Chapter 8 - Titanic Rush - Part 3
A week passed since the group's encounter with Regirock. Finn, Liliane, and Henry continued to do raids with Peony while Ethan and Seamus searched the area for Moltres or another small temple. However, when they weren't called to do raids, the group would mix. When they stuck to the five of them together, they often got into small quibbles. Liliane suggested they split up to cover more ground and avoid unnecessary fights.
This left Finn and Ethan to roam the northern part of the Crown Tundra, while Seamus, Liliane, and Henry searched the Giant's Bed, the same area where they found Regirock.
"I hate the cold," Ethan said as the two sat on a log. He had bundled up in a thick coat while Finn was more than okay with a simple jacket. "Why'd they ask us to go north?"
"Not a fan of the snow?" Finn asked.
"Probably," Ethan answered.
Finn looked at him curiously.
"I mean, like, I don't hate it, but I don't love it," Ethan continued with a stammer. "I travelled in Sinnoh last year, and I didn't love how cold it was there either. Part of me wishes I wouldn't of bothered to come to the Crown Tundra. If it weren't for the legendaries, I'd probably be back home in Wedgehurst taking care of my brother."
"Finding the other legendaries isn't a guarantee, mate. Don't stay miserable here for Sonia."
"I want to make sure that I can make a difference. I want to have a legacy and do something great. Sonia offered me that chance," Ethan exclaimed.
"I guess, if you have those goals, then now is a good chance. We'll keep looking, but the chances of us finding any more legendary Pokémon are slim," Finn said. "I like the cold. I tried to challenge myself mentally by going to Alola and then Hoenn for two straight years. The heat almost killed me. Even then, I'm too peely-wally to get a tan." Finn pulled up his sleeve and showed off his ghostly pale skin.
"When were you in Hoenn?"
"Roughly two years ago."
Ethan laughed. "Me too. I thought I kind of recognized you from somewhere. Even before the Champion's Cup, I had an idea. I made it to the conference but was knocked out in the first round."
"Just like both of us this year, eh?" Finn said with a laugh. "I made it to the top 8, which gave me some confidence. I'll be honest, my first year as a trainer was spent as a research assistant. For two years in a row, I couldn't get sponsored to compete in the league. After I did so well in Hoenn, I thought that I could do it this year. But, the Champion's Cup is brutal. Every strong trainer in the region is competing."
Ethan sighed. "My first year, I got sponsored. I travelled with a group of my friends, and we challenged together. However, I couldn't keep up with everyone. I lost more gym battles than I could win. The bloke that I considered my best mate kicked me out of the group. I told myself I would catch up to them and beat him in the Champion's Cup, but it didn't happen. My confidence had taken a hit."
Finn shrugged and grinned. "Revenge is never the best motivator to improve."
"I realized that. I wasn't sure what to do next. I went on holiday to Ciprys. It was seeing my older brother compete in gyms that inspired me to try again. Now, I'm here to solidify my legacy, and when we're done with our research, I'll challenge my brother and the Champion's Cup once again."
"Well, it looks like you'll have a lot of time to train. I'm not sure what I'm going to do when all of this is done. But, I have enjoyed training and talking with all of you," Finn said.
Ethan nodded. "Yeah. I mean, it's not bad. I prefer a one-on-one with you or Seamus. Being in the group can sometimes be intimidating."
Finn observed the boy and his slumped posture. He stared at the snow with a blank expression. Finn could tell that the pain of his old group kicking him out remained.
On the other side of the Crown Tundra, Seamus, Liliane, and Henry walked to and fro, looking for any sign of any legendary Pokémon. With the temple that had held Regirock being close, they imagined that any other temple could not be too far.
They were also within sight of the Dyna Tree, which meant that if Moltres remerged, they'd be able to leap into action.
"I'm getting tired," Henry complained as they walked west. "Walking back and forth is the least interesting way that we can do this."
"You have any other ideas?" Seamus asked.
Henry stopped walking and closed his eyes. "Well, the last temple was hidden in a small forest, and Finn says that there's another temple underground. Maybe we should get daring and get out of this wide field? If there was a temple around, then I'm sure that we would have already seen it."
"Regirock's temple was hidden. I'm sure the others will be as well," Liliane added. "But, what if the others are underground?"
"Well, then I recommend that we stomp! If we stomp hard enough, we'll fall right through!" Seamus said as he stamped his cowboy booted feet against the ground.
Liliane observed the boy and tilted her head. "Non."
Henry ignored them and walked past. He walked to the edge of a forested area and peeked to see how far he could see. As the forest got deeper, the trees increased, and they started to blend together. He held out a Poké Ball and released a small ironclad creature.
"Pawniard, let's multitask. Cut down any dead shrubbery, and if you find any berries we can use, collect them," he instructed before looking back at Liliane. "I'm making crepes tonight."
"How exciting!" Liliane said with a gentle smile.
"What about Kalosian toast?" Seamus asked as he continued to stamp away.
"I can do that as well."
The three walked into the forested area. Pawniard hacked away at small bushes and collected berries as he was asked to. He led the way, unsure of where he was going. However, there was something that pulled him in. He wasn't sure if it was instinctual or if there was some sort of magnetic force that naturally attracted him.
Pawniard lifted his small arm and slashed at a bush. His arm recoiled off of the bush, startling him. He stopped, examined the bush closely, and looked up, finding a stone structure.
"That sounds like something old," Henry said. He knelt to pet his small Pokémon on the head before withdrawing him. "Good job."
"Good call on going into the forest, but is it just me, or is it a lot colder?" Seamus said as he placed his jacket over his shoulders.
Liliane observed the trees around them. The fields they had been looking in were mostly empty of snow except for certain potholed areas. However, because of the natural shade of the trees, the temple was surrounded by snow.
"Let's see what our little riddle is," Seamus said as he approached the temple. He walked around it, looking for the front entrance. Soon enough he found it, but the temple walls and stairs were covered by grass and moss.
The three carefully climbed the steps and walked to the stone doors. They looked at the inscription on the ancient placard, but once again, none of the three understood the words.
"I'll send this to Finn and see what he says," Henry said. He raised his Pokédex and took a picture of the text. He shared it with group chat that the team had so that Finn and Sonia could see it instantly.
Finn and Ethan's Pokédexes beeped simultaneously. Finn pulled his from his pocket and checked it.
"Well, good news. We get to get out of the cold. They found a temple."
"About time!" Ethan exclaimed excitedly. "What does the text say?"
"Leig leinn an nota tollaidh a dhùsgadh am fuamhaire stàilinn," Finn said without skipping a beat.
Ethan shrugged. "Yeah, alright. Which means?"
"Let ring the piercing note that will wake the giant of steel," Finn explained. "Is there a Pokémon attack that could do that? Or is it another item?"
"Let ring the piercing note that will wake the giant of steel," Henry read from the group chat. "Yo, that was fast. What do you think that means?"
"I was hopin' it'd be another everstone situation. I wanted to see Ethan's cute Ponyta again," Seamus said with a laugh. "It does sound like we'll be goin' up against Registeel this time."
"I'll send them our location," Henry said. He looked to Liliane who was in thought about the riddle. "What are you thinking?"
Liliane smirked and held up a finger. "If I'm right, you will make me any dish? Any cuisine?"
"Of course! And, if you're wrong?"
"I never am," Liliane said. "I believe that we must whistle."
"Whistle?" Henry wondered. "I can't do that. It's rude."
"I was also told to never whistle. I'm not sure I could do it loud enough," Liliane muttered.
"We were taught to whistle while we work, so I can do it!" Seamus exclaimed. "Want me to try?"
"Maybe we should wait for-" Henry began to say, but Seamus had no patience.
The boy from Orre stuck two fingers from each hand into his mouth, curling his tongue. He blew as hard as he could, unleashing a high-pitched noise from his mouth. Henry and Liliane were forced to cover their ears, but they watched as Seamus continued the whistle for roughly five seconds. When he relented, they lowered their arms.
The trio knew what to expect, and after a few seconds, the temple started to rumble. Liliane's guess was correct, and the stone door slowly lifted, revealing an ancient chamber. The three looked in, and just like last time, there was no light.
"As long as we don't touch anything, we can get a look, right?" Seamus said.
Liliane and Henry exchanged looks. Before they could answer, the boy from Orre walked into the small chamber. Liliane shrugged and followed. Henry remained outside. He looked to the north, hoping to see Finn and Ethan, but they could not be found. He peered at his Pokédex and the group chat.
"On our way," Finn's message read.
"It's quite the hike," Finn said as the duo descended a snowy hill. He had received coordinates for the others' location, but even with that information, it would still take them half an hour to get there. It didn't help that the northern part of the Crown Tundra was snowy hill after snowy hill.
"We better hurry," Ethan exclaimed. He was careful not to slip on the hill. He reached out and showed his Pokédex and the group. "Looks like they opened the chamber with a whistle. They're waiting for us on the inside."
"The inside?" Finn exclaimed, frustration in his voice. "They better not start without us!"
"I'm sure they can handle it."
"I'm sure they can too, but it'd be so much easier if we were together."
"Yo," Ethan said suddenly, breaking Finn's train of thought and momentarily distracting him from his anger. Ethan pointed to what appeared to be a cavern of sorts. Around the cavern walls were thick slabs of ice bigger than trees.
Finn squinted to get a better view, and he trudged through the snow. His eyes widened and a smile came across his face as he realized what they were looking at. Not too deep into the cave were recognizable stone steps.
"You think it's another chamber?" Ethan asked. He slipped slightly but grabbed Finn's shoulder to keep himself up. "Cheers."
"Only one way to find out. It can't hurt to get a look at the riddle to get us in. We'll take a picture and head to the others. They can wait another minute or two," Finn said.
The two trudged to the cavern, and they used their handheld torches to look inside. They illuminated the stone steps, and not too far up was the massive door. Although the two were only a couple of feet into the cave's entrance, the temperature dropped considerably. Finn shivered as he grabbed his Pokédex and looked for the placard.
"L-let's hurry," Ethan squeaked.
Finn shone his light on the placard and knelt to get a better look. It was iced over, and the text was much more difficult to read when compared to the others. After a few seconds of looking at it and focusing, he managed to get a grasp of what it said. He took a picture with his Pokédex on its highest quality setting before looking at Ethan, who shook violently.
"Coisich còmhla ri criostal beò de shneachda."
"Yeah, mate. That means nothing to me," Ethan responded.
"Walk together with a living crystal of snow," Finn explained.
"I'm about to be a living crystal of snow if we don't get out of here right now."
Finn laughed to himself.
"Where are they?" Seamus shouted, his voice bouncing off of the walls. "It's been, like, thirty minutes!"
"The Tundra is wide. They have to walk through the snow," Henry explained. "But, hey, good news!"
Liliane looked at him curiously.
"They found the other temple! It looks like we'll have our shot at the third Regi tonight!" Henry said while holding up his Pokédex.
"I guess the Tundra isn't so big if we're finding all of these temples this fast!" Seamus exclaimed excitedly. He looked at the steel statue in the middle of the cavern. He knew once Finn and Ethan arrived, the statue would wake up and attack them. He approached it slowly, making sure to avoid all of the round stones on the ground.
"Registeel," Liliane muttered.
The statue had thick cylindrical legs and a heavy round upper body. Its dark grey arms wrapped around its body. Seamus was unsure of what they were made of, but they appeared to be leather.
"Today it's you!" Seamus said while he pointed at the statue's red gemstones. "And tonight, it's yer friend! Then tomorrow, we get your boss!" He turned to look at Liliane and Henry. "We're wranglin' Regis!"
Liliane and Henry laughed at the boy, but their laughs quickly turned to complete silence, and their eyes widened.
"What?" Seamus wondered. He could feel heat on the back of his neck. He turned, finding multiple red eyes staring back at him. "B-b-by the straws in m-my hat!"
Registeel uncurled its arms and raised them in the air. "Dootdootdootdoot!"
"Protect!" Liliane called while throwing her Poké Ball forward. Her Lilligant emerged and used the momentum from the exploding Poké Ball. She took her place between Registeel and Seamus, creating a thick blue barrier. Registeel hammered its arms down, but its attack was immediately deflected.
Henry fumbled for a Poké Ball. The cavern started to shake, and the door began to descend. He was unsure if he should get out of the small chamber to wait for Finn and Ethan or remain and fight. However, his decision was quickly made for him as the door slammed shut and locked.
"Guess we gotta fight," Henry said to himself. He threw his Poké Ball into the air. "Magmar, you're up!"
Seamus quickly turned his body, dove, and rolled out of harm's way. He backed up a few feet and threw a Poké Ball forward. A large serpentine Pokémon that wrapped itself in its own body materialized and silently observed the room.
"Alright, my Sandaconda will have some advantages against Registeel, but I'm gonna need your help," Seamus said.
"How so?" Liliane asked.
"If Sandaconda gets hit, its special ability will cause a sandstorm to start," Seamus said. "Unless you guys want to change your Pokémon to work better in a sandstorm, I need ya'll to defend Sandaconda as much as possible."
Ethan folded his arms. "Why not just change to something else?"
"I got nothing else that'll work against Registeel."
"Then, we'll defend you or distract Registeel," Liliane said. "Right, Henry."
Henry sighed but then nodded. "Yeah. Count on us. Magmar, orders up! Fire Blast!"
"Lilligant, use Pollen Puff!"
Magmar and Lilligant ran to opposite sides of Registeel, making it slowly turn to find a target. They unleashed their attacks, and a mix of fire and dark green energy exploded upon contact in the middle of the chamber. Registeel's arms flailed, but once the flames died down, it relaxed.
"Sandaconda, let's keep it still! Use Glare!"
Sandaconda slithered forward, and his eyes began to glow yellow. He hissed, and the energy that built up in his eyes was projected off of his face. It wrapped around Registeel, stunning it momentarily. When the energy faded away, Registeel tried to take a step forward, but its movements were stuttered.
"That's a fair start!" Seamus exclaimed. "Let's keep it slowed down! Sand Tomb!"
Sandaconda hissed, and what sand was in the chamber whipped up around his body. He spun around, blasting the sand forward. The sand surrounded Registeel, battering against its iron hard body.
"Dootdootdoot."
"Like I said, wranglin' Regis!"
"Let's keep up the pressure!" Henry shouted. "One more Fire Blast!"
Magmar took in a deep breath, sucking in as much air as he could. He unleashed an explosive blast of flames from his mouth. However, before the flames could reach Registeel, it surrounded itself in chi and bounded forward, avoiding the attack. It continued on its path, lunging into Lilligant. The Grass-type was thrown backwards, but she quickly recovered and got in front of her trainer.
"Missed," Henry exclaimed. However, a smile came over his face. "Perfect."
"Thunder Fang!" Seamus ordered.
"Petal Dance!" Liliane shouted.
Electricity emitted from Sandaconda while Lilligant danced, releasing pink petals from her body. The two lunged forward, striking Registeel simultaneously. The titan was staggered. It focused in on Sandaconda and tried to move, but electric sparks prevented it from doing so.
"Stand back!" Henry yelled. "Magmar, Temper Flare!"
Magmar stamped his feet, igniting flames around his body. He roared and then started to run toward Registeel. With every stomp, the flames increased until he was engulfed in a giant ball of fire. He leapt, ramming his body into Registeel as hard as he could. The two Pokémon were absorbed by flames, and Registeel let out a pained cry.
"Yes!" Henry exclaimed. He snapped his fingers. "Got ya! Seamus, get that Timer Ball ready!"
But, as Seamus pulled a Timer Ball out of his blue jeans pocket, Registeel suddenly took into the air. It started to glow with a silver light, and before any of the trainers could make a command, it came back to the ground like a meteor, falling directly on Magmar. Smoke, dirt, and stones were tossed into the air following the explosion. Seamus and Liliane ducked behind their Pokémon while Henry was left to use a frying pan as a shield.
When the dust subsided, Registeel stepped away, revealing that Magmar did not withstand the attack. Henry looked at his Pokémon in shock. Registeel raised its arms, but before it could strike Magmar again, Henry quickly retrieved his Pokémon with his Poké Ball.
"We should have waited," Henry whispered. "I'm sorry."
"Do not give up," Liliane ordered. "Seamus, attack. Henry, choose another Pokémon. Lilligant, use Petal Dance one more time!"
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Quick note: Ciprys is a fan-made region by UKEagleClaw. He submitted Ethan to this story, and since we have collaborated so much, I don't see the harm in putting a nod to his story in this one. If there is ever a region made based on the real-world Cyprus, then I will modify it here.
Next chapter, Finn and Ethan will try to join the fight! But, will they make it in time?