t207. Obsession

"Look not into the Pokémon's eyes.
In but an instant, you'll have no recollection of who you are.
Return home, but how? When there is nothing to remember?
Dare not touch the Pokémon's body.
In but three short days, all emotions will drain away.
Above all, above all, harm not the Pokémon.
In a scant five days, the offender will grow immobile in entirety.

      These were the prayers and warnings the raven-haired trainer grew up with. Now, there was a blue-haired maniac running loose, threatening to capture the lake guardians. To each lake this young trainer went, praying for their safety and action to come.
      "Betray not your anger," the raven-haired began, her voice shaking but her heart strong, "Lest He will come. Weep not with sorrow, or He will draw near. When joy and enjoyment come natural as the very air, that is happiness. Let such be blessed by the hand of Master Arceus. Please, Mesprit, hear my pray. I beg of you, please ask the other deities to help you, Azelf, and Uxie! A madman named Cyrus wishes to seek harm and use you three to control Palkia and Diagla. I... He… He wants to make a new world, he raves about this, but please, don't show yourself to him."
     The young trainer sat on the ground. Snow was beginning to fall and she could see her breathe as she spoke her plea, begging the deity of emotion to keep itself hidden. Her voice shook throughout, but her heart was strong, and it attracted the Pokémon from its hiding space. Tears began to fall down the young girl's face, but she felt something like a blade of grass wipe the tears away. Confused, she looked up to find the small and powerful deity of emotions, Mesprit, staring at her with a look of compassion.
      Your tears have stirred me from my hiding spot, the being said telepathically to the young trainer. I am moved by your compassion for the deities, and I will communicate with my fellow beings of spirit about what to do. As the trainer heard these words, Mesprit searched the memory of the young girl to find out whom this madman was that she was talking about. As it did, its telepathic voice lowered, but was loving.
      You have experienced much for such a young human, Mesprit said. Please, do not be afraid any longer, for the gods will answer your prayer.
      A look of hope sparkled in the young girl's eyes as her cherished deity spoke to her.

      Two more trips had been made before the young girl saw Mesprit. These were to Lake Valor and Lake Acuity, the resting places of the other two deities of spirit, Azelf and Uxie. The Pokémon were not as moved as to appear before the human as their emotion counterpart. They were not as sure about the young trainer's story, fearful that it was a lie in an attempt to capture them, but when Mesprit called the three of them together on the top of Mt. Coronet, they knew that her words had been true.
       What shall we do? asked the blue-headed spirit Azelf. Mesprit shared the experience it had received from young trainer. This man is fully intent upon his idea of a new world. He is willing to sacrifice his brethren for his goal.
       It saddens me, Mesprit said. For him to want his goal this much that he has lost sight of a true purpose.
      You think there is a true purpose, Mesprit? asked Uxie. Though its eyes were closed, the yellow and blue Pokémon looked at the pink and blue one. This man wishes to undo all that our Lord Arceus has done! He seeks to shackle time, space, and dimensions, and force them to go against the bidding of Arceus.
     I think there may have been. We should know better than any other Pokémon and human that everyone has a reason for their actions.
    Azelf and Uxie looked at each other, then back to Mesprit. Then what do you propose we do? Azelf asked.
     I'm not sure… We could ask Lord Arceus if he wasn't sleeping…
What if we examine this man ourselves? Azelf and Mesprit looked at Uxie. We can judge for ourselves what the best course of action is, and what punishment, if necessary, shall be given to this man.
    The small deities stared down at the ground. They knew that going near the man, even if they were invisible, would be dangerous. Humans now had machines that could detect if a Pokémon was in hiding. They could ask the other deities for help, but the problem with that was that if the man was crazy enough to try and go after them and Diagla, Palkia, and Giratina, then there was a chance he could easily go after the others. The deities continued to talk and contemplate, when a voice broke their thoughts.
     "So, this is where the lake trio is hiding? On Mt. Coronet, right where I need them the most?" The three Pokémon were startled into turning invisible. How had someone sneaked up on them, these psychic Pokémon? They began to slowly back away as the man looked around.
     "Ah, you three can turn invisible. That is not much of a problem. I am not here to capture the three of you. Not yet, at least. Rather, I came here to think about how to do just that. Imagine my surprise when the three of you turn up!
     "I am Cyrus." The Pokémon were on guard long before the man had announced his name. They could recognize him from the young girl's memory. His aged face, his stern and almost expressionless face, the spiked back, blue hair, his cold and greedy eyes… All of these were qualities that made the Pokémon fearful for themselves and their world.
      Azelf, Mesprit began in private telepathy with it, I need to leave. This man's aura... and his energy… it… it's too much…. Azelf nodded from its hiding spot. Uxie flew over to Mesprit and teleported the two of them out. As they did this, something beeped on the human, and Azelf teleported into a cave.
     "I see… Two of you have departed." The man sounded a little bemused. "I wonder which one of you is left."
     Azelf peered out from the mouth of the cave. The man was looking at a little machine on his wrist. It was… what did those humans call it? It was something to measure time; Azelf was certain that it looked like that device. The small blue being wasn't sure how the small wrist object could tell him that the other two had left, but whatever it was, Azelf needed to be careful. What if it could tell Cyrus where it was hiding?
      Azelf continued to watch the man as he examined his surroundings. He didn't say much, but he did walk around. Curiosity began to tug at Azelf. What if the man did have a reason, like Mesprit said? Could it be found out through Azelf's psychic powers, or would the willpower being need to talk with the despicable human to find out? Azelf was about to try the former when Cyrus began to come closer. The Pokémon receded back into the cave more, but as it did so, a small pebble fell and scrabbled to the ground. Before the Pokémon could stop it with its psychic powers, the noise had attracted Cyrus, and he grinned maliciously.
     "So you're back here," he said. "You may as well show yourself, Azelf. It will make things easier than if you continue to stay hidden." As the human continued to look around eagerly, greedy eyes scanning the small cave, Azelf teleported itself to the area outside, behind the man.
The Pokémon was scared. Nevertheless, it tried to sense the man's will, his purpose for this insane scheme. While the willpower being wasn't as sensitive to emotions as Mesprit, emotions were strongly tied into one's will. The will of this man felt like something disgusting, dark, and horrifying. Whatever his original purpose had been, it had long been corrupted by his emotions of greed and hatred for the things of this world. The longing of a new world was so strong that Azelf felt like it would be sucked into a vortex. Suddenly, the Pokémon was startled back into the world as something was biting into its small body.
      Azelf looked back at what had bitten it. It wasn't the man, but a Pokémon of his. Anger began to grow inside Azelf. This human had attacked it. While the Pokémon had been busy examining the corrupted and chaotic mind that hid Cyrus' will, the Pokémon had become visible. It took all its psychic power to avoid succumbing to the nasty, black spiral, and during the time, the man had taken advantage of the situation. Azelf's brow furrowed and its body began to glow with mythical and psychical power.
      Above all, above all, harm not the Pokémon.
      These words echoed in the mind of Cyrus. Their origins he wasn't sure, as the voice sounded as clear as day. He knew where he had once read the words, but in his eagerness to seize this opportunity, he had completely forgotten them. However, the meaning of their being repeated now did not register to him.
       In a scant five days, the offender will grow immobile in entirety.
      He scoffed. "How cute, Azelf. Using psychic to scare me?" Azelf did not respond as the words continued to echo. They sounded both in Cyrus' head and in his ears.
     The offender… in a scant five days…above all… scant five days… grow immobile… the offender… harm not… in entirety…
Cyrus' vision turned black. He suddenly became confused. In a silvery light, the words flashed in his head, phrase by phrase.
      "Above all" slid into his sight, the letters falling off at the left as they were replaced by the next phrase. "Harm not the Pokémon" slid in from above, before exploding as the letters brought up the next phrase from the ashes of the previous. As the final phrase appeared, the words "offender" and "immobile" grew in size, until they threatened to engulf the man. Cyrus began to stutter and turned around to run, only to see the words scrolling in the distance, repeated many times over. Each recitation had a different method of appearing. In the background, Cyrus could hear a voice. It sounded like a young girl's, and it sounded like she had been praying. He could not make out the words though, as he became more preoccupied with the words he saw. When he had turned around, the letters began to press in, surrounding him. The last thing he saw was the phrase "harm not the Pokémon" before darkness settled in.
      When Cyrus awoke, he found that he was no longer at Mt. Coronet. He could see the clouds passing by, and the water lapping nearby. He had no idea how long he had been out, and was going to check his Pokétch for the time when he noticed that it was missing.
     "Azelf is a thief," he murmured to himself. He couldn't remember what he had been dreaming about, but he was certain that it had something to do with the blue-headed one of the lake trio. Something about… Harm. Harm had come to the being of willpower.
      Cyrus sat up and shook his head. His movements were sluggish, but he assumed it to be due in part to having slept for so long. He looked around. It looked like he had woken up at the Verity lakefront. He felt for his Pokéballs, deciding that he would fly back to headquarters and reassess how to capture the lake trio. His hand felt all around his waist, but they alighted upon no Pokéballs. Uncertain about where they could be, Cyrus began to feel around before determining that his Pokéballs, and ultimately his Pokémon, were not on his person. With a sigh, Cyrus pushed himself to his feet. The situation wasn't the ideal, and while he was wondering who in the world would have the gall to steal from him, he decided that the best course of action was to stop by the nearest town and ask for help.
      He was turning away when he saw his Pokébelt out of the corner of his eyes. They were on the ground, lying around as if they had just fallen off. It was odd, very odd indeed. Cyrus walked over to pick up the Pokébelt. When he had grabbed a hold of it, there was a pulling sensation. He dropped the belt in alarm, and it fell down to his feet. The Pokébelt didn't move. Scowling and scolding himself for being paranoid, Cyrus picked up the belt again. This time, there was a pulling sensation, and he found himself being tugged towards the lake. As he got closer to the water's edge, the tugging sensation seemed to grow weaker. Whenever Cyrus took advantage of the weaker pulling, it increased tenfold, until suddenly, it stopped. He fell face first into the edge of Lake Verity. As he spat out water, something appeared in front of him.
     "Mesprit!" he said, astounded. He didn't back away, and he lunged towards the Pokémon, as if to embrace it. Mesprit backed away, shaking its head.
      I know that that movement was one not meant out of joy or love at the sight of me. Mesprit narrowed its eyes. Your eyes were full of greed, and your movements were based off of that impulse.
       Cyrus composed himself and sat on the edge of the lake. He chuckled when the Pokémon spoke to him telepathically. The chuckle began low, but it soon built into a loud laugh. "You can see all of that, Mesprit? Then you can see why I want you and the rest of the lake trio! My plan for a new world can't be completed without any of you."
     Mesprit backed away even more, his laughter becoming unnerving to the being of emotion. It had no mirth, no sense of joy, and no sense of evil, either. Mesprit wasn't sure if this being had emotions other than greed and mania, which shown themselves in small bursts at very little points in the life of this human, it seemed. He was, indeed, able to cut these short when he wished and chose to, as he did now.
    "Mesprit," he threw the Pokébelt aside. He spoke in a solemn voice as he continued. "I won't harm you. I might not remember anything of my encounter with Azelf, or what became of it, but I do know that hurting you guys would not be wise in the least. Instead, I request of you to bend your will to mine, to join me, and to convince the other two to join as well." When the Pokémon gave silence as a response, he continued. "Don't you guys realize your potential? You three can create the Red Chain, which is more powerful than Palkia and Diagla! You three are the key to my dream, and I won't take no for an answer!"
     He stood up, and Mesprit dashed towards Pokébelt. It was certain that its speed was fast enough. Cyrus reached into his jacket for something, but was quick to learn that whatever he was reaching for wasn't there. Afraid that the Pokémon would run off, he dived after the Psychic Pokémon. He wasn't fast enough. Mesprit spiraled away, and Cyrus chased after it. The Pokémon managed to outmaneuver each of his lunges. Mesprit was afraid of what the man might do, and was afraid it would have to enact nature's law if the man made contact.
      Please, stop! Mesprit begged Cyrus. I do not wish to hurt you. I would like to help you, the Pokémon thought to the human, its mental voice full of sadness. I want to open up your heart, to make you realize how much you have hurt everyone with your selfish schemes!
"HA! Selfish? Is it selfish to want to make a better world, one free of want and desires?"
      It's selfish when the desire for a new world is all for yourself.
      Cyrus stopped. "You're wrong," he said after a moment's pause. Mesprit kept a safe distance from the human. Something was still wrong. He wasn't sincere, though he made the effort to sound sincere.
       "I can show you why you're wrong. You're a psychic Pokémon. You can read my mind, and you can see everything I've thought and felt."
       Mesprit nodded, wary of the human. Yes, I have. And you are still wrong, to think that we are willing to help you. It goes against our nature to defy Arceus' will.
     "Arceus' will?!" Cyrus laughed. "You would not have to worry about Arceus if my world existed, and the old destroyed."
      Mesprit's body shivered. His words shook and scared the small deity to its very core, to go against its King. I see I have no choice, Mesprit said sullenly. The Pokémon floated towards him slowly. Cyrus stretched out a hand, eager to grasp the being of emotion.
     "Yes, join me, Mesprit!" When the Pokémon landed on his hand, his grin was of anything but joy.
      I will do no such thing, Mesprit said. The voice was very determined, but tears streamed down the Pokémon's eyes.
      Dare not touch the Pokémon's body. In but three short days, all emotions will drain away.
      "What?!" Cyrus was bewildered, and tried to shake the Pokémon off of his arm. But Mesprit was stuck there, its eyes glowing as the tears streamed down and its body began to glow in a color similar to Azelf.
       I am always sorrowful when I have to do this, but I feel as if you will not notice any sort of change, Cyrus. It is a law of Nature, one that we are bound to. But I will not accept any sort of request to reverse this process for you. For the safety of this world and all of the beings in it, I must seal away your emotions.
     Mesprit's words were a soundtrack to the different emotions that suddenly came forth in Cyrus' heart. He felt the joy he had rarely felt when he was younger; the heavy weight of sadness; love, the long-buried feeling, busted forth with all of the giddy and giggly feelings one associates with it; the white-hot feeling of anger warmed his cold spirit; fear drained it away, as well as all of his strength; he felt shocked and surprised at all of these emotions rising from the graveyard his heart had become; and he felt disgusted with himself for both neglecting and having these emotions. As quickly as all of the emotions came, they were erased, and he was an emotional void.
      He looked at Mesprit and was unable to comprehend the emotion in its voice. Tears had flowed down the Pokémon's face, but why were there? How long had he been sitting there, watching this Pokémon cry over him? He used to understand, with this thing called empathy, but now he wasn't sure. Two other Pokémon had appeared to comfort the pink one. Cyrus knew that he needed to catch all three of them, to make his world. He tried to lift a hand, but it didn't seem worth it. He had lost his will, and he had lost his emotions. But he knew that these Pokémon could help him.
Please, he tried to say, but his mouth didn't move. It was as if the signal wasn't received. They were psychic Pokémon, he then remembered. He should try to talk to them with his mind.
        Please, he thought. Help me. I can't move. I can't feel. This was not what I had wanted when I wanted to bring about my world.
       I thought that you had sealed away his will! Uxie thought to Azelf.
      I did, Azelf replied. But it has yet to be five full days. It is still a few hours short.
      Mesprit wiped away its tears. Uxie, I think we need your powers too. He might still try to fulfill his world. It's embedded into his mind that he needs to make it to be happy.
      Uxie looked at the shell of a man before them. He was without emotions and without a will, leaving him incapable of even the most basic forms of movement. The odds of someone finding him and being able to communicate with him were low, but if something were to come along and take pity on him…
     He will remember that he did not complete his plan until he dies of starvation, or the mercy of some other deity, if they find out. Azelf said. Even if he wanted to abuse our powers to enslave our fellow gods, it would not be right to leave him with this knowledge.
Uxie floated in thought as Cyrus watched the lake trio. He could not understand the Pokémon, nor could he hope that they would restore him with movement and emotions. Something tugged at Cyrus' memory. It was something he had read in a book once.
      Look not into the Pokémon's eyes. In but an instant, you'll have no recollection of who you are. Return home, but how? When there is nothing to remember?
      Uxie looked at Cyrus. He was plain. He had been doomed to die due to his determination. There was a thought formulating in the human's brain, the only thing he had left.
      Uxie, can you open your eyes? I see now that you three would not want me to be alive in your world, invalid that I am now. While I might not be able to feel it, I believe I would have been grateful for the mercy you would give to me if I saw your eyes and forgot everything.
    The being of knowledge stared at Cyrus, its eyes closed still. But if you cannot feel emotion, then you cannot feel bothered by an incomplete task. You have no need for mercy.
     There was silence as Cyrus thought about what Uxie said. True as that may be, Cyrus thought back, I could die with knowledge of what hunger is. I would know that I was dying.
Uxie contemplated his words. The human would die soon. Should the being of knowledge show this corrupt man mercy? This man who had wanted to cause all three of them unnecessary pain, just to further his own goals? He had wanted to enslave all of them, deities, gods, and goddesses that they were, so he could have his own little world separate from the rest of the humans.
      Uxie sighed. Mesprit and Azelf disappeared. Without saying anything, Uxie opened its eyes. Even if he had a choice, Cyrus could not look away. The last of his will to move slipped away. Soon, he wasn't even aware that he could not move. All he knew was that he was staring at something. It used to be called a color, whatever that was. And there was other stuff in his view. Something inside him felt weird, where his stomach was and his mouth was dry, but he didn't know what it meant. He assumed that he had always been like this: immobile, emotionless, and ignorant.