Year 5, day 187: I found a location and combination within the records. Distress Mountain. Thankfully it’s mostly caves and not cold. Terra’s coming with, of course. Not sure what type we’re looking at, so I’m bringing Mightyena and Porygon-Z as well. We’ll head out tomorrow.
Year 5, day 188: Distress Mountain is filled with Poison-types. Do you have any idea how powerful I felt right then facing attacks that I could elementally resist? It’s amazing!
Though what awaited us in the deepest cavern was even more awesome. When we got to the last, largest chamber, we had expected another Legendary Pokémon, and had been discussing among ourselves who it might be. So imagine our surprise when sitting in the middle of the room was a meditating Lucario. He was wearing a blindfold with some kind of badge attached to the side that looked a bit like our Explorer Badges. His aura was visible even to us, and emitted an unyielding strength.
The moment we stepped in, the Lucario looked up and stood. “Welcome,” he greeted in an old voice, like that of an ancient martial arts teacher. “You stand before he that guards the Treasure of Fighting. State your intentions.”
“Who are you…?” I asked, confused a little.
“I am Lucario,” he replied. “The winds that reach here have told me the story, that I am the most legendary rescue leader in the world. However, when I came here, I found myself replacing the previous guardian of this forbidden Treasure, and so I was forced to retire from rescuing. Do you seek my Treasure, challenger?”
“We do.”
“Then prepare yourself for my trial. Prove to me the strength of your heart!”
Despite his obvious age, Lucario was no slouch. He shoved off immobilization and Sleep Seeds like it was nothing, leaving it to an all-out fight. He was as nimble as a Butterfree and hit like a freight train, but we kept standing. Mightyena and Terra’s Dark techniques kept catching him off guard, and Porygon-Z’s Discharges wore him down around his elemental resistances.
Eventually, he yielded. I took out the wooden wall in the back that guarded the treasure chest, keyed in the combination, and pulled out the tambourine I had seen in my Scream.
“Congratulations for the strength you have shown me today,” said Lucario. “My work here is completed. The Slam-Bourine is now yours.”
“…Slam-Bourine?!” I groaned. “Gheeze, I almost don’t want it now.”
I’m not sure he heard me; according to the others, he used his Badge to warp out immediately.
Year 5, day 189: We departed back for home on Lapras. My other team members did suggest the possibility of remaining to search for the other Treasures on the Air Continent, not to mention all that could be explored in this new and unknown land, but I took a look at Manaphy and decided no. While there wasn’t a Treasure we had enough of a lead on to hunt, we were better off back on the Grass Continent. I didn’t want to risk them wandering off after a Butterfree or something someplace I had no idea about. Besides, we had done what we came here to do, and people back home were counting on us.
Year 5, day 190: We got home very late last night. This morning, everyone was crowding us, demanding stories of where we went and what it was like. No one got any work done that day, but we shared a lot of drinks at Spinda’s café with what felt like the entirety of Treasure Town. We regaled them with tales of the Air Continent and Distress Mountain, and our battle with an ancient Lucario, and the rescue teams; all while showing them the parts of the continent that the Wonder Map charted. I left out the part about the Treasures, though, just to be safe.
Jumpchain: A Man Chooses 