After separating with the other half of their group Ash, Diana, and Aura ran as fast as they could through the city streets; occasionally being forced to a zombie like shuffle in the more congested parts of the city, and having to avoid some unsavory characters that were eyeing their Pokémon from side streets and alleyways. After they made it past all these obstacles, they managed to arrive at the crossroads of their objectives where Diana bid them fair well and splintered off from their group.

Not long after Diana's departure, Ash and Aura came across her grandfathers shack, although shack was a bit of an understatement for the buildings size. The shack resembled more of a hunters cottage; an all wood structure, a covered front porch with a study oak door, and three shuttered windows,(two to the left of the door  and one circular one a ways above it, that no doubtably was for an attic.), made up the shacks rather creepy presence. Ash took one look at this structure and froze; thinking of every horror movie ever where the unsuspecting teens entering the creepy cottage only to get hacked to pieces, have their throats slashed, or get their brains bashed in by the cliche woodsman/hillbilly murderer.

Aura on the other hand approached the building, as if she didn't see any resemblance between this spooky shack and the creepy cottages from the movies, and simply rung the doorbell. She waited and listened patiently as the ringer began to play a lengthy and deep melody, that Ash thought sounded a lot like the melodies the classic spooky mansions played just before the creepy butler arrived.

No creepy butlers arrived, in fact no one answered, and after a minute Aura rang the doorbell again a slight frown creeping on her lips at the oddity of no one answering. Once again she got no response and decided to knock on the door, only to have it creek opened under the force of her fist.

"Hehe. I guess grandpa forgot to lock the door." Aura said nervously.

"Aura something's not right about this,"-Ash gestured to the open door and the houses creepy exterior-", we should leave before anything bad happens."

Aura looked like she was considering turning back, a decision that would have saved her from a great deal of pain, but she had her choice made for her by her Boldore who casually walked into the foreboding foundation. "If Regi's going then I am too, besides we already came this far and I still need to grab my travel kit." She said as she followed her Pokémon through the door.

Ash decided to change topics so he could avoid thinking about what reason there could be for the door to be left open like that. "So you have a travel kit, does that mean you've wanted to leave here for awhile now?"

Aura had moved past the shacks entrance but stopped to ponder Ash's question, giving Ash and his partners just enough time to enter the dwelling and take in their surroundings. All the lights were off but the room was still bright,(due to a collection of glowing stones scattered around the house), enough for them to get a good look around. The room was surprisingly cozy for a creepy house and looked like a rather normal living space; a moderately sized television set positioned in one corner of the room and accompanied by a Lazy-Boy recliner that had seen some use. A futon with side tables on each end was pressed against one wall, and placed in such a way that the Tv was still visible from the sofa. Tacky wallpaper and dozens of pictures littered the walls and a floor rug that resembled a mossy stone rested under a majority of the furniture.

Ash also noticed a staircase leading up, to what was either an attic or bedroom, on his left , and a doorway to a small kitchen on his right. He also saw a closed door on the wall opposite of him, but didn't have time to investigate due to Aura coming up with an answer to his question.

"I have wanted to, and even tried to, leave for awhile now." She said quietly, "But I've never actually left; something always held me back, always brought me right back to this city, and my grandfather."

"So you've never left this city, never gone outside this cave; never felt the warmth of the sun on your skin or felt the refreshing touch of a summertime breeze?"

Aura giggled at his inquiry. "No, I have gone out side of the cave; even far enough to bask in the sunlight and feel the fresh summer breeze linger on my skin."

"Just wanted to make sure you weren't some sort of cave dwelling gremlin." Ash responded playfully.

Aura scoffed at his jest, "Whatever, I still have to get my kit. It's just upstairs so I'll be back in a few minutes. Feel free to look around, for whatever it is my grandfather wanted to give you, while I'm gone."

Ash grinned and set off rummaging through Aura's grandfathers stuff. In first two minutes of his search all he found were documents on rocks and a bunch of complex formulas that he couldn't decipher in a million years. The next six minutes of searching and the things he scrounged up began getting weirder and weirder: A sandwich that was probably part of some science experiment, based on the crystals and mold growing on it, was in a box of broken sciencey gizmos and gadgets.

The next place Ash looked at made him want to bleach his eyeballs. The cause of this desire to destroy his eyes resided in a two inch thick photo album, that had been stored in a medium sized rosewood box with a heart shaped latch on the front. By all rights the latch should have been replaced with a lock, then  the box placed in a safe, and dropped in the middle of the ocean, so no one else had to bare witnesses to Mr. and Mrs. Danpens Memories of Lake Au-Natural Resort.

Trying to force the image, of Aura's grandparents in the buff, out his mind Ash; looked around the rest of the room, thinking before looking at places Rhyolis might have stashed his delivery, so he could avoid running into any more therapy inducing surprises. His eyes eventually fell on the only room with a closed door and he hesitated, knowing that it was fairly likely for his gift to be behind that door; but it was just as likely to be some more of Aura's grandparents private memorabilia to be there as well.

It was only after receiving supportive looks, from Eevee and Pikachu, did he venture towards the foreboding door. Just as he reached the handle he heard an audible CLICK, followed up by the lengthy creaking of an opening door. Ash whirled around at the sudden intrusion, completely abandoning his attempt to enter the  closed off room, and watched with his partners as the front door slowly allowed the entrance of two men deep in conversation.

"Grandfather, you really should rest. I'm sure I can deliver that package to that Ash boy on my own."

"Nonsense Ferric, I'm as fit as a fiddle." Rhyolis said as he limped along on his bum leg. "Besides only I can give this package to Ash, so your going would only be pointless."

Ferric seemed to have the same stubbornness to him as his grandfather for he continued to argue his point. "Even if I can't deliver the package, I can still find him and bring him back while you stay here and rest up."

"But you know the old saying, Two eyes are better than one, my going with you will be more beneficial than just you looking by yourself."

Ferric had had enough, of his grandfathers shenanigans, and laid down the law. "You're not searching Ash until you have gotten your rest, and that's final."

"I won't stop searching for him until I've-" Rhyolis paused as he finally noticed the boy standing in his house. "-found him."

Ferric was confused by his grandfathers statement and turned his attention into the dwelling, taking notice of the three beings watching from the far side of the room. His first reaction was to reach for a Poké Ball at his waist, so he could fend off the thought to be intruders, but his grandfather merely put a hand up and halted the action.

"Ash my boy, it's good to see you again. I never got the chance to properly thank you for saving me and Aura in that cave, so thank you."

"No problem-"

Rhyolis quickly spoke again forestalling anything Ash had to say regarding the rescue. "I can only assume you're here for the thing you were promised in your invitation, but you should know there are ways of doing things without damaging other people's property." He was obviously talking about the destruction of the Danpen estate and implying that Ash had broken into the shack.

Ash was about to argue both cases but Auras entrance spoke for him on the charge of breaking and entering. "Grandfather are you harassing our guest?" She teased as she descended the stairs. She had changed into a pair of knee high olive green shorts with a light blue trim around the legs and waist and a V-neck white t-shirt that fit snugly to her body. Both of these articles of clothing were accompanied by a multi pocketed hikers vest and a bulging stone grey backpack.

Rhyolis grinned at the sight of his granddaughter, glad that she was going to attempt to travel again. "Only for what he deserves." He said responding to the jest Aura had made.

"But enough dawdling, we've got matters to attend to. Ash what you are looking for is right here." Rhyolis produced a thin silver envelope from a secret fold in his multicolored shirt. From another hidden pocket he also brought out a small pouch that rattled when it moved.

"A mutual friend of ours wanted me to give you these." He handed the objects over to Ash and then turned to his granddaughter producing one last gift, this time from the pockets of his jeans

"And for you my dear, somethings that will help you on your journey."  He handed her a small box neatly wrapped with a simple blue wrapping paper and tied off with a ruby red ribbon. Aura was as curious as a child at Christmas and was about to tear wrapping when her grandfather quickly moved his hands over hers, stopping their endeavor into the box. A fearful expression was on Rhyolis's face during the dash to stop Aura from preemptively opening her present.

"Not yet. You mustn't open it yet. What I have in there is something to remind you of home for when you get homesick, or want to be reminded of us." Rhyolis said the last part as if the words were made of lead and gave him great difficulty in letting them out.

Aura noticing her grandfathers pain in those words tried to ease his pain of her departure, saying that she wouldn't need to be reminded of them because she could always chat with them over the phone. Both her brother and grandfather smiled at her attempt to cheer them up, but the joy was just not there. To Ash, who had been silently observing the family conversation, it felt as if her family was saying more than just sending her off on her journey, he saw it more as if they were saying goodbye and I love you. He kept his thoughts to himself, and let them have this moment, hoping that his odious thoughts were just that, thoughts.

The families conversation lasted another few minutes in which tome Aura had scheduled times when they could call one another, taught her grandfather the basic functions of a smart phone, and told her family she loved them, before exiting the shack with her partner Regi on her heels. Ash went to follow her but had his arm caught in a grip that felt like it came from the mountains themselves. Looking at the source of his lack  of advancement, Ash saw the grim faces of Rhyolis and Ferric looking down at him; as if they had some dark secret they needed to tell him but were thinking of a way to tell him without saying more than they should. Finally thinking of how to word their messages as in the best possible way they spoke to Ash, first Rhyolis and then Ferric.

"Ash, some things are going to happen after you two leave; don't ask me how I know I can't tell you, but when they happen you mustn't do anything to stop them. You and Aura must leave this city and until you do you mustn't read the letter I gave you, mustn't open the pouch and mustn't stop for anything." The old man was on the brink of tears but held them at bay with a stone cold determination. "Once your well outside the city limits you should open the pouch. There's a note in there explaining everything, you can share what's on it with Aura if you want, but read it through before you decide to tell her."

Ash nodded not understanding but respecting his request anyway. Satisfied, Rhyolis walked over to his Lazy-Boy, stopping to gaze at a few more memorable pictures as he went. With Rhyolis strolling down memory lane, Ash and Ferric were left mostly to themselves. Ferric held Ash at arms length staring at him with piercing green eyes that demanded their owner be listened to; then suddenly and without warning he pulled Ash into a tight embrace while suppressing heart wrenching sobs. Ferric's emotional actions caught Ash off guard, and for a time was he unsure of how to respond to the man. Eventually he sportively patted him on the back, awkwardly trying to offer him some support.

"Please, just- just take care of my sister." Ferric pleaded into Ash's shoulder.

"You have my word. I won't let anything happen to her." Ash said confidently, his words providing Ferric with the closure he needed before letting his sister go.

Ferric removed himself from Ash and stood with less dolor. "Thank you. Now go and make good on your word."

Ash promptly obeyed, walking out of the shack to an awaiting Aura who cheerfully strolled off with him, not noticing how peculiar the goodbye her family had given her was. They walked for a good twenty minutes, but to Ash, who had slightly more insight on the situation, it felt like an eternity. Every step felt like a stab in the back, as if by walking away he was helping condemn the Danpen men to whatever fate awaited them, and he had to use every ounce of his will power to keep going.

By the time they had made it to the city exit all of their traveling companions were already waiting for them, and Ash felt like he'd died a hundred times over. Despite his many deaths, Ash continued to convey his normal, upbeat and enthusiastic attitude that most of the group bought without a second thought. Only a small handful of the convoy was able to see through his mask of normality and into the pain that hid bellow. Among this handful were his two partners, who had been there to witness everything and shared in his pain; the other members of these few able to see behind his farce were Serena and her three original Pokémon. All of whom had spent enough time around the trainer to know when somethings troubling him. Those who knew about the face Ash was keeping suppressed remained silent about it, not wanting to put him on the spot and make him feel even worse.

The group quickly caught each other up to speed on what they'd done in the short time they'd been separated, all the while walking towards the caverns exit and the start of their travels together. The second they all stepped out into the crisp evening air they felt, and heard, a low rumble from far behind them. Several faces showed concern for what that vibration had been but, with Ash's compelling, they dismissed it as a large Pokémon burrowing underground.

As they walked away from Crystal Caverns, Ash couldn't help but look back at the cave they had left, knowing with dread that the cause of the rumbling had nothing to do with a burrowing Pokémon. He stowed away this thought, along with the rest of the many odious thoughts he'd had in the past hour, and followed the group to their next destination.

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Okay I finally got this chapter finished. This one took me awhile for several reasons some being school related,(including an infernal ACT I had to take), and others being my reluctance to being cruel. seriously I spent an entire hour trying to devise a way to write Rhyolis and Ferric out of the story while maintaining the integrity of the plot and not being excessively cruel to Aura. If you guys are confused at all by this chapter just give me a message and I'll get back to you.

Anyways thanks for reading guys, and I hope you stick around for my next chapter where I reveal everything that happened to the two Danpen men. Don't forget to vote and comment on anything you liked,(it helps me gauge what you guys like and improves my writing), and I'll see you all in my next chapter.