and Aerial Ace. The way he fought was phenomenal as it always was. Layne not could match Grovyle perhaps. Perhaps not. He would never know.
And Pyro was fighting along side them. The day they had first met, Pyro was not a fighter. He barely did much against the Koffing and Zubat the day they met and got his Relic Fragment back from them. Layne had been the one to bring them both down. Sure Pyro had put up a fight, and held Koffing at bay, but...that was about it. And now, here Pyro stood. Fighting more bravely than before. Much more. Pyro was at the top of his game, filled with determination to see the world saved, and to see his friends live to fight another day.
The group fought as one, in complete harmony.
And it wasn't long before Dusknoir joined the fight. When Dusknoir did this, the Sabeleye backed off. Dusknoir laughed low, but still managed to send that chill down the back of all three pokémon in the group.
"We will not lose..." Dusknoir said.
"We'll see about that." Layne said, and charged up a Water Pulse and fired it at Dusknoir.
Dusknoir laughed and threw a powerful punch at the orb, which shattered it. Dusknoir was barely phased.
The Sabeleye laughed and joined by Dusknoir's side. They all charged once again. The group fought off the Sabeleye with some difficulty, and managed to get a few hits on Dusknoir, but, Dusknoir kept fighting on.
"We have to find a way to bring Dusknoir down!" Grovyle said. "Without Dusknoir, the Sabeleye will be helpless, and left afraid."
"And then they'll run..." Layne finished.
"Exactly..." Grovyle said. Grovyle used Leaf Blade to rid them of the remaining five Sabeleye, and cleared a path to Dusknoir.
Dusknoir then came up and bashed them all aside with one swing. Layne felt the wind leave his body. He looked up to see Dusknoir's fist glowing. "How do you like Shadow Punch?" Dusknoir asked, laughing. "So foolhardy. It was inevitable from the start. You will not win here."
"We cannot give up now..." Grovyle said. "There's got to be a way out of this!"
Layne simply said, "Easy for you to say, Grovyle..."
"Heh." Dusknoir said. "I expected much more out of Grovyle and the famous Hydro Pyro I had heard so much about before meeting them. I will say you've done admirable work for those as pitiful as you, but it's over now. You have lost..." Dusknoir said as his torso began to open up and draw in energy. "...and I have won..."
Grovyle saw what was happening and said, "This isn't good!"
"What's going on?" Layne asked.
"He's storing up for an attack i know well...Grovyle said."
"Yes..." Dusknoir said. "You would know Dark Pulse rather well, wouldn't you..."
Layne thought fast then it hit him, as the energy began to show in front of Dusknoir. "Guys!"
"What, "Layne?" Pyro asked.
"We need to force our combined moves right back at Dusknoir. It might just work!"
"Are you sure that's even possible?" Grovyle asked.
"Who knows." Layne said, "But a gut feeling is telling me it might."
"There's no time!" Pyro said. "It's now or never!"
Dusknoir laughed. "Goodbye, Grovyle, Layne, and Pyro..." And he fired his attack.
Layne shook his head and said ,"Now!"
Layne jumped and fired Water Pulse once more.
Pyro followed with Flamethrower.
And Grovyle followed with Energy Ball.
The attacks combined and aimed right at Dusknoir.
Dusknoir's attack impacted with the combined forces of Grovyle, Layne, and Pyro's attacks, and...indeed worked!
The attack was forced back at a pace so fast, that Dusknoir barely had time to think about what was happening, when the full force of their, and his own attack hit him, dead on.
He collapsed to the ground, against the wall, immediately.
The Sabeleye were in absolute shock and fear.
"We...did it..." Pyro said.
"Is...is he..." Layne asked.
Grovyle shook his head. "Far from it. He's just down."
The Sabeleye were panicking. "It can't be!"
"Master Dusknoir..."
"He's...down!"
Five seconds later, each Sabeleye ran through the portal, in fear of the three pokémon that had just now defeated a pokémon they had not been able to beat before...
Grovyle crossed his arms. "As predicted, your Sabeleye ran off, Dusknoir. You never did have reliable allies."
Dusknoir simply groaned in pain as Grovyle said this.
"Pyro." Grovyle said, "Go and check to see if the Stoneship really works. Layne and I will be right with you. We'll just keep a close eye on Dusknoir, to make sure he doesn't try anything foolish."
Pyro nodded, and said, "i'll do that." And he began his climb up the stairs.
"If it works," Layne said, "We'll be able to go to Temporal Tower, and complete our mission, Grovyle."
"Why?" Dusknoir asked.
"Ahh!" Grovyle said, putting a glowing leaf blade on Dusknoir. "Don't even try it!"
"Relax..." Dusknoir said. "I'm not going anywhere right now...but...Grovyle...Layne...is this really what you want?"
"Isn't that a stupid question, Dusknoir?" Layne asked, crossing his arms.
"But..." Dusknoir said, "If history is changed, we pokémon of the future...will vanish."
Vanish. Disappear. Layne knew what this was immediately leaning towards. How could this have slipped his mind? If they did indeed change history...
"It won't be just me..." Dusknoir said. "You as well, Grovyle...and you too, Layne...you are both from the future, and you will both be erased from the very existence of time."
"Dusknoir!" Grovyle shouted. "Shut up!"
There was a moment, before Layne turned to Grovyle. "Grovyle...is this true?"
Grovyle had a look of pain in his eyes. Was this...perhaps what he had been hiding earlier? Grovyle began to shed some tears. "Yes, Layne...If we change history...we will disappear.
"G-Grovyle..." Layne said. He couldn't think of anything else to say.
"But...that doesn't matter. If it means restoring time," Grovyle said, "And bringing peace to this world, it is what I came to the past to do...and it's what you as well came to do."
Layne could remember this now. Why he hadn't remembered it before, he didn't know. He now felt crushed in spirit. Would he even be able to continue on?
"Even Celebi..." Grovyle said. "She helped us, twice, knowing full well that she would disappear upon our success."
Layne remembered that too. Celebi in their time in the future, had said, that she'd devote her life to restoring time.
"We came from the future, Layne, knowing full well what would happen to us."
"I'm just now remembering this..." Layne said softly.
Grovyle nodded, "I know what's on your mind, Layne. This might be of great shock to you, and I apologize I couldn't tell it to you any sooner, to at least prepare you for what you must face...and you must know, that we have no choice. If we don't act, time will be destroyed. The planet's paralysis has already begun, Layne. We cannot afford to cease action. In order to save this world, we must disappear."
Layne chuckled slightly. "There's more to it than that..." Layne said. "I think I understand...but there's more..."
"Yes." Grovyle said. "When we first came here, we had the same resolve, and we had nothing to lose. Nothing to go back to. However Layne, that is no longer true for you. Your memory loss, blinded you to this resolve, and you found Pyro."
"Oh God..." Layne said starting to show tears..."How am I gonna explain this to him?"
Grovyle put a calming hand on Layne. "Pyro looks up to you, Layne. If he found out you were to disappear...I know...Pyro would be crushed. He has good spirit. But once the future is altered, and you disappear..."
"Then there will be a hole in Hydro Pyro, forever..." Layne said, managing a smile of sorrow. It went beyond Pyro as well. The entire guild would never see him again. Wigglytuff, Bidoof, Sunflora, Loudred, Chimeco, Croagunk, Diglett, Chatot, Dugtrio...Autumn.
Layne looked down at her mother's necklace. He said he'd return. Why did he not remember this? He...would never see her again...
"I understand, Grovyle..." Layne said looking up to the Stoneship, where he could see Pyro coming back down. How would he explain this to him?
Pyro came up and said, as he pulled out his Relic Fragment. "It works!"
"It does?" Layne wiped his face before saying that.
At that moment, Dusknoir shot up. He punched Layne back, and went to Pyro and snatched the Relic Fragment from him. "I will NOT let you change the future!" he said in a tone that Layne could only guess was...fear. Was Dusknoir...afraid? "You'll never change history!" Dusknoir again said.
"He's got my Relic Fragment!" Pyro shouted.
"If I take this back...you'll never have a chance of reaching Temporal Tower." Dusknoir said, and he made a break for the dimensional hole.
"Get him!" Layne shouted. Grovyle jumped Dusknoir, but Dusknoir threw him off almost as easily as one would shoe a fly. Pyro attacked with Fire Spin, but Dusknoir seemed unfazed, though Layne in the heat of it all ran, and jumped and snatched, the Fragment from his grasp.
"I have HAD IT WITH YOU!" Dusknoir shouted, and his fists glowed. Layne landed on the ground and observed the Fragment in his hand. Hope was left alive.
"Layne! Look out!" Pyro shouted.
Before Layne could see what was happening, he saw Dusknoir fire an attack directly at him. He had no time to move. He braced himself...but it never impacted.
Layne opened his eyes to see Grovyle on the ground.
"G-Grovyle!" Layne shouted.
Grovyle coughed. "Not this time..." he managed to say.
"I owe you one..."Layne said, with a hint of nostalgic sorrow.
"So you shielded Layne, Grovyle." Dusknoir said. "I couldn't expect less. Layne...You're next!"
Dusknoir charged. Layne couldn't manage to land an attack. And he still held the Fragment. "Pyro! Catch!"
Layne tossed Pyro's Fragment over to Pyro who caught it. Dusknoir was now angry.
"ENOUGH!" he shouted, and punched Layne close to the dimensional hole. "THIS ENDS NOW!"
He charged Layne with his fists glowing. Layne braced himself. Suddenly Grovyle stood, and caught his fists.
Layne looked up to see Grovyle in a lock with Dusknoir. Grovyle spat blood as he held Dusknoir. And to Layne's surprise, Grovyle...began to push Dusknoir to the Dimensional Hole.
"Wh-what are you doing, Grovyle?" Dusknoir asked in fear.
"It's over, Dusknoir." Grovyle managed to say. "I'm taking you back to the future, with me!"
Layne and Pyro heard that. "What?" Layne asked. "Grovyle!"
"What?" Dusknoir asked in a panic. "You can't be serious!"
"Layne..." Grovyle said, to Layne who was on all fours, just looking at Grovyle in sadness...shock...and awe. "It's up to you and Pyro now. This is it for me."
"No!" Layne said. "Grovyle, no! I cannot go on without you!"
Grovyle shook his head. "You can...and you must."
Grovyle managed to free his hand fast enough to rip his bag off his shoulder, and toss it to the ground in front of Layne. Three Time Gears fell out.
Dusknoir saw this and simply said, "No! The..."
"There all there, Layne." Grovyle said. "Please...succeed for us Layne...for us all."
"Grovyle...please..." Lane managed to say.
Pyro remained speechless, but also managed to say, "Grovyle...I'm sorry I ever doubted you."
Grovyle shook his head, "Don't even think of it, Pyro. And please...watch Layne's back. Promise me."
"I...I don't know if I can, Grovyle." Pyro said.
"Please...You must, and you will." Grovyle said. "Your team, is unlike anything I have ever seen."
"Unhand me at once!" Dusknoir shouted.
"Quiet!" Grovyle shouted back as he pushed him even closer to the portal. Dusknoir was now inches away from the portal. Grovyle then looked back to Layne. "Layne...take care of yourself. And know this...parting hurts, Layne. I was lucky to have known you."
"Grovyle..." Layne called in saddening pain.
Grovyle then looked to Dusknoir. "Sorry to have made you wait."
Grovyle then took one last look to the two partners, and then summoned what little strength he had left to lunge at Dusknoir. Dusknoir hit the Portal, and both were immediately taken into the portal, which vanished immediately. Dusknoir managed one last scream before his voice was silenced in the past...forever.
Grovyle held onto Dusknoir, and his strength left him. He was battered and battle-worn. He took one last look at the light before his world...once again became black. And he drifted on into unconsciousness...
"He...he's gone..." Pyro said.
Layne didn't say a word. Tears were rolling down his face. His spirit was...gone. Everything. His motivation, his will, everything. What did he have now? Pyro was here, but after this...Layne would disappear. Then what would happen with Pyro? Layne took one look at the bag of Time Gears in front of him. Simply looking at the Time Gears made him think of Grovyle...
And he couldn't take it...
"Layne...we should-"
Layne stood up, and began to run.
"Layne! Where are you going?"
Layne didn't answer. He ignored Pyro. He just kept running. Tears streamed down his face, as he ran, and his breath was like little sobs. He continued to run. He ran out of the ruins, out into the forest in which they bordered. And he kept running until he could no longer run.
He stopped. He couldn't... He no longer had the spirit. The resolve. The motivation. It was all gone. He was beginning to think his hope was gone too.
"Layne!" Pyro's voice called from behind. Layne sat up and looked to see Pyro had been running after him. "Layne What are you doing?" Pyro asked.
"I can't!" Layne simply said. "I can't go through this anymore!"
"What?" Pyro asked. "L-Layne...why?"
"He's gone..." Layne began to sob even more. "Pyro...he's gone! The only guide I had to this whole mission is gone!"
Pyro came over, "I know, Layne. I'm sad he's gone too. I can only imagine what you must be feeling right now."
"I don't think I have what it takes anymore to see this mission to it's end. My motivation, my will, everything is gone, Pyro. Everything is-"
Pyro then snapped to a different mood, "Layne, listen to yourself!" Layne wiped his face, and looked to Pyro. Pyro Had tears of his own, but a look of pure determination. "The whole time I've known you Layne, you have never been so dependent! You helped guide me!" Pyro said, almost as if shouting. "Every time I would come close to feeling like this, you would snap me out of it, so now...Layne's it's your turn! You need to let go! You need to put your mind to what's going to happen to the world, if we do not act, and if you fail to honor Grovyle's last wish!"
Layne sat up. Pyro...was acting the very same way Layne was when they first met. And Layne...had fallen to the point where he couldn't care anymore. Did he really look so insignificant? Did Pyro really see this?
Why even bother asking himself that?
"Pyro...you're...you're..."
"Layne..." Pyro said, calming down a bit, "I've been thinking about the last thing Grovyle said to you. 'Parting hurts.' Layne I can only imagine how hard it must have been for him to leave you. I can only imagine what he must have fought to do what he did, in order for you to succeed. You two were partners long before I knew you, Layne. And it must have hurt both of you to part in such a way..."
Layne shed a few more tears. "That's true...Pyro...but..." Layne thought to himself, hoping Pyro could somehow hear this thought, "That wasn't what Grovyle meant at all...he meant that the parting will hurt...once we complete our mission, and I am forced to leave you, Pyro..." Layne could not bear to bring himself right now to tell Pyro what Grovyle had told him about the price to altering history. Layne knew it. This was his final adventure with Pyro...
Pyro once again said in determination. "Grovyle's waiting, Layne. We cannot keep him waiting! We must succeed, so the world of the future for Grovyle, can be a future where he can live happily."
At that moment, the sun shined intensely on the land. Layne shielded his eyes. He remembered what Grovyle had said about first seeing the sun. Layne almost flt as if he hadn't seen the sun in years, right then and there. Layne knew Pyro was right. He knew he couldn't give up now. The wordl needed the both of them more than ever now... Layne looked at Pyro for a brief moment, before nodding himself. "You're right, Pyro. We have a job to finish. We cannot hold off now."
"Then let's go." Pyro said, and turned. "The Stoneship is waiting."
They went back to the ruins, and climbed the stairs. They once again stood on the Stoneship. Down below, Layne looked one last time to where Grovyle had taken Dusknoir back to the future. Layne shed a few more tears, before simply thinking, hoping Grovyle would hear him, "Godspeed, Grovyle...maybe I'll see you again...some sunny day..."
Layne then turned to Pyro. "Pyro..." Layne said.
Pyro turned around, "Yes, Layne?
There was a moment of silence, before Layne said, "Thanks...I was down, and you knew exactly what to do...I cannot thank you enough for shaking me to my senses..."
Pyro smiled and said, "You've done it countless times to me Layne, it was time I did it for you, and I was glad to, especially now. Are you ready?"
Layne popped his neck, and said, "Let's make history."
With that, Pyro slammed his Fragment into the indention, and the Stoneship lit up in the light blue energy as before. Then it altered colors in the patter, and shook, and began to lift.
"Hold on to your hat," Layne said, "Something tells me it's going to be a bumpy ride!"
And the Stoneship began to move through the sky towards the clouds where Temporal Tower was supposedly standing. Pyro and Layne looked behind them. The Stoneship was leaving a rainbow as it flew. The world right there at that moment, seemed as if nothing was wrong. Layne adjusted his goggles on his forehead, and clutched Autumn's necklace. "I'm going to miss you, Autumn...hope you won't be too mad at me for not returning..."
"Look at that, Layne!" Pyro shouted.
Layne looked to where Pyro looked. The clouds still covered their vision, but once they cleared there it stood.
"Temporal Tower." Layne said. "In all it's majesty..."
"Finally we're here, Layne." Pyro said. "We're on our way to restoring Time."
"Yes..." Layne thought to himself. "And we will succeed...no matter the price." Layne reminded himself, that he was now in the middle of his final adventure with Pyro. And he would cherish every last second of it.
"Then let's do it...not just for Grovyle, "Layne said, "But the whole world is now depending on us. We cannot...and will not fail!"