Trouble begins

Misty's POV

I had heard that the others left. In the commotion that had followed, I'd realized that Manaphy was missing and we were approaching Samiya. I opened my door and tiptoed out. No-one was around. That was good. Jackie had tried to get me out, but I really didn't want to talk to anyone now, especially Ash. I crept up to the control room of the ship and pressed my ear against the keyhole.

"The current has calmed down," I heard Shep say, "and it appears they've all escaped unharmed."

"That's wonderful," I heard Meredith sigh in relief.

"What!" Shep exclaimed, "They're being followed."

"By what?" Jackie demanded. I frowned. They would probably be heading to the sea temple soon.

"They're gone!" Shep exclaimed in disbelief.

"That can't be!" Meredith gasped, "They've gone where?"

"I think we know," Shep said, "Samiya." Great. Someone was obviously trying to get to the sea crown. Who knows what they would do, especially with May. I ran away and quickly grabbed some gear.

"We gotta tell Mistiquellenne!" Jackie exclaimed

"The lunar eclipse is here!" Kyle yelled. Even better, I thought sarcastically, I'd have to get them to move fast.

"The sea temple!" they gasped.

"Wait! What's that?" Jackie asked.

"It's Phantom!" he answered himself after a pause. I turned the door handle and swung it open.

"Anchor down," I yelled, "Samiya won't take a ship like this invading its protective bubble."

"Right!" Kyle nodded and pressed a few buttons. The ship stopped. I threw a small underwater oxygen filter at Jackie.

"Jackie put this on," I demanded, "the others and Samiya could be in trouble if Phantom gets to the crown. You have to go stop him."

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

"I have something else I need to do," I replied. He nodded.

"And hurry!" I added as he ran out and dived off the ship.

Drew's POV

Lizabeth pulled up next to the temple and Ash got up. He twisted the hatch at the top open and stuck his head out. I pushed May away from me.

"Wow," Ash gasped. I rolled my eyes.

"You gonna let the rest of us see too," I asked. He was still just standing there.

"Ash, get out of the way already," I grumbled, pushing him out.

"Wah!" he cried as he toppled out and onto the platform close by.

"That wasn't very nice Drew," May said. I shrugged and climbed out. I reached back down and helped her out.

"What are you talking about not nice?" I teased, "I helped you out didn't I?" She shook her head and pushed my shoulder. If I hadn't been expecting something like that, I might've ended up on the ground like Ash, but instead I turned and jumped off. May bit her lip, eyeing the distance between where she was and the platform I was standing on.

"Just jump," I said, "it's not that far." She closed her eyes and took a leap. I reached forwards, catching her as she almost slipped back.

"Next time," I whispered, "try keeping your eyes open clumsy." She blushed and pushed me away again. Her eyes widened and she ran to the end of the pier.

"Manaphy!" she called, "Manaphy!" A few seconds later Manaphy jumped out of the water with an excited 'happy' and dove into May's arms.

'Happy, love you,' Manaphy said, offering the bandana he was holding.

"Love you too," May said, hugging him close. I came up beside her, hearing a small sob escape her mouth.

'Mana?' he questioned, looking confused, 'happy?' May rubbed her cheek against him. Manaphy spotted me.

"Happy!' he cried joyfully, 'Dada!' I chuckled, shaking my head. He reached out for me, but May didn't look like she was going to let go anytime soon. I shook my head and put my arms around both of them, pulling her close and turning her so that Manaphy was in the middle of us.

"Aww look," Lizabeth cooed, "family hug." I blushed and broke away.

"Come on, let's go," I whispered, glad that Max hadn't come out yet. As if on cue, he jumped out the sub.

"Wow we can breathe under here," he mused, "and we're so far under water."

"That's what the protective bubble does," May giggled.

"Whatever," Max groaned, "now, we gonna go explore?"

"Sure," Brock said. I followed him as he started up towards the middle of the temple.

I looked around in wonder at the extravagant décor of the place.

"Wow," May gasped, "I saw this in my dream, but I never imagined it would look this good up close." We walked around a rather large fountain and through a large archway into the next room. We stopped. In front of us was a wall of water, blocking us from going any further.

"Now what are we supposed to do?" Max asked.

"We can't go any further," Ash agreed.

"Just wait," Lizabeth said, looking at Manaphy. He straightened himself in May's arms and opened his mouth. He sang a little tune. I was surprised to hear a low humming of the tune come back.

"Is that the temple responding to Manaphy's song?" Brock questioned, wonder in his voice. Manaphy sang another little section and the temple responded. May's bracelet and Lizabeth's necklace started glowing as the little song continued.

"That's gotta be the people of the water," Lizabeth exclaimed, touching her necklace gently, "For sure!" The waterfall in front of us parted as the song finished. Several others behind it did the same, revealing the path to us. The glowing stopped and May looked at Manaphy. He excitedly jumped from her arms into the water next to the path.

'Mana!' he called, beckoning us to follow him. We all looked at each other before running to follow him. Over bridges, up stairs, along passages, going higher and higher and closer to the middle. The whole time, Manaphy was swimming in the little river next to the path, jumping up occasionally to see that we were keeping up. At the last bridge, Manaphy jumped out and into May's arms. She giggled as she caught him. I smiled slightly. May's smile could be so contagious when she was happy. Ash, who was the fastest, stopped suddenly. Max ran into him and he fell over. Brock tripped, landing on the heap and finally Lizabeth fell on top of them all. I had seen this coming and so I stopped and grabbed May's wrist, spinning her back to me so she wouldn't join the pile of bodies on the ground. Ash and Max both groaned.

"Get off me!" Max yelled, "You're squishing me!"

"Squishing you!" Ash called indignantly, "I'm the one who's on the bottom!"

"Well I'm smaller than you!" Max retorted.

"Guy stop fighting," Brock said, "We're getting up." Lizabeth managed to gracefully pushed herself up and Brock rolled off. He picked himself up off the ground. Max sprang off Ash and Ash groaned again, rubbing his back as he stood up.

"My back hurts," he complained.

"It was your fault!" Max yelled, "Why'd you stop anyway?"

"Well, I had to," Ash replied, "I couldn't just run into that now could I?" He pointed to the huge block in front of him.

"Stop fighting guys," Brock said again, "Max you're so distracted you haven't even realized the proximity of your sister and Drew." Huh? May and I both looked at each other and I realized I still had her pressed against me from when I had saved her from falling over.

"What!" Max yelled very loudly. I let her go and we jumped apart, both blushing furiously.

"Drew, I thought I told you to leave my sister alone," Max growled, pulling May away from me. I rolled my eyes. May had one protective brother. Oh Arceus, if this was how protective her brother was, I could only imagine how her dad would be. I shivered involuntarily.

"Stop being so protective Max," Brock laughed, "now what does this thing say?" I stepped closer to have a better look. On it was some strange letters inscribed and a picture of something that looked like a crown.

"That's the sign of the sea crown!" Lizabeth exclaimed. So we were close. This was when we needed Mistiquellenne.

"What's it say?" Max asked, the question that was probably on everyone's mind. May frowned and dropped Manaphy, putting her hands to her head. She winced and crouched down to the ground, gritting her teeth together.

"What's wrong May?" Ash asked.

"My head hurts," she whimpered. I knelt down next to her, frowning in concern.

"I think I know this," she gasped, "What it says. It's like I was there."

"This must've sparked a memory," I said, "of being brought here when you were very young."

"What's it say May?" Max asked enthusiastically, apparently forgetting about how close I was to May, "Can you read it?"

"I think I can," she said, looking up to it. I stood up and helped her off the ground. She touched a few letters.

"I think this one is crown," she said, "and this one is royal."

"That's right!" a voice interrupted. I turned around quickly. It was Phantom. How had he gotten here.

"I can read it," he said, pushing through us. We all backed away and huddled in a group.

"What are you doing here?" Ash demanded.

"I want the sea crown," he replied.

"No way!" Ash yelled. I stepped forwards.

"Don't try and attack me boy," he said in a patronising tone, "You don't stand a chance." I growled and lunged at him, throwing my fist out. He batted it away and I dropped to the floor, kicking my legs out towards his knee caps. He took the blow. He winced slightly, but didn't fall down like I was intending. He bent down and reached to take my ankles and so I rolled away from him, getting up. He chuckled lowly, smirking at me. With speed I didn't think he possessed, he jerked forwards and caught the collar of my shirt. I scratched and tugged at his hands, but he held fast.

"Don't interrupt me boy," he growled. He threw me across the room and I hit the wall, pain entering my body. I groaned, falling to the floor. I would have bruises. No broken bones thankfully, but it was still sore. The back of my head felt sticky though.

"Drew!" May knelt down next to me.

"Are you ok?" she asked. I winced as I reached up to touch my head. It was sticky and wet.

"Oh my gosh you're bleeding!" she exclaimed. Arceus I must've gotten a new gash on the back of my head. Her hands sifted through my hair. I took her hands to stop her, both of our hands now covered in my blood.

"I'll be fine," I growled, "It's just a cut."

"But Drew you-"

"May I'm a Pokémon ranger remember?" I cut her off, "I'm used to this sort of thing."

"Anyone else want to try?" Phantom mocked. Ash stepped forwards, his fists clenched. No, now was not the time to play hero Ash. Luckily for him Lizabeth held out her hand to stop him.

"Let me translate this thing for you," Phantom said, gesturing to the pillar.

"Beyond this door, which may only be opened by a people of the water's mark, lies the sea crown. Only one with royal blood may access this power," he read.

"You know you can't do anything here," Lizabeth challenged boldly, "this temple belongs to the people of the water."

"I happen to know everything about the people of the water," Phantom replied. He held up a cracked and broken string of the same stones May and Lizabeth were wearing.

"That's the people of the water's mark!" Lizabeth exclaimed with disbelief in her voice.

"Yes," Phantom confirmed, "and I went through a lot to get it." He held it up against the stone, next to the crown mark. Both the stones and the mark began to glow and the pillar sank into the ground. I would've stopped him, but I wasn't quite strong enough. My head was thumping with an intense headache now. I shakily stood up. The only way I could stop him now was if I could somehow get there first. A circular pattern on the wall appeared. Phantom went up to it and turned it like a dial. The wall peeled away and doors behind it opened, revealing another set of stairs behind it. I started to run forwards but something stopped me. A shrill scream behind me. I turned in horror.

"May!" I exclaimed.