Although this wasn't the same time the events of the movie were supposed to take place, and Ash hadn't even arrived yet, the twin gods of time and space had still appeared in Twinleaf Town, just as the prophecy foretold.
With the arrival of the Time-Space duo, strange black distortions began to appear on the outskirts of Twinleaf Town. Edward narrowed his eyes. He knew these were manifestations of the legendaries' power—the town would soon be completely isolated.
Edward had originally thought that things in the movie unfolded at a slower pace, but now that everything was already happening, there was no time to dwell on that.
"If I want to resolve the issue with Dialga and Palkia…" Edward turned his gaze to the temple in Twinleaf Town. This structure, modeled after a famous cathedral from his past life, was the key to solving everything.
With that thought in mind, Edward quickly left the battlefield with his two bodyguards.
Twinleaf Town was already sealed off. Even if the League's reinforcements arrived, they wouldn't be able to enter. In other words, the town had become a sealed room—an inescapable, isolated prison.
"If a murder happened now, that would really spice things up," Edward muttered as he hurried along.
Maybe it was because he'd recently been writing a Sherlock Holmes script, but Edward found himself interpreting everything around him through a lens of mystery and deduction.
"Mister Edward, where are you going?" one of the League bodyguards asked as he followed closely.
"Well, since we're trapped here anyway, instead of sitting around waiting to die, we might as well try to find a way out," Edward said calmly. This movie was one of the more unforgettable ones he'd watched.
What left the deepest impression was the final moment when Oración was played—it had been powerful and moving. Edward had always thought that if that scene had been animated with even more finesse, it could've become a true classic. It made him sincerely admire the power of music.
The bodyguards exchanged glances but said nothing. Edward was right—if they didn't break the seal and escape, nothing else would matter.
Zoroark followed quietly, but for some reason, it had remained silent the entire time.
When they arrived at the temple, Edward pushed open the door and walked in. The interior was empty—everyone had fled to shelters after Team Galactic's sudden attack, and Officer Jenny had issued an evacuation order.
"What are you doing here? Would you mind telling me?" a stranger's voice rang out.
Edward and his companions turned around—and saw four people standing behind them.
Cyrus, Shizuka, and two Team Galactic members.
Edward frowned. Why was Cyrus here? In the original game storyline, Cyrus had nothing to do with Twinleaf Town.
But looking at the cold expression on Shizuka's face, Edward fell silent. Maybe everything in this world had already started to change the moment he arrived. His presence had caused certain events to diverge—like the cliché butterfly effect.
"If I said I came to take shelter, would you believe me?" Edward asked helplessly. Why had this guy come to Twinleaf Town? This world was seriously getting ridiculous.
"I don't believe it," Cyrus said flatly. The other Team Galactic members released their Pokémon in unison, each one glaring at Edward's group with hostility.
Zoroark watched silently. Its gaze swept over Cyrus, then shifted to Shizuka.
"There's a lot of them…" The two bodyguards took a deep breath and summoned all their Pokémon, but even so, they didn't feel any relief—Cyrus hadn't even made a move yet.
But as Team Galactic's leader, there was no way he was weak. The fact that he was holding back only made him even more dangerous.
Edward was frustrated. He felt like things had completely slipped out of his control.
His original plan had been solid: come here once Dialga and Palkia appeared, resolve their conflict, and leave. That would have made the trip worthwhile.
But now… Team Galactic had shown up.
"Edward, you're someone I find very interesting," Cyrus suddenly said, completely out of nowhere.
Edward was stunned. He stared at Cyrus with a confused expression. What was this guy even talking about?
He'd never heard of Cyrus having… unusual preferences?
The tense atmosphere instantly shattered. Everyone present gave them strange looks. Could it be that these two…?
"Mr. Cyrus, I'm really not into men…" Edward quickly clarified. He didn't want to be saddled with a weird reputation or become part of a strange "ship" with Cyrus.
"That's not what I meant," Cyrus replied calmly, absentmindedly turning the ring on his finger.
Edward glanced at it. It was a cobalt-blue gemstone ring, but oddly misshapen—not a perfect cut, almost crude in its form.
"Come with me, Edward," Cyrus said.
Edward's eyelid twitched. What was this guy's deal? Why was he so fixated on him? Wasn't he supposed to only care about Dialga and Palkia?
Regardless, there was no way Edward was going to surrender quietly. He looked around. Right now, the only way to turn the tide was to break the dimensional barrier caused by the legendaries' battle. Otherwise, the League reinforcements would never get in, and he'd be left alone against all of Team Galactic.
The two bodyguards rushed forward to intercept the enemies. Edward turned and fled without hesitation, with Zoroark immediately following him.
Edward was in a hurry. He remembered clearly—the key item needed to activate everything was up there. Once it was activated using electricity, everything would be over.
He didn't bother saying pointless things like "Good luck" or "Hold them off." He knew what mattered now was time.
"Exactly the same…" Cyrus murmured, watching Edward disappear up the stairs. Then he glanced at Shizuka beside him.
"Shizuka, your turn," Cyrus said coldly.
Shizuka nodded and joined the battle. Meanwhile, Cyrus stood calmly with his hands behind his back. Behind him, a Magnezone emerged, carrying Cyrus upward as it flew after Edward.
"Cyrus!" the two bodyguards shouted, trying to intercept him. They knew exactly what Edward was trying to do, and they couldn't let Cyrus stop him!
But they were blocked. Shizuka and two of Team Galactic's senior executives stepped forward, launching a three-on-two attack.
Even though the two guards were elite members of the League, they were completely tied up in battle and couldn't break away. They could only watch helplessly as Cyrus vanished into the stairwell.
Watching him disappear, Shizuka turned to the two League bodyguards.
"Now… it's your turn."
(End of Chapter)