Arc One: Mystery

Chapter Twenty-Four: Rhythm and Balance


A small bit of water drips from the stalactites, making the only other sound that isn't coming from our footsteps or from our mouths, and all I can say is that it's gridding my gears.

I'm constantly looking up into the dark row of seats above us. I haven't seen any rock tumble down nor heard any sound come from up there. Normally, that would give somemon the feeling that no mon was up there and they can move on with their day.

But you're asking that question to the wrong Raboot.

When I think of something, it's hard for me to just let it go, as I'm sure you know by now. So when those rocks came down, you better believe that I'm a mess inside. It's just one more thing to add to the list that I worry way too much about.

I guess I should be thankful that we are doing fine going down this pathway. The strange thing about this, however, are the parts where instead of walls on the side of the large path, we're forced through narrow paths that if you make one small misstep, you'll fall into the dark abyss.

Not fun. Not fun at all.

But so far, no mon has had a moment where they needed help getting through, so like I said before, I should count my blessings. Like the fact that I'm happy that Zack and Daisy are lighting up the path, because without them (or without anymon else for that matter), I would be having the worse time of my life down here with no source of light.

This place is still weird, though. I mean, once and a while, there's some cool artwork on the walls to look at, but that does little help for me, as I really can't wait to go back to Treasure Town, and finally return to the only place I know feels like home.

Of course, Lucas is enjoying himself much more than I could ever at this point. Which in the end, is good, because somemon might as well enjoy the journey here.

"You know?" Lucas starts. "If Zygarde and Groudon are so big, than why are there so many thin paths?"

Daisy carefully floats across the path as she gets to a spot where she can turn around without having to worry about falling. "Probably to act as some kind of defense measure for anymon who's not wanted in here."

"Yeah, but Zygarde and Groudon still need to get across, don't they?" Crush asks.

Zack, carefully sidestepping while STILL looking at his comic, says, "Maybe Zygarde can just transform into his smaller form and just walk across, while Groudon changes the landscape a little so he can get through. If either of them tried to jump across, then I think that would cause an earthquake around the globe to happen."

As I finally get to the wide part of the trail, I say, "Well, whatever the reason is, I do not want to find out what's at the bottom of that pit...if there's even a bottom to it." I shake a little as I recall my first nightmare I had received as I look behind me. And to think that was before Zygarde first tried to get me.

Does he want me dead or something?! I sigh. I wish out of all the things that I remember, that that wouldn't be one of the things I forgot. Arceus couldn't have done a better job with my memories?

My thoughts are then interrupted by a curious Lucas. "Hey, guys. More inscriptions."

I smile, but continue down the path, as there were other things pasted onto the wall before now. Probably some more picture or symbols of the Legendary Ground-Types doing something cool.

Before I know it, I'm the one leading everymon, but because I'm not a flashlight, I need to wait for Daisy or Zack to go ahead of me so that I can see what's coming up.

But when I turn toward to look at them, I notice that they're all looking at the picture that Lucas had pointed out, but when I squint my eyes, it seems like there's some writing down below the art. From what I can see, the lettering...seems different from what I'm used to seeing.

I go to walk to the writing, but then I feel like my legs can't move. I begin to sweat as I look down to see if I stepped in something sticky, but what I see is, to me at least, much worse. The ground that I'm standing on is glowing white, as if I'm about to be teleported.

Crush then turns to face me, but then her face panics when she sees what I'm standing on.

She cries out, "Wait Red, don't-"

But that's all I hear as a veil of light surrounds me. I'm forced to close my eyes as I wonder what Crush was going to warn me about, but the fact that she was cut off only makes me worry more, as if I was worried enough.

Soon, the light finally subsides, and I can begin to look around to see where I teleported. Oddly enough, I'm standing on a square platform, and as I look around myself, I see that torches are now lite up.

Well, that's a nice touch. Now I can walk around without having to worry about stepping on something, although I wish there were a few more of them.

But that's not the only thing that is new. To my right is a path with a closed door at the end of it, signaling that that's the way to go.

I breathe a sigh of relief as I begin to walk to the doorway, for a second, I thought something terrible was about to happen to me.

No...that happens when I begin walking.

After my first step or so, I begin to get the feeling that something's off, and with the more steps I take, the more and more I feel like I'm...falling?

The cold reality soon sets in as my sensitive ears pick up some noise coming from...inside the platform?! Before I can come to a conclusion, I hear Daisy call to me in a fizzy voice, saying, "Red! Get back to the middle right now!"

Immediately , I quickly make my way back to the middle as Daisy continues, "Red, listen very carefully. You are on a giant balancing board that's part of a puzzle in order to open the door ahead of you. Make sure to get it as flat as possible, and we'll tell you what to do afterwards."

"You don't have to tell me twice!" I yell out. I'm in a frenzy right now, as I now have the sinking feeling that there truly may be no bottom to the black pit, as it might just be the punishment for failing the test.

I should have known that something was amiss the moment I was teleported here.

I go backwards to try and level the playing field. I then move forward a tad when the momentum starts to go backward a little too much. It takes some time, but all last, I manage to stop the rocking of the platform.

I take a larger sigh of relief this time. Ok, now things are back to normal...well, as normal as it can get on a big tilt and tumble board.

"Alright, I think I'm in good shape. Now can you tell what is going on down here?" I say out loud as I begin to calm down.

To my surprise, Daisy teleports right in front of me. She then turns to me and says, "You know that writing Lucas just found on the wall. Crush was reading it, and found out that this entire platform is part of a ball maze puzzle."

I'm dumbfounded by what she says and ask her, "A what?"

She points over to the my left, and it's when I realize that inside this platform below me is a maze sandwiched inside.

"The writing on the wall pointed out that in order to open the door, we have to move that ball over to the doorway if we want to remove the key that's inside of it." She finishes.

"Can't you use Psychic and move the ball without having to tilt this entire thing?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "Unfortunately, this room seems to limit the amount of Psychic energy that can be used. The only thing that I can do is use telepathy, but even then, that's not too easy to do here."

Ah, that's why her voice sounded like she was talking through a fan.

She then puts her hand to her head as she says, "Stay right there, Red. I'm going to call everymon else down here. We're going to need their help to move the orb to the door. Understand?"

I nod and give her a thumbs up as she closes her eyes. Even though I don't hear anything, I'm sure that she's talking to the other about what her plan is. A few moments later, the three other Pokemon join Daisy and me on the tipping platform. Lucas waves to me before Daisy talks to me.

"Alright Red, here's the plan. We're all slowly going to move to a one corner each. Zack will be the only one that will stay in the middle. When he says so, two mons are going to walk closer to the middle depending on who he says. I already ran it by with the others, so if you have any questions, please say them now."

"Nope, I understand you completely." I say, with sweat going down my head. "I'm ready to go."

We then slowly move into our positions. Crush and I are at the left and right points that are closest to the door, while Daisy and Lucas take the back row.

Zack puts his comic away, and he looks at the ball. He's still lighted up like a candle so he can see the ball and maze more clearly. He takes sometime to exam the maze to see which two will have to move, and when we'll have to do it.

"Well, the good news is that this maze doesn't have too many paths and is straightforward, the bad news is...well, I'm sure you all know what that is."

Daisy then says, "Zack, we're counting on you to not mess us up, but I know you can do this. Just tell us when to get closer to you, and then tell us when to move back. Easy."

He then gulps and continues, "Y-yeah, easy. Th-thanks." He clears his throat, and then says, "Daisy and Crush, move inside."

They do as the Ampharos tells them to and the two move closer to the middle. The weight of the five of us causes the platform to lean to the right, but they're careful not to go too far, otherwise it might make us all lose balance.

"Good, good, goo-STOP!" Zack yells. "Now move back to your spots so this can become flat again." He says, stressing the fact that this needs to go flat again.

The Gardevoir and Mawile quickly, but carefully, move back as the maze becomes leveled.

"Yes, ok, now Daisy and Lucas move in." Zack says.

My eyes keep racing between Lucas and the ground beneath us. Zack was right, this maze doesn't look that complex. In fact, it looks pretty easy to firgure out. It's just the fact that we have to walk around on this thing to make the orb move which is really gridding my nerves.

After those two successfully accomplish their goal, Zack says, "Red, Lucas, you're up."

I gulp. Oh boy, it's my turn to move...but I can't move. I'm already controlling the balance of our fates, I don't need to literally control it.

"Hey Red." I hear Lucas say to me. He gives me a thumbs up and says, "We got this. We'll step together, alright?"

I nod in agreement. His words may have been few, but they're enough to make me regain the ability to move my feet.

Lucas takes in a small breath. "One," He says at the same time he takes a step, and I quickly follow.

"Two, one, two, one, two..." I remain focused on Lucas' words and carefully I make my way closer to the middle. Walking has never made me feel so nervous before, and I hope it'll be the last time it'll make me feel that way.

"STOP!" Zack says out loud. I go to stop, but when I do, I almost lose my balance. Thankfully, I don't, but now my mind is wondering what would happen if we tilt this too much.

Brain, stop thinking about these kind of situations. You're going to kill me one day if not now.

"Ok, move back, you two. Daisy, get ready to move again with Lucas." Zack says.

I listen to him and retrace my steps. As I do, the noises from the stand start to get in my head, but thankfully for me, Lucas counts again, so I can take my mind off of the noises.

I then get to my corner, to which I slow down my breathing as I come to a stop. This feels so weird. The ground doesn't feel firm whatsoever, and one wrong step could make this thing lose all of it's balance for all I know.

But in the end. It's working. This is working. This plan is very scary, but it's STILL working.

Zack then cuts me off by saying, "Alright, now Red and Crush move in."

My fur stands tall when I hear my name once again. "It's ok." I say to myself. "Lucas is right. You can do this. You did it once, this time will be no different."

My mind, though, as annoying as ever, keeps trying to make me hit the panic button, like how it's trying to make me think that the stand for this platform is cracking, ha ha ha!.. WILL YOU SHUT UP!

"Red! STOP!" Zack brakes though my clouded mind. I stop right away. "S-sorry, Zack. I'm...just in my own world...again I guess." I say in a sorry tone.

"Hey, that's fine. I do that all the time." He says. "Well, not all the time, like right now we all need to focus on moving the sphere and keeping our balance, ok?"

I flash a smile as I move back, as the orb has reached it's destination and I can return to my spot.

Zack turns to Daisy and Crush and tells them to move while my ears keep on ringing. As much as I hate to admit it, I don't think my ears are playing tricks on me. In the distance, Zack has Lucas and Crush walk up to the center as I continue to do what I do best: Think.

I know it would be normal for this thing to make noise, but I feel like something else making some, too. It's sounds like something...cracking, but then I feel like it's rocks falling down to cliffside. Is it both? Is there really a Pokemon that's watching us? If there is one, then what is he planning on doing?

What is it with me having so many questions, yet so little answers?

Before I can even answer that question, I hear something land on a hard surface. I turn to the door and see the orb has escaped the maze and is free. My mind, however, starts to freak out as it doesn't stop and continues to move, meaning that it could just fall off into the dark pit.

"Zack, move over to my area now!" Daisy yells. "I'm going to grab that orb before it falls off."

Zack panics and dashes over to where Daisy's spot is, and as the Gardevoir moves to the orb, she says, "Balance yourselves out everymon." In a very worried tone.

She's right, as when Zack moves to his new corner, I can feel the balance of this thing go haywire. The four of us start to carefully scramble around to try to keep this thing as level as it can be.

Thankfully, as we finish getting leveled, Daisy grabs the orb with her hands before it can fall down to the void below. We all breath a sigh of relief knowing that two of our problems are over.

"Well, good thing that's done." Lucas says, laughing at the end, as if it were a joke.

Daisy then reaches inside of the orb and removes the key from it. She then moves to the door's lock and puts the key inside and turns it. Once she does that, the area by the door begins to shake. I hear gears turning as the door slowly, but surely, lifts up, revealing the path ahead.

"Yeah! We did it!" Lucas says as he pumps his fist in the air, ending with a big smile. I can't help but smile with him. We completed the puzzle, now all that's left to do is to get to the door...

I pause when I think harder about that, because if we want to get to the door, then we're going to have to keep on balancing on here while at the same time getting off.

Hmm, maybe we aren't out of the woods just yet.

"Ok, everymon. Listen up!" Daisy yells. "First, great job to all of you, especially you, Zack. But now all of you need to get off, and if you all want to do that, then listen to me very carefully."

She breathes in and says, "I want Zack to come over here first, when he does, the three of you will have to stand in the shape of a triangle, understand?"

"Yes!" We all say.

Zack then slowly slides himself to Daisy as the three of us remain in a square shape.

"Alright, Zack. Now jump over." Daisy says to the Ampharos, who is hesitant to do so.

He takes multiple breathes while continually saying, "You got this, you got this." The moment he takes his leap was the same moment Lucas, Crush, and I made a mad dash around the platform to keep it nice and steady.

Crush is now the closest to the door, while Lucas and I are standing at the back. But as I make my move, I'm get haunted by the cracking sounds that I'm hearing. I've been able to brush them aside for the time being, but I think it's about time that I tell everymon what I have been listening to.

"Daisy." I start. "I don't mean to alarm you, but I've been hearing some strange sounds coming from below the platform."

She looks at me very carefully and says, "Are you one hundred percent sure about that, because I'm not hearing anything concerning."

I nod and say, "Look, I know I can get paranoid sometimes, but I sure that this time-"

A deafening crunch cuts me off, as I feel the ground sink for a brief moment, but the fact that it went down at all is not good at all. Team Forever's leader acts immediately once the noise reaches her ears.

"That's not good one bit. Crush, get over here ASAP. After that I want Red to come here, and then lastly, Lucas."

I stare at Lucas as he sweats and asks, "Not that I'm complaining, but why am I the last one to get off?"

"Because you know Quick Attack, so you can get off of there in a blink of a eye." She says. "I know it's scary being the last one, but somemon has to do it."

I call out to Lucas to give him the same encouragement he gave me. "Hey, you'll do great." I say as I give him a thumbs up. He smiles as I give him the same treatment, but then another loud crunch causes him to look to Crush.

He says, "Ok, we're ready. You can jump off now." To the Deceiver Pokemon.

She looks at the two of us and nods. She then leaps onto the platform, with Daisy and Zack ready to grab her so that she doesn't have any trouble falling off. As for the two of us that are still stuck on the huge balancing beam, I head over to the door while Lucas stays behind.

"Stay safe." Lucas says to me as I pass by him. I barely pay attention as I continue heading to the edge of the platform, as I'm distracted by the noises coming from this thing.

As I come to a complete halt, I begin to hear even more cracks, along with some more tumbling rock. This thing isn't going to last much longer, I just know it.

I leap to Team Forever, and as soon as my two feet touch the ground, I turn to watch Lucas. I can only stand in fear as the Emanation Pokemon reaches the middle.

All alone...

"It's ok." Daisy says. "You can do it, Lucas."

"Yeah, it's not as hard as you think." Zack says.

"Listen to Zack, Lucas. You're fine." Crush says.

We all try to give Lucas looks of hopefulness, but the Rilo is still looking quite scared.

He then closes his eyes. His heavy breathing reaches my ears, which makes me hold my breath. He then quietly says, "Three, two...one..." He then dashes forward, but on his first step, something gives away, but it comes to my attention when I realize that the platform isn't leaning, it's-

Falling...with Lucas on it.

"LUCAS!" I cry out as I dive towards him, attempting to grab onto whatever I can of him. As I fall onto the ground, Lucas jumps from the rapidly sinking platform, but he's not going to reach the ledge, but I can reach him.

As I get closer to him, I realize that I'm also getting too close to the ledge and might fall off myself. I stop myself, but I still manage to reach out my hand to my teammate. Through the mists of this chaos, I feel somemon grab my legs, probably Team Forever helping me keep myself on the doorway, which I'm thankful for.

I then see his hand come out to grab onto mine. In that brief moment, time stops as I get a grin over my face, telling my partner that I got him.

...

...

...I missed...I missed his hand...

Everything around becomes obsolete as Lucas cries out my name as he sinks further and further into the pit. Flashes of my memory with him shot across my mind. Apple Woods, Green Forest, the path back from Hot Hot Springs...the first time we met.

And to add to the pain, I recall my first nightmare at the worst possible time. Is that his destiny? To fall and...die...because I couldn't reach him...

I-I...I already made Eve mad, and now...I won't have Lucas with me...because I failed him...

Tears run down my eyes as I scream as loud as I possibly could, praying for a miracle, praying for a second chance. Before he disappears into the black nothingness, he makes one last smile, the last one I see from him before he vanishes...

But not from the pit, but from something from the wall. Life around me starts to matter as everymon behind me gasps as something smashes against the side of the wall closest to us.

I dry my eyes with my arm and dart them to see what just happened. Did Arceus hear me? Is Lucas alright?! Debris around the wall finally settles down, and it reveals that Lucas was caught by a...Ursaring?

No, it looks too dark to be one, though it is already dark down there, it seems too dark to be one, not to mention that he looks like he's wearing some kind of jacket.

But you know what? I couldn't care less about who that is. That could be Zygarde and I still wouldn't be mad, because all I need know is that because of him, Lucas is safe...for the moment.

I then hear Daisy exhale heavily as she says, "Oh my gosh, he's alright. He's safe."

Crush and Zack don't say anything, as they're still in shock from what just transpired. In fact, I think they went behind Daisy to catch her incase she fainted.

My ears then pick up the beast saying, "It's ok. Just hold on tight. It'll only take me a second to get back up."

I then see Lucas cling to him for dear life as the Pokémon makes his way towards us. The four of us on the path stand still as the Ursaring makes his way up.

As he gets closer, I realize what the Pokemon really is: It's some kind of evolution of Ursaring called Ursaluna, but those Pokémon haven't been seen in ages, only drawings and extremely old photos exist to prove he's real, and now the first time I see one in real life he's saving my best friend.

At last, after what seems like an eternity to me, he reaches us, and carefully sets the Rilo, who's still shaking with fear, down onto the ground.

"Lucas!" I yell out as I get back onto my feet and go to give him a hug, but Daisy gets to him first before I can. She squeezes him as tight as she can and says, "I...I can't believe you're alive...I thought you were going to...I-I tried to use Psychic to grab you, but I couldn't use any of it. I'm sorry-so sorry that I- we couldn't help you."

She then gets up, which I take the moment to hug my partner. Tears drop from my eyes as I just sit there, embracing the Pokemon I thought that I had lost. I can't bring myself to say anything, as the moment I do that, I'll burst into tears.

Lucas, after shaking so much, calms down and hugs me back. He then says, "I'm so glad to see you again, Red. I-I...I still can't believe that happened to me." I then start to break, but Lucas softly says, "Don't cry. Please don't cry. It's not your fault that I fell. You tried your best, and that's all that matters."

He then finishes, saying to me, "It's alright. It all worked out in the end. No need to beat yourself up."

Slowly, I calm down, as I realize that everything worked out. Not in the way I thought it would have, but I'll take anything that doesn't involve losing my best friend.

I won't being able to live with myself if that was the last time I saw him. Going further and further down because I failed him...

...

But he's here, with me safe and sound, and I couldn't be more grateful than that.

Oh, thank you Arceus.

*Ahem*

The creature that saved Lucas finally makes himself known to us. "Well, now that it seems that you all have had your moment, I think it might be a good time to introduce myself to you all." He says in a dark, yet calm voice.

He then bows to us and says, "I am Eclipse, and I am the watcher of this area of the Ground Temple."

"Watcher?" I ask. "So, you weren't by any chance, the one who made the rocks fall from the walls when we were making our way through this place, were you?"

He nods and says, "You're correct. I'm sorry if I was causing you five to panic and mess up, but you had arrived while I was taking a nap, so it took me some time to realize that Pokémon had entered this place."

"I'm sorry to interrupt you, Mr. Eclipse." Crush says, "But may I ask what kind of Pokémon you are. You don't look like a regular Ursaring or a shiny one for that matter."

The Peat Pokémon looks at her, and states, "My apologies, Ma'am. I am a Ursaluna, quite a rare Pokémon for your information."

Lucas gets up in shock. "What?! I heard that your species went extinct." His eyes shrink. "No offense or anything."

He chuckles a bit. "None taken, young lad. Pokémon like us have been blessed by Arceus to help him with anything that he desires. For me, it was to help guard this place from the wrong hands." He then continues, saying, "I didn't want to make my presence known to any of you until I knew you had no hostel intent, but he moment when the maze's stand began to crack, I knew that I had to make my way down there, as if you had solved the puzzle, there would be no need for anymon to perish."

My head slowly peaks down the pit as I shake and say, "So, the pit is-"

"Let's not dwell on that fact." He says to interrupt me. "The main point is that you have completed the test and have opened the door. I can assure you that there will be no more deadly traps waiting for you ahead."

Daisy takes a short bow, and says, "We are very grateful for your act of kindness, Eclipse."

"You're all very welcomed." He says, "It's my job to make sure that everything here goes smoothly." He then moves to where the door had been and says, "Now then, shall we continue moving forward? The treasure of this temple awaits you."

We all nod, and soon, the six of us begin heading forward. As we walk, Zack asks Eclipse, "So, you know Arceus, huh."

He nods, "Not much, but enough to know that he's a well respected Pokemon."

Zack's eyes sparkles as he asks more questions, "What is it like talking to him? What kind of blessing did he give you? Are there-"

"I'm afraid I won't be able to answer those questions to the fullest." The Ursaluna says. "I can only say so much, and I might have already said a little bit more than I should have. Nothing that you could get in trouble with, but I have been told to try and refrain from saying things about that topic."

Zack answers him. "Ohh, sorry for asking then."

"It's fine. I guess it's just been a while since a different Pokémon came down here that made me want to share more than I should." He says to the Ampharos.

I look at him a bit nervous. "Umm, who's the-"

"Hey! There it is!" Lucas says, pointing out a large treasure box on top of a raised platform. He then says, "It that the end of this temple?"

"It is indeed." Eclipse says, "Now, are you a where of the rules when it comes to objects like these?"

"There're rules to these?" Lucas asks.

"Yes." The Guardian says. "When you take the artifact from any Chosen Temple, you are expected to use it for the greater good and to return it after you have used it to fulfill your work. Keep it for too long or use it for wicked purposes, and may Arceus do what he must against you."

Lucas eyes go wide in a scared, but amazed way at the same time.

Daisy then says, "We'll make sure to honor those rules, Eclipse. You have our word that we'll be as respectful as we can be with it."

"That's all I wanted to hear from you. These things are far more powerful than you can ever imagine." He says before turning to face the rest of us. "Do you all feel the same way as the Gardevoir?"

"We do." "Yes." "Yep." "Sure do." The rest of us say to the bear.

"Very well." He says. He then leaps onto the same height of the treasure chest and says, "Then I shall open this, and you shall be able to remove it from this place, and use it for good."

"There are tiles over in the corner that you can use so that you may escape this temple and be on your way." He finishes as he grabs the lid of the box with his mouth.

Lucas' tail wags like a fan as a glow appears over the box. I smile at my partner. Seems that he's back to normal after his fall. Let's just hope I won't have any nightmares about that, though.

Because I do not want to think about that ever again. The glow gets brighter and brighter as the lid opens up more and more, but then, out of no where, the glow disappears.

Eclipse reaches inside to grab the flute inside and he turns around and softly drops it on the floor.

"Here is your reward from beating this temple. I hope that you're satisficed with it." He says.

I breath out. It's over, we're in the clear. We did our job, and we're one step closer to solving this crisis, because the Flute of Aura...

...

IS NOT HERE?!