There had always been some part of me that knew he existed. Some part of me that felt him there, lurking in the shadows of every dream… but it wasn't until now that I realized just how real he was.

His body was black and tattered, as if he was wearing a long, old cloak. He floated several feet above the ground, silent and ghostlike. His eyes were ice-blue and so vibrant that they jumped out against his black skin. His expression was blank, and yet I could feel a sinister air floating about him, as if the red ring that encircled his neck was hiding a malicious grin. Without being told, I instantly knew his name. Darkrai.

"Greetings, little Drowzee," He whispered, his voice slithering from his throat like a Seviper.

I could only stare in terror. Here, in the deep recesses of my own dreams, he had all the power.

"Do not be silent," The Legendary urged, extending a shadowed hand towards me. "If we are not free in our dreams, then where can we be?"

I finally forced myself to speak. "Why… why are you here?"

Darkrai chuckled, low and icy. "This is my world, little one."

"B-but… this is my dream."

"Or is it?" Darkrai loomed closer, dwarfing me. "You wander far from your own mind when you sleep."

"I'm a Drowzee!" I protested, stepping backwards to stay as far away as possible from the dark presence. "We can do that… enter others' dreams, that is."

"And I am Darkrai." He kept coming closer as I moved away, drifting slowly with tatters flowing behind. "My ability extends far beyond myself. I can take your dreams. And make them into nightmares."

All around us the world melted away, until we were standing in an unending void of black. Unnatural, inexplicable terror welled up in me, and my muscles froze.

"P-please…" I begged, falling to my knees. "Stop…"

Darkrai came closer, and the fear grew more and more unbearable the nearer he came. By the time his face was just in front of mine, I was so frightened that I could barely hear what he was saying.

"Why did you come here, Drowzee?" He said in a soft, almost fatherly voice.

I whimpered, unable to respond.

"Were you curious? Is that all? Curious about the other one that can travel dreams?"

Darkrai backed up again, and the grip of fear on me loosened slightly, enough for me to think clearly.

"I had to know," I explained, wiping the sweat from my face. "I had to know if you were real."

"Well, you are here, and so am I."

"I… I'm sorry…" I stammered. "I didn't mean…"

"You are trespassing, you know…" Darkrai growled.

I winced. "I promise, I'll leave as soon as I wake up."

"They always do." Darkrai muttered. For a moment there was a streak of blue in the black void of our surroundings, but it disappeared very quickly.

We stood in silence. Every moment was a terrifying agony; I willed myself to wake up as hard as I could. I knew that my body was lying calmly on the island, sleeping in a patch of tall grass. But my mind remained trapped in the nightmare, all alone in an endless dark but for the great shadowy pokemon that loomed before me.

"Are there stories about me?" Darkrai asked suddenly.

"Wh-what?"

"Stories. Rumours. What do your people say about me?"

"There are a lot of them…" I said. "No one really knows what to think of you. Powerful Drowzee can sense your presence, so there have been a lot of stories… Some say that you were one of us, once, but you went crazy with power and you changed. Some stories say that you were just a shadow torn from the dream of Arceus, and that you barely have any power at all." I looked up at him nervously, wondering what he'd think of that.

He merely chuckled. "Not far from the truth, I suppose."

I shuddered. I'd hardly call the way he twisted my dreams apart 'not powerful'. "Why did you ask? About the stories?"

"I was just… curious." Darkrai said pensively, examining me. "Little Drowzee, do you know why I live alone here on this island?"

"N-no."

"It's quite simple, really. If I were to live inland, with other pokemon, then…" He shrugged his shoulders, making the tatters flutter, "… We would all be lost forever, myself in their dreams, and them in my nightmares."

"The stories said that you lived here because Palkia and Dialga forced you here…" I murmured. Darkrai's gaze pierced through me, and I winced. I'd said to much. He was going to kill me now…

"Stories are just that. Stories." Darkrai said softly.

"So… they aren't true?"

"Perhaps. Perhaps not." Darkrai looked at me. "You know, these nightmares I cause are not given on purpose. They are an aura I exude. Weaker souls can get trapped within my aura forever."

I shuddered. "F-forever?"

"Luckily, you don't appear to be one of them. Walk away, Drowzee, while you still can."

The dream was fading, I could feel myself waking up. "Wait. Darkrai…" I called, though I wasn't sure why.

"What is it?" He asked.

"Don't… don't you get lonely out here, all alone?"

"Go home, Drowzee. There is nothing here for you to find."

Then I felt myself return to earth, lying in the grass where I'd fallen asleep. The dream was gone, and so was Darkrai.