The Captive
"So, you see, I do actually understand the situation with the birds now. I mean them no harm, I just want to relax and enjoy myself here." Lawrence explained. The headman folded his hands in his lap.
"I'm glad to hear it. So the machine is for recreation, hm, and you're putting it on one of the rocky islands. Won't it be inconvenient having to to and fro in it? I was wondering if you could do us a favour-well, two favours really. One of the island girls, Rachel, never returned home from her work in the museum. It's possible that she went for a swim and drowned, but it's also possible that she left for the mainland, although it would be very out-of character for her. Keep an eye out for her when you go to the mainland. But the main favour might be helpful to you. If I take you to their house, and ask if they can put you up, you could give them something else to focus on than their disappeared daughter. We are big on hospitality on our island, and I think you have definitely changed."
"Thank you." Said Lawrence.
He left the house, and went to his machine. He parked it on the rocky island it had been left on, and checked his messaging system. To his surprise, he had a message from Cyrill.
"Come to the south-west satellite island to see my collection."
Lawrence got out his boat and headed for the island in question. He had almost reached it when the water in front of his boat heaved up as one of the adult Lugias, eyes glowing bright blue, rose out of the water and hovered in front of him. It turned a fierce gaze upon him.
What have you done with Lu? We trusted you and this is how you repay us?
Wh-what? said Lawrence. What are you talking about?
We saw your machine heading for one of the islands. When we tried contacting Lu, he didn't answer! We could sense his mind in your machine!
"But-I swear I didn't! I've been with the headman for the last hour! My machine has been parked on Shamouti! Ask him! Lugia fell silent for a moment. Then it spoke, and its voice was puzzled.
He confirms what you have said. But I saw the machine. Perhaps you had a friend do it for you so you could be alibied? Lugia's voice was once again fierce.
I swear I didn't ask a friend to capture him for me! Lu's my friend! Then he suddenly recalled Cyrill's letter. Actually, it is possible that a friend has taken him, but if so, it's not on my say-so. I'm about to go and see him now-I'll see if he has Lu. If he does, I'll let you know. Please, I know you think I'm not trustworthy, but I swear I am not deceiving you! Let me see Cyrill, and see if he has Lu. If so, we can make plans to rescue him! Please, please, trust me!
Lugia was silent for a long time, hovering in front of Lawrence's boat. Then he finally spoke.
Against my better judgement, I will trust you one last time. Do not deceive me. I will be waiting for you. Without another word, the Lugia descended back into the waves.
Lawrence continued his trip to the island, and when he got there, saw Cyrill's machine, obviously built along the same lines but with some small differences, the main one being the minarets on top of the control centre. Cyrill's also had the "upgrade" his had-four stout retractable legs so it could land. Cyrill came out to greet him, dressed in a blue silk shirt, a long purple silk cloak, and a pair of bright orange silk trousers.
"Lawrence! So you got my message! I got a machine built by the same people who built yours because it's so versatile! It's a floating home, capturing machine, and exhibition hall! Come in and see my rare items!"
Lawrence decided to approve of everything he was shown, even if he didn't really approve, so as not to make Cyrill suspicious. Cyrill took him through his art galley first, where they spent an hour and a half discussing art forms. Then Cyrill took Lawrence to see his eevee evolutions. As well as Flareon, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Umbreon, and Espeon, he had two unevolved eevees, all in a fake grassland setting in a glass case. Next, he took Lawrence to his aviary, where he had Pidgeys, Pidgeottos and two Pidgeots, some Spearows and Fearows, several Farfetch'd, a Skarmory, two Murkrows and a Delibird in a long wall case with fake bushes for them to fly around and hop about in. The last sixteen feet of the case was grass rather than bushes, and here he had the flightless birds, 5 Doduo and 3 Dodrio.
Cyrill seemed particularly proud of his Delibird, regaling Lawrence with a blow-by-blow account of how he haggled down a breeder for the Delibird, which the breeder himself had wanted to keep. Lawrence smiled and nodded and made encouraging noises, while inside he seethed with impatience, wanting to find out if Lu was indeed in Cyrill's collection-though the fact that his machine had been seen in the vicinity when Lu disappeared made it almost a certainty. Cyrill then moved them on.
After half-an-hour, Lawrence had admired five Vulpixes, two Ninetales, a small gang of eight Pikachus, three Raichus, his three Arcanine and two Growlithe, and his herd of Rapidash and Ponyta. He added two Squirtle, three Wartortle and a Blastoise , two Charizards, three Charmanders and one Charmeleon, and another small army, this time of Bulbasaurs, Ivysaurs, and Venusaurs (too many to count and all milling around) to that list.
"I added a new beast to my collection just today. You have to come and see this! This will be something I'm sure no-one else has!" boasted Cyrill. Lawrence's heart quickened. This sounded like what he was both hoping and dreading to find. Hoping because it would confirm where Lu was: dreading because getting him out of Cyrill's clutches could be hard. Cyrill beckoned Lawrence over to a screen. He pulled the screen back with a flourish.
It was Lu! Lawrence recognised him, but was shocked by the condition he was in. He was suspended in midair by a lattice of energy that was strung between four large blue triangles: the same mechanism Lawrence himself had attempted to capture the adult Lugia with. But they had been designed for an adult Lugia, not a child, and Lu's wings were under too much strain for his size and age. He was obviously exhausted, looking tired and not even having the energy to struggle.
"A small Lugia!" Cyrill exclaimed in triumph.
"Very well done!" said Lawrence, trying to hide his shock at Lu's condition. Lu, upon hearing Lawrence's voice, summoned up the energy to raise his head.
Laurie! he cried in distress.
Lu! We're gonna find a way to rescue you, I promise! He carried on a two way conversation: verbal with Cyrill, psychically with Lu. "You've outdone me here!" Your parents blamed me at first! I have to tell them Cyrill has you!
I thought his machine was yours! When I approached, he fired these things at me and caught me!
"We'll get you out! I promise! "I was unable to capture a Lugia."
Cyrill beamed with pleasure.
"This is just a beginning!" Lawrence nodded, and looked at his watch.
"Look, I'll come back another day, but I'm staying with an island family: they might suspect something if I don't get back on time. I'll contact you later tonight or tomorrow when the coast is clear."
"Okay, old friend. Perhaps I'll have some new exhibits to show you by then." Cyrill let Lawrence out. Once out of Cyrill's sight, Lawrence set off at a sprint for his boat, and drove it at a dangerous speed back to Shamouti. Hammering on the doors of the islanders he cried "Another collector has come and he's taken a baby Lugia!" He snagged the headman, explained the situation, and asked him to get the islanders to go to the island Cyrill was on in the hope of surprising him with a show of force. Then he ran back to his boat to get in his machine to go after Cyrill. When he got there, a Lugia was waiting beside the boat.
Cyrill has him! I'll get into my machine to stop him flying off while the islanders get there! Lawrence told it.
He is already moving. said Lugia. Lawrence looked up. Cyrill's machine was moving out to sea, in the direction of Ice, Lightning, and Fire islands. Lawrence suddenly remembered Cyrill's statements.
"This is just a beginning!" he had said, and "Perhaps I'll have some new exhibits to show you."
Lawrence went pale, as he suddenly knew with a certainty what Cyrill was going to do.
He's going after the birds!
