Spider Quinn 22 Attractions of Lawndale - Part 11

 

Sandi entered at that moment and saw Kevin making a fool of himself. “That’s enough, Kevin. I was there last night at the Historia. There’s, like, no need for a repeat.

 

“I heard about that,” Mack said.

 

Daria and Jane also entered the cafeteria behind Sandi. “Kevin, you haven’t been listening to me,” the latter said.

 

 

Brittany tried to ignore him and just took another bite from her meal.

 

“Embarrassed?” her friend, Donna Bolton, asked.

 

“Not really,” Brittany answered. “But I think it’s related to his kidnapping.”

 

Donna nodded. “I mean, Anders did humiliate him in front of all of Lawndale.”

 

“And so, this is how he’s coping.”

 

 

At the same time, Quinn, Stacy and Tori entered the Science faculty office. “Ms. Barch?” Tori asked.

 

“I’m here,” Ms. Janet Barch said as she came out of her cubicle. “What do you want?”

 

“You know about the assignment Mr. O’Neill put out?” Quinn asked.

 

“I do. He was enthusiastic about it on Monday night.”

 

“Right,” Quinn responded and then explained about the Language Arts lesson.

 

 

“I see,” Janet said when Quinn had finished. “I’ll encourage him,” she added in as neutral a tone as possible.

 

And failed, as all three students looked uncomfortable, with Stacy the most so. “Thanks for your time,” Quinn said.

 

 

Ms. Li entered the cafeteria to see that the reports of the quarterback making a fool of himself were not an exaggeration. “Mr. Thompson! Get off that table this instant!”

 

Kevin jumped off the table and would have fallen over if Mack didn’t grab him. “Thanks, Mack Daddy.”

 

“I told you not to call me that.”

 

The principal approached him. “Tell me, what was the meaning of this?”

 

“Um, I want to go out with SpiderGirl.”

 

“She may have rescued you from Lynn Anders, but that doesn’t give you an excuse to make a scene! You will have detention this afternoon!”

 

“Oh man!”

 

 

“That was predictable,” Jodie said as she sat with Daria, Jane, Harry and Sandi several minutes later.

 

“Kevin has it in his head that because SpiderGirl rescued him she likes him,” Daria responded.

 

“Unfortunately,” Jodie responded.

 

“But that’s not all that’s happening, is it?” Jane asked.

 

“No,” Jodie said. “But Dad hasn’t said anything about the rumors, other than to say that if they are true, that he would fight to the last to retain control of the company.”

 

“That seems obstinate,” Harry said.

 

“You don’t know my father,” Jodie said.

 

Harry opened his mouth again.

 

“And he would also say that race has nothing to do with it,” Jodie said.

 

“I wasn’t going to say that,” Harry said.

 

“I believe that,” Jane said.

 

“My father doesn’t see race when he conducts business deals. Or at least he tells himself that.”

 

 

Lawndale High seemed tense throughout the rest of the school day. The favorite animal fad was fading but the consequences of Mr. O’Neill’s assignment were growing.

 

 

Jane looked out at Lawndale from the roof as school let out. She quickly rough sketched the Historia in the distance. The theater building looked as usual but she was still thinking about Kevin’s new obsession with SpiderGirl. ‘If it is now an obsession, then that means that Kevin may now be dangerous. A different danger than Oscorp or Beck, but a danger nonetheless.’

 

She was about to change to the Shadow when she heard the door open. She turned and saw that it was Sandi. “Oh, it’s you.”

 

“Yes. I’m sure you know that Daria’s tutoring Brittany.”

 

“Of course.”

 

“I look over the town from here sometimes,” Sandi said. “You, like, look like you’re thinking about something.”

 

“Oh, mostly about Kevin going down a dangerous path.”

 

“You think he’s obsessed?”

 

“Yes!” Jane answered.

 

 

Sandi thought about that. “If he isn’t, he probably soon would be. Have you told Daria, or one of the teachers?”

 

“Not much the teachers can do outside the school. Ms. Li seems to be already on it.”

 

“Being on detention is probably, like, counterproductive in his case. Stacy probably will tell her mother.”

 

“But that would only help at the Historia. Kevin still goes to the Pizza place as well,” Jane responded.

 

Sandi sighed as she stepped closer. “True.” She looked at Jane again. “That outfit suits you.”

 

“Now you compliment me? When I’m dressed in a way that you find suitable?”

 

“Um, yes.”

 

“I’m being conventional because I’m experimenting. And just because you and Daria have hit it off over investigating what’s happening in Lawndale doesn’t mean we’re friends. And whatever connection you two have to the fourth vigilante and maybe Dafoanairi? I’m looking into that too.”

 

Sandi took that in. “Go ahead.”

 

“I will,” Jane proclaimed.

 

 

Jane left the rooftop in a huff. She had found other places in the school where she could change to the Shadow before leaving for the day.

 

 

Sandi looked out towards the Historia. ‘The last rehearsal will be later, but I doubt anyone would want to disrupt Tempest at this stage.’ She paused. ‘Kevin won’t.’ Still, something seemed unsettled. ‘I will patrol around there anyway, and watch out for any Oscorp agents.’

 

 

It turned out that the afternoon was calmer than usual. Daria reflected on this as she entered the Historia’s café just after sunset. ‘But there is still a lot going on,’ she thought as she looked to where, Stacy was behind the counter. She went up to order something before going to the rehearsal.

 

“So, you’re ready for Tempest to be over?” Stacy asked after she had taken her order.

 

“It won’t really be over. There will be encore productions, including at the Story Oak,” Daria responded, referring to theater in Oakwood that had been inspired by the Historia.

 

“You know what I mean.”

 

Daria sighed. “Actually, I am. I mean I’ll miss it, but it also less stress. More time for… other things.”

 

Stacy nodded knowingly before turning to the coffee machine.

 

 

After dinner, Sandi was ready for another search. ‘Of course, it’s likely if SpiderGirl is her secret identity at the time, that I wouldn’t be able to notice it’s her,’ she thought. She paused. She had already considered that possibility. ‘But I haven’t told Daria.’ She shook her head as she grabbed the yearbook. She noticed that Quinn was only the fifth after the current one. ‘One search at a time!’

 

She calmed herself and drank the energy drink. “Findu mann sem heiter: Rachel Lincoln!”

 

She found Rachel at Mr. Fun’s Arcade playing against Ted Dewit Clinton.

 

“Ted, right.”

 

She grabbed the list of extracurricular activities again.

 

 Lawndale Lowdown – Student Newspaper

 

“Maybe, but alongside both Morgendorffers,” she murmured. That would be quite awkward, especially with Quinn. “Maybe not.”

 

Her thoughts drifted back to her conservation with Jane on the rooftop about Kevin. Were the nightly searches an indication that she was also obsessed with SpiderGirl?

 

‘Maybe, but if so, it is different to Kevin. Confrontation, yes, but after that we’d just be rivals, not each other’s nemeses.’ Even so, she realized she wanted Daria’s opinion on the matter. ‘But I know what she’s going to say.’

 

She continued looking through the list.

 

 

Later, the rehearsal was concluding.

 

“Was t well done?” Brittany asked as Ariel.

 

“Bravely and diligent. You Shall be free,” Tom said as Prospero.

 

 

The Rehearsal concluded and Daria called the cast together.

 

“I must say, that this production has been very successful. That despite Quentin Beck’s disruption and cast members sustaining injuries. We have proven that the Historia can be successful as a theater and a safe space in Lawndale at this time.”

 

 

Brittany met up with Daria as she headed out. “That was a good speech.”

 

“Thanks, but it’s something I have been saying all this time,” Daria said.

 

“Not all the time,” Brittany said as she twirled a pigtail “But some of the time.”

 

“I must say that you’ve been improving as Ariel.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

“But we haven’t really investigated Lawndale’s issues together since the brownouts,” Daria said.

 

“I’d like to compare notes,” Brittany said as they emerged into the foyer.

 

Tom was still there. “Is that one reason why you were visiting last night?”

 

“Yes,” Brittany said.

 

“What was this?” Daria asked.

 

“Mostly about the past two days,” Brittany answered.

 

“So, you two had been investigating what’s going on?” Tom asked.

 

“Briefly. From Groundhog Day until the brownouts. Then we’ve been busy with the play,” Daria responded.

 

“I heard that both of you were involved in exposing Lynn Anders regarding that fake interview with SpiderGirl,” Tom said.

 

“That was an urgent situation,” Daria responded.

 

“I suppose so,” Tom allowed.

 

Brittany twirled a pigtail. “And we have been gathering information separately.”

Church notes - 2nd August 2026

 2nd

Matthew 5:17 - 20

Judgement

Human judgement is on a spectrum of subjectivity.

The needle or the nail

vs 17

Fulfill, or accomplish

Gr: Pieroo

- Bring to completion

- Ship arriving at port.

The Pharisees were patriotic Israelites engaging in legalistic righteousness.

Torah - Law

Not an electric fence but a trellis for a vine.

Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil

Before eating

- Side by side with God.

- God defines morality.

Know God = know goodness

After eating

- Humanity as judge

- varied morality.

SHAME

The weight of morality is exhausting.

Perfectionism - Self worth through performance based metrics

Always chasing the next thing

Book of Judges - 'They did what was good in their eyes'.

- True righteousness is a transformation of the heart.

vs 20

Righteousness

- Right relationships

- Justice

- Restoring brokenness

- Faithfulness within a community.

Generosity

Justice expressed

Care for others

Matthew 6:22

Mark 12:12 - 25

- Jesus challenging a fruitless religious system

- Fig leaves were the original shame

- 'Fig leaves' continued to be sold in the Temple

External behaviour is not enough.

It is an internal transformation.

The Cross - 'It is finished'.

The Pharisees persued righteousness by avoiding

Jesus invites us into a righteousness that persues love.

Spider Quinn 22 Attractions of Lawndale - Part 10

 

SpiderGirl was listening to Lawndale on the Sloane mansion’s roof. It was the usual for a late Wednesday evening. She then got a message.

 

Talon: I’m going to be a while. We can catch up later at the Bridge?

 

Spidey: I knew that was going to happen. I’ll see you at dawn.

 

Talon: Sure! See you then.

 

“I better get home. I don’t usually take this long on a Wednesday,” SpiderGirl murmured after reading Ninja Talon’s reply.

 

 

Brittany put the phone away as Kay came back into the room with the cocoa.

 

“You’re concerned about what Osborn may be up to?” Kay asked, as she handed the cocoa over.

 

“You were listening in?” Brittany asked.

 

“Not really,” Kay answered. “But I did hear his name.”

 

“Right,” Brittany said as she sipped the cocoa.

 

“I’m also worried about what Osborn might have been after, but Angier hasn’t said anything.”

 

“So, he’s not saying.”

 

“No, but then he’s always reticent about talking about work.”

 

 

“So, you have been interested in Shakespeare for a while?” Kay asked.

 

“Quite a while. I read Romeo and Juliet early,” Britany answered. “Despite the tragedy, it is romantic.”

 

“So that lead to his other plays?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Mom, stop with the fifty questions,” Tom said.

 

“What? You have hardly talked about the other people in the play, other than saying that they are good at acting for teenagers.”

 

“Because, that’s all you needed to hear,” Tom responded.

 

 

Brittany gulped more of the cocoa. She didn’t want to be involved in another family’s drama. “I better be going.”

 

“Are you sure?” Kay asked. “Tom usually doesn’t talk about things much. I usually hear of issues second hand.”

 

“Oh,” Brittany said as she twirled a pigtail.

 

 

“Sorry about all that,” Tom said after show Brittany back to the back door about ten minutes later.

 

“It happens,” Brittany said with a shrug and pigtail twirl.

 

 

After Tom had closed the door, Brittany looked to the northeast towards where her mansion was. ‘I can take time. Ashley-Amber knows I am out some evenings,’ she thought before heading behind one of the Sloanes’ outbuildings to change to Ninja Talon to patrol for a short while.

 

 

After only four hours sleep, as was usual for a weeknight, Quinn waited beneath the Jefferson Bridge as the pre-dawn light grew brighter.

 

It wasn’t long before Brittany arrived as Talon and unmasked.

 

“Turns out I didn’t stay all that long,” she said.

 

“Oh?” Quinn asked.

 

“Mrs. Sloane was nosey. It could be that she’s thinking I might be into Tom!”

 

Quinn could see otherwise. “It’s not long after Kevin.”

 

“Exactly,” Brittany said before explaining about the fad being at Fielding and what Tom and his mother had said about Osborn being at Grace, Sloane and Page.

 

 

“Not much to go on,” Quinn commented when Brittany had finished. “It’s not surprising that the fad is at Fielding.”

 

“And Angier not sharing work stuff with Kay is similar to Dad not really sharing work stuff with Ashley-Amber.”

 

“Really?” Quinn asked, as her grief welled up as it usually did when she thought about her father. “Because Daddy used to complain about not getting many clients all the time.” She wiped a tear.

 

Brittany placed a hand on her shoulder in a reassuring way. “He probably was different; more likely to share.”

 

“That makes sense,” Quinn said as she looked at the brightening dawn.

 

 

Brittany waited as Quinn composed herself. It was obvious that Quinn’s grief was still quite raw.

 

“Right,” Quinn said. “We still don’t know what Osborn is up to, using the Glider to scout out the Country Club.”

 

“Or the hostile takeover.”

 

“Somehow, I don’t think the Landons are in the Country Club either.”

 

“That may be something to look into,” Brittany responded.

 

“Along with everything else,” Quinn said with determination.

 

 

Lawndale Sun-Herald

Thursday, March 15, 2001

Page 2

Why Are Students Talking About Favorite Animals

 

Daria looked at the byline. Melinda Parris. ‘Of course,’ she thought. It had to be that particular journalist, not Penelope Jericho, nor any of the others. She closed the paper and went to the counter.

 

 

Jane was waiting for Daria outside the convenience store. “There was a time when we bought the paper after school.”

 

“I feel like I need to know earlier in the day,” Daria answered. “How did it go with

Kevin last night, by the way?”

 

“Oh, we managed to talk him down. It was mostly Stacy and Dafoanairi.”

 

Daria was then in thought. “But I’m sure he’s still fixated on the idea.”

 

“Oh absolutely.”

 

 

As they arrived at school, Lawndale High’s students barely mentioned their favorite animals, having had talked it out over the past two days.

 

“It’s gone,” Stacy said to Quinn after met near one of the front doors.

 

“Not gone,” Tori said as she came up. “Just subdued.”

 

“Good point,” Quinn responded. “But we still have to deal with the assignment.”

 

“Oh yeah!” Stacy said. “But at least I succeeded in stopping Kevin from doing something stupid last night.”

 

“I’m sure you did very well,” Tori said.

 

 

Timothy O’Niell saw that his first period Sophomore Language Arts Class was… subdued. But then he himself was subdued, as he had tried to ‘succeed at failing’ something.

 

“Hello, class. Um today we're going to do...not do anything. Why bother? Who knows what damage I might do this time? I just want to say that...” he paused as he sobbed. “I'm a failure as a teacher, as a mentor, nay, as a human being. Don't waste another minute listening to my misguided drivel, for I realize now, that my only talent lies in leading youth astray. Please, go.”

 

“Alright!” Kevin said. He paused and added. “I’m still going to ask out SpiderGirl!”

 

 

The class stayed, but talked, mostly about their assignments.

 

Brittany went up to Mr. O’Neill. “Don’t you want to hear about how we did?”

 

“Why bother?” O’Neill asked.

 

“Because that’s your job,” Brittany said.

 

“Uh, good point,” O’Neill conceded. “I may as well evaluate the damage.”

 

“No damage.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

“Not to me. I am learning the science stuff with Daria’s help,” Brittany answered.

 

“That’s good,” O’Neill perked up. “Attention everyone. If you have had a positive experience, feel free to share, starting with Brittany.”

 

 

“That was unexpected,” Jane said.

 

“Brittany is putting the effort in to her studies now,” Daria responded. “And I see that you have a positive story?” she added looking at Jane’s conventional clothes.

 

Jane shrugged. “We’ve been talking about change. I’d like to see you this conventional phase goes. I’m still an artist. I’m still hanging around the Historia, helping with the set design.”

 

“I wasn’t questioning that part,” Daria responded as she subconsciously touched one of her hairclips.

 

 

“Who else would like to share?” O’Neill asked once Brittany had sat down. “Kevin?”

 

“I haven’t met SpiderGIrl yet,” Kevin said.

 

Jane stood up. “But we had a talk about that last night.”

 

“Um, we did,” Kevin said.

 

“Let, Kevin tell his story, Jane. I’ll ask you later.”

 

 

Over the next several minutes, O’Neill got the broad strokes of what had happened on the Historia’s rooftop the night before.

 

“You got to meet Dafoanairi, the apparent snarky one. That has to count for something, right?”

 

“I suppose,” Kevin responded.

 

“See, you did succeed.”

 

“I don’t think so. The fourth vigilante also rescued me, but I don’t have a crush on her.”

 

“Right, but did you talk to Dafoanairi?” O’Niell asked.

 

“Maybe.”

 

“Then you talked to a vigilante.”

 

“But not SpiderGirl,” Kevin insisted.

 

“Oh dear!” O’Neill said. “Anyone else.”

 

Jane stood up. “I have been dressing more conventionally.”

 

“And you’re happy about that?” O”Neill asked.

 

Jane shrugged. “I’m expressing myself a little differently, but I’m still me.”

 

 

“Well, that wasn’t much of a class,” Jane said to Daria after the period had finished.

 

“Unfortunately,” Daria commented. “But we have history next. DeMartino will be as usual.”

 

“That’s obvious.”

 

 

O’Neill wasn’t as subdued when the sophomore class started. “I know it only has been two days, but I would like to know if anyone has anything positive to say about the assignment.”

 

Quinn raised her hand.

 

“Quinn!” O’Neill said. “What do you have to share.”

 

“I chose as my assignment to read a classic novel,” Quinn said as she stood.

 

“May I ask which novel?”

 

“Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens,” Quinn answered. “Daria recommended it.”

 

“Well, Daria has good instincts,” O’Neill responded.

 

“I haven’t read much of course, but the story of Arthur and Amy is interesting so far.”

 

“I would be happy to hear how you found it when you finish.”

 

Quinn sat.

 

“Anyone else.”

 

 

Sandi saw that most of the class was dissatisfied. She knew that she was. She had been unable to chose one activity from the list of extracurricular activities. ‘But maybe I’m overthinking it! I could just try one and see how it goes,’ she thought.

 

 

O’Neill was getting depressed again. Quinn was the only one who had volunteered her experience.

 

Stacy noticed this and drew Quinn’s attention to it.

 

“What can we do?” Quinn asked Stacy.

 

“I’m not sure either,” Stacy answered.

 

“We could encourage him,” Tiffany suggested.

 

“I know, but how?” Stacy asked.

 

Quinn tossed one of her pigtails. “Not sure. Maybe talk to, you know…”

 

“Barch?” Stacy asked with a shudder.

 

“Someone may ask her,” Quinn said.

 

“You probably can’t help the teachers the way you’re helping Anna and Angie,” Stacy said.

 

“Maybe, but I have to try,” Quinn said.

 

 

Lunch was as usual in the school’s cafeteria, except that Kevin was standing on one of the tables. “I know that not everyone is here right now, but I know SpiderGirl is a fellow student.”

 

“Get off there, Kevin,” his team mate, Michael ‘Mack’ Mackenzie, said.

Pokemon: May's Journey - 02: A Threat in Sinnoh

02 A Threat in Sinnoh

A few hours later, the aircraft descended into Lavender Town. May noticed the somber tone of the town as they circled around the tower before landing in front of it.

 

 

“Creepy,” May commented after she and Cassidy had disembarked.

 

“Well, Ghost type Pokemon are predominant here,” Cassidy responded matter-of-factly.

 

“That makes sense.”

 

“He’s waiting in one of the other buildings,” Cassidy said.

 

 

May followed Cassidy into a large room, and saw Giovanni looking over a large tablet table showing Sinnoh in detail.

 

“Ah, you’re here,” he said.

 

“What do you have on Cyrus?” May asked, so as to get to the point and out of Lavender Town as quickly as possible.

 

“Quite a lot,” Giovanni answered. “That he’s already at the Spear Pillar, that is a ruined temple at Mt. Coronet’s summit, so time is running out.”

 

May watched as the map on the tablet zoomed in on Mt. Coronet to show the Spear Pillar.

 

“Satellites are showing distortions all around Mt. Coronet,” Giovanni continued. “And there are reports of wild Pokemon acting strangely all over Sinnoh.”

 

The map zoomed out again. Two nearby cities were highlighted. “So, we’re headed to one of those cities?” May asked.

 

“Yes. Either Oreburgh City, or Hearthome City,” Cassidy said. “As you can see, they are not very far from Mt. Coronet.”

 

“But Oreburgh is smaller, so there would be a less chance of detection,” Giovanni said.

 

“So, it would easy to approach the mountain from either city?” May asked.

 

“Yes, but there are more covered trails from the direction of Oreburgh,” Cassidy answered.

 

“I would like to avoid Team Galactic’s patrols. I had enough trouble battling through Team Aqua and Team Magma. Oreburgh!”

 

“That isn’t guaranteed,” Giovanni said. “But I know you would be able to handle yourself.”

 

May nodded.

 

“Additional fuel and equipment are being loaded as we speak,” Giovanni added.

 

 

They remained in Lavender Town for another ten minutes, but May spent that time looking at various different maps of Mount Coronet to better idea of the lay of the land.

 

 

A few hours later, they were approaching Sinnoh’s southern coast.

 

One of the cabin staff came back to the passengers. “You’re going to have to make a decision,” she said to Cassidy.

 

“Oh?” Cassidy asked.

 

“The space-time distortions over Sinnoh are increasing. I can guarantee that we’ll make it to either Oreburgh or Heartholm, but once we’re close to either of them, we have no idea if we would be able to make it to the other one in time.”

 

“Oreburgh,” May said.

 

“Got it.”

 

 

As they got closer to Oreburgh City, the more turbulent the flight became, as the space-time storm emanating from Mount Coronet grew more intense.

 

“This means that Cyrus must be close. We’re going to have to hurry. You have Repels, right?” Cassidy asked.

 

May glared at her. “Of course.”

 

“We’re going to need them.”

 

 

The turbulence was severe when they reached Oreburgh. They had to circle the city before they managed to land in the on the northern edge.

 

“We’re down,” Cassidy said.  “Let’s move.”

 

“You’re coming with me?” May asked.

 

“Giovanni wants you to stop Cyrus. He wants me to make sure you get there.”

 

“Of course.”

 

 

Outside, the city was deceptively calm, as most of the inhabitants were inside, away from the wild Pokemon who were acting strangely.

 

May looked towards Mt. Coronet, or what she could see of it. The distortions were swirling around the upper reaches of the mountain. “That doesn’t look good. Let’s get going!”

 

“You don’t need to tell me twice,” Cassidy said as she handed May an additional paper map of the mountain and its surrounding area.

 

May took out her Pokegear. The distortions were already causing significant signal interference. She was briefly thankful for Giovanni’s resourcefulness, although it made her uncomfortable.

 

“Ready?” Cassidy prompted.

 

May nodded.

 

 

 

They ascended the lower slopes without incident, but they soon ran into two Team Galactic Agents.

 

“Who is there?” Someone said.

 

May looked. The girl wasn’t much older than Cassidy. “We’re investigating what’s going on.”

 

“Stop right there! It is Team Galactic business!”

 

“So, you’re working for Cyrus!” Cassidy interjected as she pulled out a pokeball. “Raticate!”

 

May also pulled out a Pokeball. “Blaziken!”

 

“I can battle too!” the Team Galactic agent said. “Purugly!”

 

Two Purugly emerged from her pokeballs.

 

“Blaziken, Flamethrower!” May called out.

 

“Raticate, Quick Attack!” Cassidy added.

 

The ensuing battle was over quickly, with May and Cassidy’s teams being much more powerful than the girl’s.

 

“Our Commanders have more experienced teams,” the girl said as she recalled her last Pokemon.

 

“Then we’ll just have to avoid them,” May responded.

 

“That’s unlikely. They are patrolling all the routes to the Spear Pillar.”

 

“We’ll get there,” Cassidy declared.

 

 

They continued up the slope, but found that the path wove in and out of tunnels carved into the mountainside. As they exited one of the caves they found a blue haired trainer with what May recognized as a Piplup coming out of another tunnel onto the path.

 

“Oh! You’re not with Galactic, are you?” she asked.

 

“No!” May responded.

 

“You’ve come to stop what they’re doing?” the trainer asked rhetorically. She held out her hand. “I’m Dawn.”

 

May took it. “May.”

 

“Cassidy. We should keep going.”

 

“Oh, of course,” Dawn said.

 

 

They continued up the mountain, dodging other Galactic agents. However, they were almost at the Spear Pillar when they ran into a Galactic Commander.

 

“Stop right there,” she said.

 

“We’re here to stop Cyrus!” May said.

 

“So, Dawn, you brought the Hoenn Champion into this?” the Commander asked.

 

“No!” Dawn objected.

 

“Cyrus’s plan has leaked to other regions,” May said. “They have responded.”

 

“We’re going to stop him!” Cassidy declared.

 

“No you’re not,” the Commander said as she grabbed a pokeball. “Perugly.”

 

“What is it with Galactic and Purugly?” Cassidy asked as she grabbed Raticate’s pokeball.

 

“I have other Pokemon!” the Commander retoreted.

 

“Double battle!” May said.

 

The Commander grabbed another pokeball. “Bronzor.”

 

 

Commander Mars was annoyed. The girl from Twinleaf Town was enough of a pest without the Hoenn champion and a blonde trainer with a Kantonian accent. She looked at the latter’s Raticate, and the Hoenn Champion’s Blaziken. “Purugly, Fury Swipes on Raticate. Bronzor, Confusion on Blaziken,” she ordered.

 

“Raticate, dodge and use Quick Attack!”

 

“Blaziken, dodge and use Flamethrower!”

 

 

Raticate’s Quick Attack hit Purugly and Blaziken burnt Bronzor.

 

 

Dawn watched the battle unfold. She had barely beat Mars the last time they had cross paths, but May was rather skilled and Blazikens attacks were highly effective against Bronzor.

 

 

Soon Bronzor fainted and Mars sent out Golbat. “Golbat! Confusion!”

 

“Blaziken, dodge and use flamethrower.”

 

Blaziken managed to avoid the Confusion and hit Golbat.

 

“Confusion again!”

 

 

Mars soon lost.

 

 

May, Cassidy and Dawn entered the Spear Pillar and saw Cyrus in the distance, beneath the massive forms of Dialga and Palkia, who were confined in a red chain.

 

“You’re too late,” another, male, Galactic Commanders said.

 

“No, we’re not,” May said.

 

The two Commanders were about to send out their Pokemon when there was an interruption. Champion Cynthia had arrived, her Garchomp right behind her.

 

“Cynthia,” Cyrus said as he turned. “You’re too late. Jupiter, Saturn, stall her, and those others.”

 

The Commanders then sent out their Bronzors and Golbats.

 

“Quadruple Battle,” May commented. “Let’s do it.”

 

 

Dawn and Cynthia stood opposite Jupiter. “Piplup, use Bubble Beam!”

 

“Garchomp, use Dragon Claw!”

 

Both moves were highly effective against Bronzor, but both were able to continue battling.

 

 

After she and Cassidy had defeated Commander Saturn, she approached Cyrus. “Stop!”

 

“It’s too late. I shall create a new world. One without spirit, without emotion,” Cyrus responded.

 

“This world is chaotic, but the people and pokemon deserve to exist!” May shot back.

 

“A world where a tyrant orders a Champion to save it?” Cyrus asked in response.

 

“If not me, then it would have been someone else.”

 

“The world is corrupt, but it still deserves to exist!” Cassidy added.

 

“That might not be persuasive,” Dawn said as she and Cynthia came over, having beaten Commander Jupiter.

 

“Nothing will be persuasive,” Cyrus said, as he continued the ritual and Dialga and Palkia continued to writhe in the Red Chain.

 

“Then we will stop you,” May declared. “Blaziken! Use Sky Uppercut on that Red Chain!”

 

Cyrus grabbed a pokeball. “Crobat! Use Confusion on Blaziken.”

 

Cynthia intervened. “Garchomp! Use Dragon Claw on Crobat!”

 

Blaziken moved as Crobat attempted to fire Confusion at it, but Garchomp’s Dragon Claw had knocked off Crobat’s aim.

 

The Sky Uppercut move damaged the Red Chain.

 

“No!” Cyrus said.

 

“Use Sky Uppercut again!” May cried.

 

Cyrus grabbed another pokeball. “Weavile.”

 

Cassidy moved. “Raticate! Use Hyper Fang on Weavile!”

 

“Weavile! Use Night Slash on Raticate!”

 

 

As Blaziken hit the Red Chain again, Raticate and Weavile began battling.

 

 

Garchomp caused Crobat to faint, then Cynthia directed him to attack the Red Chain as well, before Cyrus could react and send out a third Pokémon.

 

 

That proved effective against it, as both Legendaries could move a little more freely.

 

Cyrus sent out his Gyrados, but Dawn stepped in. “A Piplup vs. a Gyrados?” Cyrus asked.

 

“I have other Pokemon,” Dawn responded as she grabbed a different pokeball and sent out her Torterra.

 

“Gyrados! Use Hydro Pump!”

 

Then Blaziken and Garchomp hit the Red Chain again, allowing both Dialga and Palkia to break free. Their roars shook Spear Pillar. Then another distortion appeared near Cyrus and he could see two eyes gleaming.

 

 

“Giratina!” Cynthia realized.

 

The renegade Legendary partially emerged from the rift from the Distortion World and focused its glare upon Cyrus.

 

“What?” he asked himself as he tried to get out from under renegade’s stare.

 

“You drew it’s attention,” Cynthia said.

 

 

What happened next, no one was sure. One moment Cyrus was staring off with Giratina, the next the Distortion world rift blipped and Cyrus tumbled into it, with the withdrawing Giratina.

 

May noticed that the Spear Pillar had stopped shaking. “Is that it?” she asked.

 

Cynthia looked up at where Dialga and Palkia were still hovering. “They’re repairing the rifts,” she said. “But Cyrus is now in the Distortion World. He can still cause trouble there.”

 

“You mean…” Dawn started.

 

“We have to go after him,” Cynthia confirmed.

 

“Of course,” May said.

 

“Let’s do this,” Cassidy said.

 

 

They stepped through the rift into the Distortion World.

“We have to be quick, but he won’t be too far,” Cynthia said as she took point.

 

“Do you know what to expect?” May asked.

 

“Yes,” Cynthia answered. “I’m not only Sinnoh’s Champion, but also an archaeologist and historian.”

 

“So, this place is described in myths?” May asked, remembering that Kyogre, Groudon and Rayquaza had been considered mythical before the machinations of Teams Magma and Aqua had brought them to her attention and that of Hoenn overall.

 

“That’s right,” Cynthia said. “In those of the original Hisui Region before the settlement of the Diamond and Pearl clans a few centuries ago.”

 

“I haven’t really looked into the histories of other regions, other than the basics,” May admitted.

 

Cynthia chuckled. “Quite alright. It can be overwhelming.”

 

“Talking about overwhelming…” Dawn said as she looked around.

 

“It’s shifting because the physical laws are different to the normal world,” Cynthia said. “Giratina went its own way.”

 

 

They soon found Cyrus, but Giratina was nowhere to be seen.

 

“Cyrus,” Cynthia said.

 

 

“Giratina isn’t here. It brought me here then went somewhere else. But I still plan to do what I set out to do.”

 

“Then we’ll stop you,” Cynthia said. Another battle ensued.

 

 

Cyrus was defeated again and they saw Giratina in the distance, just moving around. “I have changed my mind,” he said.

 

“In what way?” Dawn asked.

 

“This world only normally has Giratina in it. Therefore it is what I was trying to achieve.”

 

Cynthia could see that Cyrus was telling the truth. That he intended to stay.