Thanks to IanAlphaAxel for reviewing the previous chapter. Also, thanks to mirrorkinomoto for reviewing chapter 9.
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Chapter Twenty Three: Ravaged World
The Distortion World was unlike any landscape she had witnessed before – she was surrounded by a sea of blackness that seemed to stretch on, never seeming to have any end to it. It was like she had taken a step into the abyss itself only there appeared to be some form of environment here. There were trees and lakes, but they did not share the same appearance as they did in the real world.
The lakes were blood red and the trees were black and leafless. The trees looked dead, but the vines and tendrils wrapped around its branches and stump were very much alive. The vines and tendrils moved like a Seviper, slowly weaving their way around the branches, interlocking with the other trees in close proximity. Dawn turned to face Cynthia, who wore an expression of intrigue on her face.
"The Distortion World… This is… Not what I expected…" she murmured.
"What is this place supposed to be?"
"You've heard of the Spirit World, haven't you?"
Dawn nodded, continuing to examine her surroundings. There wasn't much to look at in terms of scenery, but she was fascinated by the little she could see. The trees, the lakes… even the blackness around her was interesting because it was different from what she was accustomed to. She moved a step forward, and jumped, as a ghostly white mist wrapped around her leg. Mist wasn't a solid object, but she could feel it like it was, even though it was transparent. Weird.
"The Spirit World is a place where ghost-type trainers can enter to understand the world around them better. They can see things here that other trainers cannot. It is a world within a world. Spirits roam the realm, searching for victims to feast upon. They take the forms of ghost-type Pokemon, but they are not really Pokemon," Cynthia explained softly.
She took a step forward. Mist wrapped around her legs, but the woman seemed not concerned by it. She took another step forward and Dawn followed after her, not wanting to be alone in an unfamiliar landscape like this. "What are they then?"
Cynthia shrugged. "It is a matter of debate. Some will say they are Pokemon because they take the form of Pokemon, but some of the experts claim they are simply manifestations of our darkest thoughts that become more Pokemon-like when they devour the souls of spirit walkers that brave the realm."
"This place is the same as the Spirit World then?"
"When a walker enters the realm the landscape changes according to their preferences, but that is not the case here. We are in the heart of Spirit World – this is its true form. We must keep our guard up at all times – there is no telling what will happen here." She took Dawn's hand and led her forwards venturing further into the eerie place.
"Do you think we will have to fight?" Dawn said, her hand immediately resting on the pokeballs around her waist. The thought of fighting against Pokemon-type creatures in an obscure place like this was unsettling. Was it possible to fall off the edge here? Was it possible to perish?
"I hope not… A rift has been opened in an unnatural way – what happens here may have a direct impact in our world. It would be wiser to run than to battle." They continued walking further still bypassing a couple of dead trees, mist clinging to their legs. The vines reached out to grab her, but she moved out of harm's way, sticking close to Cynthia.
Cynthia came to an abrupt stop and placed a hand on Dawn's shoulder. Dawn looked up at her, alarmed. "What happened?"
"Listen, do you hear that?"
Dawn strained her ears – aside from their own voices, she hadn't heard any other sounds. She tried to concentrate on a sound other than her own breathing then heard a faint rustling noise, like leaves blowing in a gentle breeze, except there were no leaves here. Cynthia raised a finger then pointed forward, bringing Dawn's attention to a spirit which had the shape of a Haunter floating by.
Except it wasn't really a Haunter – this one was a skeletal figure wielding a scythe in its right three-fingered claw. Dawn had seen quite a number of horrific things in lead up to this moment, but none as frightening as that. The Haunter floated past, not once stopping to look in their direction much to Dawn's relief.
"Cynthia, if you don't mind me asking why did you ask me to come with you into the Distortion World?"
Cynthia glanced down at her, her eyebrows raised. "I wanted to help you find your father."
"And how did you know I was at Mt. Coronet?" Cynthia looked away. Dawn frowned. "Cynthia, please. Tell me. How do you know so much?"
"I'm a trainer, just like you Dawn."
"But you're more than just any ordinary trainer." Dawn looked at Cynthia with more interest. "I saw you in Oreburgh City… And I saw you again in Hearthome City after I had lost against Fantina. You're not a gym leader, but you know a lot about Pokemon." Cynthia looked at her expectantly. "You were supposed to be there during the meeting in Canalave City. Steven knows you…" She decided to be frank. "You're the Champion of Sinnoh."
That explained how Cynthia knew so much and why she appeared in times Dawn really need someone to talk to that wasn't Barry. She felt like smacking herself in the head for not realizing it earlier.
"You are correct," Cynthia said after a brief pause, smiling slightly. "I wasn't supposed to tell you until you reached the league, but you've come to the conclusion yourself. I see no reason why I should keep the truth from you."
Dawn gazed up at her with awe. Cynthia was the Champion of the region, but not only that, she was also a close family friend to her mother. To think all this time the Champion was watching over her, giving her much needed advice when all hope seemed lost. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"My grandmother felt it would be better if you didn't know – you might not have wanted to continue your journey if you knew you had to face me at the end. I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't. I'm sorry, Dawn." She paused then continued. "I hope this doesn't change anything – I hope you still want to claim the title of Champion."
"What if you lose your title?" Dawn pointed out.
Cynthia smiled warmly. "All good things must come to an end, Dawn, but when one tale finishes, another one begins." She gazed up at the pitch-black sky and looked down again. "But let us not worry about the end yet – we must focus on finding your father before something far worse than hostile spirits makes it presence known."
There was something worse than the scythe wielding creature she saw earlier? She shuddered to think what it could possibly be. "If we find him, what will you do with him?" Her father was responsible for the destruction of the lakes and the torture of the Lake Guardians. He sent people to their deaths and all for what? To open a rift to the Distortion World?
"That's for you to decide, Dawn."
She thought of the innocent Pokemon that had died in the bombings. She thought of the tortured Lake Guardians and recalled Charon's chilling words about her father having taken great delight in their suffering. It made her stomach twist and turn. She wanted to hate him, to despise him for the things he had done, but no matter what, he was still her father. She found herself wishing that he wasn't because then it would be so much easier to hate him for the crimes he had committed.
"I always wanted to know who he was…" Dawn said slowly. "And now that I know, I wish that I didn't." No wonder her mother had tried hard to keep his identity from her for years. That's probably why she was reluctant to allow Dawn to leave on her journey because she feared she'd learn the truth. Her mother had been trying to protect her from the pain of honesty.
"My grandmother performed experiments on Pokemon in her younger days in exchange for money," Cynthia said softly, brushing a lock of her away from her face. "I was angry at her – I felt betrayed. I looked up to her for years and then I found that out… I didn't want to know her," Cynthia trailed, seemingly lost in a memory of her own then pulled herself out of it. "Sometimes we become blinded by our own anger when we have been hurt, but if it were not for her, I would not be the person I am today."
"At least your grandmother didn't bomb lakes."
"No," Cynthia shook her head. "But she experimented on Pokemon. I would not be surprised if some of those Pokemon died especially in her early research days. I can't stay mad at her forever though – her actions I hate, but I can't hate her."
"She had a reason though. You said she did it for money."
Cynthia nodded. "Everyone has a reason for their actions. Some reasons are shallow, and others are more complex."
"What's his excuse then? What could possibly justify the capturing of innocent Pokemon?"
"You'll have to ask him that yourself, Dawn. I can't make up your mind for you."
Dawn sighed. She wished someone else would make the decision for her so she didn't have to do it herself. What if it was the wrong one? What if she made a decision that ended up with life imprisonment, or worse, death? It was easy to come up with ways to punish someone, but to actually deal the killing blow? She furrowed her brows. What would her mother think?
"Dawn," Cynthia said. Her tone had changed from casual to alert. "You need to guard your mind – negative thoughts here will attract unwanted attention. Think of something positive and hold onto that thought. It may be the only thing that will save us." She gestured towards an opening behind a couple of blackened trees. A horde of skeletal Haunters floated towards them, their scythes raised at the ready.
She gulped and tried to think of something positive. Winning a difficult gym battle. Receiving her first Pokemon from Professor Rowan. Winning the friendship and trust of her Zweilous. The horde of reapers stopped moving towards their direction and drifted off in another. Cynthia continued moving forward and Dawn followed close behind. They bypassed a few more leafless trees and a few lakes then stopped at bloody river crossing.
Cynthia bent down and reached out to touch the liquid. She jerked her hand back, her fingers covered in the red water, as a shadow sped over them. Cynthia glanced up and Dawn followed her gaze, but found nothing. A tremor shook the ground. Before Dawn could react, she found herself speeding upwards, as the world around them began to change.
The red liquid of the lakes changed into that of clear blue water and the trees turned into long green vines that clung to brown platforms. Dawn looked at Cynthia and she was relieved to see Cynthia looked just as surprised as her. "Giratina," she breathed her eyes wide. "He knows of our presence and he's changed the environment. We must be cautious."
The ground underneath them moved again, this time moving in a northerly direction. They were standing on a brown platform now and Dawn found that more comforting than standing on blackness. At least she now knew where she could step. The platform moved again where another platform floated. "Are we supposed to make that jump?" Dawn said.
"We should wait and see what happens."
There! Small brown stepping stones appeared one by one, forming a little bridge to the other platform. Cynthia crossed over first and Dawn followed behind, keeping her arms stretched to the side to keep her balance. She didn't want to know what would happen should she fall off the side. The new platform lifted upwards bringing them both to a much larger piece of landmass. Cynthia jumped and landed on the other side and waited for Dawn to do the same.
This new landmass had multiple vines sticking upright from the ground. "This is… odd," Cynthia murmured. The platform tilted to the right and Dawn immediately grabbed hold off a nearby vine as Cynthia did the same. It continued to turn until they were hanging upside. "Hang on!" Cynthia exclaimed.
Dawn held on for dear life. Her hands began to burn when the platform tilted again so they were back in their original position. "What's going on? Who is Giratina?"
"He's a legendary Pokemon of the Creation Trio, the creator of anti-matter. He was cast down into this realm from Arceus for betraying him. This is… his prison," she said, her brows knotted in concern. "He sees us a threat." She frowned again then mumbled to herself. Dawn caught fragments of her sentences. "He knew… this is a trap."
"Cynthia?" Dawn asked worry building up within her.
Cynthia jerked her head at Dawn then bent down, grabbing her shoulders with both hands. "That man outside… Did he tell you his name?"
"His name is Charon."
She cursed. "I should've known…"
"What's going on, Cynthia?" Dawn looked up at her through fearful eyes, feeling her heart beat begin to quicken.
The Champion actually looked worried and that wasn't a good sign. "He told you to come to Mt. Coronet, didn't he?"
"He told me after I helped him unlock the safe to the chest containing his Pokemon's ashes."
Cynthia frowned. "Pokemon's ashes?"
"He said he lost a Pokemon."
The Champion brought a nail to her lip and gnawed on it for a few moments. "He must've been a ghost-type trainer… that's how he knew about Giratina… Giratina killed his companion and Charon sought revenge…" Cynthia was talking more to herself now than she was to Dawn. Dawn found it difficult to make sense of Cynthia's jumbled sentences. "Charon always knew this was going to happen… He wants to release Giratina and trap us within this place instead… We're all pawns in his game."
"Cynthia?" Dawn tried again.
Cynthia's grip tightened. "Listen to me, Dawn. We are in terrible danger."
Dawn's lip quivered. "Wh-what?""
"This world was created by Arceus to stop evil from being released. We need to split up – I'll distract the spirits and you go find Cyrus." Cynthia released her grip and stood up, her hand falling to her pokebelt.
"I don't understand," Dawn blurted.
"Cyrus opened the rift to the Distortion World. He's the new gatekeeper in and as long as he lives, Giratina can't escape, but if he is killed, Giratina can leave his prison cell and our world will suffer." She gestured to a horde of skeletal Haunters moving towards their position. "Find your father, Dawn. I will meet up with you." Before Dawn could protest, Cynthia hopped down onto the moving platform leaving Dawn on her own.
Taking the path by using the platforms seemed dangerous considering she had no idea where they led. The platforms seemed to lead towards the sky, but as soon as she stepped on one, it changed its direction and went somewhere else instead, often leading to a still platform. Stepping on one was dangerous as well – there was no telling which platforms would disappear and which ones would stay.
She decided to play it safe and summoned her Honchkrow then climbed on his back. Her avian spread his wings and jumped into the air, gaining altitude after a few flaps. Being able to fly as per normal was strange considering how bizarre this place, but she was grateful for it. Her Honchkrow continued to climb, bypassing several more platforms and upside down waterfalls when she reached a medium-sized piece of land with a waterfall.
It wasn't the waterfall that grabbed her attention though – it was the trainer standing on top of it that caught her eye. He was shouting at the empty blackness before him, completely oblivious to her presence. This was the same man who had willingly sacrificed the lives of his men for personal gain. This was the same man who had left her mother many years ago to pursue ambition. This was the same man who had opened the gate to the Distortion World for who knows what reason. Her father.
She tightened her jaw. A wave of emotions poured through her. Anger, confusion, but mostly hurt. The same blood that ran through his veins ran through hers as well and it wasn't something she could ever remove. Blood was a permanent reminder. It bound people together whether they wanted to be or not. Even in death she would be forever reminded of him until death claimed her soul.
Cynthia had talked about forgiveness, relaying to her information about her grandmother's misdoings. She had found it within herself to forgive her despite the pain that had been inflicted. Her thoughts moved to Deino, recalling how her beloved Pokemon had turned against her, biting down into her arm causing severe blood loss. She had forgiven him and refused to put him down. Looking at her father, she frowned. Could she forgive him too?
She moved towards him, summoning her Houndoom, feeling her stomach muscles tighten. Perhaps she'd have to fight him to break him down and obtain the answers to the questions that plagued her mind.
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Time was of the essence here. Every second wasted brought them closer to life imprisonment in Giratina's cage. Vines emerged from the ground, trying to grab her legs and arms, but Cynthia nimbly avoided them. There were more spirits appearing now, seemingly drawn to the higher levels of the Distortion World where she assumed Cyrus was.
As she sprinted forward, the environment around her began to change again, this time turning into something that looked like hell itself. Pools of lava replaced the pools of water and the vines turned into burning hot whips. The ground itself turned into fire-red tiles and she could feel the warmth seep through her shoes if she stayed motionless for too long. Rocks burst up from the ground, making the landscape resemble the base of a volcano.
Giratina was the creator of anti-matter and he could create a new world, but it also seemed he could change his surroundings at whim. A violent tremor shook the ground and Cynthia tumbled to the side, as the platform tilted to the right. Streams of lava poured down the sides. Cynthia threw herself behind a rock and dug her fingers into its cracks, holding on for dear life. Searing pain travelled throughout her body, beginning with her hands, as the heat continued to build in its intensity. Beads of perspiration appeared on her forehead.
The ground tilted to the left again and she found herself back on stable footing. Releasing her grip, she stood up and winced, glancing down at the redness on her palms. The pain was enough to want to shed tears, but she was a Champion, and Champions did not cry. Clenching her teeth, she continued moving forward. Drawing the spirits away from Dawn and Cyrus's location was her priority – she had to give the future champion some time alone with her father.
Bringing her right hand down to her pokebelt, she removed a pokeball and threw it forward, cringing as pain seared up her arms. Garchomp, her closest and strongest friend, emerged from her pokeball, gnashing her teeth at the air around her, smacking the ground with her thick tail. The roars of her dragon caught the attention of some of the spirits and they turned around, moving towards her instead. However, only of them floated towards her, but she hoped Dawn could hold them off.
"Garchomp, use Dragon Rush!" Garchomp roared again then charged forward towards the mass horde, swinging her tail with such power, she could leave a deep dent in even the sturdiest of Steel-type Pokemon. Three spirits were thrown aside from the impact, their anguished cries filling the air. She felt chills race down her spine.
The power of her Garchomp had created cracks in the ground, allowing lava to burst up through the openings. Cynthia dived out of the way, narrowly avoiding a lava fountain, landing behind another rock. She picked herself up and steadied herself as the ground began to rock back and forth. Garchomp continued to fight the swarm of spirits, attacking them with the blades on the ends of her elbows. With each hit, a spirit turned into ash, disappearing from sight.
Cynthia wasn't sure if they had been defeated or if nothing truly died in this world, but she didn't want to take any more risks. Before she could give her Garchomp another order, the curve of a scythe struck the space next to her. She spun around on her heels, finding herself face to face with a spirit. The creature opened its mouth, a hot breath reeking of decomposing flesh washing over face. She staggered backwards and almost tripped over in the process, but somehow managed to stay afoot.
The spirit moved towards her, raising its scythe into the air again, preparing another swing. Cynthia balled her fingers on her right hand into a fist and thrust it forward, striking the foul-smelling creature in the face. It howled then dissolved into ash. Panting, Cynthia lowered her arms, glancing around her, making sure there were no other ones behind her. She was thankful for having taken some basic fighting lessons from Maylene, after all, a Champion couldn't always rely on their Pokemon to fight battles.
Garchomp defeated a few more spirits and Cynthia kicked one in the face. Some of the spirits heading towards Cyrus's location broke from the group. They turned around and came towards her. Although she had the power to keep fighting, her primary goal was to stall for time. Dawn now had received enough of a headstart – it was time to rejoin her. She threw a pokeball at her Garchomp to return her to safety, but Garchomp slapped it away.
"Garchomp." Garchomp shook her head and Cynthia knew. Her dragon wanted to stay here fighting the spirits to allow her to reach Dawn without having a swarm of spirits chasing her. She nodded and summoned her Togekiss and climbed on. "I promise I won't be long." Togekiss lifted upwards and flew towards the highest platform as the world around her reverted back to its original blackened state. She prayed to Arceus she wasn't too late.
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Cyrus had lost count of how long he had been roaming around the Distortion World trying to find Giratina. Giratina was supposed to create his new world, but the beast wasn't in sight. His agitation levels had reached their peak level – this was far worse than navigating his way through Mount Coronet's blasted twisting paths. The world kept changing its environment and that made it difficult to get anywhere.
"This isn't how it was supposed to be! You are supposed to obey me!" he called out up at what was presumably the sky. He received nothing in reply, other than the echo of his own voice. "Show yourself, Giratina! I know you're here!" He continued to yell but still there was nothing. Giratina had abandoned him, just like everyone else.
Was this the new world? A bleak landscape? No. He refused to believe this was it. There had to be something else. Perhaps he had overlooked something. He reached down to his pokebelt and summoned his Houndoom. Maybe Giratina wasn't aware of his presence yet? "Houndoom, use Flamethrower."
Houndoom released a fiery breath into the blackness. He hoped the light would attract Giratina's attention and draw him out of wherever he was hiding so he could finally use the creature's power as his own to create the new world. He ordered Houndoom to attack again, when a nearby vine emerged from a hole in the ground, wrapping itself around his left leg.
He summoned his Honchkrow to lend some assistance. "Honchkrow, use Night Slash." The avian slashed down at the vine holding him in place. The vine disappeared, but was replaced by two vines. Tendrils reached out and grabbed him, lifting him up into the air until he was hanging upside down. Another vine emerged, lacing around his waist, squeezing him, prompting him to gasp for air.
Houndoom burned it down with another Flamethrower. The vines released him and he fell to the ground, throwing his arms out in front to protect his head. He landed with a thud, a groan escaping his throat, as he helped himself back up again. The vines continued to emerge. For everyone one he destroyed, another two would take its place, adding to his annoyance. He decided to move away instead and climbed on to the next platform with his Houndoom which took him up higher.
Now he was standing near a waterfall only the water travelled upwards rather than down. Giratina was playing games, testing his resolve most likely. His patience was wearing thin. A strange looking skeletal Haunter-type creature emerged from the blackness, a scythe in its right claw. So, Giratina had his minions too. "Houndoom, use Dark Pulse." Houndoom opened his jaws and spat forth a dark glowing energy beam. The beam struck the creature in the face. A blood-curdling scream echoed throughout the area.
Another skeletal creature emerged from the blackness, its scythe raised at the ready to strike. Cyrus held his ground, glowering at the Haunter-like Pokemon then ordered his Houndoom to attack again. His Houndoom jumped, swiping a paw at the creature then raised his tail and drove it through its face. The bizarre spirit turned into mist.
He was about to order his Honchkrow to attack another skeletal being when another Houndoom jumped onto his platform. The other Houndoom horns didn't curve back as much as his Houndoom, but it looked strong. "Houndoom, use Fire Blast!" The newcomer opened his mouth, releasing a ball of fire towards the direction of his canine. His Houndoom dodged the attack then charged, throwing himself at the other.
The two dogs circled other, saliva dripping out of the sides of their mouths, whipping the ground with their tails. Cyrus turned around, half-expecting to see the Champion herself there, but instead found Dawn, hanging onto the side of the platform. She climbed over then stood up, refusing to meet his eyes. He noticed her clothes had been ripped in various places and assumed she had trouble with those blasted vines as well. Had she come all this way to fight him?
"Use Smog, Houndoom!" Dawn ordered.
He couldn't decipher her expression, but he knew it wasn't one of joy and happiness. She probably thought of him as a monster. It was odd seeing her now – the last time he had crossed paths with her was in Hearthome's Pokemon Centre. She looked far healthier now than she did back then and she had become so much stronger.
She was no longer an innocent and naive pre-teen. He knew he played a big role in her development into a mature young hardened teenager. She had stumbled across sights no child should have to witness and overcame challenges not even the most skilled gym leaders could endure. The girl probably had enough experience now to match any Champion. "You shouldn't have come."
She didn't appear to be in the mood for casual talk, preferring to let her Pokemon do the talking. Her Houndoom charged again, throwing himself at his Houndoom, striking the older canine in the face slashing his nose. "I had to," she replied. Her Houndoom charged a third time, slapping his Houndoom with his tail.
His Houndoom fought back. His experience gave him the upper edge and he was able to pin the younger Houndoom to the ground, pressing the tip of his tail against the other's throat. "I wanted to know you for years!"
The anguish in her tone made him uncomfortable. "It would've been better if you hadn't." He would've preferred it if they were enemies – that would make things much easier than they were now. His Houndoom drew back his tail then clamped his jaws around the younger one's neck, sinking his teeth deep into the flesh. A chilling howl echoed throughout the area. It would be so easy to strike her down, to have his Pokemon tear away at her own, but he couldn't give the order – that damned Mesprit had weakened his mind.
A whine left the younger Houndoom's throat, as he tried to throw the older one off him, but Cyrus's Houndoom remained in his place, his jaws still clamped around the other's neck. The younger canine brought his tail up, slashing at one of his hind legs. His Houndoom released his grip, throwing his head back, releasing a pained howl. Much to his surprise, her Houndoom lifted himself to his legs. Where did she get her power from?
Her Houndoom was less experienced, but still, he had managed to overpower his own, a veteran of battle. He was temporarily baffled by it, giving Dawn the opportunity to attack again. Houndoom rammed his head into his own Houndoom, knocking his canine off his feet onto the ground. Again, he was confused. Did her power come from her emotions? No. That wasn't right. Emotions were weak! They took power away from an individual! "You've come a long way since I last crossed paths with you."
"I came all this way to hear the truth."
The girl probably wanted to know why he had abandoned them. Looking at her now reminded him of himself many long years ago when he was her age. He often found himself wondering why his father detested him. The man used to look at him as if he were something foul and repulsive. "I had to leave," he said tersely. Her Houndoom knocked down his canine again. "For reasons you wouldn't understand."
How was he supposed to explain to his own daughter he had abandoned her mother to bring his reality of a perfect world to life? It didn't matter anymore though since his perfect world turned out to be nothing more than a bleak and desolate place with a furious legendary trapped inside. Dawn's lack of knowledge about him had probably saved her from the darkness that had consumed him. If he had been here during those years, she might've become trapped inside this vicious cycle of failure he was in.
His Houndoom fell to the floor, panting heavily. The dog tried to climb to his feet, but he lacked the stamina to stand. Dawn's younger Houndoom had bested him. Youth and spirit had defeated experience and power. Another failure. He couldn't even win a Pokemon battle now. His other Pokemon were down for the count having been used to battle his way to the peak. He still had Honchkrow though, but the avian was on the verge of collapse. He backed away until he was on the edge of the platform.
"I yield."
Dawn's Houndoom continued to growl, but the canine did not attack. Houndooms were known to be fiercely loyal to their trainers and this one seemed very attached to Dawn. If she gave the order, the canine would not hesitate to push him over. "You've lost," she said. "Put your other Pokemon down on the ground."
The commanding tone in her voice surprised him. If she hadn't decided to become a trainer, she could've been the leader of a successful company or become part of the police force. "You're giving me orders," he replied curtly, removing his pokeballs one by one, and placing them on the ground. How the roles had reversed. Generally a parent was the one to give orders to their children, not to be given commands by them. "You fight for a world that is mercilessly cruel."
A world that would forever remain cruel. The perfect world, one without emotions, was just wishful thinking on his behalf. Perhaps it was his flawed nature that made the dream impossible. It was doomed to fail from the beginning and everyone else but himself could see that. "Is that why you came here?"
"It doesn't matter anymore what I want… It can never be now. You've made sure of that." Silence fell. There wasn't much else he could say in his defence so he remained quiet. How could he explain himself to a child anyway?
"Not the perfect world you were hoping to create is it?" a new voice said behind him. He glanced over to the right and spotted Cynthia, the Champion herself, in the flesh. Her clothes were ruffled and her hair was in a mess around her face, as if she herself had been in a fight. Of course the Champion would come.
He was finding it difficult to understand how his long years of planning had ended in ruin. Everything had gone as according to plan – he found the Lake Guardians and captured them, extracted their gems and turned it into the Red Chain and used that to summon the creators of time and space. The Distortion World was supposed to be his new universe.
But just like his earlier plans, it failed. Once a failure, always a failure, his father had said numerous times. It was no wonder why the man seemed to despise him so much. Some people were destined to succeed, and other such as himself, were born to fail - to rise up through the ranks or to fall through the cracks and fade away.
"… Years of work… meaningless in the end…" he muttered. "Tell me, Champion. How can you fight for a world that is corrupt and doomed to fail? Can you not see the weakness that plagues our planet?" Emotions were weak and the reason behind failing…. weren't they? They always led to pain. To war. To hatred.
"I believe in hope."
He gave a soft, cynical laugh. "What do you hope for, Champion?"
"For peace and love."
His mouth tightened. "There will never be peace in this imperfect world!" His wounded Houndoom snarled, baring his teeth, but Dawn's Houndoom silenced him with a menacing growl of his own. "You lecture me about emotions being a positive force, but I have yet to see it change the world for the better, only for the worse."
Dawn visibly winced, but Cynthia's expression remained neutral. "Only because you choose to believe emotions are the cause of suffering and strife in this world. I know you didn't have it easy, but that's no reason to believe the rest of the world should be punished." She took a step towards him as though being closer would make him understand.
He clenched his hand. "You know nothing, Champion," he said, angry. "I've seen the darker side of emotions… I endured it. Have you any idea what it feels like to have your world crumble around you and know there's nothing you can do to change it? To be told that no matter how hard you try you will never be good enough? You know why that happens? Emotions. Anger, fury, rage… It leads to weakness." It was all he had ever known.
He hadn't forgotten about the times he'd wake up in the middle of the night listening to the screams of his parents arguing. He hadn't forgotten hearing the sounds of glass shattering or seeing the bloodstains on the floor the following day. He hadn't forgotten seeing his mother curled up in a corner, weeping, bruises lining her arms and legs or the fury on his father's face when something wasn't up to his standard. He remembered watching the other kids play at the local school and wanting to feel the same form of joy they seemed to have, but his father pulled him away to save embarrassment.
"Emotion, willpower and knowledge make an incomplete heart whole," Cynthia replied. "That is where we draw our strength from – it comes from within."
He snorted. Incomplete heart. It sounded like a bad joke, but no one was laughing. He looked from Dawn to Cynthia then to Dawn again, frowning. They both looked at him, smiling. He could see the contentment in their eyes. They had found peace, something he had hoped to achieve by creating a new universe. Could Cynthia's nonsense actually be… truth? Was it because his heart was incomplete? Is that why he failed numerous times? Had he gotten it all wrong?
"You understand it, don't you?" Cynthia softly said. "Emotions aren't the evil you want them to be."
He turned away, uncomfortable. Instead, he focused his attention on the seemingly bottomless black pit before him. "Perhaps… perhaps you are right…" he said slowly, finding it suddenly difficult to speak. "Perhaps, had I acted differently…" Then there would've been no destruction and the Lake Guardians would still be in their lakes in one piece, not lying on the floor in a pool of their own blood. Perhaps he would've been at peace with the world like his grandparents. "But it's too late for me now – I can't undo the past."
"You have a daughter, Cyrus. You also have a wife-"
"Not married," he replied bluntly.
"-Who loves you despite everything that has happened. Are you willing to throw that all away? To give up on them the same way your father gave up on you?" Cynthia demanded, almost in a pleading-like manner. "You're not the failure you believe yourself to be."
So he was wrong. It didn't change anything. The damage he had created could not be reversed. His will and determine have left. For the sins committed, he knew he deserved death. There was no redemption – he could not atone for his sins. Falling into the blackness of oblivious and voidness was his last option and there his soul would be forever damned. The world would be a better place without him. Suffering followed in his footsteps. There was no hope left. No light at the end of the tunnel. He squeezed his eyes shut, a single tear sliding down his cheek.
He jumped.
.
It all happened so quickly, Dawn barely had time to react. She thought he had come to accept his mistakes and for a moment, she was right, but then he jumped over the ledge. An anguished cry tore through her, and before she knew it, she was lying down on the platform, holding onto her father's arm. She felt herself moving towards the edge when Cynthia dropped to her knees. She grabbed Cyrus's arm then pulled, trying to pull him back up.
He peered up at her and Dawn was surprised to see his eyes brimming with tears.
"There is still a chance to make things right," Cynthia said.
His gaze hardened, but the tears continued to fall. He didn't bother trying to wipe them away. "I had to sacrifice some of my men to get me to this point. I can't bring those lives back and undo the destruction I have created. I can never make up for this," he replied, glancing back down at the blackness again. Dawn dug her fingers in. If she lost him now she'd never forgive herself.
"You cannot undo what you have done, but you can change the path you walk on," Cynthia added. "Suicide isn't the answer. There is always hope."
"You… believe that?" he replied, glancing back up again, looking bewildered.
"The heart forgives."
Dawn saw him hesitate, and for a brief moment, she thought he was going to drop down and punish himself for his misdoings. Instead, he brought up his other hand and grabbed onto Cynthia's arm and clung on. Unfortunately, the combined efforts of her and Cynthia weren't enough to bring him back up.
She saw only one other option. "Houndoom!" Dawn ordered. The canine rushed forward and lowered his head, clamping his jaws around Cyrus's arm. A hiss of pain left him. Houndoom planted his feet firmly in the ground and took a few steps back, bringing him back up onto the platform, blood trailing down his arm. An uncontrollable smile spread across her face. Cyrus was bleeding now, but at least he was alive.
"We have to leave now," Cynthia said, brushing her blonde curls away from her face, her expression grim. "By this point, Giratina has probably detected our presence."
"I…" Cyrus started.
Dawn shook her head. "You can thank us later, dad."
"We need to head back to the entrance."
Cyrus was speechless for while, obviously finding being called 'dad' foreign. He pulled himself out of his trance though and clutched a bloodied arm to his chest before climbing to his feet. "And quickly too," he remarked, glancing down at his arm. Blood seeped through his clothing and Dawn scrunched up her nose at the stench. "Your scarf, Dawn."
Moving her hands to her neck, she removed her scarf and gave it to him. He took it with his other hand, placed the cloth onto his wounded arm and attempted to wrap it around. It proved to be struggle though, and Dawn could tell from the way he cringed, Houndoom's bite stung. Eventually, he managed to wrap it around and held his bloodied arm to his chest, applying pressure around the bite area.
Cynthia prepared to lead the group forward, but only took one step when she came to an abrupt stop. Dawn turned her head in the direction of Cynthia's gaze, her jaw dropping. Her stomach tightened and she heart beat quickened, fear beginning to take over her mind. Red eyes looked down at her.
"Giratina."