"Ah, Croagunk," Chatot chirped when he spotted Croagunk emerging from the forest. "Have you found something to report?"

Croagunk chuckles, "Indeed, Chatot, sir." He nodded. "At the end of the Foggy Forest there is a statue of a pokémon looks to be known as Groudon."

Chatot blinked. "Groudon, you say? Hmm, curious."

"You know of it?" Croagunk asked, spotting the gleam of familiarity in Chatot's eye. The second-in-command always did love to show he was in the know.

"Well of course!" Chatot scoffed. "Who do you take me for? I am the head of intelligence for the guild." He flapped once but then nodded. "Groudon is a Legendary Pokémon whose myth claims as the being responsible for creation of the land by raising it from the sea."

Croagunk watched Chatot in silence before chuckling again, "Sounds like a powerful being."

"Indeed. I think it may be a good idea for me to view this statue myself." Chatot paused to glance around at the empty base camp. "The Guildmaster has already gone ahead."

"I spotted the Guildmaster racing to the end of the dungeon," Croagunk explained. "I said hello, but he didn't seem to hear me."

"Probably chasing an apple," Chatot muttered, Croagunk withheld a chuckle at that one. He was clearly not meant to hear, or at least he wasn't meant to comment. "Nonetheless, we should go forward from here. No one else has returned, so they are likely still moving through the dungeon themselves. Despite having only just returned, will you accompany me, Croagunk?"

"Sure."

Once Chatot was ready, and Croagunk had a chance to have something to eat, they pushed back into Foggy Forest, leaving the camp unmanned.

"So, Sean is a human?" Croagunk asked right as the dungeons hold closed around them.

Chatot squawked, flapping his wings, his feathers going everywhere before screeching, "He told you?" Croagunk waited for him to compose himself. "Uh, of course. My apologies. I know how… close you two are?"

"Meh-heh-heh, nah I just overheard him telling you back at the guild. Thought my ears might have been playing tricks on me, seems not." He chuckled again as Chatot took that in.

Chatot was aghast for a moment, frozen in a half-step as Croagunk went ahead, paused, and glanced back at the frozen Chatot. "I will not tell anyone," he said conversationally. "I was just curious. Makes sense, considering how weird he is. Liking plain seeds of all things, meh-heh-heh. A nice kid though"

Chatot slowly relaxed and nodded, unable to say anything at first. He quickly joined Croagunk, and they began their trek through the dungeon.

"Are you concerned?" Chatot asked after a few minutes of silence, broken up by them expertly dissuading ferals from attacking them.

"Nah," Croagunk returned. "I know the rumours, but it's been par for the course so far. Considering the mess with time lately, I'm actually kinda relieved at the thought. I know the guild can help him if he needs it."

Chatot nodded, that was true. "A level head, thank you, Croagunk."

"Meh-heh-heh, if only the cauldron was workin'. I might be able to help him and Little Shinx gear up a bit." He gave a slow wink to Chatot who fought to not roll is eyes at the obvious ploy.

And then had to fight down a smile as he impressed at the cunning. It was not a bad idea, all things considered. He had some things to think about, and Croagunk was strong enough to handle the ferals himself.

"Oh my gosh!" Sean howled, channelling Sunflora and Ponyta at once. "This is the worst. Possible. THING!"

Rai had no words, he was too busy rolling around on the damp floor, crying with laughter.

Their initial entry into the hot and humid Steam Cave was even more unpleasant than Sean had feared. It was hot. It was humid. It was very uncomfortable.

He was reminded of the fact that felines don't sweat and had to pant a lot to keep his temperature at a reasonable level. As did Rai, although his discharges of electricity were able to serve a similar purpose, to the meowth's jealously.

The moistness of the ground was unpleasant, but nothing worse than wandering the heated quagmire previously.

The issue that Sean faced, however, is that after a little while his fur began to stick up. And up. And up some more until he had the appearance of some ballooned out puffball.

"My fur isn't even this long!" Sean shrieked, Rai collapsing ever harder into laughter. "Even after getting shocked in Mount Horn, this damn fur wasn't this puffy!"

Coughing now, Rai staggered to all fours, blinked the tears out of his eyes, spotted Sean and fell back to the ground in hysterical laughter.

It hadn't helped that Sean had crossed his arms, put on his sternest glare, and pointed it right at Rai. Giving him the best view of the scandalised ball of fluff.

Soon enough, however, Sean couldn't put up the façade any longer and laughter began to build in his own chest. "Rai's laughing so hard," he thought as he burst into laughter himself. "That's worth any embarrassment." Sean wasn't shy about making fun of himself for the amusement of others, and with Rai's reaction, he felt pretty good.

Eventually, the novelty wore off and Rai was able to at least stand and laugh. He faced away from Sean and the pair began the journey again, sniggering occasionally after a funny thought of spotting Sean out of the corner of his eye.

Sean made sure to continue scowling at all things that weren't Rai, after assuring him that Rai's laughter didn't bother him. He caught sight of himself in a clear pile of water and couldn't help but snort.

"Humidity doesn't agree with me."

It wasn't all fun and laughter though. The further they went in the more relentless the enemies became.

To both of their surprise, not that either would say such a surprise out loud, they made an effective team.

"Get ready, Rai!" Sean called, delivering three brutal Scratches to a snubbull's head, reeling it back with red lines over its skin as Sean darted back, distracting the snubbull enough for Rai to blast it to dreamland.

"Duck," Rai commanded right after blasting the snubbull away. Sean followed suit, feeling the puffed-up fur on the back of his neck move as something zipped past.

"YAA!" buzzed a yanma, sending off a green shockwave that sent both members of Team Ion sprawling.

Sean got to his feet first, having been better braced for the attack, and he sprinted forward, catching the Bug-type's attention.

Buzzing in anger, it dove after him glinting white. Sean dived to the side, avoiding the swooping tackle, and rolled back on two feet.

Extending his claws, he yelled and thumped his chest, "Come at me then!" And the yanma came for him.

Sean grinned and ducked down again, giving the recovered Rai a clear shot to fry the yanma and knock it unconscious.

"Awesome!" Sean cheered, hugging Rai before tapping his paw with his own. "Yeah." It wasn't lame at all.

The energy continued as they pushed forth. "Hoo." Rai blew a bit of fur out of his face. "We've come pretty far, how much further do you think is left?"

"No idea," Sean said cheerfully. Without the existence of actual floors as per the game, he could only guess. And he had but one guess. "Hopefully not much longer. I really want to stop looking like something you pull out of a shower drain."

"What's a shower drain?" Rai asked as they left the battlefield behind them. A few pokémon twitched as electricity still was being grounded, others were just lying around unconscious.

"Basically, it's like a bath that moves constantly. Falls onto you like you're under a warm soft waterfall. I miss them."

"Hang on. Do you not actually know how to bathe!"

Sean paused. "Pardon?"

"You don't know how to bathe yourself?" He sounded so genuine Sean couldn't find a response at first.

"I. We go to the hot springs."

"No! I mean, like how shinx and meowth bathe."

"I'm not licking my fur!"

Rai cocked his head. "Have you tried?"

"Er." To be honest he hadn't. "Why would I want to?"

"Well, you're not human anymore," Rai pointed out, then he brightened up. "My sister taught me when she still lived here, I can teach you!"

He was so happy with the suggestion Sean almost agreed. However, he then remembered how awkward that would be. "Uh… I'm alright, Rai. The hot springs work."

"But it takes you so long to dry off!" he complained.

It did. They needed a fire to hang him over to dry him out after trudging back from the hot springs, the walk only downgraded him from wet cat to damp cat.

"I still miss showers. They're much better to get clean with."

"Oh. So, then what do you?" Rai paused as the ground changed. "Huh. I think we're farther than I thought."

"Oh, please let this be over," Sean said, rushing forward. He slowed quickly, remembering what lurked above, and Rai caught up as they entered a waypoint.

"This is a fun room," Sean commented, looking at all the nothing. No Kangaskhan Rock here, Sean noted. "They definitely don't exist. Wouldn't make any sense anyway."

"Why?" Rai asked. "There's nothing in… oh sarcasm, gotcha."

Sean smiled, giving Rai a pat on the back. "The sass training is going well," he said vacantly, receiving an amused look from Rai. "Right now, can we have a small break?"

"I bet we've climbed far," Rai commented, nodding. "Can't be much further from the top!" At Sean's pleading look he relented. "We should take a small break so the last leg of it isn't too hard."

Sean sighed in relief, sitting down and leaning against a wall. Rai joined him, unable to stop a groan of relief when he laid down as well. "Heh, you're tired too," Sean said, and Rai poked his tongue out at him.

There was a deep, distant, rumbling. Akin to stones falling down a cliff far, far, away.

Rai blinked as Sean's heart clenched. "Huh? What was that?" On his guard, Rai looked back and forth carefully. No one was now. "Did you hear that or am I hearing things?"

Another rumble, this time they felt it.

"No, I felt that," Sean said, voice an octave higher than normal. "Yep, that sounded big. And scary." He cleared his throat, shook his head, and stood up. "But no matter what, we shall prevail!" Did he sound brave? He hoped he did.

He clenched a paw and raised it at the roof and shook it vigorously. "Hear me foul phantom, you cannot scare us off!"

"Uh…?" Rai cocked his head at Sean's antics but decided to put it aside for now as Sean chuckled awkwardly. "Okay! It's not that far to the top I'm really sure, let's go?"

"Yes," Sean said, still glaring at the roof. His heart was pounding, and his paws were clammy from all the steam, but he knew what was coming. This was right. This was correct. This was supposed to happen.

"Oh, wow that is a loooooot of endoprhins," he thought as waves of adrenaline spiked through him. "Things are back on track now and no one can stop us! Ahahahahahahahahaha!"

While Sean laughed maniacally, Rai dug a pair of apples and an oran berry out of the bag Sean wore. "Here," he said, passing an apple. "We should eat before we go."

While laughing between glorious bites of delicious apple, Sean nearly choked, and he decided to end the madness.

"One oran berry?" he asked once his breath was caught.

Rai smiled. "Cut it in half, please." Sean quickly sliced it in twain with a single flick of his wrist

"Love doing that," he admitted as he took his half. It was their last Oran Berry, and both felt a bit better once it was down. "It's the little things that is cool about being a scrawny meowth and not a tall human."

"How tall were you?"

"Tall enough to carry you under one arm if I wanted."

"Ooh."

They began to leave, silently electing to race a little out of the midpoint.

A distant, almost high-pitched, bellow rocked the entire cave, causing both of them to stumble and freeze. "That sounded like…." Sean trailed off.

"Wigglytuff."

They shared a nod and raced forwards.

"My-my, what is this?" Chatot gasped and even Croagunk was impressed.

"I wonder, did those two manage a miracle?" he wondered out loud as the fog melted away. "Or did they have a hidden trick in the bag?"

The rest of the dungeon was a breeze without the fog and only moments after they had exited the dungeon, did another voice reach them. "Oh my gosh, Croagunk and Chatot!"

They turned to find Sunflora and Loudred rushing to them.

"By golly, the fog's just plume faded away." Bidoof and Corphish were panting, running to catch up.

"Well-well, someone has clearly made an excellent discovery," Dugtrio said as he and his son emerged from the ground.

"Wow look up there!" Diglett gasped, causing everyone present to look up.

"M-my word!" Chatot squawked as everyone's eyes turned up. Up towards the towering plateau standing like a headstone against the blue sky. Waterfalls descended from it, thundering down around them. "With the fog gone, it seems only one reasonable conclusion can be made. Fogbound Lake is in the sky!"

"Everyone over here!" The familiar voice only belonging to Chimecho called out and the eight pokémon looked down and then forward. Chimecho bobbed up and down in greeting, floating by a fearsome statue and two other pokémon.

"Guildmaster!" Chatot called, easily deducing the pink pokémon to be his most treasured partner.

"And Grovyle too, oh my…." Sunflora swooned as the eight of them rushed forward.

"Hello, everyone," Wigglytuff greeted as they got close, bouncing on his feet.

"Guildmaster, are you responsible for the lifting of the fog?" Chatot demanded, fluttering up to him. To his surprise, Wigglytuff shook his head.

"No, no. Not me, I couldn't figure this one out. It was Grovyle! Grovyle!" He pointed a stubby arm to the Grass-type, who had been standing a little apart from Wigglytuff. "And Chimecho too!"

"It was nothing," Grovyle rumbled. "Merely a trinket I picked up that Wigglytuff and Chimecho deduced the value of."

"Indeed?" Chatot asked, turning his gaze from the two to the floating Psychic-type. "You also assisted in the discovery here?"

"Oh, it was nothing," Chimecho sang, smiling at everyone individually before turning back to Chatot. "I was simply admiring the statue here and noticed there was a large hole in its chest." Looking now showed no such hole, but a gleaming red stone instead. "Wigglytuff asked if either of us had found anything that could fit, and Grovyle offered up a stone he had with him."

"It was really warm too," Wigglytuff giggled. "When I put the stone in, the statue's eyes went really red like it was going to stand up and attack us! But instead, it just got brighter and brighter and I had to look away, like this." Wigglytuff demonstrated covering his face and diving to the ground. "Then once the light was gone, the fog was gone too! Then you were there, and we were here, and everyone found each other!"

"Exceptional work you two." Chatot nodded to Chimecho and Grovyle. "And the Guildmaster of course."

"But we're missing some friends." Wigglytuff almost frowned. "Meowth and Shinx, this is terrible, this is terrible!"

"Meh-heh-heh, if I may Guildmaster?" Croagunk asked, stepping forward. Chatot stood out of the way to let Croagunk speak. "Those two remained here when I came to alert Chatot of the statue. They said they'd look around for clues, you didn't see either of them?"

Wigglytuff and Chimecho shook their heads.

"Perhaps they went further?" Grovyle suggested. "It'd be easy to get lost in that fog after all."

"Then we must go forward then!" Wigglytuff declared, pointing to the right. "After Team Ion. They must have found their own way, they are very brave and very skilled. But we cannot let them have all the fun alone, everyone let's go!"

"HOORAY!"

The guild thundered and began running forward.

"Hey, Chatot?" Corphish asked as they began storming forward.

"Yes?"

"Do you know what that statue was?"

"Of course," Chatot huffed. "As I explained to Croagunk earlier, that was Groudon. The Legendary Pokémon whose myth states created the earth by rising it from the sea. It must be inconceivably powerful."

"Ooh imagine fighting someone like that," Wigglytuff said, shivering. "That'd be so scary and so fun!"

"Please don't go looking for Groudon," Chatot begged.

"Aww…"

"This way," Grovyle said, racing forward faster than anyone else. They arrived at a steaming quagmire, boiling water in all directions, but a path could be found.

"Chatot, we don't have any time to spare," Wigglytuff said and Chatot nodded.

"Correct sir," he flew up and over and quickly directed the guild along the quickest path, his keen eyes missing no path.

They continued going until they reached the yawning mouth of a very hot cave.

"Hey-hey, that's the way in!"

"We can't just stand here! Oh my gosh, we've got to hurry!"

"We'll need to go in smaller groups," Wigglytuff said, frowning. "It'd take far too long with this many, along with how dungeons react when more than four enter. No, everyone split yourselves into groups of four! Chatot and Grovyle, you take someone's place each. Bidoof and Diglett, you come with me."

Direct orders from Wigglytuff had the group split apart in moments. The group led by Grovyle entered first, then Chatot's, and lastly Wigglytuff smiled at the two members of the guild he had asked to come along with him.

"Excited?" he asked eagerly, getting rapid nods and no words in response. "Yay! This'll be so much fun. Yoom-TAH!"

With the whole cave shaking for a moment, undoubtedly stirring the feral pokémon within into a rampage, Wigglytuff led Bidoof and Diglett into Steam Cave.

After battling what felt like three whole swarms of Bug-type pokémon in a very hot place filled with Fire-type pokémon, Sean and Rai were ready for this to be done.

"We've climbed way up," Rai said as the entire cave yawned open, allowing into a canyon of sorts. "This place." Rai frowned as Sean felt it. "This place feels… strange, somehow."

"Everything feels tense," Sean said. "Like the air itself if waiting for something." He looked around, taking in the sheer cliffs around them, looking hard but not impossible to climb with claws.

"It's making my skin crawl all over." Rai shivered. "This place feels dangerous, I feel like…." He appeared spooked, tensely standing straight, staring at the cruelly curved tips of the cliffs. Something flickered in his eyes.

"Feel like you're getting crushed?"

"Yeah."

"Me too."

They shared an uneasy look and Sean attempted a comforting smile. The ground rumbled.

"Ah!"

The ground rumbled again, and a bellowing roar shook the entire plateau. "The roaring! Something's here!"

Something stepped forward. A single stride, shaking them to their bones.

"S-something is," Rai whimpered, stepping back with each thump. "Is c-coming."

Every step caused them to bounce on the ground from the sheer intensity, the footsteps grew more rapid and soon enough the entity emerged. Rai's bravery was buckling, and Sean felt primal terror welling up in his chest as well. He repeated to himself that Groudon was just an illusion, but it breathed, it snarled, and he could even smell burning sulphur as it approached.

"W-w-what is that?" Rai squeaked, unable to even yell it. "It looks like the statue," he whimpered, tears welling up. "That thing really exists? Groudon?"

Sean was similarly flat-footed and barely able to think in the presence of such an overwhelming creature. Every instinct urged him to run, every little voice that ran through his head told him to run.

Groudon was massive in comparison to him. His bulk blotted out the sun where they stood, each breath he took was loud enough for them to feel, and each twitch and shiver that ran across his body was perfect in its realism.

Only. Groudon would be certainly larger than this behemoth. It had to be, the ravine wasn't that wide and Groudon if it truly raised the earth must be a kaiju, surely. He tried to convince himself, then it began to speak.

"You! Have you come to desecrate this place? DEPART NOW!" It spoke like a volcano erupted, shaking the plateau, each word rumbling with the ancient power of an eternal being. He had to give it to Uxie, he could believe how a display like this could scare people off.

"W-wait, we've only come for Fogbound Lake," Rai said, words spilling from him in panic. "That's all we're here for, to see if the legend is true, we just want to see it!"

"WHAT!?" Groudon's voice rose to a bellowing roar. "I AM THE GUARDIAN OF FOGBOUND LAKE! I AM GROUDON! YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE HERE ALIVE, INTRUDERS!"

Groudon flexed into a battle position, to Sean it looked like he was going for a hug.

"O-Oh gosh no," Rai whimpered, shivering like a leaf. His eyes were wide, and pupils were dilated, yet no matter how he tried, he couldn't move.

Sean could see Rai's fear in the side of his vision and that changed the awe-inspired terror plunging through his chest.

He knew Groudon was a fake.

He knew they could defeat an illusion.

He knew he would not let anything ruin Rai's confidence again.

They hadn't come this far to back away because he was useless.

"PREPARE FOR MY WRATH!" Groudon overblew its dramatic statement and Sean snarled.

"How about no?" he said coolly, cutting across Groudon's excessive volume and Rai's squeaking.

His brazenness seemed to stun the massive creature for a moment. "You… YOU DARE CHALLENGE GROUDON?"

"Not in the least," Sean replied, crossing his arms and smirking at the screwed-up look Groudon's face took. Even now he could see the plastic nature of this, Groudon didn't have a confused or perturbed expression and so its face just froze into its angry expression. "You are not Groudon."

"W-wha?" Rai managed, tearing his eyes off Groudon to stare incredulously at Sean. "WHAT?"

"Yeah." Sean nodded, forcing the smirk to remain on his face. "The real Groudon couldn't possibly be this small, and really, the sun isn't looking too strong here."

Rai's expression turned to puzzlement at that last comment as Groudon regained his composure.

"YOU DARE CHALLENGE GROUDON?" The sunlight suddenly grew more intense.

"You just said that," Sean said, rolling his eyes. He waved a paw in the sunlight with a pitying look. "That's the best you can do? A Sunny Day? Is that even real, I still feel all moist from the cave."

Groudon's face twitched as he said moist.

"S-Sean, I really don't think you should be saying this," Rai whimpered, spotting the building anger.

"It's fine, Rai." Sean shot him a confident grin and extended his claws. Somehow, he felt okay. This was exactly how things were meant to be and that simple fact built his confidence. "How about we show this fake what for?"

Rai almost seemed to consider his words.

Then Sean was sent flying back.

Groudon had stomped and a stone erupted from the ground, slamming into Sean and punting him back into the dungeon. "HOW IS THAT FOR REAL?" it roared as Rai gaped in wide-eyed horror.

"SEAN?" he yelled, but there was no response. "You." As if a switch was flicked, Rai turned from frozen terror to burning fury. "HOW DARE YOU!?" Rai unleashed the thunderstorm, unleashing his most powerful Thunderbolt to date.

It did dick diddly to Groudon.

"HA. IS THAT ALL?" Groudon rumbled and Rai's bravado vanished.

"Eek," he squeaked, dodging a stone for him before sprinting off in a Quick Attack to avoid Groudon's fist coming down to flatten him.

Groudon leered down at Rai, face distorting and turning in a horrific mix of grotesque and terrifying. Rai couldn't help but freeze as a dark shadow fell upon him. He blinked and saw Groudon's body flashed before the light peeled off it like a serpent's skin and compressed into a shining ball of energy flung right at him.

The shinx tried to move, but his legs felt sluggish. His mind cried for him to move faster, but his legs weren't responding and the Ancient Power smashed into him.

Rai cried out as he was sent body-first into one of the rocky cliffs and crashed to the ground, a perfect target for Groudon's next attack.

It breathed in deeply, drawing power from the earth around it, and summoned a wave of mud that blasted shinx back and down.

He hit the ground hard and couldn't get back up again. Rai tried, but the mud was sticky and slippery, and he fell each time he tried. The dizziness probably didn't help.

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND!" Groudon rumbled, stomping closer as not even the mud shivered from its false steps. "AND NOW FOR YOUR ARROGANCE, YOU SHALL-"

Movement caught the awareness of Groudon, but its form no matter what form that is, was still sluggish and unwieldy.

Sean had exited Steam Cave once more, and he was rather perturbed at being kicked away as if he was a football. And even angrier that it had beat on Rai afterwards, the fury burned through his body until it settled in his paws.

With both paws dripping with Dark Energy, long sabres of darkness formed and sharpened past the claws that bore them.

Sean came running out of nowhere with speeds Rai hadn't seen him demonstrate before, having been unconscious or away.

Groudon's eyes widened when it saw what Sean was doing but was unable to stop him as Sean jumped onto and off his knee, carving six deep gashes in the Groudon's chest.

"COWARD!" he yelled. "ACTING LIKE YOU'RE SO STRONG AND TAKING A CHEAP SHOT!"

It roared, and the voice changed, becoming a higher pitched, but lower voice, for just a moment. Sean kept running up Groudon before kicking off and doing a backflip off its head. All the while being the coolest he'd ever known. He landed on all fours and growled at Groudon. "Didn't hurt much anyway."

"See, Rai?" he called, pointing at his work with a victorious grin. "See what I mean?"

Rai looked up and gasped. The scratches had left a pretty deep mark, but rather than blood there was just gaps that were flickering in and out of existence.

"What IS that?" he asked, and Sean nodded in victory.

"An illusion."

Groudon growled at them, and the wounds faded. "You challenge Mighty Groudon?" it hissed, quiet yet loud. "You scoff and mock and claim to know when you are but impudent whelps crawling on a world that does not know my sacrifice? You will not go any further."

Sean grit his teeth. "You're not Groudon."

Groudon roared. "IT MATTERS NOT WHAT YOU THINK."

"Enough, Uxie!"

Groudon paused.

Rai perked up, pulling himself from the mud as if it wasn't even there. His body still hurt, the illusion was real enough to inflict actual damage, but his spirits bolstered Rai ran forward charging another Thunderbolt.

He unleashed it on Groudon's chest, blasting a scorch mark as it grunted, yet it didn't move to strike back.

"Rai listen very carefully," Sean said as he began to run forward. "Aim for the gouges I'm about to leave!" His right paw generated another Night Slash as the fake Groudon stared at him. Sean darted to the right, avoiding a kick, and ducked under an Ancient Power. He stabbed forward with Night Slash before slicing up, opening another hole in the illusion. "NOW!"

Rai let off a battle scream as he flooded the gaping hole with electricity. Despite striking the Groudon earlier and doing nothing, striking the inside of the illusion did something far more.

The Groudon screeched before collapsing utterly into nothingness as the electricity suddenly exploded outwards, blasting Sean back and knocking Rai off his feet himself.

"GYAH!" A different voice yelled out as something else flashed, and something else hit the ground with a soft thump.

"Ugh," Rai groaned, picking himself off the ground. "Sean? Sean!" He turned around to find Sean weakly raising a paw and doing his best to give a thumbs up.

"This doesn't work without a full hand," he groaned, and Rai sighed in relief.

Sean began to pull himself up, steadying himself on Rai once the shinx was there to provide his support. Together they limped forward, staring warily at the yellow pokémon that had appeared after the false Groudon had been destroyed.

"I do not believe that was completely necessary," Uxie sighed, picking himself up. Sean immediately shut his eyes, but Rai did not, cocking his head at the pokémon. "You made your point, if you'd taken some more time to speak you may have avoided winding yourselves."

"Who are you?" Rai asked, too tired to really demand answers.

"As I said earlier, I am the guardian of Fogbound Lake. As you said, I am Uxie. And I cannot allow you to pass."

"Rai close your eyes," Sean snapped, throwing a paw up to try and shield Rai from Uxie's gaze. He followed Sean's demand, remembering something Chimecho had said earlier.

"Hmm," Uxie said, looking at them with crimson eyes. "You know of my power then?"

"Uxie?" Rai ventured.

"Yes. I am the protector of the artifact here. Many have come to claim Fogbound Lake's bounty, but all have been repelled. Often by the fog, often by the dungeon, often by the illusion, and lastly there is no one who has escaped my gaze. If I will it, I will force your eyes open and extract this day from your minds. Here you are, exhausted and weary, while the illusion takes only a small portion of my power. Fight me, and you will fail."

"How did that work anyway?" Sean demanded.

"The illusion I create requires a steady link to control it and supply it energy to form its moves," Uxie explained, he had no issue in answering questions. As the being of knowledge, he enjoyed it. Very few adventurers had ever really asked him anything. "It is not unlike a Substitute, although more actively controlled. Unfortunately, that means I need to have a mental connection to it. Normally it would be as powerful as I can empower it and any wound inflicted on it would not be passed to me, simply draining my Power. But your usage of the Dark damaged my control and staggered my safeguards, the electric attack didn't quite strike me directly, but I did feel it. None have managed that, so I suppose that is commendable. Pity you won't remember."

"Wait we're not here to take anything!" Rai insisted, cringing as they both felt Uxie summon his Power to take them down. "I'm being honest! Yes, we are adventurers, but we are with a guild and the entire guild is on its way. All we wanted to do was find Fogbound Lake, sure a treasure would be nice but if it is so important to you than we'll all leave without it."

Sean and Rai held their breaths. Sean wasn't completely certain about Uxie, he was rather sure that Uxie had emerged unscathed in the game, so he may be more ticked off at them than normal.

"Well… okay, I believe you," Uxie said plainly, causing them both to sag. Was it that easy? He lowered his Power and closed his eyes. "Very well, let me welcome you to Fogbound Lake. I have my eyes closed now."

"Great!" Rai opened his eyes and beamed as the pixie-like pokémon. Sean was not so trusting and kept his eyes closed, but Rai began to trot forward, and he was forced to feel around. "Don't mind him. I was hoping to ask you a question or two?"

"Indeed?" Uxie almost smiled, but emotion wasn't what he was known for. Voice even and tone as level as it was before, Uxie said. "Very well, it might be best to discuss on the way."

"Sure." Rai nodded and began trotting alongside Uxie and Sean reluctantly opened his eyes. Uxie wasn't facing him, and he kept close to Rai without getting super close to the Legendary Pokémon. "My friend has lost almost all his memory and I was wondering if you might have taken it?"

"Hmm." Uxie turned to Sean, and he quickly glanced away. He had seen Uxie's face, the jewel on his head was quite alluring, and he had kept his eyes closed, so Sean buried the doubt and looked back. "The last pokémon who reached past the illusion was a ledian. I have only taken the memory of a meowth twice, and both occurred decades to centuries ago."

The sun was setting as they walked, and Rai shot Sean a questioning look. "Well, what about a…." He trailed off, giving Sean another meaningful look and Sean started as he realised what Rai might be asking.

"Yeah, you can say it," he said.

"What about a human?" Rai asked proudly, catching the tiniest change in Uxie's expression. "Have you taken the memory of a human recently?"

Uxie examined Sean curiously and he felt a presence somewhere around his head. It was an uncomfortable feeling and he tried to shy away from it until it disappeared.

"…No. It has been a great many centuries since I have seen a human," Uxie said, causing Rai to wilt. "Whatever is the cause of your friend's memory loss, I am not it."

"Do you have any idea what it could be?" Rai asked, clutching at straws now.

"Memory loss from damage to the brain is often temporary or only partial, a greater range of memory stolen is almost always the act of a being. Despite having great command over the mind, my own abilities have been greatly reduced. Along with the rest of those you all Legendary Pokémon."

Sean frowned. "What? What happened?"

Uxie cast him a blank look. "A grand sacrifice to preserve the world a great many cycles around the star in the wake of mankind's hubris. Has this been forgotten?"

Rai and Sean shared a look.

Uxie seemed disappointed. "I do not leave the lake, I am not aware of the activities of the outside world outside of the time I must scare people off."

"That sounds lonely," Rai said, frowning at him.

Uxie shook his head. "Far from it. I am able to commune with my siblings at any point in time."

"Oh." Now Rai seemed wistful.

Rai sighed but smiled anyway. "Thank you for answering at least."

"You're welcome. Now look forward, we have arrived."

Rai aimed his gaze forward and smiled as they came up to the dark waters of a lake at dusk. "Wow it's getting so dark outside now. This is… this is Fogbound Lake isn't it?"

"Indeed." Uxie confirmed. "It may initially be a little difficult to see at night but, behold." He turned around, keeping the exact same plain tone as he gave the grand announcement. "Fogbound Lake and its relic. Can you guess what it is?

In the dusk's light, the clear water of the lake twinkled as if the stars had fallen into it. Above the water were hundreds of glinting lights and volbeat and illumise danced in the sky. In the centre of the lake a great azure shine welled up. The lights of the pokémon twinkled like stars, creating shooting displays of light across the calm water of the lake.

"This lake is so big, can barely imagine a place this big on the top of a plateau."

"This place is beautiful," Sean said, stepping close to the water's edge. "It's like the stars are in the sky, water, and air."

"Water constantly wells up from far below this place," Uxie said, not quite sounding bored but close to it. "It flows up so heavily it has long formed this enormous lake." Uxie turned back around. "Now cast your eyes to the glowing centre of the lake. You see it?"

"I see it." Rai confirmed. "That blue, sort of green, light coming from below? It looks… familiar."

"Step forward for a closer look," Uxie said, and they did as he asked.

Sean swallowed painfully as his eyes fixated on the glow that the Time Gear emanated. Just like back in the Limestone Cavern, his pulse quickened, eyes dilated, and he was nearly overwhelming by the Need To Have It.

"That's awesome." Rai beamed, recognising it. "A Time Gear! And it's all safe here too, that's incredible! No one would find it here."

"And with my protections in place, the Time Gear has remained safe," Uxie said. He turned slightly to where Sean was creeping forward, Rai catching his friends movement as well. "I guard it, it is the sole reason why I am here. Since this continent's flow of time was damaged and the gears scattered to stabilise it."

"Meowth?" he asked, but the meowth didn't hear him. "Uh… Meowth?" He stepped forward and bumped Sean lightly, causing him to jump.

"Woah! What was that for?"

"You seemed out of it again," Rai explained, cocking his head. "What was that?"

"Just… trying to get a closer look," Sean said, looking down. "Sorry, shiny things distract me a bit."

Rai giggled, and Sean felt better.

"A Time Gear!" a high and cheerful voice cried. "A Time Gear! Oh well, that's too bad." Rai started as Wigglytuff came trotting up to them, Bidoof and Diglett barely keeping pace with him and panting for breath.

"Hoo, golly that wasn't easy," Bidoof groaned, lying down in relief.

"The Guildmaster is…" Diglett puffed. "So strong, and so fast. It's incredible, it feels like we had to fight most of the enemies though. What was with that?"

"We can't take a Time Gear," Wigglytuff said, pouting. He spotted Uxie and raced up to him. "WOW fantastic lake, friendly friend!"

"And who might this be?" Uxie asked, turning to Rai as Wigglytuff was staring out at the lake in open-mouthed amazement.

"That's Guildmaster Wigglytuff," Rai said, then glanced back to the others. "And Diglett's the one in the ground, Bidoof is the one lying down. They're members of the guild like we are, we're all here together."

"Glad to meet you, friend!" Wigglytuff cheered, shaking both of Uxie's arms. "Friend! Friend! New friend!" He danced around a bit before going back to the lake's edge. "Gaze upon this amazing view friends! I'm delighted we came, right everybody?"

As Wigglytuff began to hum and sing a bouncy tune, Uxie detected more pokémon arriving and sighed. "It appears even if I had chosen to erase your memories, it may not have worked with so many people able to note a blank spot."

"By golly this place is gorgeous," Bidoof gasped, having gained the energy to trudge the last steps. "Those lights are beautiful yup-yup."

Uxie turned to face him and Bidoof cringed. "Mighty fine place, all thanks to you I bet!"

"Hm."

"Oh my gosh, we're finally here!"

The crowd of pokémon raced forward, relieved to be out of the hot and damp Steam Cave, besides Croagunk who rather enjoyed it.

"Hello to one and hello to all!" Wigglytuff beamed as the guild came forward, cautiously upon siting Uxie.

"Guildmaster," Chatot squawked, flapping his wings. "You got ahead of us; who is this, and what is going on?" He spotted Sean and Rai and sighed in relief. "Thank goodness, you two are here as well."

A leafy-green head stepped forwards. "Impressive work you two," Grovyle said, striding past Wigglytuff. He gave a short nod to Uxie before making his way directly to Sean and Rai. "It appears you were far ahead of us all."

Sean's eyes fixed onto Grovyle and that's right, that was another problem. He wouldn't… he wouldn't do something with everyone here, would he?

Oh, but how mad were the guild going to be when Uxie told them what he did? Sean realised something, he could help this. He could 'remember something' thanks to seeing Uxie, back Grovyle up. Maybe, just maybe, they could explain this?

Uxie's words of why he guarded the gear came back to him and his chest began to feel funny as he began to think over what to do.

"It was tricky, going through the fog," Rai admitted, beaming up at Grovyle. "We actually left that Groudon statue because Meowth thought he saw you!"

"Indeed?" Grovyle asked, turning to Sean. "You have sharp eyes then."

"You were there?" Rai gasped as Sean grappled for words.

Grovyle nodded. "Yes, I had found something I thought could be of help, so I quickly returned to the base camp to alert Wigglytuff. I found him on the way, however, and he and Chimecho discovered the way to lift the fog."

"What was it?" Sean asked, hoping he sounded perfectly curious.

"A strange stone I found," Grovyle answered. "Warm to the touch, by placing it in the heart of the statue the fog was lifted."

"Ooh," Rai hummed. "That would have been cool to see!"

"Bit bright at first," Grovyle said smiling. "But the area is beautiful with the fog lifted. You'll need to look around once you are down."

"Never mind all that," Wigglytuff said, waving them closer as a rush of sound boomed from behind them. "Look out there! It's spouting, pretty-pretty!"

The volbeat and illumise had scattered temporarily before flying in practised routines around the absolutely stunning vision that was the lake spouting.

"Yes, the lake geyser erupts every once in a while. It sends up water, just like a fountain. And the Time Gear casts illumination from below. This is how the lake is refilled," Uxie commented, but no one really heard him.

"HOLY MOLY."

"Oh my gosh, even Loudred is amazed."

"Hey… hey… that's beautiful."

"Oh my, so shimmering. Absolutely lovely, I'm so happy I came here."

"Heh, even I gotta admit that is stunning."

"Dad… I think I get why you love water so much."

"My son, this is… astounding, even for water."

"Yup-yup, that's the prettiest gosh darn thing I've ever done seen. I wish I could show this to Bell."

"What an incredible find, Guildmaster."

"Pretty, so pretty. I'm glad we all came here! This is treasure enough."

"Meowth?" Rai asked, catching Sean's attention away from the water and light show. "This is magical. I can't believe we got here first." He looked so happy.

"You did it." Was the only thing Sean could manage as he looked at Rai, the problems about the Time Gear problem banished for a moment. "You're amazing."

Rai glanced away from the lake and to Sean for a moment. "Sean? We've been partners for a while now, I-I was wondering..."

"Truly magnificent." Grovyle's deep voice didn't even manage to shake one person out of the glory of the Time Gear water display, but it did pause Rai. "Meowth, could I have a word with you?"

"Hm?" Sean grunted, transfixed by the azure light show and Rai.

"Perhaps some other time," Grovyle sighed, glancing around. Far too many pokémon really to have a private conversation. "But as it seems, I believe it is time for me to go."

His first words didn't shake anyone out of it, the second sentence caught the whole guild's attention.

"What?" Was the general consensus.

"Indeed." Grovyle nodded. "While the time I have taken here has been a treasure I will remember always, I do have urgent business back in Treasure Town. I do not regret coming along and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the opportunity to explore with you, Wigglytuff Guild. But it is time for me to leave, and I will be my swiftest when alone."

'No wait!' was on Sean's lips. He was pretty sure he was meant to be doing something, explaining something, together to solve this.

Yet, if Grovyle wasn't confident to try. It surrendered the brief flicker of an idea he had, it was too risky, especially with Uxie right there. Maybe later, he said they'd talk later.

"It was great having you," Wigglytuff said, stepping forward. "Thank you for coming, friendly friend." Grovyle braced, but it was barely enough to withstand Wigglytuff's hug. "Hopefully we will see you again soon."

"Yes," Grovyle grunted, coughing from his lungs being manually constricted. "I may have to stay in Treasure Town a little longer. S-Meowth and Shinx, I hope to see you soon. But I have to go now… please?"

Wigglytuff released him, not without another squeeze, and Grovyle shot a shaken smile across the guild. He nodded to Sean and Rai and disappeared into the night, Sean's eyes following him until he was out of sight.

"Wonder what Grovyle wanted to talk about?" Rai wondered out loud, Sean paid him no mind.

"I'll work it out," he thought, but he had no time to dwell as Wigglytuff was addressing the guild.

"So sorry to have disturbed you," he apologised to Uxie, giving a few bows. "We had a fantastic time, ten out of ten, would go again! Friend, friend, friendly friend!"

"I shall not take away your memories of this place," Uxie said, startling a few guild members who hadn't realised who he was. "There would be no point and I am willing to offer you trust. But I must ask you to keep this place a secret, trusted to no one but each other."

"Absolutely." Wigglytuff nodded. "Thank you. We all know what we need to do. The Time Gears have started going missing! This one must stay safe. We won't breathe a word to anyone about this place, I swear it on the name of Wigglytuff's Guild, Wigglytuff, Chatot, Audino stamp approved! But maybe if you permitted, occasionally a guild member could check up on you?"

"Please hold true to that promise," Uxie asked. "And I am not certain if repeated visits are a good idea. If someone is indeed stealing Time Gears, raising the chances of being followed and discovered are perhaps not worth it."

"I understand," Wigglytuff said.

"But I am not amiss to the company of the guild," Uxie added. "Not commonly, but I would permit it if someone were to come covertly every few weeks or so. You will not have to face the Groudon I materialise to do so."

"There was a Groudon?" a few members of the guild squawked.

"An illusion of one," Uxie confirmed, generating the illusion and spooking most of the guild.

Except for Sean, Rai, and Wigglytuff. "Hello, friendly friend!" Wigglytuff cheered, coming up to shake the illusion's massive hand.

"G-Guildmaster?"

"This is one of my defences for Fogbound Lake," Uxie said, having the Groudon roar and stomp its foot, causing most of the guild to stumble. "It is quite formidable."

"The Guildmaster defeated this?" Chimecho gasped and swooned.

"No," Uxie answered, confusing them for a moment. "The shinx and meowth did." Eyes turned to them as both of them blushed.

Wigglytuff wrapped Sean and Rai up in a hug themselves while beaming. "Well done you two! Three cheers for Team Ion!" The guild cheered.

"Hip-hip-HOORAY!" Wigglytuff tossed them both into the air. "Hip-hip-HOORAY." He caught them and tossed them again. "Hip-hip-HOOOOORAAY!" He caught them one last time and let them down.

While the pair of them staggered into the arms of the other apprentices, Wigglytuff turned his affection on Uxie.

"Great work!" Wigglytuff beamed and hugged Uxie too, to his clear surprise. "We'll make sure the Time Gear stays safe! So safe! Even safer!"

"Indeed. If you would release me now?"

"Okay." Uxie floated back for some space. "Let's be on our way. Chatot, if you will?"

"I'll hop to it, Guildmaster!" Chatot affirmed, fluttering his wings and turning to the guild himself. "Everyone, we are going back to the guild. This expedition – The Quest to Find Fogbound Lake – Has been a rousing success!"

"HOORAY!" The whole guild, including Chatot and Wigglytuff, cheered.

Chatot and Wigglytuff stepped aside with Uxie to talk to him a little about the situation as the rest of the guild continued to admire the spectacle, talk about the adventure, or ask Rai and Sean about fighting Uxie's illusion.

In time, however, they had to go. "Take care, Wigglytuff Guild," Uxie said, seeing them off with almost a smile. "It was nice meeting you, it is nice to hear of the world in these times."

"For the first time in centuries, I allow my guard to drop," Uxie muttered as he trembled, barely able to support himself with his normally formidable Psychic powers. "And on the day, I am winded as well? How foolish can I be?"

"Uxie? UXIE!? Talk to me, what is going on?" a feminine and passionate voice reached Uxie's mind.

"My Time Gear has been discovered by the Thief," Uxie answered, consciousness beginning to fade as things began to flash black and white. "A cunning one able to pass for innocence with ease."

"Uxie, listen to me, focus on my voice." A steadier voice overcome the panicked yelling of the first. "Can you move? You have to get out of there quickly, has the gear been taken?"

"The thief has reached the middle of the lake," Uxie replied, mental voice equally as even and unbothered even as his body was tilting to the ground. "It won't be long now. I believe I will not be able to escape in time."

The azure light of Fogbound Lake was snuffed out as the thief snatched it from its resting place. Grovyle breathed in deep as he breached the water and climbed onto the lakefront, grimacing as he placed the gear in his satchel.

"My siblings know," Uxie said as Grovyle began to escape, raising a hand to snare him in a Psychic grip. It was too weak to hold him for the time freeze, but enough to say his piece. "You shall not succeed."

"I am saving the world," Grovyle answered and Uxie frowned.

"You would end it," Uxie said, voice still flat. "Like you would end me."

"For what it is worth," Grovyle said, stepping forward as Uxie tried to rise up straight and blast him into the water, "I am sorry, but you will understand soon."

Uxie began to open his eyes, but it was to no avail. The Spirit of Wisdom fell. Grovyle sighed sadly, watching as time began to stop along the lake. Uxie would not escape, he would not move any further to warn anyone else. And especially not the guild.

"I had best hurry, lest the guild discover my presence and actions." He darted off, as Uxie's mind became crowded with his siblings shouting at him.

"Uxie, move!" Azelf commanded and Uxie found the willpower to try, but not the strength.

"Uxie, MOVE!" Mesprit screamed, pushing all her passion through to her brother as she could. Uxie found a reason to try and began to float again.

He glanced behind his shoulder and grit his teeth. The water was freezing in a kind of coldness that no ice could ever match, he could not escape. He knew it, cold logic against their passion and will.

"Cancel the connection," Uxie demanded through their link, it took all three of them to break it. A hint of emotional will crept into his voice as he pleaded with them, "Quickly if I am frozen while still connected to you, you wi-"

Time froze.

The lights of Fogbound Lake grew still, yet ever there. The volbeat and illumise's glow still remained, yet now their light cast a shadow across the frozen, yet not icy, water.

Uxie stilled, mind locking into place, going blank, heart freezing, but not stopping, eyes open, yet not shining.

Mesprit screamed in agony as the connection to her brother was frozen in time, she unable to end it, her mind unable to comprehend the inconceivable wave of

n

o

t

h

i

n

g

From her yellow brother. Things went black and white and purple and colours that do not exist as she writhed in agony, the Underground Lake shaking as a maelstrom of energy began to unleash a reckoning on it.

Azelf cried out in no less pain as Uxie did not go silent, it was not silence from Uxie but a complete lack of anything that cried out in an agonizing crescendo across their mental link. It was a silence that pounded on the ears like distortion on a radio.

Azelf grit their teeth and pushed their whole WILL into resisting the agony, into ending the connection the ever-present nothing that they were joined with. Whether it took a second, an hour, a day, or longer Azelf wasn't sure, but they refused to be dragged down into the scream they heard from Mesprit.

The Being of Willpower resisted until it was gone. But once it was gone, they wept for their brother, their sister, and for the world.

Cute stuff, well not the ending but otherwise.

I can't wait for what's coming, I hope we remember who begins to make his Great appearance after Fogbound Lake~