Day 3 of Snowpoint Temple Expedition

We had reached the third floor. Just like before, going on to the next floor wasn't straightforward, but instead involved the solving of some sort of puzzle. The entire floor was normal and blank, except for two pressure pads, similar to the one on the first floor, in the middle. There was also writing in the usual Braille on one of the walls, taking up the majority of the space on it.

If the next two floors are like this I'm going to get a little frustrated...

"Can you read it for us, Elron?" asked Daron.

"Sure thing. It's kind of long so give me a moment." I took off my gloves and stashed them in my jacket, then I whipped out my notebook and flipped to the necessary page. The cold didn't seem as piercing down here, which is something I realized when my skin on my hands touched the air and I didn't immediately feel like I was in pain.

I transcribed message into my notebook, and as I did shivers ran down my spine. I didn't like the sound of this.

PROVE TO US THAT YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES. IF YOU LACK RESOLVE, TURN BACK NOW BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE. IF YOU DECIDE TO PUSH FORWARD, YOU WILL NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE SUCCESS OF THE FEW WILL LEAD TO THE SUFFERING OF THE MULTITUDES. ONLY THROUGH PAIN WILL YOU PROGRESS.

I read the message out loud, stumbling on the last line. "Only through pain" was a condition that bothered me to the fullest. It meant that someone was going to have to get hurt just so that we could advance, and that if we guessed the solution wrong then someone would get injured for no reason. The thought of it bothered me, but surely there was another solution, right?

The room went silent when I finished. Faces froze.

Daron spoke up. "Well... That is quite the startling message. I'm sure there is nothing to worry about. Regardless, we need to figure out the solution to the puzzle before making any rash judgements. We have come this far after all."

The crew was slightly disturbed, but seemed to unanimously agree that this was the most sensible course of action to take. The grunts scurried around, trying to find any extra clues to help us. Of course, at this point we all knew that there weren't going to be any other clues. All we needed was right before us, in the form of writing and two stone pads.

I walked over and jumped on the stone, checking to see how much weight it would take to move it. Sure enough, I wasn't enough. I knew what would most likely be the right weight though.

"Daron, can we test these with Regice or Registeel?"

"Oh, I see what you're doing. Sure." He tossed open the pokeballs holding the legendaries, and without command they walked onto the pads.

They both sunk down into the floor, but by different amounts. Regice stopped before Registeel did, and when it did there was a click that led to a soft green light leaking out from under it. Registeel went further, but there was no clicking sound to be heard when it did.

"Is it not the right weight perhaps," said Daron.

"That's what it looks like. I'd say it's pretty safe to assume that Regice is right based off of the strange light," I replied.

"Hmmm... Well in that case." He returned Registeel and sent out a new pokemon. When it landed the ground shook a little bit and I was shocked. Its red and tan stone body reflected no emotion, and there was no soul behind its seven eyes arranged in the shape of an "H."

Daron had all three of the Regi trio, and Regirock confirmed it.

Regirock instinctively placed itself next to Regice on the other stone slab. It sunk down and there again was a click. A green light quickly flowed out from Regirock's spot as well, but no reactions took place after this was met. It appeared that we had successfully figured out the puzzle, but that was apparently not the case. Although two of the three special features in the room seemed to be solved, this was apparently not all. We once again were forced to once again observe the wall.

"I'm not sure I like where this is going," said Flora. Her eyes focused on the two Regis in their places. They didn't move from their spot, our really at all. It was like they were waiting.

"I'm sure it'll all be fine," I reassured her. "Look, we're almost done with this puzzle! Then we can leave here for the day!"

She turned away. "It's that final part of the puzzle that bothers me."

"Huh? Have you figured it out or something Flora?"

She gave herself a few seconds before answering, carefully picking her words. "No, it's just that I don't like the feeling that I'm getting from this one. The last two seemed almost playful, but this one... This one feels dark."

I went up behind her and hugged her. She was tense. "It's fine! The message does sound rather troubling, but that's probably just to scare people away. I don't think that the inventors of this building were sadistic enough to actually require 'pain' to get through."

She loosened up a little. "I guess you're right. No one has been in any danger yet, so I guess that we probably won't run into any more."

I released her. "That's the spirit! Now, what could be the solution?"

Brandon overheard me speaking and came over to where we were standing. "I think I might know, but before suggesting it to the boss I would like to confer with you, Elron."

"Sure, tell me what you got!"

He leaned in and whispered in my ear. "I think that we need Registeel to inflict pain on the other two."

I recoiled, almost jumping away. "What?! No way! That can't be it!"

"Why is that? I don't like the idea of it either, but it seems to make sense. Obviously those two are where they need to be, but there isn't any 'pain' in the situation, which must be why a way further down has not been revealed yet."

I couldn't exactly refute that idea. It made sense, however, that solution didn't sit well with me, so I tried poking holes in the theory. "But why must Registeel do it?"

"That's simple: type advantage. It's probably symbolic."

I knew that I had been beat. Sure enough, Steel was super effective against both Ice and Rock. This was a simple fact that we were all told way back in the younger days of school.

"What are you guys talking about?" interjected Daron. "Do you think that you know how we are to get past this?"

Flora and I cringed, but a smirk found its home on Brandon's face.

Shoot! He's going to tell him just for the glory!

"I think that we need to have Registeel attack the others."

"Oh that makes sense. Let's try it! Nicely done Brandon!" He once again brought out Registeel.

"Wait!" I said, trying to stop him. "Don't you see any problem with this method? It's rather inhumane don't you think?"

"Not really. It's nothing worse than what happens in your everyday pokemon battle. They can take it."

"Oh... Yeah, that makes sense. Silly me." I backed off and no longer felt averse to the method. What I didn't see was that Flora wasn't comforted one bit. In fact, it had gotten much worse for her.

"Now, let's try it! Registeel, use Metal Claw!"

The golem slashed forward, clawing the backs of its kin. They shrieked weird, robotic sounding tones, and the green light changed into red. A staircase opened up under the previous one, shaking the ground.

Daron and several of the others cheered.

"Hey everyone," announced the head boss. "We'll call that a day, so everyone get lots of rest for tomorrow! We're finishing up this exploration tomorrow for sure!"

There was more cheering, and the team packed up and left the building.

-----

That night I laid in my sleeping bag in our tent. Flora stirred restlessly, but looked to be asleep.

It ends tomorrow huh? Does that mean that I'll be done with this job? I'd kind of like to keep my easy source of income, but at the same time maybe it would be better to dedicate myself to making it through the Elite Four first.

I looked at Flora and smiled.

I have a promise to keep, after all. I'd better go and take down my father before thinking too much about my future... The future, huh? Who knows what that will bring!

I squirmed a little in my sleeping back, almost doing a little celebratory dance.

I don't know what's ahead, but I'm excited! And best part is, I'll have a beautiful girl with me the entire way!

I once again turned to Flora in my sleeping bag. This time, however, I could tell that she was definitely awake. Laying on her side, she was whispering to a pokeball. Ninetales's pokeball. In her face was a sorrow deeper than the ocean, gloom cast from heights even above the clouds. Something was bothering her in a way that I couldn't understand.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

She jolted a little at the surprise that I was still awake and had seen her. She made sure that her back was turned to me the best she could. "Oh, nothing."

"Come on, even I can tell something is bothering you!"

"Oh... Well maybe I'm just a little homesick or something," she lied.

I laid back and looked at the roof of the tent. "I guess that makes sense. Luckily, it sounds like we'll be done here tomorrow, then we can head home!"

"Uh-huh. Well anyways, good night."

"Good night," I said back. A few seconds later I realised that there were more powerful words that I could be using. "Love you."

She didn't answer back, which I assumed was because she was already asleep.

Just a moment ago I had felt so victorious and ready to take down the world, but something about that face changed that feeling.

If we were succeeding at such heights, why did it suddenly feel like we were falling to our doom?

***

A/N: Did I just right a completely serious chapter? What could this mean?! Think about that over the next few weeks ;)