A new chapter! Only took two months.
You guys can yell if you want to.
Or request stuff.
Just so you know.
- - - -
"Grovyle?" Rise asked as he and the rest of Team Sapphire, Crystal and Celeste, walked through the gloom together, fur brushing. They weren't sure if they were staying close because of the darkness, because the fear of losing one another, or simply to comfort one another after what they'd witness. Chatot had gone down. Chatot, who had seemed so cruel, had risked his life for them. He'd taken a hit for them. He'd shielded them from Kabutop's attack, and in return had gotten badly hurt. The rest of the guild was returning him home. Team Sapphire was on their own now.
"Hmmm?" Grovyle asked, and slowed, sensing their desire to be close to one another.
"How did you end up coming here?" Rise asked.
"Wigglytuff brought me." Grovyle said.
"Huh? Wigglytuff did?" Rise inquired.
"That's right. Wigglytuff had been looking for me. As soon as he found me, he asked me to go with him. He said you were close to finding the Hidden Land. It worked out fine, because I planned on joining up with you, anyways." Grovyle explained.
"Planned to join us...? Wait, does that mean...?" Rise's eyes widened.
"That's right. I've collected all the necessary Time Gears." Grovyle said.
"Awesome! Now all we have to do is get to the Hidden Land!" Rise said. "So let's find the place with the strange pattern!" They came out of the gloom to what appeared to be a rocky beach (with the cave still above them, of course). The ocean met directly with the sandstone, and pebbles littered the more flat areas. Rise slipped on a cleverly hidden puddle, earning a few giggles from his female companions.
"Whoa, there's water everywhere!" He spat out some that had gotten in his mouth. "It's seawater, too!" The three of them continued along the subterranean beach, and stopped to gape in awe.
"Look at that!" Rise gasped. Outside the hole where the tide came in, the sun was setting, turning the entire sky a faint golden pink, it's clouds a darker shade. The ocean was a deep blue.
"The cave's mouth opens up to the sea!" Celeste gasped.
"How beautiful..." Crystal said.
"We couldn't see it because it's in the shadows outside." Rise pointed out.
It's true... The sea is visible beyond the rock walls... It's nearly evening... We didn't notice the time go by. Crystal thought, raptured by the beauty.
"The tide rises up to here from the gap in the walls." Grovyle mused. Crystal was about to say something in return, when she turned behind her and gasped in shock. She dashed over to the wall opposite the sunset. Celeste dashed curiously after her. Rise turned around with a confused look.
"What are you two- Hey! Look at this!" He gasped in shock. Inscribed on the rock were patterns. "These patterns are the same as on my Relic Fragment! These must be the patterns that Chatot was talking about! I'll bring out my Relic fragment." Rise gasped, and fumbled in his box for the precious trinket. He set it on the ground in front of it's larger twin. It was then that it began to glow a bright blue.
"Hey! The relic fragment!" Celeste gasped.
"Look! The wall's glowing too!" Crystal said.
"They must be reacting to each other!" Rise gasped, and suddenly the light shone a bright white, piercing to the eyes. Team Sapphire and Grovyle tried to shield their eyes, but they could only stare as the light gathered and then shot out to sea.
"What... What was that?" Grovyle gasped.
"A beam of light shot out to sea! What's that out there?!" Suddenly, a dark silhouette appeared against the flames of the dying sun. "Huh? That's... It's coming closer... It's swimming..."
A dragon-like creature swam to them, it's face gentle and reassuring, its rubbery skin blue and marked with dark spots of age, it's underside a tan color. It moved gracefully despite it's size, the large gray shell on it's back hardly made a ripple as it floating along the waves.
"Rise... Crystal... Celeste... and Aiden, correct?" The dragon said, bobbing it's long neck in greeting.
"You know our names?" Rise gasped out.
"Who are you, and how do you know us?" Celeste asked.
"Yes." The creature said, ignoring Celeste's interrogation for a moment. "I was informed by Wigglytuff."
"W-Wigglytuff told you?" Rise asked, and turned to Celeste and Crystal, or rather, the wall behind them. The Chikorita's stare was hard, while Crystal only gaped in awe. "The pattern on the wall shot a beam of light across the sea. You appeared right after that. Can you tell me who you are?" Rise asked, turning back to the dragon.
"I'm Lapras. I am the guide to the Hidden Land." Lapras said calmly.
"You're serious!?" Rise gasped. "You can take us to the Hidden Land?"
"You unleashed the beam of light from the pattern on the wall. That is the signal for gaining entry to the Hidden Land. It is beyond the sea. Step onto my back. I will carry you across the sea." Lapras said.
"Wait! How do we know you're not a malicious Pokemon that wants to take us far out to sea and drown us?" Celeste asked.
"Celeste, what would be the point? It'll be okay." Crystal said, and gently nudged the Chikorita. Celeste growled.
"Don't be afraid. I'm exceptional. I can carry you all and more on my back." Lapras soothed. Celeste's eyes narrowed.
"It's beyond the sea... The Hidden Land..." Rise said, looking down at his own rock in amazement.
"Crystal! Rise! Celeste! Let's go! Beyond the sea!" Grovyle said. The three of them nodded, and the four travelers climbed onto Lapras' back, ready to begin the adventure.
~*~*~*~
The night wind outside howled as it swept over the land, as if believing tonight would be the last time it would blow. It almost blew out the torches guarding the Wigglytuff Guild, yet it's members were oblivious to it. They were snug and worried, tucked inside the earth, snuggled together in the middle of the floor. The room was well lit, almost as if it was daytime. Shadows further etched the creases of concern on the many apprentice's faces. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed in the quiet room. Everyone perked, silent and eager for news, eyes wide as children.
"Oh!" Chimecho floated in with Wigglytuff. The leader's face was pale, tired.
"How is Chatot? Will he be all right?" Diglett asked at last, enticing a flood of questions from other anxious members. Before they could swell to a roar, Wigglytuff gently hushed them, reminding them why they'd been quiet in the first place.
"Yep! He needs to sleep and recover tonight. I think he'll be fine tomorrow!" The pink Pokemon raised it's stubby arms. The guild members broke into grins of relief, joyful yet remaining quiet.
"Yeah!" Loudred whispered, or at least as best he could. (Which wasn't very good, I might add.)
"I'm glad to hear that." Diglett said, more quietly than Loudred could ever muster.
"Yup, yup, that's a load off my mind, by golly!"
"Hey, hey, hey! That's great! Chatot will be okay! Hey, hey, hey!" Corphish clacked his claws together in celebration.
"Guildmaster?" Sunflora inquired as the rest of the guild celebrated.
"What is it, Sunflora?" Wigglytuff asked.
"Guildmaster, you said that Chatot saved you in that cave long ago. Can you tell us about it?" Sunflora asked.
"Yep! This is what happened. Chatot looked up and saw the bandits long before I ever could. He yelled, 'Guildmaster, look out!'. Kabutops and his gang had attacked us with no warning. Chatot reacted first and shielded me from them, and he got knocked out. I sent Kabutop's gang packing after that, but..." He trailed off, shivering, remembering the intense terror he'd felt that afternoon. "-but Chatot was knocked out. I didn't know what to do. I was in a panic because I couldn't help Chatot. That was when Lapras appeared."
"Lapras?" Sunflora asked. The rest of the guild clung to the story, eyes wide, cuddled together like children, slack-jawed.
"Yes, Lapras. Lapras saved Chatot."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Oh I see... That's how you met Wigglytuff, right Lapras?" Rise murmured. He, Crystal, Celeste, and Grovyle were all situated on Lapras' back, the Eevee and Chikorita at the large sea creature's neck to block the wind that chilly night out at sea. Lapras had her back to them to see where exactly she'd was going, but how she knew, Team Sapphire nor Grovyle could tell. The ocean looked the same from all sides.
"Yes. I didn't intend to reveal myself at all, but I changed my mind the instant I saw Chatot on the ground. I simply had to help. Afterward, I made Wigglytuff promise me something." Lapras turned her head briefly to see her passengers, all leaned forward, ears perked.
"A promise?" Rise urged her to go on.
"Yes."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey, hey, hey! So, what was the promise?" Corphish asked.
"I think Lapras realized we were ann exploration team right away. So she said to us that she couldn't tell if we were bandits with big ambitions or if we were an exploration team with good intentions. So she asked, for the sake of world peace, that we please not investigate the peculiar pattern located in the cave. That's what he asked of us." Wigglytuff explained.
"So... What was your reply, Guildmaster?" Chimecho asked, bells tinkling in suspense.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Wigglytuff promised to honor my request, most agreeably." Lapras said. "He said he owed me thanks for coming to Chatot's aid, and that he would stop all investigations into the matter." Lapras turned back to the dark ocean, leaving the team to contemplate.
"So that's what happened..." Rise said, sitting closer to the center of their boat, sick of getting sprayed by the salty sea. "But why didn't you want anyone to investigate the pattern?" He asked.
"In the hidden land..." Lapras began, eyes still cast out to the sea. "is Temporal Tower where Dialga reigns. Dialga feared intruders could wreak havoc at the tower that regulates time. Dialga decided to protect Temporal Tower. He hid the Hidden Land in a gap in time." Lapras explained. Her passengers sat, enthralled.
"A gap in time?" Celeste spoke up for the first time since getting onto Lapras. Rise looked at her in surprise, thinking that she'd been asleep, because she hadn't acted like she'd been listening at all. She had closed her eyes long ago.
"Yes. It is hard to explain, but it's a gap in time itself. It's the space between parts of a split second." Lapras frowned, trying to find a way to explain it to her passengers.
"I see. No wonder the place couldn't be found. A gap in time... No one could ever hope to go to such a place." Grovyle stared into the black seawater beneath them.
"No." Lapras said, turning her head back and meeting the grass-type's citrine eyes. Dialga left one key for entering the Hidden Land. That's a special fragment with a mysterious pattern etched on it." Lapras said.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"When I heard wise old Torkoal's tale, and when I saw Rise's Relic Fragment, I finally understood. I realized then that the peculiar pattern was linked to the Hidden Land. That's why I headed out to Brine Cave before everyone else went. I had to see Lapras." Wigglytuff explained, his stubby arms flailing. "I met with Lapras and explained what was happening. How time was stopping all over and how the world was in peril. I also explained how the Time Gears needed to be taken to Temporal Tower... So I asked her to reveal how we could get to the Hidden Land." Wigglytuff explained, weaving his tale, remembering the salty air, the dim light, could it have happened only last night?
"So... What happened?" Sunflora asked.
"Lapras revealed it to me. She said that the relic fragment chooses who will go to the Hidden Land." Wigglytuff said.
"The Relic Fragment itself does that!?" Dugtrio gasped, it's three heads convulsing in confusion.
"It chooses on it's own?" Chimecho asked.
"Yep. Apparently so!" Wigglytuff said, in his excitement forgetting to keep his voice low. He was immediately hushed by excited apprentices. He sheepishly mumbled an apology, then continued, "And the Relic Fragment chose Rise."
"Hey, hey, hey! Why did the Relic Fragment choose Rise?" Corphish asked.
"I don't really know. I think Dialga wants to prevent those with bad intentions in their hearts from entering Temporal Tower. That's why the important thing is purity of heart.So, Rise's heart must have resonated with the Relic Fragment. Anyways, we can do no more to help. From now on, this burden belongs to the three treking across the sea to save us: Rise, Crystal, Celeste, and Grovyle. It's Team Sapphire's weight to bear now. It's entirely up to them to get to the Hidden Land. It falls to them to stop the destruction of time."
No pressure, of course.
- - -
So what's this 'gap of time' supposed to be, anyways?
What secrets have the Hidden lands kept, well, hidden?
Will the gang save the world in time?
Find out these and more as our adventure builds to an exciting climax! Not in the next chapter though.