Putting Him In His Place

Chapter Four

Lawrence's plight had not gone unnoticed. A sleek, streamlined shape was speeding towards Shamouti Island as fast as it could swim.

Cyril got in later that day, clutching a book he'd borrowed from the Headman, Tobias, entitled "Legendary Pokémon: Facts and theories." In his other hand he held a bottle with a liquid in it. He had gone to visit Tobias to find out more about Lugia, who had helped him find information in that very book. He had had to pussyfoot around the subject very carefully, to ensure he did not reveal to the Island chief that he had their Guardian captive in his machine.

While reading through the massive tome, which was not easy reading by any means, the chief had placed a glass of fruit juice on the table next to him, and Cyril had been sipping from it throughout the time he'd been there. As it had never seemed to become empty, Cyril suspected it had been refilled throughout the day. He had read less and less and talked more and more as the day went on, and because he'd not finished reading it, Tobias had kindly given him the loan of the book.

When Cyril had seen time was getting on, he had apologised but told them he had to go. As soon as Cyril had stood up to leave, the world had suddenly gone lopsided, and he had to grab the chair again to avoid falling over. It was then that Adele, Tobias' wife, had remarked that "Your visitor is unused to Moltres' fury, Tobias." Upon asking, Tobias had explained that the fruit juice had also contained small amounts of his own very powerful version of the Island brew. The usual stuff was sold down the shop as "Fire Island", but Tobias informed Cyril that his own special version was distilled again, and was stronger, earning it the name "Moltres' Fury." Cyril had groaned, guessing that this revelation augured a monster hangover the next morning. Adele had obviously divined the reason for his groan, for she went out and brought back a bottle filled with a pinky-yellow, thick-looking fluid. Handing it to him, she had told him to drink it first thing in the morning.

Cyril sat in his chair, and went back to reading the book. He had seen something interesting in there, a theory about most Legendary Pokémon being shape shifters. Personally, he thought it made sense-if a Ditto could change it's shape naturally, and other Pokémon could be given a TM to learn Transform, it made sense that some, if not all, Legendaries, could do this too. It was the paragraph below that caught his attention that theorised that Legendary Pokémon might not just be able to shift their own shape, but that of other Pokémon, or even humans. Perhaps stone cold sober, Cyril might not have thought it likely, but with a skinful of Moltres' Fury, he thought it a possibility: Was Lugia actually Lawrence?

Putting the book down, Cyril made his way over to the force-field with its slumbering occupant, and used his remote to take off the sleep-inducing field.

Again, Lawrence came to awareness. Had Cyril completed the enclosure for him already? He was slightly disappointed, for he had hoped that Lugia would have restored him to his natural shape by now. Surely the enclosure would take more than a month to build? Perhaps the force-fields were inhibiting Lugia's ability to find or restore him?

Opening his eyes again, Lawrence found himself looking at a Cyril who was still dressed the same as the last time he'd seen him, but obviously the worse for wear. As Lawrence watched, Cyril hiccuped with such force that he almost fell over.

Cyril, you're drunk! Lawrence said as he noticed Cyril's unfocused eyes, and the bottle of hangover cure Cyril was still holding.

Cyril began to nod, but the motion appeared to be ill-advised, as he stopped abruptly, putting his free hand to his head.

"Only my friend Lawrence speaks to me like that." Cyril said. Lawrence was about to continue when he realised that Cyril had spoken as a statement of fact, not as an admonition. It was Cyril who continued.

"Yep, I dunno how he's done it, but Lugia turned you into him, didn't he? This must be embarassin' for you. Poor Laurie."

I'm rather glad you worked it out. Lawrence said. I was wondering just how I was going to tell you in a believable way. I had no idea how to convince you I wasn't just being a devious Lugia just saying things to try and escape.

"Yeah, well, maybe I should let you out." Cyril said. "Thank Tobias and Adele, they loaned me the book that put me on to the idea. Despite all the stuff you know about me, without the statement of the book about Legendary's powers, I still wouldn't've believed you." Cyril walked over to his control panel, and looked at the buttons.

"There's twice as many of these as there should be." Cyril said, confused. "Which one will let you down?" Cyril jabbed at one button (it took three attempts to hit it), and Lawrence was rather alarmed to find himself turning upside-down."

Not that one, Cyril! he cried out, Cyril managed to hit the same button again to reverse the move, then tried another one, which only succeeded in shrinking the confining field so Lawrence was getting more scrunched up and uncomfortable by the second.

Not that one either, Cyril. Could you stop this before it crushes me? Cyril hurriedly found the right button, and Lawrence sighed with relief as the pressure on him subsided.

"I'm sorry, Lawrence, I can't remember which button is which." Cyril said.

Lawrence knew that the force-fields had a variety of settings, including total stasis and airtight, and decided that it was too dangerous to allow Cyril to keep pressing buttons at random and hope to get the correct one.

Look, Cyril, I think you need to go and sleep that stuff you've drunk off, whatever it is. Lawrence said. I've been in here for at least a few hours, I can cope for as long as it takes for you to sleep it off and sober up. Don't bother with the sleep field either, if you press the wrong button, the results could be awkward, painful, or messy. I'll see you in the morning.

""Sorry." Cyril said again, and staggered off towards his living quarters. Lawrence watched until Cyril was out of sight, and didn't relax until he heard drunken snoring coming from the direction Cyril had gone in. It was then that he began looking around Cyril's exhibition hall in an attempt to keep himself from boredom for possibly up to twelve hours or so.

Five hours later, the real Lugia climbed ashore on Shamouti Island, and headed for Cyril's machine.