Chapter 16 – Unveiling What Lies Below

“Come ON!” Rickety screams as his claws swipe against the sleeping Groudon’s face, practically smacking it around back and forth with as much force as he can, which, given the strength and resilience of Groudon’s body, didn’t really seem to be doing a whole lot. “Go down already!”

A nervous Lexxi stands on the sidelines, her body trembling slightly as she sings a song that she comes up with on the spot, her voice shaky and wavering as she attempts to keep the song going so that the Groudon remains asleep. “C-Calling your name from, uhh, beyond the heavens, i-in the hopes that you hear meee_eeeee!“

The Groudon occasionally lets out a quiet groan as it’s repeatedly slapped around, it’s body hardly reacting to the pain it’s experiencing, what little there was, anyway, deeply asleep thanks to Lexxi’s singing, with very little sign of waking up any time soon.

Rickety’s breaths come in quick, heavy pants as he repeatedly keeps swiping and striking the Groudon, starting to even work up a sweat from all the effort as his hair clings and sticks to his face, eyebrows furrowed as he keeps swiping like there’s no tomorrow. Still, he can’t help but crack a little smile. “Almost feels like- Grrahh! Cheating, taking on a Legendary Pokemon so cheaply like this.”

“N-Not gonna complain, long as it saves our skins.” Lexxi stammers, still trying to keep the song going, running out of ideas for lyrics and scraping together whatever she could just to keep singing. “I-If at first, you don’t know what to dooooo… Uhh… Go through the boo the loo?”

The Groudon’s demeanor shifts, even if ever so slightly. Its shoulders begin to slump over as it starts leaning forward, Rickety having to start taking a few steps back just to put a bit of space between himself and the Groudon, lest he be crushed by the sheer size and weight of the Legendary.

Finally, though, after what felt like an eternity, the Groudon lets out one final groan and collapses to the ground, motionless and unconscious. Rickety and Lexxi huddle back together, bodies shaking and trembling as they look over the guardian of the lake.

“Did… Did we do it?” Lexxi stammers, her tail still puffed out and prickly, ready to strike at a moment’s notice. “Is it down for good?”

“I-I think so.” Rickety says, eyebrows furrowed, fists still clenched. “…This can’t be right. We just took down a Pokemon who created the lands by singing to it and smacking it around, there’s no way it’s-“

Before Rickety can finish, the Groudon’s body is suddenly enveloped in an orb of light, blinding both Lexxi and Rickety as they shield their eyes and look away. Once the light finally seems to die down, Groudon had seemingly all but disappeared.

“That was… Unanticipated.” A voice seems to echo throughout the valley, coming from all around Lexxi and Rickety. “Perhaps I may need to make it stronger in the future if that’s all it takes to bring it down… But you are correct, that was not Groudon. It was simply an illusion I had conjured.”

Lexxi’s ears slowly perk up, eyes glancing around the valley, trying to find the source, only to be met with rocks, cliffs, and more rocks and cliffs. “An illusion? What’s going on? Who are you?”

“The actual, real guardian of the lake.” The voice responds. “I don’t know who you are, or what you’re doing here, but I cannot allow either of you to pass.”

“Uh- Hey! Wait, we can explain!” Rickety stammers, putting his arms up defensively. “We’re not trying to cause any trouble or anything! We’re on an expedition, part of a team, we just came here for information and-“

“Information, hmm?” The voice interrupts in an inquisitive tone, as if judging Rickety.

“Yeah!” He nods in response. “Look, we were really hoping to find something for all the effort it took to get here, if you really don’t want us here, we can just turn around and leave like nothing happened. Just- Please, believe us?”

The voice stays quiet for a few moments, contemplating, thinking. “…Very well. I sense no dishonesty within you, so if that’s what you claim,” In another burst of light, a figure appears before them. Pale blue, a bright yellow mesh wrapped around its face and stretching to the back of its head, a red gem embedded in the center of its forehead, two tails splitting off from its back, eyes staying closed. “Then allow me to introduce myself personally. I am Uxie, the guardian of Fogbound Lake.”

Rickety and Lexxi’s eyes both widen in surprise as they glance at each other, before glancing back. “Uxie?” Lexxi repeats. “Your name is Uxie?”

Uxie nods in response, floating in place, slowly bobbing up and down in the air. “I stand guard over something special in Fogbound Like, something truly precious. Now, if you truly did come all the way out here to find Fogbound Lake,” they turn around, beginning to float off down the valley. “Then follow me.”

---

The sky above had grown dark during the journey through the cave and the fight with Groudon. No longer obscured by clouds or fog, the skies were littered with dozens upon hundreds of stars, the moonlight illuminating plateau of which they walked.

The sound of rushing water could slowly be heard growing louder and louder as Rickety and Lexxi continued to follow behind Uxie, until finally, they seemed to reach the end of the road, an immensely large body of water laid out before them. Uxie turns around and smiles gently at the two, gesturing out. “It may be a little difficult to see this late at night, but… Here it is. Fogbound Lake.”

The peak of the mountain seemed to stretch on for miles and miles, illuminated by the glow of the moonlight and the abundance of Volbeat and Illumise buzzing around. On top of that, there seemed to be a bright, glowing light emanating from the bottom of the lake itself, creating a warm aura that spread throughout the area.

Rickety and Lexxi could only stare in awe at the sight before them, their mouths agape as they take a few steps closer just to take it all in.

_{“Oh my gosh…”} Rickety mumbles to himself, eyes slowly sweeping over the glowing lake before him. “Sunsets on the beach have nothing on this.”

“Most beautiful sight I’ve seen since I’ve wound up here.” Lexxi says, tail idly wagging back and forth. “This is incredible…”

“Water constantly wells up from below,” Uxie explains. “It flows upwards so heavily that it ends up creating this massive lake, self sufficient.” They turn back around, glancing back at Rickety and Lexxi even with their closed eyes. “You may notice a glow welling up from the center of the lake.” They float out of the water, smiling softly. “Go ahead and take a look, why don’t you?”

Curiously, Rickety and Lexxi slowly approach the edge of the lake, laying down on their stomachs and peering over the side, looking deep into the abyssal depths. Their gaze lands on some sort of relic laying deep down below. It looked like a cog with six ridges spread throughout its sides, etched with intricate, ancient runes and patterns all over it.

“…No way.” Rickety says under his breath, leaning in even closer until his muzzle is almost practically touching the water. “That’s a Time Gear, isn’t it? It looks a little different than it did in the books I’ve read, but it looks similar.”

“You’ve got quite the trained eye.” Uxie muffles a chuckle to themselves. “You’d be right. I guard this Time Gear with my life, it’s the sole reason I’m even here to begin with.”

Lexxi seems to zone out while Uxie explains themselves, feeling a strange sense of… Anticipation and excitement as she stares at the Time Gear, though she can’t quite place why. Why would her pulse be racing upon seeing it? What about it could be making her feel this way?

“You’re not the first ones to come all the way up here. There have been others,” Uxie continues. “Though I’ve chased them off with my Groudon illusion.”

Illusion. That’s a good subject to get Lexxi’s mind off the Time Gear lest she dive in and go after it. She glances up at Uxie, staring at them inquisitively. “Like a Zoroark? One of our friends is a Zoroark, and she can cast illusions too. Is it the same thing, or…?”

“To an extent.” Uxie’s tails intertwine with each other for a moment. “A Zoroark’s illusions are more audio-visual. While they can alter the perception of another Pokemon and inflict feelings upon them, they can’t quite cast any solid figures or project those kinds of sensations into the minds of those they’re deceiving, at least when it comes to anything that isn’t disguising themselves.”

The gem in the center of their head begins to glow, the Groudon appearing once again behind them, though motionless and clearly see-through. “My Psychic typing allows room for a little more flexibility in that aspect. I might not be able to alter the perception of the environment, but I can create a convincing figure that’s solid enough to battle intruders. There have been some that have beaten the illusion, though I can’t quite say any of them have beaten it with the power of…” Uxie clears their throat. “Singing. Nevertheless, I dealt with them and took their memories from them.”

_{“Took their memories…} Oh!” Rickety’s ears perk up, eyes going wide as he looks over to Uxie. “There’s something we needed to ask you!”

Uxie tilts their head curiously, giving a nod, waiting for them to continue. Lexxi takes a step forward as she gazes up at the lake guardian. “My name is Lexxi. I might look like a Pokemon now, but in reality, I used to be a human.”

“Hmm? A human, you say?” Uxie seems a bit surprised by this, though with their closed eyes, it’s a bit hard to discern.

Lexxi nods in response. “The thing is, I’ve completely lost all memories of actually being a human, all I can remember is that I am- Or rather, am supposed to be one. So, if you can erase memories, then I have to ask… Did you have anything to do with that, Uxie? Did I come here at any point during the past, and you took my memories away? Please, I have to know.”

Uxie stays silent for a few moments as they float there, their gaze shifting downwards. “I’m afraid the answer is… No. It seems those rumors may have gotten a little exaggerated, so I should explain further.” They turn their head back up, gazing at the two. “I only erase memories of Fogbound Lake. I can’t fully erase memories from living beings, not that I’d wish to in the first place.”

“Oh…” Lexxi’s ears droop, her expression falling.

“I had nothing to do with your memory loss.” Uxie continues. “Nor did I have anything to do with you transforming into a Pokemon. That is well and far beyond my capabilities. Furthermore, there is no history of a human ever coming to Fogbound Lake. I understand that you came hoping to find answers, but I’m sorry that I cannot provide those which you seek.”

Rickety hums, brows furrowing. “So, it seems like you haven’t been here at all, Lexxi.”

Lexxi’s scratches at her head, lost in thought. “It’s fine, thank you anyway, Uxie. I could’ve sworn, though-“

“A Time Gear? A Time Gear! Well, that’s too bad!” All three of them suddenly hear a voice coming from behind. And who else would come waddling their way through the valley than the giant, pink balloon known as Wigglytuff. “We can’t take a Time Gear! Mm-mmn! That would be bad!”

“Wigglytuff?” Rickety and Lexxi say in unison, as the guildmaster comes sauntering towards them.

“Hi friends friends! Good to see you’re both okay here!” He says cheerfully, quickly sauntering past them and to the edge of the lake. “Gosh, wow! Look at this view! Isn’t it wonderful!”

Uxie’s expression shifts to that of confused bewilderment, a bit taken aback by Wigglytuff’s rather jovial attitude. “Err… Who would this happen to be?”

“Thaaaaaaaaat would be our Guildmaster.” Lexxi says, shifting awkwardly.

“Hello to you too, friend friend!~” Wigglytuff says as he turns to face Uxie, before waddling his way over to the Groudon illusion. “Hello to you too, big scary see-through friend!~ I’m so happy that we came!~”

Before Rickety, Lexxi, and even Uxie have time to so much as think of what to say next, they’re met with another interruption. Coming down from the valley, the whole guild was running towards them, with Chatot being at the front and head of the group, of course. “G-Guildmaster! We’ve been trying to catch up with y- GHUUAAHHH?!” His eyes widen as he spots the Groudon illusion standing right beside them, the rest of the group promptly freaking out.

“T-That’s Groudon! That’s Groudon, isn’t it?!”

“Please don’t eat me! I’m not tasty!”

Rickety and Lexxi just stand there, confused, when did everybody else get here? Before they get the chance to say anything, Wigglytuff steps in front of them to greet the group. “Hey everyone! You don’t need to worry about him! He’s just a little bit hollow!” He then gestures out to the lake. “Focus on what’s out there instead! Look! It’s spouting!”

And, just like that, everyone’s attention is quickly drawn away from the illusionary Groudon and towards the center of the lake, a massive geyser spouting upwards, the light from the Time Gear down below giving it a bright green, purplish glow, all of them drawn to it.

Uxie, still feeling a bit awkward and a touch overwhelmed by the amount of people at this once-hidden lake, at least seems content enough to continue, a soft smile curling up on their lips. “It does erupt, every now and then. It sprouts water up from below, acting as a fountain of sorts. With the Time Gear below illuminating the waters, and the Volbeat and Illumise fluttering around… It’s quite the essence of beauty, isn’t it?”

While everyone else is taking in the sight on their own terms, Lexxi and Rickety sit on the edge of the lake, next to each other, listening to the roaring waters sprouting up from the lake, watching the dancing lights and colors swirling around.

“…I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything prettier in all the years I’ve been exploring, learning about exploring, or… Anything really.” Rickety muffles a quiet chuckle to himself. “Can you believe this, Lexxi? Just- Look at it. Isn’t it just enchanting?”

Lexxi’s tail idly swishes back and forth, smiling softly as she gazes out at the massive, spawling lake, illumated with that warm, colorful glow. “It makes everything we went through over the last few days all worth it. Even if we didn’t learn anything about my past, I’m just happy to be here with you.”

“Same.” He responds, eyes gazing out. “Gosh, this is why I wanted to become an explorer, this is what I live for. It’s just- It’s funny how things work out, doesn’t it? If I never met you, I never would’ve gotten the courage to join the guild, and we never would’ve gotten to see this and I… I’m happy, I’m really, really happy.” A few tears begin to well up in his eyes, stifling an overjoyed laugh. “The happiest I’ve been in years. I-I didn’t think I’d ever…”

Lexxi glances over to Rickety a little bit, seeing him starting to get all emotional. She can even see him starting to shake a little bit. She scoots over just a little bit closer to him, and slowly, she starts to curl her tail around his side, pulling him over just a little bit closer to her.

Rickety seems startled at first, his focus on the lake briefly broken as his body seizes up briefly, his eyes going wide and his cheeks going red as Lexxi’s tail suddenly coils around him. Though, he seems to relax again when he feels her resting her head against his arm, her tail comfortably resting around his waist.

Releasing a relaxed breath, Rickety sighs, his smile returning as he gently places his hand atop Lexxi’s head, pulling her in just a bit closer towards him as well. The two didn’t say anything, they hardly needed to at this point. They simply sit there together, enjoying the beautiful view of the geyser sprouting up from the glowing lake.

---

“We’re so sorry to have disturbed you!” Wigglytuff bows his head repeatedly in front of Uxie, apologizing profusely. “We had such a wonderful time, though! Mhm!”

Uxie seems a lot more relaxed than previously, smiling at Wigglytuff, at the guild. “I don’t usually do this, but… I’ve decided not to take away your memories of this place. You have all more than earned my trust. But I must ask you all to promise to never reveal this place, to keep it a secret.”

“That shouldn’t be too much of an issue!” Chatot chimes in, nodding his head as he stands alongside Wigglytuff. “We know well enough to keep our lips shut. With a Time Gear having already been stolen, we wouldn’t want to risk another instance!”

“Now! With all that taken care of, let’s be on our way, friends!~”

---

Meanwhile…

A battered, disgruntled looking Team Skull is slowly, staggeringly making their way back home to Treasure Town, muttering curses and pleas of frustration under their breaths. _{“Hate those punks. Little frickin’ brats, constantly bein’ a thorn in our side,” Chief mumbles to himself, huffing out angrily.}

“Can’t believe we got put in our place like that, and by Wigglytuff of all Pokemon!” Zubat groans, wings flapping in a frustrated manner. “That big, pink, walkin’ balloon laid into us like we was nothin’! First he interrupts our confrontation with the twerps, then he shrugs off the noxious gas combo, we hauled our butts all the way out here, and for what?!”

“We prolly ain’t gonna be in any condition to fight for a while.” Koffing huffs, his smoke bellowing out at a lesser rate than it usually does, his body still somewhat deflated from the encounter. “What’re gonna do now, Chief?”

“I want payback.” Chief responds, his voice low, growling. “I want revenge. Forget about Wigglytuff, forget about the guild, I just want those little brats gone. We ain’t fightin’ ’em, we don’t know what they’re capable of if they took us out in Apple Woods.”

“We wasn’t at full capacity!” Zubat exclaims. “If ya didn’t knock me out with the noxious gas combo, we coulda-“

“Oh, like you woulda done much’a anythin’.” Chief snides, eyes narrowing as he keeps trudging forward.

Zubat looks absolutely offended, his mouth agape. “Ch-Chief, are ya sayin’ I’m WEAK?! Well, excuse me! It ain’t like I can evolve into a Golbat to make myself stronger or anythin’! Everyone’s kinda stuck the way they are cus of the time stuff goin’ on! You’se really gonna-“

“Quit your yappin’! I’m tryna think here!” Chief shouts back, brows furrowed, huffing out as he turns his gaze away from Zubat, Koffing awkwardly floating on the sidelines, keeping silent, probably for the best, for his sake. “Hmm… Oh. Mmmh, chaw-haw-haw! I’ve got somethin’ cookin, boys! The Amp Plains are usually active ’round this time o’ year, right?”

“Uhh… Yes?” Zubat response, eyeing Chief curiously.

“And y’know the kinds o’ tribes that usually come around to the Amp Plains at this time o’ year ‘cus of all the storms and lightnin’, riiiiiiiiiight?” Chief’s lips begin to curl up into a smirk, chuckling quietly to himself.

“…Hoh-hoh-hoh! I see what you’re getting at, Chief!” Koffing laughs aloud, smirking. “That’s so delightfully devillish of you!”

“If we ain’t takin’ ’em on personally, the least we can do lure ’em into a trap. Those punks won’t stand a chance.” Chief’s grin grows wider and wider. “If they’re still somehow standin’ by the end of it, we’ll wipe ’em out after the tribes have left.”

“This sounds like a wonderful plan, Chief!” Zubat laughs mischievously, but then suddenly looks puzzled. “But how’re we gonna get ’em to go to Amp Plains anyway?”

“We’ll think of somethin’.” Chief responds. “No matter what it takes, we’ll make sure those brats pay for crossin’ Team Skull.”