Chapter 36 - A Temporary Moment of Sanity

Cyrus let out an impromptu yawn as the screen in front of him flickered on and a mustachioed face appeared on it.

::Sleeping trouble?:: asked the figure on the screen, causing Cyrus to jump a little.

"You have no idea," Cyrus replied dryly. "Something's come up."

::It doesn't involve that brat, does it?::

"No - the Red Chain is still operational. It's something else." Cyrus frowned slightly as he looked at the other figure. "You don't look so well yourself."

::I have my own headaches to worry about. What of our project?::

"It was destroyed during its last run. Some Pokemon's meddling, apparently."

The figure on the screen frowned. ::Hmmm. And the child who went through?::

Cyrus let out an annoyed sigh. "She managed to escape with a Ghost Pokemon. The only other person who might know of her whereabouts hasn't revealed anything, but we have him under guard at all times."

::That isn't going to help. If this boy is anything like my rat infestation, he won't say anything unless he thinks he isn't being watched::

"The child is more perceptive than we ever could have realized, Ivan. He found all of the cameras in his cell and fed them a loop of constant wailing. And that was before they were shorted out.

Ivan seemed surprised at this. ::How old is this boy?::

"Mid-teens is my guess."

::The next chance you get, send him my way. I could use a child with knowledge like that:: Ivan stroked his mustache. ::Yes. I need some new ideas for combating that rodent::

The screen promptly winked out, leaving Cyrus alone in the dark. At least, one would think he was alone.

"That man will never truly be your friend, Cyrus," a sinister voice whispered. "He will betray you the first chance he gets, which may as well be soon, considering how much rest you are actually getting."

Cyrus let out an involuntary shudder, something he hadn't done since he was a boy.

"Not unless I betray him first," he muttered.

"There are many rumors surrounding this 'Ivan,' little fool. While he may be from another world, there are some Pokemon who have said he's been in that war of his for over ten years. You haven't been ruling this world for very long, and you got it the easy way. What does that tell you?"

Cyrus got up from his seat and stepped onto the warp panel, reappearing in his office as he did his best to ignore the voice.

"I am not to be gotten rid of as nothing more than a bad dream, Cyrus," the voice hissed.

"Then when will you leave me in peace?" the Galactic leader responded, his eyes scanning the room for the voice's source.

"When you give up your plans and this silly charade. There was never a chance of your succeeding in the first place - surely your interaction with her on Mt. Coronet showed that."

Cyrus flinched at the mentioning of the mysterious Trainer Darkrai was referring to. "Keep her out of this. That girl is nothing to me."

"Perhaps not now, but there are others who would be more than willing to take her place as your adversary."

Cyrus' eyes moved to the filing cabinets, and he leapt at them as a shadow disappeared behind them. He threw the drawers all over the room, making a large mess as papers scattered. The shadow continued to move around, and Cyrus continued to chase it, making even more of a mess as he was trying to capture the figure, by the time the chador had disappeared, the office looked like a Pokemon had set off a Whirlwind and thrown a Razor Wind in as a bonus.

The voice chuckled sinister lay. "You won't find Cresselia that way."

"Then where?!" Cyrus demanded.

"Not here. Perhaps sleep will help you."

Something hit Cyrus in the back of the head, and he instantly collapsed, falling into the clutches of another nightmare.

I love tormenting Cyrus. Can't you tell? ;)