Chapter 38 – Speech of Change

There was a calm to the man. All his life, he had preferred the company of machines to people. The small hum of electricity produced by those lifeless entities the only sound. And while he would like to say he was alone, Cyrus stood before the three capable of making his dream a reality. The lake guardians stared back at the man.

"It has been some months" Cyrus began, speaking more to one than the other two. "When I first began assembling my group to bring forth what I needed, I spoke to you. You probably did not hear when I said I would have the world I desired, so peaceful in your rest." The lake guardian looked so pitiful, constrained as it was.

"Those fools who brought you here, they believe to touch you is to destroy that which makes you special." Cyrus tilted his head slightly, appraising the smaller being. Slate grey held to molten gold eyes. Mesprit could do nothing as the man approached.

"We know better, though don't we? Mesprit the bringer of emotion." Cyrus lifted a hand towards the Pokemon's head. "You may bring emotion, but to touch is to lose mine." The touch was almost delicate and loving. Mesprit's ruby coloured gem in its head flared briefly. The scene was shattered by footsteps without. Cyrus sighed, stepping away from the guardian whose eyes seemed almost sad.

"Sir" Charon said as he entered the room. Cyrus stared at the scientist waiting for the man to speak. Charon glanced at the three legends before continuing. "I'm ready to take them."

"Then begin."

Looker glanced up from his newspaper as the newcomer entered the café. The girl shook some water from her coat as she lowered her hood. Looker closed the paper and folded it onto the table. The young woman looked around, eyes locking with Lookers as he stood up.

"Good to see you again Miss Heart. Can I get you anything?" Jill took off her coat after shaking Lookers hand.

"A coffee would be appreciated." Looker grinned and bought two drinks, bringing them back to the table. Jill added some cream and sugar to hers while Looker let his cool off. Silence enveloped the two. Finally, Looker broke the silence.

"I am sorry to hear about your friends. They are doing alright?" Jill looked down at her coffee as she answered.

"They will be yeah."

"You three are all very brave. But we face extremists now. Men hardened and willing to fight." Jill nodded, fully aware of what they were now faced with. "I have a lead we will be following." Jill looked up at that.

"Did you find Cyrus?" she asked.

"Negative. However, the warehouse we investigated all those months ago. It would seem a leisurely member of this organization has left us with access to the building via their tower." Looker began explaining all which the police had found during their raid of all Galactic Corporations holdings. Whatever they were planning was well hidden, but it seemed that the main thrust was coming from Veilstone.

"Why haven't the police raided them yet?" Jill demanded after Looker had caught her up.

"We were about to, but then the bombs went off. We were too late." Lookers voice was finally showing signs of the stress he was under. People were hurt by these explosions, all because he wasn't fast enough on the case. Jill looked disheartened at that.

"Since that day, we have looked everywhere. The tower has been completely emptied out. There is one last place that I intended too search however." Jill looked at the agent waiting for him to continue. Looker had paused to pull something out of his pocket. On the table he laid down a card key.

"What's this for?" Jill asked. It was a simple white card, much like the one's the Pokecentre's gave out to travelling trainers to get into their rooms.

"I believe it's to their warehouse" Looker said simply. "Shall we go take a look?" Jill looked up from the table, her eyes hard.

The warehouse was empty. Jill was becoming more disheartened with each step after splitting up from Looker. She had really believed the International Police agent had been on to something. While the police had been searching the tower in Veilstone, Looker had found this discarded key. A stroke of luck to be sure, but now Jill thought that someone was simply playing them off. Sighing, she was almost about to turn around when she heard something. It almost sounded like a low mummer. Following the sound, Jill quietly approached two young men walking down a deserted hallway.

"Where we headed?" The boy on the right asked.

"They said the boss has something to tell us" the other man was said. Neither person could tell Jill was following them. Jill pulled up short as they rounded the corner. Ahead was a vast space filled with people, all wearing those same weird suits. Carefully, the young woman looked around, spotting a metal staircase leading up to a catwalk. She crept over and quickly climbed up. Thankfully she found herself covered mostly in shadows, almost level with the stage that was built up overlooking the grunts. A hand settled on her shoulder, causing Jill to jump out of her skin and whirl around. Looker quickly steadied the young woman, a finger pressed to his lips. Jill took a breath while she nodded. The two looked towards the stage where people were walking out. Jill hissed as she recognized three of them.

"Those three are those Galactic commanders!" Jill whispered furiously. "They're the ones who stole the legendary guardians!" Looker nodded appearing very serious. Jill wanted to do something, but there was no way she could take on the entire organization. The man had almost killed her at the lake. Finally, the last member walked out to the podium. The small noise of hundreds of whispers died instantly.

Cyrus walked up to the podium, his subordinates standing behind him looking so proud. As if they were the reasons for his success. They still failed to see that they were merely tools. Expendable pawns, just as those witless and dull spirits standing before him. Yet did not even the pawn have a roll to play? Yes, he was close to his goal. Charon had delivered the means, but Cyrus knew that the hardest part was about to take place. And he was fully aware of the obstacles still in his way. A drawn in breath awaited him as he surveyed his followers.

"Fellow members of Team Galactic." The start of any speech to enliven people must be made small, inclusive, empowering. Cyrus knew all the tricks. "We stand together upon this precipice of change. This world of ours… it is cruel. If a word is used to describe it, that word would be incomplete." Cyrus' voice was quiet. People strained forward to hear it. Their leader continued looking out over the gathered.

"People and Pokemon know only strife. We struggle to get by. Because of this, we fight, we maim, we hate, and we hunger. We cast out our lives into this void to get anything back. Yet nothing is forthcoming, so we struggle on. This incompleteness…" Cyrus paused again, as if to show an emotion he did not feel.

"I hate it."

Cyrus' voice became stronger, louder. And his eye caught that of a young woman's. "I hate it with my entire being. This world, it must change! For a time, I thought someone must come along to change it. Then I realized, that someone was me. But I am one man. This moment before us is not my victory. It is yours!" Cheering was beginning as people were beginning to be swept up in the current. "Together we solved ancient mysteries and modern technologies! Together we captured the lake guardians! Together WE have gathered the energy and the means to change this incomplete world! Our goal is finally within our grasp!"

"Know this Team Galactic! There are those who would stand against us. They will not understand the change we bring. They will fight and struggle. But our dream-world, our salvation! It awaits us. We need only hold out our hand and grasp hold of it."

"From here forth, though our missions may differ, we are one! Together we will usher in a new world! Together we will complete this world!" The roar was deafening, but Cyrus had only eyes for the young woman staring back from the catwalks. He waited moments longer before finally breaking his gaze to sweep over the fools below. He nodded once, before taking his leave. Now it would up to his commanders to take control and bring the groups to Mount Cornet. He however, had one more task awaiting him here it would seem.