Chapter 37

That sense of calm when you were about to set off to do something extremely stupid. Drew never felt this until he started hanging with Ash.

In this case it was stupid but necessary. He was almost mad at himself for thinking anything else. A girl was missing a girl important to all of them. Never mind the other unimportant stuff.

Like the police trying to calm the town and save face. That was important too. After all looks could help in making or breaking something. In this case the town would get worried by all the official people coming in.

There would be no way to hide everything then. That was why they would hear not another peep from the efficient Officer Jenny. The last thing they needed was the treasure hunters on a prowl. No one would think twice about them going about in the ruins.

This way everyone would win and Ash would remain calm. For how much longer Drew was unsure. It was like walking on Voltorbs he was sure that when Ash was talking to Officer Jenny that the guy was going to snap.

He sounded so calm but the energy coming off him. the easy going guy that they all knew had a very harsh side. There was no sign of the clueless idiot. Now this guy had somehow taken charge, leaving Drew as a peaceful calm follower off on a mission.

“May! May!” A voice called. Drew gritted his teeth, well shoot there went his calm. Great this really was the work from something evil why was this guy appearing now of all times.

“Brendan!” May sobbed before running at the guy and hugging him. Drew twitched, he was not, definitely was not going to say anything. Not one thing. After all this is a situation that made one not think straight.

She was a girl, girls sought comfort and the familiar in situations like these. In fact it had better be the reason she was crying all over the Tower King and not him.

Not that he wanted that. Drew felt amusement as Ash walked right past Brendan as if he did not see him. he knew Ash was not doing it to be rude but because his mind was on one thing alone. It did not stop him from doing the same just with a little more sulk to it.

“I heard from Barry. I’m so sorry Ash.” Brendan spoke up. Ash slowed to a halt but did not turn around. “I want to help out. Let me come with you please.”

Drew felt his inside twitch. Just where did this guy come from? He decided to come to help out? What lies. He came to see May and is now upset that she was a sobbing mess because of Misty’s disappearance.

“With more people, we can certainly find her in no time.” Brendan continued one arm wrapped around May.

“No.” Ash said quietly. “Thank you, really but no. These guys I know how they think and they know how I think. This is enough to get Misty. I get you want to help but if you really want to help.” Ash turned around then shocking Drew and them all with his gaze.

Not a blankness like they might have expected. Not tear brimmed like he had guessed. But clear eyes taking in everything and working toward a goal ahead. Leader eyes. Who knew the idiot had them in him.

“If you really want to help, you can keep the girls here and safe. You can keep an eye on them. See you know May and I know May and I know them.” Ash smirked sadly. “Dawn, May, Iris. They really like Misty but I want that I only have to save one person today. So keep them in one place and safe for me.”

“I’m leaving important people in your hands Brendan.” Ash finished. “I think that’s enough there. Please make sure that when we get back with Misty that we won’t have to go on yet another mission to save one of these.”

“Sure.” Brendan stammered as May’s crying felt silent. It was not just Ash’s words. It was almost like his words had a physical feel to them. This, this is why this guy was so strong. He really had something in him.

Whatever it was that Ash had though Drew knew he needed it. This kind of atmosphere was worthy of a stage. But this is not the time for such things.

“Make sure you sit tight on Iris and May.” Drew smirked giving off a casual air. “They are pretty slippery and I’m sure Bianca too.”

“Drew’s right.” Cilan added. “Keep Iris and Bianca from running after us like a pair of crazy Oddish’s.”

“Keep Dawn from dissolving into a bunch of tears.” Paul grunted. “I hate having to swim unnecessarily and we don’t want Misty to drown accidentally in them either.”

Drew grinned, the Tower King looked just the little frustrated but he was sitting the bench here. It was time for Drew to go out and play the hero.

“Gary?” Dawn spoke up clenching her hands.

“Yeah?” Gary answered.

“Please.” Dawn said. She needed to say no more.

“We will bring Misty back Dawn.” Gary smiled.

“Bring Ash back too!” She shouted out shocking them all.

“Yes! Bring Ash back too we know how crazy he can get.” May said tears flowing again.

“He can be such a kid, being stupid and over passionate, bring him back too!” Iris said her voice shaky.

“It would not be good to get back only one so please bring them both back.” Bianca added.

Ash snorted before turning around and doing a small wave behind him. Gary laughed before falling into step with him on his side. Pikachu waved goodbye and Drew continued out with Paul and Cilan in step with him.

Those girls. They really and truly knew Ash well. At the back of his head even he was thinking about it. Looked like all that time travelling with Ash opened the door for them. Drew felt really glad that Ash valued all the girls.

He wanted all of them safe. He wanted them to stay out of this. He wanted them untouched by what they now might have to see. They were like his little sisters or something. Drew inhaled the outside air as they followed Officer Jenny to the ruins.

This is something he did not see any day. To tell the truth what Ash said just now made sense but something was wrong. Something just did not click as sense. His words to Brendan sounded right but did not look right.

It just was nagging at him. Drew was just about to give up and think about what they were going to face when Paul shifted and whispered to him.

“All of us have shown a hard side at least once. Brendan seems just the little bit soft. Ash needs people that are able to be cruel and tough when needed.” Paul told him his voice not carrying no further than Drew.

There it was. Now it made sense. Drew knew he had shown his frustrated cruel side at the grand festival side once. Paul showed his cruel side all the time. Gary grew up with Ash and as the guy’s rival for a long time, Ash knew him the best.

Cilan certainly had a sensible strict side. It was no different as if Ash had picked Brock for this. Ash had picked a retrieval team. They all had different strengths. Each of them could hold their own.

All of them would be able to do the necessary if it came to it. He himself never took a life or killed a Pokémon but if it came right down to it this Pokémon or person behind it needed to be taken down.

Forget discovering history. Forget great discoveries something was wrong with this ton, these ruins and these people. Nothing added up. He himself preferred these sort of things to remain in the past nothing good ever came from trying to revive anything may it be life, ideas or myths.

Someone always got hurt, you were suppose to learn from the past and discard it. Not try to live it like these people were trying to do with these wacked buildings. He felt absolutely squashed looking at it.

Things from the past should be in a small glass case or left rotting somewhere. But that was just him.

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Ash felt light headed as he stared at the room Misty had disappeared from. Looking around he had been briefed to how the room looked before the whole thing happened.

The bell thing was on an elevated piece of ground. In the corner was Misty’s bag and a thrown away bottle of water respectively.

“So they were saying that this piece Ash.” Gary said pointing to the bell. That piece of ground was in the centre of the room. That Misty must have triggered some sort of mechanism.”

“How far down to the bottom?” Ash asked looking down the hole ignoring the gasps and stares from the policemen.”

“They don’t know.” Gary snorted. “I say we should find out ourselves. Then  estimate with the equipment they sent for from the next town.

Taking a rock Ash took aim to send it bouncing on the sides of the smooth walls of the hole. It was something he and Gary had done when they were kids. So long ago.

Ash counted 14 clicks before it felt silent. “So about around 50 feet or more. Where is that lift or whatever?”

“Right here.” A policeman said as he bustled in. “You sure you kids should be doing this? You can leave this to us. We will find your friend.”

“How many times does the guy have to say it.” Drew broke in before Ash himself could respond. “This is mostly you guys fault. Who the hell does not know a whole deep hole is in their town is beyond me. You guys are prepared and know locations for caves but not this. Just shut up and let us go.”

Ash nodded, Drew might be a little more harsh than he wanted but it was the same message. Just let them do it on their own.

“We, this is a very unique thing.” A guy spoke up as he set up the rope lift.

“I just bet it is.” Paul snorted. “Just looking at this. This alone proves most of your legends and history belong in the toilet. This hole, that whatever that took her. Your town has been played as fools but no one will be laughing.”

The guys fell silent and Ash just sighed as he got on the rope lift. He was about to o down when Officer Jenny stepped up to stop him looking apologetic.

“Some of my men will go with you Ash.” Officer Jenny spoke up.

“They, will slow me down.” Ash said slowly looking her in the eye.

“Please.” Ash considered it, if anything he could ignore them and in the worst case scenario they could take Misty back up or be shields.

“Fine, we will contact you through the radio if we need anything. Unless it is an emergency don’t contact us. You could distract us at a wrong time. We have absolutely no clue what is down there.” Ash stated firmly glad when Officer Jenny just nodded.

Breathing a sigh of relief he launched himself down into the tunnel, letting the dark embrace him.

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“That kid is crazy.” Paul heard one of the guys say after Ash disappeared down the hole.

“If I lost a girl as pretty as that, I think I would do the same. “ A policeman said as he packed a bag and made his way over to where Paul was waiting for his turn.

“Is it me or does anyone else feel like we’ve lost something?” Another spoke up. “This could ruin our town. Is anyone else looking at this hole? A mechanism caused this. Metal is in this. Just what has our town been trying to preserve these years?”

“A very elaborate lie.” Gary answered as he waited by the lift. “I think these people were far more advanced than any of us expected. Wiser too. They were able to read a sign of the times and escape preserving themselves and maybe their way of life.”

“Just what have I been proud of?” Another man asked as he looked around the room. “So many people poked around here yet a little girl comes and reveals everything.”

“She is not, she is not any ordinary girl. Just like how these people were not ordinary. You have to be someone who can touch hearts of Pokémon. Like that guy.” Gary said nodding to where Ash disappeared.

“You think you can find her? Down there just might be a labyrinth or something.” A kind hearted man said as he joined Gary at the hole.

“If anyone can do it, it’s Ash. He’s got that will to never give up. If it gets dark that Pikachu will light the way. It’s how he is no matter what. He will do it. That’s how Ash is. Fighting the odds and surprising you.”

Paul nodded. That really and truly was how Ash was. There was a silence as the rope lift stopped going down and it was tugged hard three times as the agreed signal. Ash had reached the bottom.

“Sweet mercy.” The operator of the lift whispered causing Officer Jenny to join him. “65 Feet is how far down he is right now. Just what is down there?”

“That is as close to sea pressure as one will get.” Officer Jenny bit out. “After this I have the feeling we are going to have to arrest some people. Lots of people. This is no well. This has to be the main branch for all those tunnels.”

“This gets out to no one get it.” Officer Jenny’s assistant barked out. “Someone up here had to be aware of this because there is no way this could be.” He broke off and Paul narrowed his eyes.

“Deal with your problems after we get back. Hopefully we could find you guys some answers.” Gary said before launching himself down the hole. Paul stepped closer to the hole. He was going down next. He was itching for some answers himself.

What kind of peaceful, spiritual people concocted something like this?

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At the bottom Ash wasted no time with Pikachu checking the bottom of the floor for clues. He had to use the word floor because like the walls this was no natural ground. It was smooth and sloping. Not the work of Pokémon.

He knew quite well this was not the work of Pokémon. People were down here. People were down here recently he could see the signs. Broken rocks that indicated hands broke them.

Ash stopped searching when everyone had reached the bottom. They were taking along four extra baggage. The policemen. If anything they could help out with the complicated equipment.

“We have reached the bottom of the hole Ma’am” One of the policemen said into one of the radios. Ash nodded watching as the lift was not drawn back up.

“We will sit here and wait then Officer Barkly. Any questions to be directed at us or back to the centre just say whether or not.”

“Yes Ma’am but before we have radio silence on the three ends. May I please ask a question at large?” the Officer asked causing Ash to give him an irritated look.

Officer Jenny paused. “Go quickly officer.”

“Ma’am after that decent is it possible the girl survived?” Ash felt a spark in his blood. “After all if she was pulled and dropped we would see her. And she would not have survived and the chances of it carrying her off this monster seems slim to none.”

The silence was telling. Cilan was watching Ash but he felt no anger. “If I may Officer Jenny. I would like someone to put Dawn on for a while.”

There was a few clicks before Ash heard Dawn’s voice. “Ash?” she asked puzzled.

“Forgive me Dawn but I need to ask you something important. Was Misty by chance wearing a hat today?” Ash said feeling peace wash over him.

“Um, yah she was. It was one I’ve never seen before this trip. Old looking.”

“Thanks Dawn. Now, up there I saw Misty’s bag. I did not see the hat.” Ash crossed over to the wall leading down the tunnel where the ground and the wall were wet and damp and tugged out of the ground his hat.

“Everyone who has travelled with Misty and I in the old days knows Misty is a pro at quickly and firmly throwing things. This proves that she was alive when she reached here and that she used what she could to let people know where she had been.”

“That’s enough for me.” Dawn cheered.

“I think that shows you need to make haste officers. Do not shame the office. Ash please be careful.” Officer Jenny said before she cut the radio lines.

“I apologise.” The officer said looking embarrassed. “I had to ask.”

“Should have looked first idiot.” Drew grumbled. “Let’s go. Here is wetter and colder than I would like.” Ash met the officer’s eyes and shrugged. The man was only doing his job.

Pikachu held Ash’s, no Misty’s hat on its own hat making Ash feel a little light hearted. “Don’t get smothered.” He teased Pikachu as they set on down the tunnel.

Actually after 20 minutes Ash felt that it was more like a road than an actual tunnel. After a while he started to feel funny. It was not funny like the officers who were getting light of breath because of the pressure but a different feeling.

“You should be ashamed of yourselves.” Drew complained behind Ash at the officers. “You should just give us those badges and go back to the rope and wait. You are letting kids. Hear me? Kids. You are letting kids show you up. Retire when we get back.”

Cilan sniggered and Gary choked out a laugh. Drew was really keeping the mood light with his ribbing of the officers.

“Just what else do you think you know Gary?” Cilan asked after Drew grew bored with tormenting the officers.

“That these people existed in the times where Pokémon were seen as little else as tools or not even that to some people they were things to destroyed. Times in which we would not be able to understand. A flip of what today in this land is.” Gary said as they walked on.

“Meaning.” Paul said in a tone that spoke volumes. He really was asking because of the silence.

“Meaning that these people really valued Pokémon but feared for the future of not water Pokémon but everyone. That they lived in a time with prehistoric Pokémon. Pokémon that were to have died at least 2000 years before were here.”

“That is something crazy.” Drew whispered. “I would never believe that but considering this place we are in at the moment I have no choice. These people. They were far ahead.”

“It is said they knew the language of Pokémon.” Gary said turning and looking at them all. “People hated them for that. That is why they were banished from others in the first place. This religion is thought to have lasted for at least about ten thousand years.”

“Too long.” Paul grunted. “These people were an isolated people for far too long. Then what.”

“They dwindled.” Gary said looking down. “At least that is what it is said to have happened now. Now I think they just made arrangements to better hide themselves or preserve themselves. They believed the world was beyond saving.”

“I think it is the other way around.” Drew grumbled.” Getting an agreement with Paul. Ash himself had to agree. That sort of mentality that was unhealthy.

“That are our ancestors you are talking about.” One of the officers wheezed.

“Please don’t make me start.” Drew said giving the man a blank stare to Ash’s amusement. “You came from some secretive freaky people. People that abandoned your people to a flood. I want you tell me about that now. Bet you can’t.”

Ash was going to laugh when he felt that feeling again. He glanced around quickly but no one else was reacting.

“I hate to say this now with these adult here but we might not have this leisurely scenic walk on the way back up.” Cilan said staring up at the ceiling. “So anyway guys. Check out the gold.”

Gary’s head flew up. “That’s not just gold Cilan. See some of that up there? Fossils too. And the look of some of those formations. I think we are under the mountain lake.”

“You now figure that out?” Drew said flicking his bang. “After I saw the wet walls and the direction of this tunnel I figured I might end up going for a swim or a good dunking.”

“Keep talking crap and you will get a good drowning.” Paul said as he distanced himself from Drew. The pressure must be getting to you or something.”

“Humph fine then Paul.” Drew sniffed before nudging Ash. “You get it right?” Ash was taken aback. He realized Drew was no longer talking about the joke he was deadly serious.

“Ash nodded. “Yeah Drew I’ve got you there.” Ash watched as Paul fell back behind the labouring officers with a grunt of disgust.

“This is why we told Jenny you were a bother. Bet you never did any hard core training with your Pokémon. In fact I bet they would be just as useful as you guys. Can’t believe I’m agreeing with Drew but you guys are certainly a waste.”

“Maybe you should just relax.” Cilan smiled as his eyes went serious. “Maybe you have a condition or something that is being revealed by the unusual circumstances.”

The officers agreed and generally allowed Cilan’s words to take them in as Ash searched all around the wet tunnel walls for the source of his unease.

He was not foolish enough to think at the end of the tunnel lay Misty. It would be too easy for that. There had been one scream only. She had been gagged or kept from talking. But somehow she had thrown that hat to where she had known it would stick.

The nose of the cap had been stuck in the soft ground like a flag. She had been awake for that. But she had to have been knocked out after that or something because there were no more clues.

And he knew even though she had been forced to leave her bag behind, she had lots of things on her person. A Pokémon attack could have stunned her or put her to sleep.

Ash knew he was hoping it had been a Pokémon to make her sleep and not a person. His calm would not survive a revelation as something such as that. He just knew it. His calm would dissolve in the wind.

Gary stopped causing the group to halt. Inching up Ash saw he was looking at a much bigger space. A small stop for them before they carried on. And a fine time to deal with the problems they had.

The labouring officers gratefully sat down trying to catch their breath while Ash only drank a little water. He did not feel thirsty, tired or hungry. He fed Pikachu even though the mouse did not seem tired or hungry.

It gave him something to do and allowed him to fully analyze just what was bothering him. Gary let out a sigh. Causing the team to look at him.

“Everyone see’s it right?” He said.

“This place was constructed.” Cilan stated looking at the chamber they were currently resting in. “This really does prove your theory that these people fled the above word Gary.”

“I know.” Gary said in disgust. “This is a big discovery but still. It sucks.”

Ash took up a small rock in his hand, bouncing it. “That is not our only problem.” He said before throwing the rock at the wall ahead of them. It bounced with a sound that was not natural.

“Come on out. I know you are in there.” Ash said in a calm voice while his gut rolled and twisted. There was a pause before there was a click and the wall developed an outline of a door and the door opened.

Then a boy dressed in white robes with a blue symbol stepped out with a smile. Before the door snapped shut, Ash saw that there was a corridor behind the door.

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Cilan knew that somehow they were being followed but when the boy stepped out from the wall of all things he was unsure what to do. The officers froze in shock in fact they all did.

Because of all the machines he thought it was a camera somewhere tracking them. Cilan never imagined a boy was in the walls walking with them, maybe listening to them talk. How had Ash even known?

“I felt you keeping pace with us, along with the Pokémon you left in there.” Ash said nodding towards were the boy came out.

“You are certainly odd.” The boy said staring at everyone. “All of you are. You don’t belong here.”

“There is someone else here who does not belong.” Ash aid his tone calm but his gaze dark. Cilan held his breath waiting. “She does not belong here and all I want is to take her back.”

“But she is enlightened.” The boy insisted making Cilan frowned how old was this kid. “If she was not she could not have known that water is the way to life. She would not have opened the gate.”

“She spilled a bottle of water on the ground by accident.” Ash said as he sat up. “Misty is amazing, she is wonderful with water but in this case she did not want to come here. Look I can feel lots of activity here that is fine. Just let me take my Mist back with me.”

“Mist.” The boy whispered. “She, even her name speaks of water. Her spirit is almost as pure as ours and she has been touched even in times as yours.”

“Touched?” Cilan found himself blurting out. “What do you mean?”

“One of them has accepted her and revealed themselves to her. She devotes herself to the way of the water this is expected. One has touched her.” The boy frowned at Ash and again glanced at Pikachu.

“However he too is touched even though he does not know the way of the water. He can move with the ways of spirit, he has been touched many times. He senses with the heart. As we do yet he does not.”

The boy laughed in delight clapping his hands. “He too should come. This tunnel leads to nowhere but I should take you so you can understand. So I can understand.”

Ash stood up. “Understand what?”

“Understand.” The boy’s voice went cold. “Why you have been touched by the high ones when we are the ones that follow the teachings and are pure.”

Cilan felt something crawl under his skin. These people, something was wrong with them.