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REBIRTH

THE CAVE OF THE UNKNOWN

Pt. 2 Ch. 4

For the remainder of the trip to the cave, not much was spoken between Lady Cresselia, Lady Suicune, and I, but it really couldn't be helped. It was never a pleasant thing to be wrenched out of a dream or have that dream shattered in front of you by the one you hope to share that dream with. It was just like when a shy/timid girl has a crush on an older boy, only to either find out that he already has a girlfriend or gets turned down when she finally builds up the courage to ask him out for the first time. It is almost to the point where the girl believes that she wishes she would just die or vanish away into nothingness.

At least it was that way between Lady Cresselia and I. I knew now her feelings and it tugged at my heart strings to not be able to reciprocate those feelings, even if they'd be false. I guess it was just the look of helplessness/dead in her eyes that was what really hurt, but still I knew that there wasn't anything I could truly do. I mean, dreams and wishes are nice to hold onto but you shouldn't put all your hopes into those wishes/dreams to come true. As the day wore on, I felt like a total heel and it only got worse every time I turned and saw Lady Cresselia slowly following behind us as we continued towards the cave of the Unknown.

Not much else happened as we sped away the miles and by the time the sun had finally set did we find ourselves at the supposed location that the Archeologist had disappeared. Though the only thing that we met was something that none of us expected; it was an entrance to a strange cave in the side of a bolder. This confused us all for quite some time and only did more so when we walked around to the opposite side of the bolder, expecting to find the other side of the hole, only to see that the bolder was solid the rest of the way around it. When we returned to the front and the entrance to the bolder, did we all stop and stare at the unusual phenomenon/bolder and its entrance to who knows where. 'How in the world is this possible?' I wondered as I scratched at the back of my head and thought about how to rationalize this strange phenomenon/site. 'This reminds me of those old cartoons that I used to watch when I was little. The Mightyena would paint a whole on the side of a rock and the Dodrio would run right through it. Only when the Mightyena would try to follow, it'd slam face first into the rock itself.'

So thinking that this was something similar I picked up a stone and gave it a toss towards the entrance, only to see it pass harmlessly through the entryway and watch as the rock would be swallowed up by the darkness a moment later after entering the strange gateway/entrance. "What in the world is this all about? I mean, it shouldn't be possible for an entrance to exist into the side of a boulder and not have an exit on the other side."

'That is the Unknown for you.' Lady Cresselia said as she floated forward and placed a solitary hand upon the stone and peered inside. 'The Unknown are just as their name describes them, Unknown. Hardly anything is really known about them, even the extents of their abilities are a mystery to us Legendries.' I turned from looking at Lady Cresselia to that of Lady Suicune, only to see her nod up at me in recognition of what Lady Cresselia had just said was true.

It wasn't until Trisha placed a paw on my leg did I break out of the confusion over the information that even legendries didn't know it all. Looking down I saw that she was pointing at something and I knelt down so that she could speak a little closer to me. 'I think that there is something going on with the gateway.' She said and to emphasize that, she walked over to it and brushed the back of her paw against the edge of the gateway. Once she'd done that did she beckon me over and when I knelt down to see what she'd just brushed her paw against I could see what appeared to be the Unknown in carving form. It was like someone had come along and decorated the edge of the entrance with carvings in the stone, done up in likeness to the Unknown.

A moment later I was startled when a pink hand moved past my head to press/feel where we were looking. Quickly looking over my shoulder I saw that it was Lady Cresselia and she had what appeared to be a quizzical look upon her face. 'Would you look at this? There seems to be some kind of energy emanating off these carvings.'

I furrowed my brow at her for a moment, until a crazy idea began to worm its way back to front of my mind. 'Could it be possible that these carvings are what are allowing this strange entrance to exist?' "I don't know if this is true, but I think we've found the entrance to the place where the Archeologist got lost." This caused everyone to stop what they were doing and look up at me in confusion. "I mean, it makes sense doesn't it? We know that she was studying a strange/ancient location and her main focus was on that of the Unknown." Ever so slowly I reached up and placed a hand to where the lisp of the entrance was and nodded. "I can definitely feel something strange from just the precipice of this rock and knowing that tells me that we're in the right place."

'But I thought that she was studying an ancient ruin?' Trish spoke up making me turn and look down at her.

'That may be true but you have to remember that the Unknown are known for keeping themselves secretive. So it would not be that big of a stretch that they conceal the entrance to their domain as something that any average person or Pokémon would just pass it by without a second thought. But in the case of the Archeologist they must have seen something in her that they liked or such, and decided to play around with her and possibly make her see something that she wanted to see.' Lady Cresselia said which caught me by surprise a bit at how much she actually knew about these Unknown.

But as I thought on Lady Cresselia's words Lady Suicune nuzzled up to my side and waved at me to kneel down. 'Are you sure about this? You know about that problem of yours.' She said in a slight whisper which I couldn't help but stop and think about it a little more than before.

'I can't really put it off. We're here and if I don't go through with it, Lady Cresselia might think something is wrong and enquire as to the reason.' Lady Suicune looked over her shoulder at Lady Cresselia and saw her talking with Trisha about something that was spoken in such a soft tone that she couldn't make out what the conversation was about.

Standing once more I reached out a tentative hand and placed it where I believed the precipice was and sighed. Gathering my courage I nodded to myself and slowly began to move my hand forward to meet some kind of resistance. At first the barrier/resistance felt as if it were like some kind of Jell-O; soft, pliable, and easily moved with my touch or force behind it. There was very little resistance to the barrier, almost as if it couldn't make up its mind whether or not to allow me entry and for the briefest of instants I was afraid that my being an eighth human would lock the barrier down, but as I continued to press into the barrier it stretched inwards and finally began to mold around my hand. It was a strange feeling that, molding, as it felt like warm putty was wrapping around my hand but it only lasted for another moment before it was finally gone and my hand passed through the barrier unmolested/unharmed.

'Thank goodness, the barrier let me pass.' I breathed a little easier knowing that my fears were unfounded and that I wouldn't be thrown out or rejected entirely. With a nod over my shoulder to Lady Suicune, she gave a quick bark to the other two in our party and with everyone on the ball now, we passed through the gateway and into the darkness. As all of us entered into the darkness it seemed as if the darkness was sucking away all the light of the place. Even when I turned to look back the way we'd come, there wasn't any sign of the entrance, and that made me feel a little uneasy, but when I felt something soft and warm brush against my leg I looked down and saw Lady Suicune smiling up at me.

'Be strong for me my knight.' And with those few words, I regained my courage and I nodded confidently down to her.

'I can't let this place get to me. I have to remain strong for my Lady.' I thought to myself as I opened up my senses and began to pour my energy into my elbow blades.

'Something is coming.' Lady Cresselia said, and as I turned to see where she was pointing at I saw that off in the distance something was indeed coming.

"It looks like four...snow globes." I said as I looked on at the four objects slowly approaching us. Not knowing what was going on I slowly began to add a little more energy to my elbow blades, but that only allowed them to glow faintly in the darkness, but not extend. I didn't want to appear menacing or show any kind of hostility, but if those things meant us any harm I wanted to be ready. As I watched, the four globes danced around each other, in some kind of dance that only they could hear the music to, but throughout their dance they continued to close the gap between us and finally ended up stopping just arm's length away from us.

Not really understanding what was going on here I simply stared at the one that'd stopped in front of me and scrutinized it. It did look very similar to that of a snow globe, but unlike regular ones this one, mine, was empty. The only thing within the globe was what appeared to be a grassy plain, totally devoid of anything else within, even missing the typical fake snow. Though as I turned to see what was within that of the others globes I noticed that each of them were transfixed by there's. I was confused by this, but my eyes quickly shot open in alarm when Trisha spoke something under her breath and then reached out to touch hers with her paw.

Just as her claw touched the globe was I surprised to see it shatter, but those shards that made up the now broken globe didn't fall to the ground but slowly wink out like someone turning out the light in a light bulb. I was a bit confused by this and wondered what it meant, but I didn't focus on that long as when I turned to look back at Trisha to see her reaction to the globe shattering before her, did I see her begin to sway back and forth, and finally fall to her side unconscious. 'What the hell!' I thought but as I was about to shout out a warning to Lady Suicune and Lady Cresselia, I found I was too late and both were unconscious on the ground with the last of the fragments of their snow globes wink out.

Fearing the worst for them I quickly turned to that of my own globe and glowered at it. "I don't know what you did to the others, but you're going to pay for it right now." Quickly I regained my feet and throwing a lot of energy into my right elbow blade I quickly lashed out and cut the thing in half. It was only a moment later that my breathing slowly began to return to me but as I turned to look at what I'd just done did the thing stay hovering in the air, still split into two even halves. As I stared at the thing in confusion did it slowly begin to glow and just as I was about to turn away from the sheer brightness of it all did the thing explode in a whirl of color.

By the time I was able to see again did I find myself somewhere...else. No longer was I in that darkened place, but on that of a grassy plain. The wind was lightly blowing across the grass that made it appear as that of a gentle surf and I could feel gentle warmth over my body that must have been coming down from the sun that looked only a quarter of the way risen over the horizon to my right. I was totally confused by the sigh and the instant change in scenery but as I began to look about my surroundings did I instantly freeze up at the feeling of someone behind me. Not knowing who or what it was, heck it could be one or several of the Unknown, I slowly tensed and sent a little power into my blades and turned to look slowly out of the corner of my eye over my shoulder. What I saw there made me freeze up and my mouth dropped open in shock.

Standing not far away from me where two psychic types. One that of a Gardevoir in all her stunning beauty, while the other was that of a strong looking Gallade. I was confused by the sight of the two psychic types suddenly appearing behind me, but as I slowly turned to face the two I couldn't help but feel like I knew these two, though I knew that was impossible. I mean, I'd seen Gallades and Gardevoirs before, but for some reason these two just seemed...familiar somehow. It was like you know you should remember someone, as they know your name and all, but for the life of you, you can't recall their name or where you'd seen them before.

Once I'd fully turned so that I was facing the two did I flinch or get into a fighting stance as the Gardevoir held her arms out to me and opened them slightly. Looking down at her arms and then back up at her it seemed like she wanted me to come over to her and give her a hug, but as I stared into her eyes I could see warmth there that I'd never known. 'Who are you?' I wondered but as I wondered that I saw her face slowly turn up into a smile that I could swear would resemble a mother's smile towards that of her...son. And when I turned to look towards that of the Gallade standing next to her, he had on the same smile but it looked as if a father was pleased with something his son has done well or completed.

It was strange looking at these two and wondering why they were here and smiling at me, but as I thought about that for a moment something popped into the back of my head. 'I never really knew my parents and looking at these two it seems almost like something straight out of a dream come true.' Any person who never really knew their parents would fall to their knees in joy at seeing their long lost parents welcoming them back with open arms and smiles, but knowing as to what I truly was, this was something that couldn't be possible.' "Nice try but I know that this is just some kind of illusion."

Upon saying that, both psychic types faces they slowly lost their happy/smiling faces and took on ones of confusion. "These two aren't my parents and if you knew anything about me then you'd know that too." With that everything began to become clear and I realized what was really going on here. This illusion was being brought to me by the Unknown's power and with their vast/unfathomable power they could easily create a fantasy world that to the beholder would gladly give up their entire being to enjoy. Feeling a bit angry at having my emotions played with I poured my energy into my elbow blades and using both teleport and Psycho Cut, I delivered a devastating attack to the illusions backs. When I opened my eyes after I'd executed the combination move I was standing once again inside the darkened room and began to wonder if it was another trick or the real thing.

Upon looking about me I was relieved to find that I was indeed back where I'd been before, as lying about me were the other three in our party. A quick inspection of each found their eyes moving with jerking like quickness under their eyelids, which meant that they were still trapped within their dream like states, probably experiencing whatever their hearts desired. I had a vague idea as to what Trisha was dreaming/experiencing, but a shiver ran up and down spine as I looked down at Lady Cresselia. Though when I turned and looked down at Lady Suicune, my heart went out to her and I couldn't help but wonder what she was dreaming of.

Walking over to Lady Suicune I knelt down and lightly smiled at her. 'I wonder what she's dreaming of?' I smiled down at her as I saw a stray part of her braid had come loose and as I brushed it back into place I saw her shiver and smile.