Chapter 19 – Part 2

Looking at each other again with confusion they stared at the expanse between them and the other 
side of the lettered tiles. Approaching the edge of the region, Ash placed a foot forward on a 
letter ‘B’ but had to throw his weight backwards and land with a bump when the tile crumbled to dust 
to be claimed by a black abyss below. “How are we meant to cross that?” he asked, looking at Misty 
and Pikachu who had remained at the scroll. 

“I think this riddle has something to do with it. If not, why would it be here? Here, look” she 
pointed to some writing carved into the stone above the glass. “’If you wish to reach your goal, 
take this leap of faith. Only some will provide a path, while others will lead to your doom’ 
Basically, solve the riddle and the letters for each line reveal which step you can use.” she 
replied, not taking her eyes from the scroll. Returning to her side, Ash took another look at the 
riddle.

“Well, I hope it means something to you, cos I have no idea!” he replied in a huff, turning around 
and slumping on the ground. 

“Hmm…” she replied, deep into the riddle. Pulling out a piece of paper and a pencil from…somewhere, 
she began fervently scribbling notes and jotting things down. Closing his eyes and resting for a 
moment, Ash found his head beginning to nod. Trying to resist the urges of sleep and relaxation, his 
head jerked up every time it sank to his chest until his body no longer obeyed his wished and he 
fell into a sleep. 

Glancing down from her work, Misty took a few moments to gaze upon his sleeping figure, slumped 
against the cabinet as his head began to roll sideways until it rested on her leg. Letting a soft 
smile cross her lips, she repositioned herself so that his head wouldn’t fall from it’s resting 
place and continued working on the riddle. 

Observing all from afar, Pikachu also allowed a grin to cross his little face at just how well they 
were getting on, especially when believing they were alone. Finding sleep coming to him as well, he 
walked over to his trainer and curled up on his lap, letting out a soft “Chaaaa” as he too found 
sleep. 

“I’VE GOT IT!” screamed Misty, leaping into the air in jubilation while forgetting the peaceful 
slumber of the boys next to her. The sudden shout and disappearance of his pillow brought Ash into 
the conscious world faster that desired. He and Pikachu leapt into the air, their hearts pounding 
to stare at the crazy girl dancing next to them. Noticing they were awake and the identical shocked 
expressions on their faces calmed her down instantly and she meekly scratched the back of her head. 
“Oops…” she murmured.

“Yeah, “Oops”” said Ash, getting to his feet with Pikachu on his shoulder while stifling a yawn. 
“Well, what’s the answer then?”

“If you see, each line gives you a clue to a certain letter. Like this one for example,” she pointed 
out the third line, “ it says, “My third is the start of a legendary beast, the king of the land if 
you will”. This means that the third letter of this word is the same as the same letter of a 
legendary pokemon. What’s the name of the legendary pokemon that is a ground type and was rumoured 
to have brought the land to the earth?”

“Er…Groudon?” he replied with a puzzled confusion while remembering when he had seen the awesome 
beast in Hoenn. 

“Exactly, therefore the third letter for the first word is ‘G’. Using the same sort of sustem for 
each line I’ve got the answer right here!” she fluttered the paper in front of his face. “Ok, I’ve 
just got to put them all together and…” she wrote down the full order of each letter. The group 
looked at the answer with awe on their faces and read “KOGA IS GREAT”

“Wahh!” Together they hit the floor in a face fall. 

“That is just…ugh so pathetic!” moaned Misty as she realised her brilliant brains had discovered 
such a stupid phrase. 

“Well, I hope you’re right. Let’s give it a go.” Said Ash as he walked to the edge of the strangely 
shaped tiles. Looking over the expanse of stone between them and the other side, they soon located 
the letter “K”, just under a metre in front of Ash. Allowing Pikachu to hop to the ground, Ash took 
one last look at Misty before jumping to the stone. Closing his eyes, he grimaced as his foot hit 
the stone. Waiting for the drop that was bound to follow it took a while for him to open his eyes. 
Miraculously, he was standing on a crumbling stone that had been solid. Allowing his other foot to 
join the first, he beamed back at Misty before searching for the next letter, this time slightly to 
his right. Taking another jump he leapt over the useless tiles and onto the next to the other side. 

Beaming at each other, Misty allowed Pikachu to follow Ash first, waiting for the “K” stone to 
become available for her to follow the group. 

Jump by jump, they made their way closer to the other side where the opening was beginning to be 
seen as a dark space in the opposite wall. Only two stones from the end, Ash nearly lost his balance 
as Pikachu ran out of patience and jumped onto the same stone as his. Gently scolding his pokemon, 
he allowed Pikachu to take the last few stones before him. The little pokemon’s paws had barely 
touched the ground on the other side as Ash heard what he had been dreading ever since Misty had put 
a foot onto the tiles of chance. Her scream.

The stone she had jumped for had fallen through, even after it had safely carried Ash and Pikachu. 
Whipping around, he was just able to catch her terrified face as she vanished through the floor. 
Forgetting that stepping onto other stones would send him plummeting to the bottom of the dark 
chasm, Ash leapt forwards to reach her. Every stone held him. Lying flat on his stomach, there was 
nothing he could do other than stare at her terror stricken face as her body fell down…down…down…and 
out of sight. 

Letting out a yell of desperation, Ash tried to follow her through the hole but Pikachu jumped in 
front of his face, holding his paws up high to prevent him diving through the hole. Chattering away 
in his own tongue, he told Ash that to follow Misty would be stupid and something she would be 
furious at him for doing. Throughout their time in the strange Gym she had made sure he was ok and 
that he could progress through to get his badge. To give up now after her sacrifice would be the 
most stupid thing he could do. 

Reluctantly agreeing with the little pokemon, he allowed Pikachu to push him gently to the other 
side where the floor would not crumble under their weight. Standing at the opening to the next 
corridor in shock he took one last look at the hole Misty had fallen through before brushing a tear 
from his face and walking out of the chamber, into the dark corridor with Pikachu on his shoulder.