Riolu and Mana look around, the sky much clearer. Riolu looks behind him, towards the stairs him and Mana had just come from and runs straight for the entrance. He disappears just as Mana starts to get her bearings. After blinking a couple of times, she allows herself to feel relieved and stretches out her tense muscles that had tightened when the ground began to shake.

"Mana, you won't believe it! It's all gone… The fog is really gone! This is great, we finally lifted the fog," Riolu yells, jumping up from the last step and racing towards his friend. He is too excited to notice Mana, her quiet demeanor as she thinks about the light. There was something about that light that was off. Even though they lifted the fog, Mana can't help but wonder if it was as easy as that. Could there be something else that awaits them or could it only be the treasure?

"…Then the sky shall burn with the sun's heat," Mana mumbles to herself, but Riolu stops in his excitement to listen. "But we already lifted the fog, so next comes the sky burning with the sun's heat-"

"Isn't what that light was supposed to be? The light that burned us like the sun, so now all we have is just the treasure. Come on Mana, you always tell me to stop worrying so now it's my turn to tell you. Everything is already done; we lifted the fog by reigniting Groudon's life and the light from the statue burned everything like the sun's heat. Now all that's left is the treasure to show itself." Riolu skips ahead, but Mana is not convinced.

"But the Drought Stone clears up any weather, including heavy fog and a light is just a light. Sure it was really bright, but that's all it was; no heat, or warmth, or anything that would compare it to a sun's heat…" No, wait. That doesn't sound right at all. The runes said 'within the sun's heat' not 'like the sun's heat'. That must mean Riolu is wrong and we should assume something else is going to happen…but what?

The more Mana begins to think, the more confused she seems to become. With her vision threatening to break free and the runes' translation spinning around her head, Mana can't help but feel a little pressure. She looks back at Riolu, who is skipping happily away from her. What if Groudon is the key to this translation? Still watching her friend, her nerves calm down just a bit and it's enough for the cyndaquil to think properly without overexerting herself.

"Within the sun's heat must have something to do with Groudon. The stone cleared the fog and it being called a 'drought stone' and the sun… Could it be that Groudon is a fire type? If that's the case, then it would explain 'the sun' bit. Does this mean that in order to find the treasure, me and Riolu will somehow have to meet Groudon? Mana looks over at the statue, still in the same sideways position. Mentally shaking her head, the cyndaquil forces herself to cease her thoughts.

"Hey, wait up Riolu!" It's no use trying to figure everything out. There's still not enough clues to solve this mystery, but if Riolu and I continue forward, then we're bound to run into the answers. Mana races to catch up with her friend, who seems to have finished having fun.

"Let's go get that treasure and bring it back to the headmaster!" Riolu holds out his paw for Mana, his smile wide and contagious. The cyndaquil also smiles, reaching out towards his outstretched paw. She steps into a small puddle, but doesn't notice a split in the ground caused by the ground shaking. Her foot gets caught and she trips forward, finally reaching her friend. He grabs her before she could fall, his feet digging in to the soft ground below him. Both Riolu and Mana make their way past the statue and towards what looks to be a giant floating place up ahead. Waterfalls surround the floating land, making the sky full of lightly colored rainbows.

"I'd want to hide this place too if I was living here." Riolu says, looking at Mana.

"Well, it's not every day you see a giant floating pebble-"

"Giant floating pebble? That is not a pebble! Do you see how big it is? It's like…like an-"

"-Pebble," Mana says, smiling.

"-Island," Riolu says, glaring down at his friend. They both argue about the description of the floating thing above them, not noticing that they had been followed until they hear a very familiar voice speak a few feet away.

"What'd I tell you guys? These pipsqueaks'll lead us straight for the riches if we follow 'em and what d'ya know, they did." Riolu gasps just as Mana narrows her eyes. How could she forget about these guys so easily? After stealing Wigglytuff's perfect apples from them, Mana should've known they'd still be up to their usual tricks.

"Y-You followed us?"

Skuntank smirks, his eyes set on Mana only. "That's right and now that you've proven your usefulness, there's nothin' else we need from you pipsqueaks-"

"I knew it! I knew you were up to something when you decided to join the expedition. You rotten pokemon, you can't get something we worked so hard for." Riolu stomps the ground. He knew they were planning something that night when he eavesdropped on those guys, but to think they actually decided to go through with their plan? I should've been more wary of them, but I was too distracted to even think about them.

Riolu grits his teeth, ashamed. It's all my fault this happened. If I had told Mana what I heard instead of hiding it from her, we probably would've been able to do something about Skuntank and his team.

"Since you pipsqueaks are done leading us, it's time to take a long nap." Skuntank takes a step forward, menace dripping from his posture. Riolu gulps, but Mana holds her ground. She and Skuntank stare at each other, none of them wavering.

"Keh, you think you're so tough but you're all weak. You were helpless the first time we fought and you're certainly helpless right now."

"You may have followed us like the cowards you are, but Riolu and I are a lot stronger than last time. You think by using underhanded methods is going to get you anywhere? Our guild is coming and they'll know about you and your dirty tricks!" Riolu looks down at Mana, his mouth slightly open. Sure, Corphish might have told them about meeting them here and not finding any clues, but there's no way to know for sure if anyone from the guild will come running. Is this Mana's way of bluffing?

"Keh! Kekekeke! You think we're just going to use full strength on a couple of pipsqueaks? Don't make me laugh! Underhanded or not, you'll still lose," Skuntank says, taking position right in front of Mana. Zubat flies out of the way, while Koffing moves to hover in front of Riolu.

"Finally, I can take pleasure in ridding this world of you. Koffing!" "Right Boss!" Riolu takes a step back, his fear getting hold of him. There's no way to defeat their special combo, even Marowak's Dojo hadn't helped much. Glancing one last time at Mana, his mind doesn't register that her expression changes in the split second he had turned towards her.

"Noo, come back~! My preciously perfect apple, don't run away from my hungry tummy…"

The voice of a familiar and scary pokemon, in the minds of the four pokemon who were prepared to fight. The apple stops everyone, Mana stares at the apple, surprised. Riolu has finally understood the situation before them and realizes the face Mana was making when he had turned to look at her. Because she already knew what was happening.

Mana and Riolu turn towards the voice and eyes moving, they watch as Wigglytuff catches up to the apple. He picks it up smiling, then pops the fruit into his mouth. Skuntank waits, holding his breath as he and his teammates watch the pink pokemon chew and swallow. What will happen? Should Skuntank attack him now or should he wait until he has his treasure?

The Guildmaster finally takes notice of his surroundings, his wide innocent eyes taking in the pokemon around him. He half turns to Team Future and asks, "Is this the time to be slacking off?"

"N-no…. Uhh we were...we were-" Riolu gulps, glancing over the Guildmaster and straight at Team Skull.

"-We were just leaving, Guildmaster. Team Skull was just sharing some information that's all," Mana finishes and Wigglytuff watches Mana as she looks over at her friend who seems to have been frozen out of fear. She nudges him and both glare at Skuntank, who still has not said anything since the Guildmaster's arrival, and walk around the pokemon.

Skuntank grits his teeth, angry. If Wigglytuff hadn't shown up, him and his team would've destroyed that annoying cyndaquil and the little coward. However, more pressing matters would have to wait as the pokemon takes and deep, calm breath. Soon… Soon I'll get rid you and make you watch as I destroy your precious little friend.

"Guildmaster, I'm sure the expedition would go a lot quicker if my team and I also go," Skuntank says, nodding towards Zubat and Koffing.

"Whaaat? No, no, I can't let such good friends and guests join in. You've done so much already, there is no need for you to help out anymore. The Rookies will handle seeking out information and until I say so, we wait for Riolu and Mana to come back!" With that, Wigglytuff giggles and roams around the area and Skuntank is left to his own thoughts.

I was going to wait until that pink fluff ball left so I can cover my tracks and get the treasure, but now things have changed. I can't keep waiting here forever for those pipsqueaks and if it means facing off and defeating him, then I have no choice.

Skuntank watches Wigglytuff's defenseless back, a devilish smile forming on his lips. No hard feelings, right?