~ Chapter 92 ~
Legendary Captures
"This one really isn't my story to tell. I wasn't here for the early parts of this…I got the boring Legendary, haha! I'm kidding, I'm kidding. My time in the Hall of Origin made me question everything I thought about the universe and the world we live in…it's never left me. I still think about it at least once a day since, and it's allowed me to put a lot of things into perspective. I'm glad for it, and I'll never regret it, but I'll admit…I would have liked to have visited the Distortion World at least once."
Alyssandra and Mesprit floated through this warped and distorted world.
Chunks of builds from different periods, floating rocks and pieces of land were everywhere.
It looked like some post-apocalyptic, zero gravity wasteland from a video game.
It would be beautiful if Alyssandra wasn't so worried about being stuck here.
She carried the massive Lustrous Orb under her arm, as the powers of Mesprit allowed her fly around the area, glowing with a pink aura.
This place was dark.
According to the flashes of images that Mesprit sent through Alyssandra's mind this was the domain of Palkia, from where it governed over all Space, realities and worlds.
It was called The World Between Worlds.
Mesprit and Alyssandra flew across this pocket world, chasing down Palkia, trying to capture it.
She held ready the Master Ball along with the Lustrous Orb.
Every time she sighted the Pokémon she tried to bind it with the Lustrous Orb and Mesprit's power, but the single Lake Guardian alone was not as powerful as all three together.
Alyssandra did her best though. But what she needed was to corner Palkia somewhere.
The Pokémon was angry, and likely in pain from being under the influence of the Red Chain against its will.
Alyssandra now had to convince the Pokémon she was here to help, not to hurt it.
Then, a roar erupted from behind her.
Alyssandra turned to see Palkia behind her.
The Pokémon looked pissed.
"Mespirt! Let's go!" called Alyssandra.
She flew towards Palkia, who roared and seemed to charge up some spiralling beam of energy.
Alyssandra needed to be fast.
Closing in on Palkia, she raised her Lustrous Orb and shot a beam of pink light at the massive dragon Pokémon.
Palkia roared, but calmed slowly as the Lustrous Orb bathed the Dragon God in its holy light.
Alyssandra poured her thoughts, kindness and gentility, into this beam of light. Her desire to help Palkia by becoming its champion, and thus, saving the galaxy and the world.
Palkia stopped, grumbling, rattling like an engine as it took in all the emotions Alyssandra was trying to pour into it.
WHAT ARE YOU.
Alyssandra recoiled.
The Pokémon had clamed down enough to communicate over a mental connection, but it was loud, powerful and not careful. Like an old Kaiju attacking Saffron City in the old movies.
I am Alyssandra. I am Human. I've come to be your Champion. Nilama sent me, we need to protect the universe from Cyrus.
WHY FOLLOW.
Alyssandra paused.
Because I need your help, to save everything and stop Team Galactic.
NO GIVE HELP. HUMANS BREAK. HURT. NO DESERVE HELP.
Please, Palkia, I need you to listen. I'm not here to hurt you—
Palkia snorted, pointing with its face to Alyssandra's hands.
WHY HAVE ORB.
Nilama, the High Priestess, gave it to me. I am here to help, not hurt you.
WHY HAVE MESPRIT.
Because Mesprit is here to help me, help you, as well.
NO BRING RED CHAIN. BREAK CHAIN. GIRATINA SAVE US.
I don't have the Red Chain; Giratina shattered it, like you said. I have no intention of capturing you against your will…but I must capture you, so we can become bonded.
Alyssandra looked at Mesprit.
Palkia hadn't responded, it looked as if it was pondering the meaning of life in Alyssandra's words.
Suddenly, it roared, followed by a growl.
MAY CATCH. I SUBMIT. WILL ALLOW YOU TO BE CHAMPION. WOULD NOT HAVE MESPRIT IF YOU WERE WRONG. FATHER TELL ME SO.
Alyssandra had no idea what Palkia was talking about, but she wasted no time in capturing the Pokémon, incase it changed its mind.
She threw the Master Ball at Palkia, and knew, before it even engulfed the Pokémon, what the result would be.
And yet, she held her breath, crossed her fingers, and hoped it wouldn't fail.
Jeremy had a more distracting time with his Legendary Pokémon.
Dialga had brought Jeremy to the Heart of Time, as Azelf had explained, but instead of hiding from Jeremy, or trying to attack him, Dialga showed Jeremy all of time—or at least the important parts.
Jeremy witnessed the first Holy Festival atop the Spear Pillar.
The subsequent building of the temple.
The annual visits and meetings of Clan Leaders.
The outrage of the Solaceon Tribe, their plotting and secrecy…and finally the war.
Dialga referred to it as the the War of Long Knives.
Jeremy witnessed the slaughter of innocents by the Solaceon Tribe.
Beaten and defeated in the previous battles and on the verge of being destroyed, they would face their fate…the only respite being the annual holy festival atop the Spear Pillar.
Broken, desperate, and with nothing to lose, the Solaceon Tribe attacked the rest of the tribes during their holy festival.
They cared not for the retribution they would face.
If they won, they would control the gods, and there would be no retribution…but it did not end that way.
They slaughtered many unarmed innocents and civilians…and they were defeated.
But Arceus had been angered, and the Solaceon Tribe had failed.
He banished the Solaceon Tribe for their violence.
In their penance, the rest of the tribes volunteered to go down below the clouds and impose exile upon them.
They swore their eternal allegiance to Arceus, but begged his forgiveness.
It had not gone as the history books recorded.
Arceus did not want the other tribes to leave, but acquiesced as they declared they would need to go down there and keep an eye on the Solaceon Tribe, lest the tribe stew in their own defeat and come back later with a larger, stronger army for a vengeance.
So the tribes abandoned Mt. Coronet.
They would go out and view the world beneath the clouds.
They would go about it and protect it from the dark magics of the Solaceon Tribe.
They spread out across Sinnnoh, putting themselves in strategic places to guard over and protect the region from the Solaceon Tribe.
And from there the modern Sinnoh Region took shape.
History had not been what was written—time showed the truth.
History had forgotten…perhaps intentionally, to prevent anyone from going back to the Spear Pillar and seeing and finding things they could never understand.
If they placed a curse upon the mountain, then none would ever dare encroach upon the realm of the gods.
But even though history had forgotten, time had not.
Dialga snorted like a racing Rapidash. Time does not forget. Time is the only truth of reality.
What do you mean?
History is an oral and written history of a people. It tells a story, but there are two sides to every story. Most histories tell only one story—the story it is meant to tell. To teach values, instill lesson upon those who listen. But stories can contain lies; they can be twisted to make those whom the stories are about look better, or more ideal. But time cannot lie; time cannot be changed or twisted to suit ones needs. Time is simply what happened, and what will happen. You cannot change the past, or change the future.
You can't change the future? How is that possible?
All that is to be is already written, but it does not releave us of the doing.
So we have no free will?
Free will and choice are the defining traits of all sentient beings.
Then how can we not act differently from what time has planned for us?
Dialga snorted.
Time is not a single linear path; time has many choices and brances. Like a tree, or the roots of some large bush…we live within the trunk, that is our time. A continuous flowing river with small off shoots here and there, what could have been, what might have been…but never what was…yes?
Jeremy sat silent, contemplating what he was being told.
If you were to go back into the past, to the day the Solaceon Tribe attacked the Spear Pillar, and prevented it, you would not change your future. Merely, create another future. When you returned to your time, the results of that day would be the same. Nothing would have changed. You are bound to your river, you cannot swim down the other channels, and it is not your fate.
Jeremy's head hurt from the thinking.
Dialga made a sound that resembled something like a choke and a laugh.
I suppose I cannot expect a human to understand something it has taken me eons to understand and master. Even now I learn something new every day. Millions of years of knowledge, and still I have so much more to learn, it is very amusing to me.
Jeremy forced a chuckle, but didn't really know what else to say.
Do you think my friends are learning as much as I?
Dialga made a motion that resembled a shrug.
Palkia does not take well to humans. He's likely pretending to be a vile brute, incapable of more than basic speech. He has been hurt before…surprisingly, Palkia has been sought after more than I. Those who understand the true meaning of time know that even with I, it cannot be changed, but space, new worlds and realities…they can be created easily. He has become…guarded for it. Your friend will not have an easy time there.
And what about Giratina?
Giratina has not come into this world in over five thousand years. Even for his champions, he rarely appears. He is not required, being the God of Chaos, to appear that often…chaos happens on its own. He merely arrives for the sake of…aiding or stopping chaos as needed. Humans rarely need help creating it, or stopping it surprisingly. He is the one I would be most worried about…or perhaps least. It depends.
On?
On how true your friends intentions are, and how strong their spirit is.
Jeremy smiled. Niya would be fine. Alyssandra too—she was stronger than most gave her credit for.
The one he probably worried for the most was Sam.
Few went up against the God of Gods, Creator of All Things, and lived to tell the tale—or so fiction had stated.
Come, Champion. Capture me, I submit. You have learned your share for now…but we must hasten back to stabilize the rifts created by Cyrus and his greed. When he summoned Palkia and I, and tried to control us with the Red Chain, he tore a rift into time-space…that is what alerted and summoned Giratina to this world. He sensed an overabundance of chaos energies, and came to investigate, and perhaps correct them. It's a good thing he showed up…the only being that cannot be bound by the Red Chain, save Arceus. Anyway, enough talk, come! Use your secret weapon against me, I submit!
Jeremy nodded and drew his Master Ball. He wasn't about to question how a Dragon God knew what was in his pocket. That question practically answered itself to him.
All he needed to do was toss the ball, and he could—hopefully—return to the Spear Pillar and his friends.
Niya was having the weirdest time of all three of the Champions who had both a Lake Guardian and a Dragon God.
The Distortion World, where Girtina had dragged her, was a chaotic, hectic realm.
The rules of physics and the universe had no sway here.
Waterfalls ran up, or sideways.
Niya could walk up and down walls, upsidedown, and there were upside down lakes.
Pieces of the human world, and chunks of rocks and dirt floated about everywhere.
There was no single land, but several pieces of land that were strewn about infinity.
A massive black hole could be seen beneath, or above the world…its position was never stable based on the constantly changing gravity and location of the "floor."
Niya hadn't seen even a glimpse of Giratina since they arrived.
She mad merely proceeded deeper and deeper into the Distortion World, looking for her companion, with Uxie at her side.
Uxie, thankfully, seemed to know the way—for the most part—though occasional the floors and walls would move and change direction, causing the Lake Guardian to have to recalculate their path.
They stumbled for what seemed like days, though it could've been minutes, hours, weeks, months, years, or even seconds.
Time worked differently here, in that it didn't work at all.
This world was truly a chaotic void.
Then there was scuffling somewhere ahead.
It sounded like someone was walking towards Niya.
She grabbed a Poké Ball and raised the Griseous Orb, ready to battle Giratina if need be.
But she was surprised to see, not Giratina the Chaos God, but Cyrus, the Boss of Team Galactic.
"You can lower your Poké Ball," stated Cyrus, "I am unarmed. My Pokémon were left back at the Spear Pillar."
"Why should I trust you?" demanded Niya.
Cyrus sighed. "I suppose you shouldn't. But I am asking you to, regardless."
"Why?" asked Niya, "Why change now?"
Niya was as angry as Uxie was scared.
"Because, I have got my wish," stated Cyrus simply.
Niya raised an eyebrow, and Cyrus, sitting himself upon a nearby rock, began to explain.
"I sought a world without spirit, without imperfect humanity," explained Cyrus; "I have found it here…an empty void of a world. It's…perfect."
Cyrus inhaled, and exhaled, as if meditating. He seemed much calmer than Niya had seen him in a very, very long time.
"So…that's it? It's all just over? You're done trying to make a new world?" asked Niya, still sceptical.
Cyrus nodded. "Had I known I had never had to do what I did…perhaps things would have gone differently," explained Cyrus, musing over the past, "I might have just opened a portal here and lived here with my followers…though, perhaps just alone. Perhaps I may yet still."
"It would have been simpler than hurting and killing innocent people and Pokémon," stated Niya bluntly, "And it wouldn't have tarnished Team Galactic's name quite so much."
"You refer to our humble beginnings as an alternative energy company," smiled Cyrus, "Yes…humble beginnings. We had them once, and we got close to our goal…the Valley Windworks is the product of such labour…Saturn was a very wise young man, and smart beyond even my capabilities."
"Is this the part where I get the history of your organization?" Niya asked sarcastically.
Cyrus shrugged. "Would you even be willing to listen?"
Niya thought for a moment. Genuinely considering the options. Then finally, she sat down, Uxie floating cautiously behind her, and looked at Cyrus. "I suppose I will, I've got nothing better to do. Tell me."
Cyrus gave a curt smile.
"When we started, as the Galactic Energy Company, I truly wanted to find new, renewable energy sources for a world that had become to reliant on harmful methods of energy production," explained Cyrus, "Saturn was one of the first to join me. His desire was even greater than mine perhaps, and his mind was sharper. He was behind many of our ideas, even after our change in direction. It was Saturn who was behind the joint effort between Floaroma Town and our company, when we created the Valley Windworks. The Windworks provides enough power to power all of Floaroma Town, and the plan was to increase the size and have it try to power Jubilife City as well."
"What changed in Team Galactic? How did you go from renewable energy company to a team of bad guys like you are now?" asked Niya, now genuinely curious.
She had no idea that Team Galactic had helped build and create the Valley Windworks; though considering their reputation in recent years it was understandable why they wanted that history erased.
"Humanity did not change, and so we had to," Cyrus explained, his face going grim, "Saturn and I…all our hard work, only to receive scorn and rage…people trying to keep humanity in a dark age of energy sources. No one was willing to listen; no one was willing to change...corporations and their greed continued to forestall and destroy our efforts. It was then that we decided that there was no way to change humanity, and so we would have to recreate them. We hired Markus Alexios, and Charon, and Saturn brought his sisters Mars and Jupiter into our organization. We also secured larger funding from a mysterious investor, who saw the truth in our plans…he believed in us, and was willing to fund our expeditions. So with Charons scientific skill, Alexios's knowledge of the Legendary Pokémon of Sinnoh, and Jupiter and Mars's indomitable attitudes, we were prepared to do whatever we had to to achieve our goals…even the most terrible things."
"And how long did that take?" asked Niya.
"Half a decade, at least," noted Cyrus, "At first I had merely sought the ability to recreate the world so that we did not destroy ourselves…but soon I realize that human spirit is flawed, and no matter how often I tried to correct the world, the problem was people…and so I sought to remake everything."
"So what went wrong?" asked Niya, now genuinely curious.
Cyrus chuckled. "Our mysterious benefactor made his demand," he stated, "His investment did not come without a price, it seemed. All that glittered, truly, was not gold."
"What did he demand?" asked Niya.
"The dragons," said Cyrus plainly, as if he was asking for a glass of water, "He wanted Palkia, Dialga and Giratina. He would give us the world we wanted, and he would take the Pokémon for himself afterwards…"
"So he said," snorted Niya, "You clearly didn't believe him, or you wouldn't have done what you did."
Cyrus nodded. "I sought to turn on him once the Legendary Dragons were in my possession," admitted Cyrus, "Atop Mt. Coronet, I would unmake this world, and our benefactor, and remake it, without him, so we would be both victorious and free…but I was weak, and we have failed…"
"Have you?" asked Niya, "I mean, Team Galactic failed, but…you said yourself you found a world where everything you've wanted from our world is reality. A world without any spirit let alone human spirit."
Cyrus nodded. "It is quite beautiful, yes," he smiled, "Perhaps I may stay here…but…what of Team Galactic? What would they do without me? Where will they go, without my leadership, what purpose would they have? They would surely not be safe from our benefactors wrath at our failure."
"Maybe, if you let me explain about the benefactor to the Pokémon League, we can protect your Team Galactic—jail the guilty ones, or ones who committed the worst crimes—but protect them all the same…maybe…maybe you could have them go back to your original goal of green energy, under close supervision, of course," said Niya, reassuringly to Cyrus. Never before had she imagined she'd be talking to the leader of Team Galactic in such a friendly manner.
"Perhaps…Saturn never did fully let go of his dreams…" smiled Cyrus, staring up into the purple void that was the sky.
"What can you tell me about your benefactor? A name, his location, anything?' asked Niya.
Cyrus shook his head. "I know nothing, other than he sent us money, and got us in contact with some of his associates in Kanto who gave us all the Spiritum Steel vehicles and the Master Balls."
Niya gritted her teeth.
That wasn't going to be very helpful…or necessarily believable.
She understood the need for renewable energy, and Team Galactic had proven to be nothing if not effective, focused, dedicated and creative in their solutions.
Besides, their last venture, the Valley Windworks, was the pride of Floaroma Town. Perhaps, with a focus towards good, a guiding hand, and a chance to change their ways, they could do something even greater, and become a force for good once again.
Maybe…
"Maybe," smiled Cyrus, as if he could hear Niya's thoughts, "But, that will not be for me to decide; I have decided to stay here…tell my Commanders not to look for me, tell Saturn he is in charge, and to watch out for Charon, and tell them all…tell them I am truly sorry I have failed them."
Cyrus looked past Niya to speak this next part.
"And thank you," he stated, with a warm smile on his face, "There is nothing to this world, and there is nothing in this world. I quite enjoy this…perhaps you know that? Regardless, thank you."
Niya turned around, and nearly jumped as she noticed Giratina was standing behind her.
The Pokémon looked like a giant, multi-legged worm with wispy, shadowy wings.
It seemed to be in a different form than what it was when it was a shadow creature coming from the portal.
The Pokémon rumbled, but didn't look hostile.
Uxie contacted Niya through their mental link, letting Niya know that Giratina submitted to her, and was waiting to be captured.
Niya was still frozen.
She couldn't believe that she was now face to face with the massive Dragon God.
"Go on," smiled Cyrus, "You can do it."
That didn't help much, receiving praise from someone who was moments ago, her enemy, trying to destroy all of creation.
But regardless, Niya knew she had to do what was required of her.
She had to catch Giratina, and become its Champion.
Niya closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and grabbed the Master Ball.
Sam opened his eyes, Master Ball clutched tightly in one hand, and Azure Flute in the other.
He looked up and saw everyone: Cynthia, the Hiker Brothers, Professor Rowan, Valentina, and even Nilama, all staring at him in disbelief.
Beside him stood his friends, in a similar confused state, with Lake Guardians floating around playfully behind them.
"It…did it work?" asked Valentina, confused.
Nilama smiled. "Yes, it has. I sense it. I feel it."
"Then it's done," smiled Cynthia, "We're all safe…it's over."
The wind blowed gently, and filling the pause—the silence—with a calm that could never have been achieved by any other sound.
Then resounding cheer erupted, echoing throughout the Spear Pillar.
The Lake Guardians, soon to be captured and bonded to their Champions as well, let out a resounding cry.
The sun was setting now, bathing the Spear Pillar in a mix of darkness, purple and orange light.
It was a beautiful scene.
It was a beautiful moment.
All was over…the danger was done.
For now…
