Cyrus woke to silence.
Not the peaceful kind, the kind that came after something had passed through and left scars behind.
For a few seconds, he didn't move. His body felt heavy, limbs sluggish, like gravity had decided to double while he slept. Sunlight filtered through the curtains in thin bands, warm but distant.
Ditto lay across his chest, fully flattened like a living blanket.
Cyrus blinked.
"…Morning?"
Ditto didn't answer. It simply shifted, forming a tiny thumbs-up before melting back into place.
"Good," Cyrus muttered. "Still alive."
He sat up slowly, the room tilting just enough to remind him how little rest he'd actually gotten. Outside, the city had resumed movement, cautious, measured. Drones hovered near damaged structures. Emergency crews and Pokémon worked side by side, reinforcing barriers along the Divide Line.
Hoopa was gone.
Cyrus felt that absence immediately.
Not relief... awareness.
He stood, stretched, splashed water on his face, and changed into fresh clothes. The mirror reflected someone who looked older than he had yesterday. Shadows under his eyes. Jaw set tighter.
When he stepped out into the hallway, two uniformed city guards straightened.
"Mr. King," one said. "The council is ready when you are."
Cyrus nodded. "Let's not waste daylight."
The meeting chamber sat at the exact geometric center of Divide City, a deliberate choice made centuries ago when the city was founded as neutral ground. Light streamed through tall crystal windows, refracted into soft gradients that blurred the harsh line between bright and shadowed halves.
Around the circular table sat officials from every sector:
Mayor Halden, neutral-born, face drawn but resolute
Director Virel, head of City Security
Archivist Senna, keeper of Divide's historical records
Professor Kaito, dreamwave researcher
Two League representatives, visibly uncomfortable being this far from a Gym structure
Cyrus took the empty seat.
No applause.
No ceremony.
Just urgency.
Mayor Halden spoke first. "You stopped the escalation."
"I slowed it," Cyrus corrected. "Darkrai's still here. So is Cresselia."
Senna leaned forward and looked around at the other member. " They were both dormant for centuries. balanced and silent. Until now."
Professor Kaito activated a holo-display. Waves of overlapping data filled the air, dream energy spikes, boundary fluctuations, emotional resonance charts.
"Darkrai's influence is expanding," Kaito said. "Not violently. Persistently. Like pressure."
"And Cresselia?" the mayor asked.
Kaito hesitated. "Recovering. But weakened. If Darkrai forces another surge before she stabilizes..."
"She won't be able to counter him," Cyrus finished.
Director Virel folded his arms. "Then we restrain Darkrai."
Cyrus looked at him.
"No," he said flatly.
The room stilled.
"You can't trap a nightmare," Cyrus continued. "And if you try, he'll retaliate. Hard."
Senna nodded slowly. "Historically accurate."
The mayor exhaled. "Then what do we do?"
Cyrus leaned forward, elbows on the table.
"We don't stop Darkrai," he said. "We rebalance him."
Several officials exchanged uneasy glances.
"That sounds dangerously theoretical," Virel said.
"It is," Cyrus replied. "But it's the only option that doesn't end with half the city unconscious — or worse."
Professor Kaito brightened slightly. "If Cresselia regains enough strength, her lunar field could stabilize the dreamwaves without forcing Darkrai into dormancy."
Senna added, "Which preserves the ancient equilibrium."
Virel frowned. "You're suggesting we protect the Pokémon that caused the panic."
"Yes," Cyrus said. "Both of them."
Silence again.
Finally, the mayor nodded. "What's the plan?"
Cyrus took a breath.
"Step one: Reduce fear," he said. "Panic feeds Darkrai. Public messages need to shift from 'threat' to 'phenomenon.' No sirens tonight unless absolutely necessary."
Virel grimaced. "That's more then a little risky."
"So is fear," Cyrus replied.
"Step two: Strengthen Cresselia without forcing a confrontation. Fairy-types, Psychic-types, lunar amplification tech — everything you have that supports, not commands."
Kaito nodded rapidly, already typing.
"Step three," Cyrus continued, "we isolate the cult."
Senna stiffened. "Darkness."
Cyrus snorted. "Still sounds fake."
"Unfortunately," the mayor said, "they are very real."
"They want Darkrai unbalanced," Cyrus said. "Which means they'll try to interfere tonight."
Virel leaned in. "And you?"
Cyrus met his gaze.
"I'll be the line Darkrai tests," he said. "Not the city."
The mayor studied him for a long moment.
"You're young," she said quietly.
Cyrus shrugged. "Darkrai doesn't care."
Another pause.
Then she nodded. "Approved."
The meeting adjourned with quiet efficiency.
As Cyrus stood to leave, a familiar singsong voice echoed softly behind him.
"Ooooh~ planning without me~?"
Hoopa lounged upside-down near the ceiling, grinning.
No one else reacted.
Cyrus didn't turn.
"Don't interfere," he said calmly.
Hoopa floated closer.
"Mmm~ depends."
Cyrus finally looked up. "People will get hurt."
Hoopa tilted his head.
"…That would be boring."
He vanished in a shimmer of rings.
Cyrus exhaled.
Outside, the sun climbed higher.
Night would come again.
And this time, Divide City would be ready...or it wouldn't survive at all.