Intermission – Iron Valiant

The sounds of water dripping from stalactite to stalagmites can be heard echoing all around the otherwise silent, dimly lit cave. Though it may be a winding path full of twists and turns, the very end of the cave was far more straightforward. Hovering above a platform surrounded by water, lay a Time Gear bound in its intricate patterns surrounding it.

A pair of Orange LED eyes set their sights upon it, the machine’s heavy footsteps echoing through the cave, drowning out the drip-drops of water. It stands there, taking in the sight, the Time Gear’s glow providing its metallic body with a faint warmth.

Walking up, its digits grip around the edges of the Time Gear, firmly grasping around it as it pulls it out of its place, the ladnscape surrounding slowly shifting, much like the forest the last Time Gear had been taken from. The cave’s colors slowly faded as time began to slow to a crawl, the echoing drips lasting longer and stretching out into eternity, the water droplets suspending in mid-air.

The robotic Grovyle gazes down at the Time Gear, its digits gently brushing over its intricate patterns etched into the relic. It’s warm, its light faintly pulsing with life, but noticeably dimmed, as is slumbering, resting until it’s put back in its rightful place.

Glyph puts it away, but he pauses, his body going motionless and locking up, heightening his senses.

In the stillness of the air, there’s a disruption.

He’s not alone.

Glyph swiftly turns around as his arms detach from his shoulders, his synthetic leaves swirling and spinning around rapidly as a thorny vine shoots out from the center of his palm. he swings it with force and it collides with the tip of a hot, pink blade.

Its wielder is sent skidding back against the cave floor, the rocks working up from the ground flying into the air for only a second before they become suspended.

A robotic lookalike of a Gallade and Gardevoir digs its feet firmly into the ground, its grip around its double-edged blade tightening. Its holographic eyes stare daggers at Glyph, slender body immediately going into an offensive position, ready for another attack.

Glyphs breaths are rather heavy as his vine retracts back into his palm, getting into a similar stance. “Hmph. Was wondering when you were going to show up.”

The opposing robot responds in a cold, deep, monotone voice as it steps forward. “Your location was not difficult to track. You have done a poor job of covering yourself in this world, but that is irrelevant. Your actions against Saffron Robotics will not go unpunished. You will surrender the Time Gears and yourself to allow yourself to be deconstructed, or I will take them by force.”

Glyph scoffs, rolling his eyes as his stance tightens and grows more firm. “Both sound like lousy options if you ask me. Sorry to disappoint your master, but neither of those things will be happening.”

“Then I will dispose you.” Its grip around its weapon tightens further. “Prepare to die.” The machine charges fiercely at Glyph at fightening speeds, catching up to him in just the blink of an eye.

_{“Not today.”} Glyph mutters to himself, reaching behind his back and quickly tossing something at the ground, causing a flash to erupt all throughout the cave. The opposing machine’s sensors are disrupted, having to recalibrate in an attempt to regain clarity.

By the time the light finally fades, though, Glyph is nowhere to be seen, having seemingly vanished after having fled. The machine’s body mechanically turns as it sweeps from side to side, scanning the area to the best of its ability. Any traces of Glyph are completely gone.

No longer initiated in combat, the machine shortens the length of its weapon, swiftly placing both blades back into the slots on its arms. It opens up a comm link within its HUD as it begins making its way back through the cave. “Status update: Target has been located and confirmed to be in the past, although it has fled without any traces. Resuming search.”

A disappointed sigh can be heard on the other side of the comms. “Figures he’d do that. Why am I not surprised. Any status on his partner?”

“Negative. His partner was not with him and no traces of his partner have been found as of now. Theorizing they have split up to cover more ground to collect the Time Gears more efficiently.”

The voice on the other end scoffs. “Clever worms. This won’t do, this won’t do at all. By the time we catch up to either of them, they’ll have collected the Time Gears before us. Without a solid lead, locating them will be impossible.”

“What do you suggest, master?”

There’s a brief pause on the other end. “We need more info, info we can’t get simply by scouting and scavenging. A Pokemon like you will not be able to blend in. A Pokemon like myself, however… Can.”