Shelter Town. A small village located to the south of Snowpoint City. A place in between places with most of the traffic headed either to or from Snowpoint City. As such, people rarely spend a large amount of time here or get to know any of the few residents who have chosen to move to this quiet, snow-covered location.
It is perhaps for this reason that a young man was slowly dying in his small house on the outskirts of town without anyone knowing that he was suffering. Tobias was lying in his bed, suffering from another coughing fit and slowly succumbing to the depression of his condition. The doctors in Snowpoint had told him he had only a few months left to live as the cancer in his lungs slowly shut down his internal organs. The young man was being struck down in his prime and the disease had progressed to the stage where Tobias could barely get out of bed or reach across for his oxygen mask to help his breathing. All he could do was lie in bed, wondering if he was going to wake up the next morning. He spent his last days at home, watching Pokémon battles on tv. And every night, he was haunted by that same dream. He was battling in the Lily of the Valley Conference like all the other trainers he had watched over the years. In his dream, he would be on the verge of winning until the dream turned into a nightmare, his body giving in and his Pokémon losing. In the end, Tobias was beginning to wonder whether it was worth waking up in the morning since it would mean he would have to go through the nightmare all over again. But little did he know that his ongoing nightmares had attracted a certain Pokémon's attention...
Tobias woke up on a particularly cold morning to the sight of the sun slowly peeking its head over the mountains to the east and the quiet of another snowy morning. It would be a while yet before the Snovers and the Delibirds that lived around his house began to wake up. Tobias reached for a hit of his oxygen tank to try and subside the coughs he could feel building in his chest and slowly pulled himself up to use the bathroom. It's getting harder and harder to move around Tobias thought to himself sadly Soon I'll be completely confined to my bed. As Tobias turned on the bathroom light, he thought he heard a noise coming from the bedroom. He thought nothing of it though, admitting to himself that the paranoia of his isolation was probably setting in. Tobias had always been a bit of a loner, choosing to move out to Shelter Town on his own when he was old enough to live a quiet life. Sure, he had travelled when he was younger, exploring the north of Sinnoh and catching Pokémon just like his peers. And he had brought the few that had befriended with him when he moved to Shelter town. But when his condition as a young adult had become clear, he had given his Pokémon to Nurse Joy at the nearby Pokémon Centre. Tobias explained that he was ill and couldn't take care of them and that they should stay with trainers who could give them the attention they needed and deserved. As such, he was very much alone.
Tobias exited his bathroom and was slowly making his way back to his bed when he noticed his room had become slightly darker despite the sun rising outside. He moved towards his TV but it refused to turn on. Tobias felt a chill run down his spine as he heard another noise, this time closer.
"Hello? Is somebody there?" Tobias asked in a raspy, unused voice. He squinted into the dark corners of his room but couldn't make anything out. Feeling another coughing fit coming on, Tobias moved towards his oxygen tank when he heard a ghostly voice whisper:
"Tobias...I feel your nightmares..."
Tobias was so startled that when he twisted around, he fell and landed on his bed. He saw what he guessed was a Pokémon fading into the room out of the darkness. It was a black, shadow-like Pokémon with what appeared to be a whitish fog billowing from its head. It had a red, spiky growth around its neck and one eye staring intently at Tobias, bright blue with a piercing gaze. "I feel your nightmares...and your pain", the Pokémon whispered. Needless to say, Tobias was very frightened and shied away from the oncoming Pokémon
"W-Who are Y-You? What do you W-Want?" Tobias stuttered.
"It's name is Darkrai. And it is here because you summoned it"
Tobias's head whirled around so fast that his neck cricked. The new voice belonged to a hooded man learning against the wall near the door. Under the hood, Tobias could see blonde hair and green eyes. He was dressed in what appeared to be a white travelling cloak that looked worn, with black trousers and a long-sleeved, black shirt underneath. He also wore dark leather boots and matching gloves. The man walked towards the bed, removing his hood and letting a smile cross his face.
"And it's also here because it wants to help you..."
"Help me? What do you mean help me?" Tobias asked, still a little too shaken up to understand what was going on. The man sat down on the bed next to Tobias, with Darkrai continuing to hover silently near the corner from whence it came. The man reached out with a gloved hand and touched Tobias on the arm.
"Darkrai is a Pokémon that thrives on the nightmares of others. Your nightmare of failure in battle is exactly what it lives on. What it gain's in power, Darkrai also gains in knowledge. By inhabiting and feeding off these nightmares, Darkrai has discovered much about you...and your condition."
Tobias swallowed hard as he listened to the man speak. He hadn't told anyone about how serious his illness was, not even Nurse Joy when handing his Pokémon. How was it then that this stranger could know so much? Unless...what he says is true. Tobias's eyes flickered from the stranger to Darkrai and back again.
"You said it wanted to help me? How?" Tobias demanded, "My cancer is terminal, there is nothing you can do to stop me from suffering through this!"
The man's eyes seemed to shine with sadness momentarily before smiling again. "You're right...there is nothing he or I can do to lessen the severity of your condition. But we can help you with these last few months, make them worth living again." The man stood up, and reached out his hand towards Tobias. "You can call me Sizer. Come, I'll explain after you've gotten yourself wrapped up so we can take this outside. You've been stuck in this house for far too long."
Tobias sat on a bench in the small, snow-covered garden behind his house. He shivered slightly from the cold and as he watched the sun go through its morning ritual with the Pokémon inhabiting the forest nearby beginning to call to each other for the start of a new day. Next to him, the man known as Sizer was leaned back and seemingly not bothered by the frigidness of the early morning, smiling as he stared into the sunrise. Darkrai was floating nearby, within earshot but slightly distanced as it focused on the Pokémon cries it could hear from the forest.
"It's scenery like this that shows us just how beautiful our world is" said Sizer.
Tobias was unimpressed. Sure, it was nice being outside again but his breathing was more laboured and he could see the sunrise from his bedroom window if he wanted to. And honestly, he just wasn't as moved by such things anymore. The overwhelming nature of his cancer had removed such joys from his life.
"...and it's scenery like this that I'm hoping you'll learn to appreciate once again" Sizer said, reading Tobias's mind. Tobias turned to see Sizer looking at him, again with the smile on his face.
"OK and how were you planning on doing that exactly? You haven't yet told me what or how you want to help me with."
"I told you, I want to help you live the rest of your life to the fullest. And that means making those dreams of yours come true."
Tobias stared into the distance and allowed himself a small, sad smile at this. "Look, as much as I appreciate the sentiment, I don't see how you're going to be able to do that. The only dream I've had recently turns into a nightmare for a reason...it's just not feasible anymore." Tobias jumped slightly when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"I once read a remarkable quote that I think is quite appropriate at this point. It went 'If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything'...Now, I'm prepared to help you Tobias, but it is going to take a little effort and belief on your part as well." Sizer had a very comforting expression on his face as he said all this and Tobias noticed that Darkrai had turned in their direction as well, his blue orb staring right into Tobias's own eyes.
And in that moment, he couldn't help but want to trust this pair. Whether it was Sizer's words or Darkrai's presence, Tobias wasn't sure. But he felt a glimmer of hope in his chest, something that he hadn't felt in a long time. He straightened up and looked at Sizer. "Ok then, Mr. Sizer...how do you make dreams come true?"
Sizer cringed. "It's just Sizer, I'm barely older than you so let's keep it that way!" He readjusted his seating position so that his body was now facing towards Tobias.
"OK Tobias, from what Darkrai has told me, your dream was to battle in the Lily of the Valley Conference right?"
"Well yeah...but how on earth can I manage that when I can barely stand up for long periods of time, let alone gather the Pokémon and the gym badges I need to compete in the tournament?"
Sizer held up his hand, "Let me finish. Now I can help you with the Pokémon you'll need to gather the gym badges in record time and also to compete in the conference its self. Darkrai here," he motioned towards the Pokémon who had made his way over to the pair "...believes he can help you with your nightmares. We also think we have a way to help with your illness"
Tobias could barely believe what he was hearing. This man was offering him time, a very precious commodity for someone in Tobias' position. "But to gather the gym badges in enough time for this year's tournament, I'll need to beat the gym leaders at a record pace. I'd have to use Pokémon that are amazingly powerful! Not to mention all the time it's going to take to travel from city to city!"
Sizer chuckled and once again held up his hand "I assure you, that will not be an issue. But this enthusiasm impresses me Tobias. Not once did you mention your illness as a factor there." Tobias came crashing back down to earth, his eyes widening and his head slumping. He had been so wrapped up in the possibility of travelling that he had forgotten about the cancer raging through his body that didn't even allow him to stand up on his own for more than a few minutes. Feeling as though a wonderful gift had just been ripped away from him, Tobias' eyes fell to the snow around his feet. He could feel Sizer's gaze and glanced up to see, astonishingly, that the man was smiling wider than ever.
"Tobias, just being able to forget your illness, even if it's only for a moment, goes to show you that this thing can't control you. Your life is still your own, regardless of our help or not...just don't let yourself linger on the negatives and live your life..."
Tobias couldn't help but feel his throat close at that. Hurriedly blinking away any tears that might try and burst their way onto the scene, Tobias fixed a determined look on his face. "OK, so you think there is a way for me to be fit enough to battle?"
"Yes. In fact, I think it's making its way towards us right now" Sizer was looking into the distance. Tobias followed his gaze and could make out two figures flying out of the sun, growing larger as they came towards them. Tobias gasped as two winged Pokémon, almost identical, descended from the skies and landed nearby. Sizer stood up and moved towards the two Pokémon.
"Tobias, allow me to introduce the Eon siblings Latios" he reached up and stroked the blue Pokémon, "and Latias." Tobias watched as Sizer petted both of the Pokémon and they in turn purred with satisfaction. He seems to know them well, but I've never seen either of those species before. Sizer must be an incredible Pokémon trainer! Tobias attempted to stand up, coughing and fighting the fatigue as he did so. He slowly made his way over to the two majestic Pokémon. They both looked at him with interest. Sizer turned towards him as he approached.
"Latios and Latias are very good friends of mine. I met them a while ago on my own journey. And I believe they hold the key to helping you." Sizer reached up to Latios and removed a small Pokéball-sized orb from the Pokémon's neck. It seemed almost fluid-like in appearance and reflected the light just as brightly as the snow on the ground.
"This is the Soul Dew. It is said to hold the essence of a Pokémon from the past. It boosts the strength of those who wear it. Here, tie this around your neck." Tobias took the orb from Sizer and tied the string around his neck. Once it was secure, he began to feel a force of some kind emanating from the Soul Dew. His fatigue seemed to disappear and the nagging desire to cough was gone from his chest. Tobias felt incredible, as if he had never been ill.
"This is...I don't believe...It's gone!" Tobias stammered. Sizer's face hardened somewhat when he saw Tobias's ecstatic expression.
"No Tobias. Your illness is still very much there I'm afraid. But the Soul Dew will give you the strength to overcome its effects. Just remember that if you take it off, you will begin to feel the strain of the disease once again." Sizer commented. Tobias sobered at the thought but decided to take Sizer's earlier advice and not dwell on the negatives.
"Well, I feel good. Really good. I feel ready to take on the Sinnoh League!" Tobias shouted, "So, what do I do about my team of Pokémon?"
"This is your team right here." said Sizer, indicating the Pokémon around them. "Latios and Latias will help keep an eye on you. Plus, you can fly on their backs to reach the gyms across Sinnoh quicker." The Eon Pokémon chirped happily and each moved to hover alongside Tobias. Sizer motioned Darkrai to join them.
"I think though that they will attract a lot of attention since there are many a trainer who has been searching for the Eon twins. I think you should refrain from using them in battle unless you need to. Besides, with Darkrai with you I can't imagine you'll be needing much more in the way of firepower." Darkrai floated over and held its position in front of Tobias. It's ghostly voice resonated once again.
"I have seen...into your depths...and I will help you...with your dreams..." Tobias wasn't sure how to reply but was saved the need to when Sizer spoke again.
"Usually these Pokémon tend to live a relatively 'free' existence but for your sake and for the sake of not attracting so much attention, they will stay inside these Pokéballs." Sizer held out the Pokéballs and recalled each of the Pokémon. He then pressed the balls into Tobias's hands. Tobias just stood there for a moment, staring at the three miniaturized balls in his hands. He looked up to see Sizer staring at him.
"I'm...well...thanks. For all of this. I don't know what to say." Tobias stammered, trying to convey just how grateful he was. Sizer smiled knowingly, not needing Tobias to express himself in words with his emotions coming off him in waves.
"I do. Go out and challenge the Sinnoh League. Go and win the Lily of the Valley Conference. Trust in those Pokémon that you have with you. Let them guide you in spirit as you guide them in battle. I'll see you in a few months."