Chapter 36 – Cyrus
As we neared the Spear Pillar, which strangely had no snow, though some lower regions of the mountain did, I noticed that there were lots of humans down there, and there were also various large machines.
In any case, all the humans scattered when they saw us. Rayquaza landed as lightly as he could with five passengers to avoid smashing, and then let go of me and Mesprit. Mesprit fell to the ground limply.
Then, I got my first look around the Spear Pillar. It was a small area compared to the rest of the mountain, with various columns of stone rising up from it. Some of the columns were broken or knocked over. The floor was made of stones that appeared to be placed there deliberately. Carved patterns covered everything. Some small machines were scattered around, but at the far end of the tiled platform, three large, spherical machines stood above the rest.
When I turned to look at the humans who were scattered around in confusion, I saw, to my slight surprise, that they all wore Team Galactic uniforms.
Brandon and Deoxys jumped off Rayquaza, and Mew floated down to join them. I went over to hover by Brandon's shoulder. The Galactics stared at us. Rayquaza lifted up from where he had landed and coiled up his body to loom, impressively, over us.
Some of the Galactics took out Poke Balls. Brandon took out his and faced them defiantly, as Deoxys, Mew, and I prepared to do battle.
Then a voice called from a small opening in the mountain below the tiled part. "What is going on here?"
A human emerged and looked at us. He was wearing a mostly gray jacket, and the rest of his clothes were black. His hair was blue and spiky, and his skin was paler than that of any other human I had seen so far. His eyes were black and white, like Deoxys's, only while the outside of Deoxys's eyes was black and the middle was white, this human's eyes had the opposite color scheme. His face was impassive as he studied us, and then Rayquaza.
He approached us slowly, and the crowd of Galactics parted for him. When he was a few feet away, he looked at Brandon and asked in a monotone, "Why are you here?"
Brandon blinked. "To keep you from using the red chain links for whatever your plan is."
The human continued to look at him distantly. "I am Cyrus, the leader of Team Galactic." We all blinked in surprise, but he took no notice. "I know that you are the one who has attempted to interfere with our plans at each of the three lakes of Sinnoh. But why are you attempting to stop us?"
Brandon looked surprise. "Because you have hurt innocent Pokemon and humans. If you do it on a small scale, I know you'll do it on a larger scale with whatever you're planning for the gems."
Cyrus nodded. "I see. But you misunderstand our goals. We seek to create a better world, where everyone agrees and where there is everlasting peace. This is why I created Team Galactic. It is necessary that there is some hurt along the way to any goal. It is the way things work in this world. A fact that I intend to correct."
Cyrus suddenly reached into his pocket and took out several shiny objects. He showed them to us. Brandon gasped and we all stared at them. They were the six links of the red chain.
"These jewels are the keys to the ideal future. A future where Team Galactic will rule and make decisions that are fair for all. A future where I will reign supreme."
Then Brandon released all of his Pokemon from their Poke Balls. "I can't let you do that. You only care about yourself. You won't care about anyone else if you get what you want. You'll only cause more suffering!"
Cyrus's expression didn't change. "Would you like to try to stop me?"
Brandon shook his head. "No, I will stop you!"
Cyrus reached with his other hand into another pocket and took out a Poke Ball. He released a Pokemon from it that looked like a mostly black bird with what appeared to be a hat. It had a white chest.
"Honchkrow, put these in the machine." Cyrus gave the red gems to his Pokemon, which grabbed them in its talons. The Pokemon he called Honchkrow flapped its wings and flew into the air.
"Stop Honchkrow!" Brandon told his Pokemon.
Before anyone could move, though, Rayquaza's tail smashed into Honchkrow, causing it to fall to the stone floor and scattering the gems.
"Get the links," Cyrus calmly told the assorted Galactics, who immediately rushed to be the first to pick up the gems. Brandon picked up one that had landed near him, and I saw Deoxys pick up another. Mew flew to grab a third, but a Galactic got to it first.
The Galactics began releasing their Pokemon, mostly Glameow and Murkrow. Cyrus stood passively in the middle of the activity.
I floated out of reach, since I couldn't help. I saw Mew transform to look like a Galactic and rush into their midst, then I lost sight of her. Deoxys and Brandon's Pokemon were defending the two links we had. Rayquaza opened his mouth, and I saw something begin to glow inside of it.
Then, a shadow fell across us all. Everyone froze and looked up, but saw only the night sky. The shadow began moving back to occupy the only empty space in the Spear Pillar, the area between the three spherical machines. Then, as everyone stared at it, it began to come out of the ground.