Author's note: I have just noticed that I have written Giratina wrong. His name will be mispelt for the next few chapters, as I already uploaded them before realising. I do apologise. Hopefully that error doesn't put you off in reading my fanfic. And thank you for continuing to read : ).
Chap. 02 – The Distortion World
Dawn opened her eyes to see herself within a dark world. This world seemed to deny the rules of gravity, as she looked around to see plateaus of solid earth surrounding her above, beside her and below her feet. This was a strange world indeed and it seemed abstract in its own way. Cautiously she looked over the edge of the plateau she was standing on to see more plateaus floating below her. She then looked around to notice that this world was drowning within an abyss, as the darkness that spiralled around this strange dark world gave of the illusion that it was being pulled into the darkness below… forever falling into darkness.
"Where the heck are we?" Barry's voice caught her attention. He was here as well, along with Lucas and Cynthia.
"This is the Distortion World," Cynthia began to explain. "Girantina's realm. It is a place that defies the laws of our world… you can go as far to say that this world is opposite to ours. This is what our world will become if thrown into chaos… a world with no universal laws of time and space. In a sense…this world doesn't exist."
"But… we're here aren't we… so it does exist," Barry pointed out.
"Perhaps you should stop seeing with your eyes, and begin looking at this with your mind… think philosophically for a moment. Yes, we are here… but at the same time, we don't exist."
"But… we're here…"
Lucas sighed. "You're so simple minded." Three small Pokemon disrupted their debate, as they began to dance around the trainers to get their attention. They stared up in awe as the three legendary Pokemon of emotion, willpower, and knowledge continued to circle above them… as if they were trying to tell them something. They then split off in three ways. With the way they were acting around them, it was if Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf wanted them to follow. "…I guess we should follow?"
"They must want to help us in closing this world from ours," Cynthia replied. "They want us to help them save our world from peril. However… there's the danger of Girantina as well. It won't let us close this portal so easily."
"We'll, split up," Dawn then suggested. "The three of us will follow Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf, while you Cynthia handle Girantina." Mesprit returned to the group. It looked as though it had something else to say. With that, Mesprit used its power to organise the trainers by placing them in teams. With telekinesis-like power, Mesprit made the trainers float in mid air making them gasp in fright as they floated above the ground. It then placed them back down again with Barry, Lucas and Cynthia standing close together in a group of three, while Dawn remained standing on her own.
"I think Mesprit has a different idea," Cynthia then said. "It looks a though it wants me, Barry and Lucas to follow them… and you go after Girantina." With that Mesprit nodded.
"What?" Dawn gasped. "Me… go after Girantina? But you're a more experienced trainer than me, Cynthia! Why do I have to go?"
"Because it seems our friend Mesprit believes you are more worthy than me. Are you going to go against the wisdom of an ancient Pokemon?" Dawn sighed giving in. "All right, let's get going. Time is of the essence… literally." With that Cynthia followed after Mesprit, while Barry and Lucas went to find Uxie and Azelf.
Dawn sighed. "Why me…?"
This world seemed so small, and yet so vast with its climbing plateaus going sideways and even going upside down. Lucas found himself walking across a plateau with its upside down gravitational pull keeping his feet planted as he walked across. He looked up to see Barry waving up at him. To Barry, it looked like Lucas was walking upside down above him. Man this was trippy! He reached the end of the plateau and jumped off to find himself walking side ways. He felt that he was going to fall. He then spotted Uxie floating above a boulder.
Barry had found Azelf floating above a bolder. It began to circle around it trying to tell Barry something. He began to ponder as Azelf continued to float around it. It also began to point to a hole beside it giving Barry a clue. It was simply telling him to put the bounder into the hole, however it seemed that the hasty blonde haired punk just couldn't get what it was saying. With a sigh, Azelf tried another way of making Barry understand as it started to push the boulder towards the hole. It was too heavy for the small lightweight Pokemon to budge, so hopefully its struggle will make the dim-witted trainer get it.
"Oh, you need help?" Barry then asked it. Well… that least the trainer got the message… to an extent. "No problem." Barry pulled out a poke ball. "Come on out Munchlax!" When the ball hit the ground it opened releasing a bright light. It died down to reveal the Pokemon Munchlax. "I need you use Strength to help Azelf move that boulder into the hole, buddy." While Munchlax happily used the technique Strength to push the boulder into a hole, Barry looked up to see one of Lucas' Pokemon doing the same thing… but upside down. "Man, that's trippy!"
"Ahh! My hat!" Lucas' hat fell of his head to reveal his short shaven raven hair. The hat fell by Barry's feet, who picked it up and pulled it on his head with a giggle. "Hey! That's my hat!"
On a waterfall that fell sideways, Cynthia surfed across fighting the current on one of her Pokemon. Unlike her partners who had no or very little idea of what the legendary Pokemon were making them do, she understood completely as she surfed towards a boulder. This was a puzzle Girantina had created to test them to see of they were worthy as trainers. By working together with their Pokemon, Girantina wanted to see if the humans saw their Pokemon as equals, for the treatment of their Pokemon reflected upon the kind of people they were. Also, by placing these boulders in certain holes perhaps opens doors for Dawn to reach Girantina? She reached her boulder and called upon her Pokemon to push it off the ledge. They watched as it landed onto a plateau below where Mesprit waved up at them.
Dawn continued her descent down towards the darkness of the abyss. As she did so, she found herself the victim of illusions, as large rocks and strange looking trees disappeared and reappeared on her, blocking her way or entrapping her. Even the stepping-stones that allowed her access to another plateau would disappear on her revealing to be a dead end. She continued following her heart and remembered to keep descending down, for that's where she could hear the horrifying roars of Girantina who awaited her arrival. The more she descended down, the louder its roars became making her heart tremble with arising fear. Then to her horror, she found herself hitting the deck; as a large Pokemon swooped down on her then back up again. She would look up to see nothing there, however she knew it was Girantina intimidating her.
She sobbed. "I don wanna do this anymore!"
A man snuffed at her. "Fear… just one of the imperfections humans and Pokemon possess that need to be erased. You're a walking example of why I wish to make this world disappear, in order to create a new one." Dawn looked up to see Cyrus staring down at her. As usual his face remained emotionless… a blank sleight. So he was alive after all.
She swallowed her fear and got back up. "And you're a walking example of what it's like to be a robot," she joked as she dusted herself. "You're like a machine. Machine's can't feel emotions, nor can they see beyond their programming… like you who cannot see beyond his beliefs… a possibility that you are wrong, which you are!"
"At least I'm not a scared little mouse."
"Shut your mouth! You cannot tell me, that big giant monster for a deity doesn't scare you?"
"Of course not."
"Wow… you must have a death wish."
"Now you, should shut your mouth."
Dawn had no idea how it happened, but she ended up partnered with Cyrus on this adventure. They both remained awkwardly silent, trying to imagine that they were alone as they descended deeper and deeper into the Distortion World. From time-to-time, Girantina would swoop across them giving Dawn a scare. It was as if it was trying to tell her to turn back. Girantina swooped down on them once more as Dawn was about to walk over another stepping-stone. Its feint attack made her lose her balance and was about to fall over… until Cyrus caught her saving her from the pending doom. It fell silent once more, as Cyrus kept Dawn within his arms.
"Umm… you can let go now," Dawn finally said, making Cyrus snapped out of it. He realised he had Dawn safely within his hold and immediately released her. "Umm… thank you… I guess…"
"Well… I am the grown up here after all," Cyrus then replied. "It's my natural duty to look out for a child."
"I'm not a child!"
"Tell me, how old are you… thirteen… fourteen…?" Dawn just pouted. To Cyrus that said it all. "As I said… still a child."
"Shut up!" A loud roar disrupted their squabbling giving Dawn a scare, and reminding her of her current mission. She better move it… it sounded like Girantina was growing impatient.
They continued their descent. It seemed like it was taking forever. They continued to reach dead ends, have illusions play on them mixing up their direction, and Girantina continued to attack warning them to turn back. As Dawn continued her descent with Cyrus walking beside her, she began to question his intent. He was only following her to catch Girantina no doubt… to catch it and use it for his own ends. But why did he have to follow her? Can't he go in another direction? It was very uncomfortable to be walking beside a man whose organization she had crushed time and time again. Finally, they reached the bottom of the abyss seeing the shadows spiral into the centre of blackness before them. There was nothing before them above them or beside them… this had to be the end of the Distortion World. Girantina had to be here.
Cyrus scowled. "It's toying with me! It's toying with my goals! It's making a mockery out of me! Girantina! Where the hell are you? Why are you denying my dreams?"
"Denying your dreams… quite the contrary my friend. In fact… I desire the very thing you desire, the destruction of the universe." A monstrous voice echoed throughout the dimension. Its echoes even reached the ears of Cynthia, Barry, Lucas and their three legendary Pokemon helpers.
"Did… did Girantina just say something to you?" Dawn then wondered to Cyrus. "Say something again."
"The destruction of the universe? No! I dream of creating a better universe. A universe free from the unnecessary rules of emotion, knowledge and willpower. A perfect world free from the rules of time and space themselves. A world where there is no pain, sadness or regret. A universe where everyone and everything will be complete."
"To free the universe of these elements, is to completely destroy the universe itself. Once you rid the universe of these things it can never be reborn. The universe will longer exist… and neither will you."
"No! You're wrong!"
"And you are a fool, my friend. A foolish man who can no longer feel sadness, pain, or regret. Which means you can no longer feel love, joy or compassion. You may as well be the living dead… Cyrus Hikari."
"What?" Dawn gasped. "Hikari?"
"You are a walking example of why I dream of destroying everything. You have abused what we deities have given you, and you even go as far as to question the very thing we gave you. It was a mistake to share with you mortals of what we possess. And that is why… YOU ALL SHOULD DIE!"
Cyrus was suddenly hit by a jolt of black lighting, which sparked from behind. Dawn's frightful scream was in unison with the crash of the black bolt, the bolt that crashed right through the middle of his chest. He did not gasp, nor did he scream in agony, however judging by his face that was stunned with surprise, pain and fear, Dawn could clearly see that he was in pain. With that he collapsed to the floor and remained there in a heap unmoving. His blood seeped from his wound. Was he dying… was he already dead? Once again, that terrifying roar filled her ears with fear… it was like death itself. It was the loudest Dawn had ever heard it so far. It was so loud that it could have come from behind her. She slowly turned around and found herself face-to-face with the Pokemon of Distortion… Girantina.
"…Oh, god…"