In the middle of the canyon, Uxie stood, with Chatot, Wigglytuff, Dante, Pikachu, and Azumarill gathered before him.
By this time, Uxie had already healed all of them from their injuries, ensuring normal conversation after Dante repeatedly just thought "stone, stone, stone, rocks, stone, stone, stone…" in his mind.
"I have removed our telepathic connections as per your request. Now then, tell me your reason for seeking entry into Fogbound Lake."
"Of course, it's for the treasure! We heard Fogbound Lake has countless treasures for those who can find it. It's just too bad…"
Pikachu's voice trailed off as he looked at Uxie reluctantly. With the Legendary Pokemon guarding the lake, Pikachu knew their expedition would most likely end in failure.
After all, just earlier, Uxie created two Groudon with a thought before them to show his power. Not to mention how he put the Guildmaster to sleep with a single move.
Although Pikachu had grown more confident due to their recent exploits, even he had to admit that they probably stood no chance against such a powerful Pokemon.
"I understand. As someone who passed the trial, each of you is allowed to take a treasure from my collection."
"Wait, really?"
Pikachu's eyes shone with hope.
"Indeed. I have set a rule here. Anyone who is able to solve all the puzzles and reach Fogbound Lake, I will grant them the opportunity to choose and return with one treasure."
Pikachu jumped in excitement. In contrast, however, Dante and Chatot both gave Uxie a dubious look.
"How about the legend of you deleting the memories of Pokemon? Surely those from the stories must have also solved the puzzles and arrived here?"
"Ah, yes. I forgot. Those who chose the wrong treasure will have their memories deleted."
"Eh!? You should have said that earlier!"
Uxie didn't seem to notice their outburst. Or even if he did, he didn't care. He floated towards the cave, not minding whether Dante and the others would come after him.
"Guildmaster, do you think we should follow?"
"Of course! Treasure~ treasure~"
Wigglytuff seemed to have forgotten everything that had just happened earlier. He hummed and happily skipped after Uxie. Pikachu, Dante, Azumarill, and Chatot helplessly looked at each other before following their whimsical Guildmaster.
They passed through a damp and dark passage, the sound of surging water growing louder with each step. When they finally reached the end, they were met with a breathtaking sight.
A vast pool of water stretched into the distance, with shimmering hues of pink, blue, green, and yellow reflected on its surface. Looking closely, the source of those lights became clear- Volbeats and Illumise flying and dancing atop the water.
The moonlight cast a wonderful spotlight upon their graceful forms, and the gentle waves created a soothing melody.
In the middle of the lake, a large green-blue radiance emanated from deep within. And upon closer inspection, the source of light turned out to be a blue-green, hexagonal, ancient-looking stone.
"Is that…"
Chatot turned an inquiring gaze at Uxie, his tone asking for confirmation.
"Yes. That's a Time Gear, the sole reason why I am guarding this place."
Uxie answered Chatot's unfinished question, his eyes looking over the horizon.
"That's a Time Gear?"
Pikachu and Azumarill looked curiously at the artifact responsible for controlling the flow of time in the world. Dante squinted to get a clearer view, a sense of wonder rising in his heart.
'So that's what a Time Gear truly looks like. Since this is the item Uxie guards, could this be the treasure that will cause him to delete our memory if we choose to take it? But then, what about Grov-'
Dante shook his head, hurriedly disrupting his train of thought. Even though Uxie told them he wouldn't eavesdrop on their thoughts, he wouldn't place his trust on a Pokemon they just met, especially one so long-lived.
Looking at Wigglytuff in front of their group who had an innocent smile while staring at the Illumise and Volbeat, a sense of envy rose in Dante's heart. How he wished he could be as simple-minded as the Guildmaster.
As soon as Dante thought of this, a realization struck him. Maybe…this could help solve his current predicament?
Closing his eyes, Dante recalled how to use the move Calm Mind. If Wigglytuff can use it to suppress his emotion according to Uxie, then could he use it to achieve something similar?
Admittedly, Dante only used this move a few times, preferring to practice Swords Dance and Nasty Plot due to their higher attack boost. Therefore, he was a bit unfamiliar with its operation.
He channeled the energy inside his body to move in a cyclic motion, from his brain to his heart. Soon, Dante felt his mind relax, all his distracting thoughts disappearing.
Calm Mind is a Psychic-type move that can initially boost a Pokemon's Special Attack and Special Defense by 10% by focusing the mind and calming the spirit.
Dante breathed a sigh of relief. At this moment, it became easier for him to focus on thinking about certain things instead of letting his mind wander.
"Look carefully, it's about to appear."
Uxie's sudden voice attracted everyone's attention.
"What's about to appear?"
No sooner had Chatot asked, the water in the middle of the lake began to churn. Then, a massive geyser erupted, shooting more than 10 meters into the air.
The Time Gear gave the geyser a dreamlike green-blue hue, while the Illumise and Volbeat cast a radiant glow upon the falling droplets. In harmony, it created a spectacle surpassing that of the performance in the Butterfly Garden!
Everyone watched in awe, appreciating the breathtaking scenery of the lake until the geyser finally died down.
"Wow~ Fantastic! The treasure, the treasure must be the view of Fogbound Lake!"
Dante and the others snapped out of their daze when they heard Wigglytuff's words.
"Hahaha, you are a peculiar one. Few can accept going through all those trials only to find out the treasure is this view. And yet, I can sense no reluctance from you."
Uxie let out a rare chuckle as he glanced at innocent Wigglytuff with appreciation.
"This view is one of the treasures I wish to share with those who passed the trial. But, I am not so miserly as to only offer this."
Dante, Pikachu, and Azumarill heaved a sigh of relief. Admittedly, the three had mixed emotions when they heard Wigglytuff saying the treasure was just the view. Although it was a bit materialistic, after having tasted the 'reward' from Zapdos, the trio had gained a certain fondness for obtaining treasures from these long-lived Legendary Pokemon.
"You three…."
Chatot covered his face in shame when he saw the reaction of their Guild's apprentices. On the other hand, Uxie turned around and floated towards a corner of the cave.
"Come, the treasure room is right over there."
"Yay!"
Pikachu cheered and rushed after Uxie. The others quickly followed suit. They walked through the damp floor of the cave, through a long tunnel, and finally stopped in front of a solid rock wall.
Uxie made some gestures, and the wall slid down to reveal a room gilded in gold.
The room was much larger than the one Zapdos had. Golden Nuggets formed a huge pile in each corner, with Pearls and Gold Relics intermixed.
Dante's heart thumped when he saw Mega Stones of different varieties, Sun Stones and other evolutionary stones, and even a Key Stone!
"Very well then, choose any item you want. But remember, you may only take out one treasure away from here."
Dante looked at Uxie's placid expression, and a sense of disharmony arose in his heart.
As the Legendary Pokemon in charge of Knowledge, it seems normal to reward those who passed his trial.
But Dante can't shake the feeling of something not quite right. He looked at Pikachu who had his paws full of gold Nuggets, Azumarill with pearls around his neck, and Chatot whose eyes were shining while looking around the room.
However, Wigglytuff, who should have been most excited among them, had his face turning pink as he looked at the wall and away from the treasures.
"Guildmaster, is something wrong?"
"Hngggh, I-I choose to keep my memory."
"What do you mean? Uxie said he would only take away the memories of those who chose the wrong treasure…!!"
Dante's eyes widened.
"…so that's it. This is a trap. The rule states that each of us can walk away with only one treasure. However, just earlier, he told us the view was one of the treasures he shared. If we choose to pick up an item now, it will give him the opportunity to erase our memory!"
A/N: Ugh, writing this just destroyed a few of my brain cells. Anyway, how do you think Dante can overcome the last obstacle to claiming a 'real' treasure?