CHAPTER 27

Rylan stared at Slowking fearfully.

"Zorian…" he said. "What do you do to him, Slowking? What's going on?"

Slowking looked down at Rylan. "A pity it had to come to this, dear boy," he said, "but I just simply don't like being tricked. You see, I have been learning for years how to access the border between this world and Giratina's world. Not easy stuff, you know."

Rylan did not like what he was hearing.

"After learning everything I needed to know," Slowking continued, "I found Giratina and forced him under my hypnosis with the help of my teammates. Your brother came to me for help, so I made a deal with him. If I kept you safe from harm, he would test Giratina's power in my absence."

"And what exactly are your goals?" Rylan asked, his expression turning to a combination of anger and fear.

"To put it simply," said Slowking, "I want what I deserve."

"What you…deserve?" Rylan asked.

Slowking smiled and nodded. "Allow me to clarify. I've been doing incredible things my whole life. I've been keeping the innocent safe, going out of my way to run errands for others, and bringing bad Pokémon to justice. The ones I've helped have wished me all the best, and yet I feel I deserve more than praise. I deserve the world."

"What do you mean by that?" Rylan asked.

"I have earned this world," said Slowking. Take a look around you each day and you see the same thing. Bullying, fighting, crime… No matter how many times you pick someone up off the ground, there will always be someone else who falls later on. I can right the wrongs of this world. I can make the place we live in a perfect paradise where everyone will be smiling from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to sleep every day."

"You can't just impose your own will onto the world," Rylan said. "Life doesn't work that way."

"Thanks to Giratina," said Slowking, "I think you'll find that I can. You see, those who do not choose to live a life of happiness with me as their sovereign will be banished to the Distortion World for a time out. How long they remain there will depend on how long it takes them to change their mind. I will happily release your friends at the guild, provided they accept their new lives."

Slowking stepped toward Rylan, who backed away from him.

"Oh, my dear boy," said Slowking, "you need not act that way. I am not going to hurt you. I am not going to hurt anyone. All I am going to do is ask you one simple question."

Slowking held out his hand toward Rylan. "Will you accept me as your sovereign, live a peaceful life under my reign, and help me claim my world?"

What kind of twisted way of thinking was this? Slowking actually thought he could do this to the entire Pokémon world? Trapping Pokémon in the Distortion World would only make them more bitter and angry. Rylan also knew that there was no way to perfect an imperfect world. You can't erase everyone's problems. You have to make the most of what you have.

"What you want is just fantasy," Rylan replied. "I'm not interested. Nobody can rule over the entire world. You need to wake up from this delusion of yours."

Slowking sighed disappointedly. "Here I was thinking you would jump at the chance for a better life, especially after what happened with you and your brother. Relying on a criminal organization is no lifestyle. I'm sure by now you remember the sick and twisted life forced upon you, the life your brother made you remember."

"I-" Rylan started, but he could not finish his sentence. Slowking was right. He did want a better life. Fleeting memories of his Team Rocket superiors barking orders at him, reducing his salary when he made the slightest mistake, and forcing him to abuse Pokémon for their enjoyment were starting to scar his mind.

"You see now?" Slowking asked. "Your brother had to bite and claw to find you, but what could you two possibly gain from going back home? You would just end up somewhere, shunned by a world that hates you. What I am offering you is something your brother would want you to have. I am offering you a life of paradise."

Rylan was stunned by Slowkings' words. He didn't know what to think anymore, what to feel anymore. Slowking was making perfect sense now. Rylan thought of Zorian and the ways Team Rocket made him suffer as well. The more he remembered their cruel life, the more tempting Slowking's offer started to sound.

"Come join my perfect world," said Slowking. He gave Rylan a warm, inviting smile and knelt down to pat his head. "I promise you, you will always be happy from this day forward."

Rylan pondered this decision carefully. After everything Slowking had told him, he was highly inclined to accept this offer.

"Don't do it, Rylan!" yelled a voice from behind.

"Ah, young Vulpix and Buizel," said Slowking delightedly. "Good to see you this evening."

Rylan turned around. Vulpix and Buizel had returned.

"Slowking…" Buizel snapped. "Don't know what you think you're playing at."

"I convinced Buizel to come back," said Vulpix. "I wasn't about to leave without you, and after what I just heard from Slowking, I refuse to leave you behind."

"Let me make this clear, Rylan," said Buizel. "I don't like you and I doubt I ever will after what you and the humans put Vulpix and me through. But Vulpix reminded me of something important while we were out at sea on our way back to the guild. When we first joined, Vulpix and I swore an oath to each other that no teammate gets left behind, no matter what. I let my emotions get in the way of my honor but it won't happen again."

Even under these circumstances, Buizel was willing to put his honor above his hatred of Rylan?

"That is quite touching," said Slowking. "Still, it's a great shame knowing that Buizel is going to despise you for the rest of his life, isn't it, Rylan? If you accept my offer, not only will the world you live in be free of hatred, but I can make you and Buizel the best of friends, granted he accepts the lifestyle as well."

"Don't talk like you can alter my emotions with a flick of the wrist," Buizel spat. "You sicken me, Slowking."

"Rylan, listen to me," Vulpix said. "Think about your brother. If he loves you as much as he seems to, do you really think he would want this for you?"

Rylan closed his eyes, trying to search his mind for more memories of his brother. Sifting through his memories was proving to be quite difficult since he had just reclaimed them and wasn't sure what to find.

He then remembered one instance in which his brother said the words, "I love you," and tried to reconstruct that memory.

The two of them were dressed in black Team Rocket uniforms and they were sitting at a lunch table in an empty cafeteria in their hideout. Rylan remembered what Zorian looked like as a human. He was tall, slim, and had black hair with a few red streaks on one side. He appeared quite somber as he looked at Rylan.

"Bro," he said, "why on Earth did you sign up for this? You're still just a kid and I never wanted this for you."

"Zorian, I promised you a long time ago that I would always stay by your side. If I have to join Team Rocket in order to do that, I will."

"Look, there's no turning back," said Zorian. "These guys are merciless. They don't accept resignations and they won't fire you unless they've been unsuccessful in harassing the incompetence out of you. Even then, you'll be left on the side of the road with nothing."

"Then why did you join?" Rylan asked.

"Family issues," Zorian replied, "but let's just forget about that, okay?"

Rylan slowly nodded and wrapped his arm around Zorian, leaning in for a hug.

"Look, little bro," said Zorian, "I want you to promise me one thing."

"Anything," said Rylan.

"Life is not a game," Zorian said, "and it is never perfect. Not a single person in this world is perfect either. The things we do in life determine our future, and nobody else can do these things for us, no matter how amazing they may sound. Promise me you'll think carefully before making a decision. Do what you feel is the right thing, and don't let anyone sway you from the future you choose for yourself."

"I promise," Rylan responded. "I know you well enough, and you're always right about these things. I trust you."

Zorian chuckled and hugged his brother back affectionately, trying to form a smile on his face. It was obvious that there were a lot of things on his mind.

"I trust you, too," he said. "I love you, Rylan."