Chapter 11: Chain of Blood
Three hours had passed since Cyrus and Team Galactic had abducted Ash, Misty, and Uxie. Since that time Riley and Lucario were waiting anxiously at the destroyed campsite by Lake Acuity. And the more time that passed, the further away Team Galactic was getting. They had gotten too far for even Riley to sense by their Aura, so for all he knew they were already back at whatever base Team Galactic was using. At long last Riley and Lucario heard the sound of a helicopter motor.
Landing in the clearing was a small blue and white helicopter with the symbol of a golden police badge on the side of the nose. The side door opened and Looker quickly rushed out wearing his trench coat. From the windshield of the copter Riley could see the pilot was a woman with blue-green hair wearing a blue short-sleeved police uniform and a white helmet with a black strip on top.
“I’m sorry it took so long.” Looker said apologetically to Riley over the wind created by the still spinning helicopter blades. “There were other incidents like the one here that occurred at Lake Verity and Lake Valor.”
“That must mean that Team Galactic also had Mesprit and Azelf as well.” Riley concluded. “They probably have all three Lake Guardians at their base along with Ash and Misty. Though I have no idea where that is.”
“There is a building in Veilstone City that’s thought to be owned by Team Galactic.” Looker informed him. “That might be the place we’re looking for.”
“Veilstone City is in the direction that Team Galactic’s helicopter went.” Riley replied. “It seems to be the only lead we have. We should go there right away!”
“Then it’s a good thing the chopper is all warmed up for us. Let’s go!” Looker told him.
* * *
Meanwhile Misty awoke to find herself in a dimly lit room with metal walls and a floor. She was on the ground on her side and her hands were bound behind her back by something. She could tell by how inflexible the bonds were that they were not rope. Before long Misty noticed Mars sitting in the middle of the room on a wooden chair reading a magazine about male pop stars.
“Oh, you’re awake.” Mars said to Misty while glancing over the edge of her magazine. “I wouldn’t try anything if I were you. Not that you could.”
“Where am I?” Misty asked as she attempted to sit up. “And where’s Ash?”
“You’re at Team Galactic’s main headquarters.” Mars informed her. “And as for your little friend we’ve put him in another cell. Don’t worry, your Pokemon are still on you. We couldn’t care less about them, and like I said, you can’t do much anyway.”
“So just what are you planning to do with us?” Misty demanded to know.
“Don’t know, don’t care.” Mars said indifferently, not once taking her eyes from her magazine. “All I know is that Cyrus wants you two held here for awhile, and that’s all that matters to me.”
“Okay then, why are you guys after the Lake Guardians?” Misty asked.
“I guess I might as well tell you that.” Mars shrugged. “I don’t know all the details, but those three Pokemon are going to play a role in making the new world we’re after.”
“And are you going to tell me about this new world of yours?” Misty asked.
“Someone like you couldn’t possibly understand the knew world we’re trying to create.” Mars replied.
“…You don’t even know, do you?” Misty realized as a small smirk came to her face. “You’re just as clueless as everyone else in Team Galactic.”
“Look, I don’t need to know just what kind of world Cyrus is planning to create!” Mars said in a somewhat angry tone as she finally put down her magazine. “All I need to know is that Cyrus says that it will be a utopia, and that’s good enough for me!”
“Oh I get it, you have a thing for Cyrus.” Misty said teasingly. “I hate to break it to ya, but Cyrus seems more into Cynthia. I don’t think he’d be remotely interested in you.”
Mars suddenly raised a small black grip-like object and pressed the red button it had on top. Misty suddenly cried out in pain from an electric shock from whatever was holding her arms behind her back, causing her to fall back on her side.
“I’d keep your mouth shut if I were you. You’ll live longer.” Mars warned as she picked her magazine back up. “Cross me again and I’ll give you double the shock from those cuffs we put on you.”
* * *
In another part of the base, Ash awoke in a cell similar to the one Misty was being held in. He quickly found that his arms were bound behind his back. Ash sat up when he heard the sound of Pikachu’s voice. He found that both Pikachu and Riolu were inside clear boxes with black metal frames. Pikachu was trying to break open the box with blasts of electricity but was having no luck.
“Pikachu, Riolu, are you guys okay?” Ash quickly asked.
“Pika pika.” Pikachu replied encouragingly from inside his cage. Riolu also gave Ash a nod.
“Great, now we have to figure out how to get out of here and find Misty.” Ash said to his two Pokemon. Suddenly the electric door to the cell slid open and Saturn walked in.
“Ah, so you’re finally awake.” Saturn observed with a smug expression. “Before you ask, we haven’t taken any of your Pokemon. And as you can see your two little friends are unharmed.”
“What did you do with Misty?” Ash demanded fiercely.
“She’s fine for now, but cross us and she might not stay that way.” Saturn warned. “I should also tell you that the cuffs you’re wearing are designed to give you a rather nasty shock, should you misbehave.”
“So what do you want with me?” Ash asked.
“Cyrus wishes to speak with you, why I don’t know.” Saturn answered. “But it’s not my place to question him. Now you can either walk there or be dragged, your choice.”
“Fine, I’ll walk.” Ash said grudgingly as he got to his feet.
Ash followed Saturn out of the cell into the corridor. They turned several corners until they entered the dimly lit dome-shaped room that Cyrus seemed to use as an office. Cyrus was inside sitting in his chair facing away from the door.
“I’ve brought the brat, as you requested sir.” Saturn reported.
“Leave us.” Cyrus ordered as he turned his chair to face them. Saturn gave Cyrus a bow before leaving the room. “I trust that you weren’t injured too badly.”
“What do you want with me and Misty?” Ash demanded to know.
“I’m not sure actually. There’s something about your character that has me curious.” Cyrus answered coldly. “I would not have captured you had you not attempted to get in my way. And if it weren’t for my curiosity you would most likely not be alive.”
“So what is all this for?” Ash asked in confusion. “Why form Team Galactic and go after the Lake Guardians?”
“As I’ve said before, it is all to create a new and better world.” Cyrus replied.
“I’m sick of hearing that line! Just what kind of world are you planning to make?” Ash demanded.
“I suppose it’s only fair I tell you now. The world I wish to create is one pure of spirit, pure of emotion.” Cyrus revealed.
“Pure of emotion?” Ash repeated. “But why do you want to make a world like that?”
“It’s simple, emotions are the source of all conflict.” Cyrus elaborated. “All it takes is for a single world leader to become angry for a war to start. Spirit is the source of chaos, so I intend to sweep this world of chaos aside and create a new world filled with order.”
“And just how do you plan to do that?” Ash asked.
“I searched long and hard to find the solution to that problem, and my search led me to investigate the myths of the Sinnoh Region.” Cyrus began. “My studies brought me to the conclusion that the great power that had created Dialga and Palkia made a mistake when it created the Lake Guardians. For the Lake Guardians are said to be responsible for giving spirit to the human race. Uxie endowed humanity with knowledge and curiosity, Azelf gave humans a will of their own, and Mesprit gave the human race emotions. All of it was a mistake.”
“It’s not a mistake! Spirit is what makes life worth living!” Ash told him.
“That is a flawed statement clouded by sentiment.” Cyrus said indifferently. “I would not expect a child like you to understand, nor would I expect anyone of this flawed world. That is why you will all be swept away with the rest of this world.”
“Does that include Team Galactic too?” Ash asked, recalling how ignorant most of the members of Team Galactic seemed to be about the goals of their organization.
“Team Galactic is but a means to achieve my goal. They are disposable once they have served their purpose.” Cyrus said coldly. “They do not need to know of the true nature of my plans, for like you they could not possibly understand them. It is the same with Cynthia and Professor Rowan. Once they have served their purpose I no longer need them.”
“Okay, so how do you plan to create this new world of yours?” Ash asked.
“It is very simple, I intend to use the power of Dialga and Palkia to destroy this world and create a new one.” Cyrus explained. “Everything I have had Team Galactic do has been to obtain those Pokemon. The first step was acquiring the means to summon them. That is the purpose of the Lustrous Orb and the Adamant Orb. The next step was to find the area used for the summoning to Dialga and Palkia, the Spear Pillar. The purpose of the device on Iron Island was to locate the Spear Pillar on Mount Coronet. Now all that’s left is to obtain the means to control Dialga and Palkia.”
“Is that what the Lake Guardians are for?” Ash asked.
“Very astute, it is quite ironic actually that the ones who flawed the world with spirit will play a role in its destruction.” Cyrus answered. “In my studies of Sinnoh myths I discovered that the Lake Guardians are said to have the power to contain the power of Dialga and Palkia, which means that the same power might be used to control them. Using the Lake Guardians I shall create the means to control one of the dragons, the Red Chain. And then I shall use my technology to duplicate the Red Chain and control the other dragon. Time and space will be in the palm of my hand.”
“How are you going to use the Lake Guardians to create this Red Chain?” Ash asked, though he found a part of him was afraid of what the answer might be.
“I was wondering when you might ask.” Cyrus said as he stood up from his chair. He then pressed a button on the arm of the chair. The door to the room opened and in walked two male Team Galactic grunts. “We are about to begin the process to forge the Red Chain. And I would like you to watch.”
With that, Cyrus headed out of the room, with Ash being escorted behind him by the two Team Galactic members. They soon entered a room with a window overlooking a large chamber. Ash was brought to the window and saw three Pokemon shackled to a large metal table on the floor of the chamber. The one on the left was Uxie, while the other two had bodies similar to Uxie’s but had distinctive differences. The one in the middle had a magenta face and head, and had four long protrusions on the sides of its head that gave the appearance of hair. Ash realized that the Pokemon was Mesprit. The final Pokemon on the right had a cyan face, and the top of its head, which was also cyan, gave it the appearance that it was wearing a conical hat. Ash knew the third Pokemon to be Azelf. Each of the trio had black hoses running from the red gems on their bodies into machines in the chamber.
“The powers within the gems possessed by the Lake Guardians will be used to forge the Red Chain.” Cyrus explained. “We are going to extract that power now.”
“And what will this do to the Lake Guardians?” Ash demanded to know.
“That is unimportant.” Cyrus said coldly. “At the very least I imagine that they will feel intense pain, but that is unimportant. All that matters is that the Red Chain is forged.”
“You can’t do this!” Ash told him.
“Force the boy to watch.” Cyrus ordered the two grunts.
The two Team Galactic grunts then pressed Ash against the glass and held his eyes open. Ash tried to struggle but found that the strength of his captors was too great. He was going to be force to watch the Lake Guardians as used them to forge his Red Chain.
“Charon, begin forging the chain.” Cyrus ordered after pressing an intercom button on the wall.
“At once sir.” Charon’s voice said over the intercom.
In an instant Ash’s ears were filled with the sound of humming machines and the chamber behind the glass was filled with red electricity. The three lake Guardians screamed in pain and convulsed as they were held in place on the cold metal table. Ash tried to close his eyes and look away but could not because of his captors.
“Please stop!” Ash begged.
“It is futile to resist.” Cyrus told him. “Your concern for these Pokemon is useless and serves only as a weakness. Perhaps now you can see just how flawed emotions are.”
* * *
Meanwhile the police helicopter Riley and Looker were in continued on to Veilstone City. As the city finally came into view Riley and Lucario could once again sense Ash’s Aura, and were alarmed when the felt that Ash was in some sort of agony.
“You okay?” Looker asked upon noticing Riley’s concerned expression.
“I’m fine, but I don’t think Ash is.” Riley replied. “And I also sense a disturbance, as though three Pokemon are crying out in incredible pain. I think it’s safe to say that we’re getting closer to Team Galactic’s base. But we need to hurry, I don’t like what Lucario and I are sensing.”
“Officer Jenny, we need to pick up the pace!” Looker ordered the pilot.
“We’re going at top speed right now, but I’m afraid that it’s still going to be twenty minutes before we reach the city.” Officer Jenny reported.
“Just land us as close as you can to Team Galactic’s base as you can!” Riley requested. “We can’t afford to waste any time!”
