Everything In Between

X

"We've been searching for hours!" Illusion groaned.

Gray nodded, "Yeah...Wouldn't we have found this place by now?"

Ellie looked down at her phone and furrowed her brows. She muttered something the boys couldn't quite make out and took another turn. Three boys trailed the blonde, blindly following her because, really, they couldn't break off no matter how much they wanted to- they had no idea where they were. Even Danny and Gray were completely lost, and they'd been there before.

Danny checked his own phone, "It's getting late...We should find a way out so we can fly outta here."

Ellie stopped in her tracks and turned on her heels, "No! We can't stop now! I know it's here!"

The three boys exchanged looks.

"It is!"

"We haven't seen a Pokémon for miles!" Illusion argued.

Ellie raised an eyebrow, "It hasn't been miles."

Illusion shoved his hands in his jacket pockets, "And? My point is still valid! There's nothing even living here..."

Illusion had that right. The group was in a small, dark, wet smelling cave. No one was certain where the smell of moisture was coming from, as the ground and ceiling looked dry on the surface. Everyone had their phone flashlights on, and Danny's Emboar tailed the group, annoyed with the lack of light and warmth.

The group suddenly halted, having come to a dead end. Illusion rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. Gray groaned, wrapped his arms around Danny's waist, and buried his face in Danny's bicep.

Ellie felt near tears, "N-No...I was so sure..."

"I'm sorry Ellie," Danny sighed, "But we have to turn around."

Ellie stomped her foot in frustration. She sat down on a nearby boulder and buried her face in her hands. Danny, Gray, and Emboar went over to comfort her. Illusion stood away from them and let his eyes wander the cavern. Something caught his eye and he wandered over to the other side of the cave.

Illusion kneeled down and squinted at a faded substance on the wall of the cave. He scrunched up his nose and took his phone out. He turned his flashlight on and examined the cave's wall.

"Hey...guys...?" Illusion called, "C'mere for a minute."

The other members of the group walked over to Illusion. Ellie was sniffling and wiping her eyes as she wandered over.

"Look at this." Illusion demanded, pointing to the faded substance on the wall.

Gray furrowed his eyebrows and ran his fingers over it. As he did so, Illusion grimaced.

"What is it?" Gray asked.

"Guano." Illusion stated.

Danny and Ellie both gasped. Gray raised an eyebrow, "Guano?"

Illusion smirked, "Excrement of bat Pokémon."

Gray pulled his hand away, "Gross!" He shrieked.

Danny inched away from his boyfriend, "So...why is this a big deal? I'm sure Pokémon do live here."

"But why is it in the middle of the wall?" Illusion asked, standing up straight. He shone his flashlight towards the ceiling, "And it's old..."

Illusion squinted at the ceiling. A lightbulb suddenly turned on in his head, "I know why it's so damp in here."

Ellie sniffled, "Why?"

Illusion took a few steps back from the wall and ushered everyone else to do so, "Emboar- knock down this wall."

"You sure that's a good idea, kid?" Emboar asked.

Illusion raised his eyebrows at the fire type. Emboar grunted and turned to his trainer. Danny nodded and gestured towards the wall. As Emboar stepped towards the cave's wall, everyone else stepped back. Ellie dug through her bag and handed Gray a Clorox wipe, which he swiftly took and used. Gray went to hold his boyfriend's hand, but Danny still pulled away, making Gray pout a bit.

Emboar snorted smoke from its nose and charged up an attack. It punched the wall with full force, its arm going right through it. After it pulled back, the wall began collapsing, revealing a snowy path outside. Cold wind rushed inside the cavern, making everyone shudder.

Illusion smirked, "The moisture came from the outside. The small spaces in the wall let moisture from outside seep in."

Ellie grinned, "There is hope!" She chirped, rushing to Illusion's side. She grabbed his arm and gave him a grateful smile. She skipped outside, Gray following excitedly at her tail.

"And I thought you didn't care..." Danny teased, smirking at Illusion as he followed Gray and Ellie outside.

Illusion crossed his arms, "I don't."

"Seems like you do." Emboar grunted.

"Oh shut up." Illusion said, following the group.

The group trudged through the snow, freezing their butts off. All except of course, Emboar, who stuck near Danny. Party loyalty, naturally. They all eventually cave to a small rocky hill near the edge of a cliff.

Ellie ran her hand over a particularly flat part of the hill's wall. Her soft purple mittens tried to stick to the rocky surface. She turned to Emboar and gave it pleading eyes.

Emboar charge up another attack, and knocked down the wall with no difficulty. Rubble flew everywhere, and as the dust cleared, the group stepped inside the cave.

The sight they saw was unbelievable.

"Woah..." Illusion breathed.

Gray gasped, "It's-"

"Real!" Ellie screeched.

The cave was deep. There was a broken pathway leading down into the dark, damp cave. At the bottom, the large abandoned ruins of a castle. Water dripped from the ceiling, stalagmites of various sizes shot up from the floor, and dust seemed to hang in the air.

"I finally found it!" Ellie chirped, "Team Plasma's Castle!"